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p337 [R T Grant] DEAR BROTHER, - You will, I trust, have got my letter. I gave you some account of -. It is so far difficult that there is nothing very striking or salient, though it seems to me the Lord is evidently working. Souls have been added to the assembly; but it is not so much this as the working of truth in many, in which the Lord's hand seems to be manifest. Then, of course, too, opposition has been at work: it is all a useful experience of patience.

But our spring of labour must be in the Lord, not in effects. He has to say, "Then have I laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain: yet is my judgment with the Lord and my work with my God." We are often encouraged as He never was, but we must depend on Him for energy to work. Perhaps I am wrong to say "never," for the woman at the well of Samaria evidently was sent to His soul, when driven by jealousy out of Judæa, and one anxious soul shewed Him the fields white for harvest, and gave Him meat to eat man knew not of. But we must be in the secret of the Lord to have this kind of encouragement. Perfect grace in Him gave Him to see the bearing and import of the working of grace in others and the immensity of such facts; so in the poor woman (Mary) who anointed His feet in Bethany. But then He is a source of strength and blessing and encouragement to us which, though perfect in communion with His Father, He had not, because He enters into all our difficulties and infirmities, and loneliness - has a word in season to speak to him that is weary, as having passed through the sorrows.

I have known much what it is to have little retirement in the villages of France and Switzerland. But where there is the earnest desire of it, and we are in the path of the Lord's will, He makes opportunities for us, and makes - when there is diligence - our opportunities profitable by His grace. We have in such cases to use diligence to seize moments, but even in going from one place to another, if alone, we find such, and richer sometimes than longer times where there is not the same diligence of heart with God. And then be sure moments of longer duration have a value which otherwise they would not, and are rescued from idle intercourse otherwise. Still it is always of the last importance to take care we have always moments of communion, as nothing can supply their place, and our work flows from God when we have; and there is the seriousness and earnestness of dealing in God's behalf with souls in their eternal interest.

I think we ought to look for fruits as a sign that God is working with us, but it should not be the spring of labour, but our intercourse with Him so as to have His mind. Peace be with you, dearest brother, and may He give you to be much with Him.

Affectionately yours in the Lord.

Hamilton.

[51201E]

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