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p388 Dear -, - It is a long while since I wrote to you. . . . I still think of returning to Europe when winter storms are over. The progress of infidelity and evil made me anxious to be back. Not that I delude myself by fancying I could do much; but a testimony, however feeble, is a trumpet to which the Lord answers, at least for His. But I have been sending an article to -, who wrote to me for it, which has a little quieted my spirit in that direction; a paper written at his request in great haste, that is for immediate use, but which I hope may be so far a testimony. There are other points I see plainly coming up, hidden in general evangelicalism, but which is becoming a root of great evil. The great affair is to hold fast the simplicity that is in Christ: then all goes in clear atmosphere of life and health - if brethren are only practical and devoted, and serve. I dread too much writing, and thinking brethren are something; if they do, God will make nothing of them. Do they say all is in ruins? Well, do they take part in it as Daniel did, or do they fancy they are going to be something out of it, and so deny that it is so? The ruin is our ruin if we are identified with Christ's glory in the world. We may, if enabled, separate the precious from the vile, and if so be blessed in faithfulness; if continuing humble, the Head can never fail those who wait on Him. I find the word ever opening up, and new light opening into those vistas which come from and reach God Himself. One does get more at home in these things as one grows old; yet we have it after all only as the thing revealed, not the thing itself, though through the Holy Ghost we realise what is revealed, have the witness in ourselves. Still, we wait for the thing itself, for Him who has loved us. May He be with us!

The work in New York and all around is very interesting, a great deal of inquiry and desire for the word. . . . A great deal of the work goes on in reading meetings, though in New York they hear the gospel with interest. I hope in England this will not be neglected. . . . Rest I should be glad of, but work on till the Lord gives it to me. I had to read infidelity at Boston, but it was not new to me. But I also read two books on man's antiquity, of the Evans and Lubbock school; but while the word of God is ever, and more and more God's word to me, I found these books, though crack books, a total failure on the points they drive at, not to say that each upsets the other.

Kindest love to the brethren, whom I hope, the Lord helping me, to see, ere very long. We have had a long hard winter, but after a long spell of very fine weather we are again in snow.

1877.

[52254E]

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