79. “M. C,” Canada. If you can pursue the calling with a good conscience—if you can practice it to the glory of Christ—if you can ask God’s blessing upon it, then, by all means, go on with it; if not, give it up. It must be a matter between your own soul and the Lord. It. could, in no wise, touch the real merits of the case, or adjust the moral balance of the question for your soul, were we to answer in the affirmative, or in the negative. The grand question would still have to be asked and answered, “What is the mind of my Lord?” Oh! when will Christians learn the precious secret of taking all their questions into the sanctuary of God to get them answered there?
80. “G. I.,” Wandsworth. It does not fall in with our line of things to enter upon such questions as you propose. We are not aware of any “rule” on the subject.
81. “L. W.,” Poole. Thanks for your interesting letter. The Lord be praised for all you can say of His goodness. We do praise Him with you, dear Mend, and pray that He may sustain your spirit.
82. “M.,” London. You have our full sympathy in your exercises. May the Lord lead you into His own blessed peace. If you can lay your hand on a little book entitled “Peace in Believing,” by our late beloved and valued friend William Trotter, we feel sure it will help you as it has helped many. We should be delighted to send it to you, if we knew your address; but you can get it at our publisher’s for two pence.
83. “A. M.” Your MS has come duly to hand.
84. “J. A. S.,” Oxford. The two expressions give us two distinct aspects of one and the same thing. 2 Corinthians 8 refers to the collection for the poor saints which has to be so ordered that no occasion might be given to any who might seek it. It is of the utmost importance that Christians should manage all their money matters in a clear, straightforward, upright manner, so as not to cause any reproach to be cast on that holy Name by which they are called. May we all exercise ourselves to have always a conscience void of offense both toward God and man.
85. “L. Η. E.” We must refer you to our answer given above to “ M,” London. May God’s Spirit work true faith in your soul! Oh! how simple it is when He does it! Faith is believing what God says, because He says it. 1 Cor. 15:3, 43For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:3‑4), and Rom. 10:9, 109That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10), tell you what and how to believe in order to be saved.
86. “G. Ε. T.,” Hoddesdon. We are expressly told, in Matt. 25 that the condemned nation “should go away into everlasting punishment.” This is as plain as it is solemn.
87. “Ε. Β. B.,” Stratford, Connecticut. Accept our best thanks for your kind note and the accompanying little book. The latter we have not yet had time to peruse; but we doubt not it will prove helpful to all engaged in the blessed work of teaching the young, whether in Sunday schools or day schools. May God bless you and make you a blessing!
88. “J. K. or B.,” Toronto. I am not quite sure of your second initial. Scripture is silent on the subject you name. Heb. 12:11Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1), does not refer to disembodied spirits as being now “ witnesses “ of our ways, but to the various old testament saints referred to in chapter 11. As to Revelation 2:99I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9), we apprehend there must be some mistake, inasmuch as there is no allusion whatever to disembodied spirits in the passage. We most surely believe that we shall know each other in the resurrection-state, but as to spirits, recognizing one another, the word is silent. It seems to us to be more a matter of pious sentimentality than of solid christian faith. Accept our warmest thanks for your most kind, interesting and encouraging letter.
89. “E. J. T.,” Melbourne. Will you kindly accept this mode of acknowledging your most welcome letter? We are unusually pressed just now; but we long to assure you of our deep and hearty interest in all you tell us, both as to yourself, beloved brother, and as to the Lord’s work around you. His holy Name be praised! Give our warmest love in Christ to all the beloved friends in Melbourne and Adelaide. May His richest blessings rest upon you all!
90. “G. K.,” Hull. We had so fully gone into the subject of 2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10), in a series of articles in volume x. on “the ministry of reconciliation,” that we hardly deemed it needful to refer to it again. We believe that that weighty passage sets forth the broad fact that all, both believers and unbelievers, shall be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ; but not at the same time. But see the article named above.