November 25th, 1868.
My Dear Brother In The Lord,-.... He knows and does all after His mind whose love, wisdom, and grace we could not better if we would. Thank God, I would not try to do so. Though the old nature in me would think of self, God has put it away in Christ, according to Rom. 6, and looks upon it as crucified, dead and buried together with Christ; and I would do so too-though I find that power for the new nature is needed if I am to do so constantly and steadily, not by fits and starts only, but so as to be able to say, " To me to live is Christ," as well as " to die is gain." Motives flowing from Christ, energy of Christ, Christ is the only object; and all three involved in, " To me to live is Christ."
We left Southampton November 17th, 1868; the four months in England gave time now to see the advance of His own work there, in the testimony; and Scotland is now open so that none can shut. We had five Guelph meetings, one at Dublin, and (after that) in York, Stratford-on-Avon, Taunton, Edinburgh, and London, which also gave occasion for seeing the brotherhood.
What a contrast now everywhere to what it was in 1827, when I began to work and had to pray and wait, take a step, and be content to stand and let Satan try to undermine it, and let men break themselves against it! But God is God in every day, and there is no work worth much but what is in Him and under His Spirit. Paul's work in starting the ball, Luther's, &c., in bringing out the sacred Scriptures again, and this in the closing days, each has its own place, but all under God's hand. And oh! for more Nazariteship, practically and individually, is what we groan for; for unless the vessel be gladly set apart or clean for the Lord the power of the Spirit, what would it be? I have seen many a foul gun burst because it was foul, and so far as I can see for no other cause whatsoever. The testimony too, as a place, tries ourselves, if it also tries others that hear it; too much sail will upset the ballastless boat. Well, God is able to deliver us, not only from the world and Satan practically, but from our own selves also, otherwise what and where would be His great salvation?
My mind oft thinks of you, and of sorrows which must have passed through your soul in connection with the failure to walk in the Spirit, and so getting into the flesh, of some in England dear to you. But it was mercy which would not let David, or Jonah, or Peter, walk in a vain show; but when they were loosely girded let them show themselves as they were. God would rather have His own name openly dishonored among men by a servant's walk than cover over a false appearance in the servant. He is the God of reality. A pretty specimen of a note for you, like a blind reader, at the post-office, to try and decipher. Well, it will tell that the Lord makes me think of you. Love to all the Lord's.
Affectionately, G. V. W.