I was most glad to hear your account of -, and the dear brethren there, and parts around, and the rather as it was happy. My heart has not left the dear brethren in America, though my body has, and I am happy that you are getting on happily in your meetings.... They say in England, 'Well begun, half done'; I suspect the meeting was begun not well, not knowing what they were about, though with right and godly intentions. I have no doubt with you, as in our case in England too, our part is to pursue with patience a right path, and leave the results to God: I mean not occupied with the path of all around us, only keeping the heart and fellowship open for every child of God walking rightly, or we lose blessing ourselves. "Love to all the saints" is an element of the blessing spoken of by the apostle, and even as to intelligence—"able to comprehend with all saints"; because they are in Christ's heart, and if not in ours, He has not His place, and self has so far excluded Him. Yet I believe faithfulness in the path we walk in is of the last importance. My old song is—the feet in the narrow path and the heart large; because it makes the eye single and banishes self. But we have great need of patience and grace of God, and heart reference to Christ, that we may have wisdom and true love in our intercourse with others. The present good of a soul (besides receiving good and communion) according to its then actual need, is what we should always seek: never mind `the brethren'—true brethren will do that according to the love of Christ working in them.
As to ourselves, it is what is said to Israel—"I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord"; it is true we have joys and a spring of service they cannot have then; but in the character of a remnant in the midst of a ruined dispensation, which is one side of our position, it is the spirit in which we have to walk: a clear apprehension that Christ as man has entered into a wholly new position, where Adam innocent never was, and is now glorified, all being finished as to the work, and the Holy Ghost thereon come down, so that we stand with the Holy Ghost dwelling in us, between an accomplished redemption of His procuring (and a Man in glory in virtue of it—the full work at His first coming and its results in His Person—our place in spirit), and the second coming, when we shall actually be with Him and like Him in glory. Meanwhile we are to be as men that wait for their Lord when He shall return from the wedding, that when He comes and knocks they may open to Him immediately; set down to table in heaven, and He minister to us, and serve while He is away, and then reign—both in Luke 1 am most thankful that the Lord has helped and blessed you elsewhere in the word. It is a joy and refreshment by the way and a cheer to the saints in their walk: most thankful too that temporally things are going on well with you. He chastens to subdue us, and blesses in His own, that is, the good time.
Here in Europe we are kept, and, as to numbers, there is constant progress, and that always enlarges the danger we are in, not to keep all knit together and think nothing of ourselves. The world, too, becomes more a snare. However, in general, thank God, they are going on well, and, I trust, growing confident in one another. In one or two places we have had trial, but in one of them the Lord seems coining in in blessing. In Holland they are getting on nicely, and it spreads in Germany much. In Switzerland there is reason to be thankful. In France, too, where there was considerable danger of mischief, the Lord has used it to come and bless them.... But in England we are full in face of almost universal infidelity. Still the Lord is working, but apostasy bold and the religious world dallies with it. I have felt called, and it was on my heart in leaving America, to meet this according to what God gives me. I believe in God's word; and how few, save a few wise, simple souls, really do! But everything is being tested. We wait for His Son from heaven, patience and devotedness our path. Soon there will be nothing but the glory. The Lord keep us in the simplicity that is in Christ!
Give my kindest love to the brethren. May the Lord be abundantly with them.
[1877]