Wellington, January 6th, 1878.
Beloved——,-They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Your letter refreshed and gladdened me in my low estate; for, since here, I have had a worse attack than any other a little more than a fortnight ago, and this morn has been my first appearance again at the table. I am not up to writing much. I fear, from your handwriting, that you too have been in suffering; yet why do I say "I fear," when love divine directs it all for Me, for you? all too for the glory of Christ, though God moves in a mysterious way.
My thought had been to go on to-day to Melbourne, and thence to Adelaide; but He said, " Stay where you are till I speak."
2 Tim. 4:66For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. (2 Timothy 4:6) analusis is evidently to his being offered up; departure on high, αναλυω, verb. Luke 12:3636And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Luke 12:36), when he will return from the wedding; 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), to depart and be with Christ, which is far better, are the- only occurrences. The context in Philippians seems to me to mark in various ways that 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) is as 2 Tim. 4:66For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. (2 Timothy 4:6).
Farewell for the moment; I say nothing about Christchurch, the Lord having sent me on hither. What rest to one's soul that we see Him who is invisible! Cheering letters from San Francisco just in.
Your fellow-servant, G. V. W.