November 5th, 1875.
My Dear—-, Your word yesterday brought me to my prayers, and to the word of God. I do not think before the Lord that I am such an one as would be justified, before Him or my brethren, in taking with me any ὑπηρέτης. (Acts 13:5.) Moreover, You have a specialty in work (judging by your labor in Quebec, Montreal, Richmond) which lays an embargo upon you before the Lord; you are not your own to go out of your own special line wherein the Lord has blessed you.
The only person I ever asked to go with me on my own little line (and I did it in the full liberty, as I judged, of 2 Cor. 5:15, 16) was one who was then in nowise committed to any kind of work. Dear—, I took him just as if he had been in nature my own son, and nothing more, and he knew not whether there was any work from the Lord for him of any special kind; and, moreover, then had no wife or child.
You see where my soul is in this matter. The ought of duty, and not the " I like " on the one hand, or " I dislike " on the other, has to rule.
My prayer for your wife and children as well as for yourself will be heard for His sake.
Most affectionately yours in Him that is coming for us,
G. V. W.