It is sweet, in the midst of the din of war and all its sad concomitants, to be assured that the Lord is carrying on His own work of grace. We are filled with thankfulness that the work in Egypt still goes on. The midnight cry, “Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him,” is heard in towns and villages, and even in remote corners; and along with it the glad tidings of grace, which enables every awakened one to meet Him, by simple faith in Him, as the One who was once here, and in love, suffered and died, the just for the unjust. Surely we are thankful to hear that a good many are being gathered to His name, and meet to remember His death, in hope of His near coming. But if we should stop here, should we not be in danger of stopping short of God’s thoughts and purposes? He would have us preach repentance and remission of sins in the name of His beloved Son, until the very moment He arises from His present position of grace, to come for His own, preparatory to the execution of judgment. And if we, who have been favored with clearer light, allow ourselves to become soured, and self-occupied, either individually or ecclesiastically, we shall be but poor ambassadors of peace to the world. One can almost envy the freshness and simplicity of saints in Egypt, and desire that they may be long so kept. Those who labor in the word find open doors and meet with much blessing. Dear black Abdulla, I hear, is still going about in his simple way from village to village, and has either gone, or is going to a distant province, where, as yet, no laborer has been.
It is a little remarkable that recently a very old book has been found in a convent, in which the writer speaks of the coming of the Lord, the first resurrection, and the thousand years of the kingdom. Church history tells us that this doctrine flourished much in the middle of the third century, especially in parts of Egypt. And now that it has been revived, is it not a little remarkable that traces of it should be found in old writings hidden away for centuries in their convents?
A few days ago I sent some parts of scripture and tracts to Suakim, in answer to the request of a brother, chief engineer on one of the British ships of war stationed there. So it is not all dark in the track of war. Some of the soldier brethren are with the advanced portions of the army in the Soudan. May the Lord watch over and shield them. I have heard of one of them who departed peacefully to be with the Lord. No doubt he found it far better than to remain in the body in this dark scene of strife. Others of them in their letters, speak of the struggle to keep their heads above water; but so far all seem to have been kept—a mercy to them in their circumstances; and to us all, wherever our lot is cast. We are to remember, that to be kept in the midst of trials means positive growth.
Some of the sailors remarked to us last summer, that doubtless saints surrounded by home comforts think of them as having but little joy in the Lord, while the fact is, they are often filled to overflowing; and when a few of them get together in prayer or around the word, they find a rich feast in an occasion where saints in more favored circumstances, might perhaps find only dry crumbs. We here felt the force of the remark; and should it not be a rebuke to us, that the very abundance of our mercies often proves a snare to our souls and leads us to forgetfulness of God? Alas! that we should ever gather around the word, and find it stale food, or what is worse, get occupied about it in a way that ministers questions rather than godly edification! The interest of the civilized world daily becomes more and more centered and absorbed in these lands. And this is the more remarkable when we observe that England, the chief power interested, is being compelled to do so, in spite of her present policy and wishes. Our thought here is that these troubles will continue until Islam, as a, power, be completely broken. These sad, bloody wars, in Egypt and the Soudan, were not brought about by political aggressions from without, as the Russo-Turkish war, for example, but by the revival of the religious spirit of Islam from within. This is to be noted. It was this that compelled England to interfere, in power, and still keeps her there, contrary to her desires. This is especially true of the Soudan affair. No one thought, and no one wished, that a few semi-barbarous tribes, inhabiting those undesirable climes, so difficult of access, should be the occasion of such great military enterprises, and such intricate and danger-fraught diplomatic negotiations. But so it is, in spite of the wisdom of the world’s great ones; for there the ancient spirit of Islam has revived; and they must meet it whether they will or not. Perhaps, internal jealousies will compel European powers to preserve Egypt as a separate kingdom, and this I think will be the case, as will doubtless be the case when they shall have to consider Palestine and Syria; but the fact is, that whatever are their motives, they are now face to face with a question which they themselves regard as the most difficult of all that affects them internationally. As saints our interests are elsewhere; but as long as we are in the body, it would scarcely be true, if we would say, that we have no interest at all about what goes on in this mundane sphere. It is surely not our object, but we observe it as we pass on. And indeed we have divine light as to the course of this world and its end.
February 14th, 1885 B. F. Pinkerton
In answer to inquiries, the Editor would here say, that he will be happy either to forward help to the Lord’s servants in Syria and Egypt, or give information to those who wish to do so direct. C. S.