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p364 [Dr. C Wolston] MY DEAR BROTHER, - I was very glad to get your account of the work, and so happy a one. I am sure true devotedness is the secret of power, and specially in these days; and that the value of brethren can only be if we so live in service for Christ, and for Christ specially among the poor: συναπάγετε τοῖς ταπεινοῖς, not "condescend" as so falsely translated in English. (Rom. 12:16.) We must remember that we are in the last days. Things are even going very fast, but the Lord is above all: He gathers together the tares in bundles. Patient continuing in well-doing is our path.

As regards your difficulty as to baptism, I am sure patience is our path there too. I can conceive nothing more false than a baptist testimony - more poor than a baptist church: the whole thing is a mistake. We are, according to 2 Timothy 2, purging ourselves from evil in a great baptised mass, thinking to begin and found, as with heathen, in a false position. But there has been such confusion and abuse that one must have patience with those thrown on these ordinance-ways of correcting them. They do it conscientiously. I should not stir my finger to hinder their own acting for themselves. If it was made a part of the testimony of the assembly as such, I should not go to it. I should not make any fuss, but keep my own place. Dear - assumed this position in - that they baptised believers (himself the most inconsistent of men as to it) but admitted others. I said at once I could not go in that case: I went in the unity of the body, not on sufferance to a baptist meeting, and the thing was withdrawn, and said not to be meant in this way. Nothing would induce me to go to a baptist meeting; I would as soon go to popery. I should have objected to giving up the prayer meeting, and any public declaration of its being a part of their testimony; their private view of it, of course, they are free in. But we are called to peace. They attacked me once about it at -, and I found they could not answer at all from scripture. The person who attacked me was convinced, I think, that they were wrong; certainly they had no answer from scripture. But I would not trouble one of them: I do not admit their baptism to be really such at all; but they do it conscientiously, and believe it such, and I am content, as I accept the ordinance as Christ's. They must leave my conscience free, too; I can bear with, but cannot bind my conscience by their ignorance, as I am sure it is. If the assembly takes the ground of being baptists, of course I should not go. But, I repeat, we are called to peace, and no individual (or multiplied by many) expression of opinion would move me at all. It always does mischief where it is held, and narrows the spirit; but when the assembly is not formed on it, I am free. Seek peace and pursue it. And the Lord give you peace always by all means.

Here the Lord blesses: numbers are a good deal increased. I have been in the States. Everywhere a growing sense of the worldliness and low estate of so-called churches, and spiritual persons ill at ease; but there must be faith to act. I am off to New York, where the Swiss have called me. And then after Philadelphia, for a visit to Massachusetts, where there is testimony. The Lord has graciously helped me hitherto. I must close. Hold to what is essential and keep close to Christ; of your own thoughts be distrustful.

Ever affectionately yours.

Canada, September, 1863.

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