FROM
THE CORRESPONDENCE OF BESSIE
I LIKE a faithful friend; the wounds inflicted being so many channels for the grace of God to flow in. Such was my darling sister, and I miss her very much on that account.”
“Truly, Satan goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He frightened me with stories of the desert, and my own weakness. My dear old bishop seemed to stand before me... as though I could repose amongst the slaves of error. So foolish was I, and wayward, I may truly say with Asaph,
As for me, my feet were almost pone; my steps had well nigh slipped.' Oh, pray for me, that I may be strengthened, and enabled to go forward, looking unto Jesus
Once we take the eye off Him, like Peter on the water, we begin to sink. And, oh 1 should we not ere now have perished, if our Jesus had withdrawn His watchful care from us for one moment? He may have seemed to slumber, when, in sinful unbelief—
"’Dismayed, we gazed upon the waves,
Listened to the tempest's roar, and, trembling,
Thought about our fragile bark; forgetting
That on board Almighty power was resting;'
which, though unseen, we knew was exercising its restraining influence.”
In encouraging another to bear faithful witness for Christ, she says:
“Oh, yes, I know full well the pain of wounding others; but I trust it will be ultimately for their good! Think of this; it is to me a sweet thought. Oh, be strong!
“If you are not already well acquainted with the prophecies, pray read what I send you on the subject. It was written by a truly Christian man, of ' sound mind,' who has given much attention to prophetic Scripture. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.' I believe the present sad condition of the Church is chiefly owing to her sinful disregard of the sure word of prophecy, whereunto she would do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place." 1 Thess. 5:2121Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21); 2 Peter 1:1919We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2 Peter 1:19); 1 John 3:33And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:3).
“Should they wish you to remain in Egypt; think of Moses, of what he sacrificed, and how he suffered. Follow his example, and you also will be strengthened to endure, 'as seeing Him who is invisible.'" Heb. 11.
“Your words concerning them who are asleep carne quite in season. I was at the time in heaviness through manifold temptations. Oh, how delightful to behold, as in a telescope, the coming glory! The dreary waste that intervenes is then lost light of, and the way-worn pilgrim, freed from Egypt's thraldom, presses forward, longing to set foot upon the goodly land. Oh, may we run the appointed race with patience. Yet a little while, we shall see Jesus. Behold, I come quickly; ' what a cheering answer to the cry of His afflicted people. Soon the pealing trump shall summon us to meet Him, whom not having seen we love, and in whom, though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable. "Rev. 22.; 1 Peter 1:88Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:8)." The change of air has done me good already. I feel less languid than I did at and hope next week to be again engaged in active service. Dr. H. says I shall be quite well shortly. If this be indeed the case, I hope I shall be thankful; but I pray not that I may recover strength before I go hence, and am no more seen. I do most earnestly desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.' Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23). Perhaps this is a selfish feeling.... That place of peaceful safety, where alone the tempest-tossed soul can really cast anchor; where alone it is secure from the rocks that surround it; and, oh, sweet thought, the night is far spent '! But do we indeed wish for day? I believe there must be something very wrong about us if we cannot say, ' Come, Lord Jesus.' This has been impressed upon my mind especially of late, and now, I trust, I am amongst the number of those happy saints who clove His appearing.' And if I had a choice I would not have Him tarry,' no, not for an hour; I rejoice in the hope of being with Him.”
“I can truly say my joy is unspeakable and full of glory ' (1 Peter 1:88Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:8)), and I believe the more we know of Him, whom not having seen we love, the greater will be our joy in the hope of His appearing;... till the morning without clouds, with its everlasting joys, bursts on our enraptured gaze, when we shall behold the Sun of Righteousness in unveiled glory.”
“What a subtle thing is self. How often it misleads the Christian. When I feel an inclination to do anything in any way according to the flesh, I tremble, lest it may be altogether contrary to the Spirit.”
“It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when with Jesus we shall be like Him. It is but for ' a little while; ' soon shall we be taken up to heaven, there to dwell forever.
Fair distant land! could now our eyes
But half its charms explore,
How would our spirits long to rise,
And live on earth no more!'
"Oh that we could at all times fully follow Him who pleased not Himself!”
“How blessed will be the time when we shall no more need prayer. I have had much comfort in the hope of it the last few days. It would be well to bear in mind, both in joy and sorrow, that we shall not be long in the wilderness.
“Soon shall close our earthly mission,
Soon shall end our pilgrim
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.'”
"Nothing tries my head so much as writing, even on common-place subjects. I find it far more distressing than visiting the poor, reading to, and praying with them. This sort of work I have been doing lately, on a small scale; but I trust I may say, without boasting, the Lord has been pleased to make me a blessing in more instances than one.”
“Oh that we were less selfish, willing to spend and to be spent in the blessed service of our Lord, who gave His life-blood for us This is not the time for ease; a rest remaineth for the people of God." Heb. 4:99There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9).
Speaking of a trial, she says:
“It is among the ' all things' that work together for our good. I trust it may be the means of inuring us to trial, for in the world we shall have tribulation. John 16:3333These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33).... Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.' Psalm 60:22. His ear is ever open to His children's cry. He is a present help in time of trouble. `Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.’ O the depth both of the grace and wisdom of God! how merciful are His thoughts, and marvelous His ways!”
“How it nerves the timid soul for battle, to know that through Christ we shall be more than conquerors; to be able to say, in full assurance of faith, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38, 3938For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38‑39).
“Today is the anniversary of my beloved sister's death. I feel unusually sad, but am not disconsolate; no, I have a cheering hope of soon rejoining her in heaven, in our Father's house, where we shall forever dwell together.”
“So the seed' has been sown, but who can tell whether by the wayside,' or in the good ground'? The day will declare it. Our business is to sow, leaving the result with God, who alone can give the increase. ‘In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.' "Ecclesiastes 11:66In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. (Ecclesiastes 11:6).
“Let us not look at the things which are seen and temporal, but at the things which are unseen and eternal; then the light affliction of the moment will not appear worthy to be compared with the far more exceeding weight of glory which it worketh for us. Lord, increase our faith.' What is faith? The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' This is a truth on which I have been led to dwell with much joy, yea, with joy unspeakable, this morning." 2 Cor. 4:17, 1817For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17‑18).
“Let us not lose sight of that which is to come. Let us exhort one another daily, and so much the more as we see the day approaching (Heb. 10:2525Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)); that day when we shall meet the Lord, in whose presence' alone is fullness of joy.' Yes, there alone is bliss.... How every cup of earthly pleasure has a drop of sorrow mingled with it. In the Lord's presence only is fullness of joy.”
“His position in this world seems dark and cheerless to the natural eye, but by faith he walks in the blessed light of his Father's smiling countenance. How much easier is it to bear the frown of our fellow mortals than the frown of God.”
“The Chief Shepherd shall ere long appear, and take us to be with Him in the green pastures, beside the still waters of unruffled place. Blessed hope! It ought to be sufficient to sustain the most weary traveler.”
“Sunday.—I have been to the throne of grace, the only place of escape from the dark shadows of our own foolish thoughts; the only refuge in time of trouble; the only place to get our strength renewed. Isa. 40:3131But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31).”
“Let us seek grace to make use of the precious moments as they fly. Let us now sow seed, even should it cost us tears, which may produce such fruit as the Lord may look upon with approbation. Ps. 126:5, 6. But we must not be selfish. The One who hath left us an example ' pleased not Himself,' and He will make His grace sufficient for us, if we seek it; and what would be half so blessed as the power to say, We delight to do Thy will, O God'?”
“Poor—is no more; and sadly instructive, in the way of warning, has her end been. There was a feeble trust in her death, but no joy: the absence of which she attributed to want of communion with the Lord, which she confessed she had neglected when in health, through overmuch attention to the things of time and cense.”
“* * God knoweth my heart's desire and prayer for them is, that they may know more of His revealed will; that they may groom in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior; that they may know ' more of Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.' Phil. 3:1010That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Philippians 3:10). It is only as we rise in spirit with our risen Head that we become practically dead to this world, which the Holy Ghost describes as being under the dominion of its god, Satan (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)), willingly led captive by him, destined to destruction, and despising warning; just as in the days of Noah, who, while the ark was building, was a type of what all Christians ought to be at present; i.e., ' a peculiar people,' witnessing against the evil in the world. How? By alliance with it? Nay, the commandment of the Lord is, ' Come out... and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing.' 2 Cor. 6: 17. Yet, alas! how many of His servants, in the face of this command, say, It is expedient to conform to the world.' There are others who, through ignorance of Satan's wiles, become entangled in its mazes, and, deceived by his devices, literally call evil good.”
The following little tract was written for children by Bessie: