November 5th, 1875.
My Dear—-, Your word yesterday brought me to my prayers, and to the word of God. I do not think before the Lord that I am such an one as would be justified, before Him or my brethren, in taking with me any ὑπηρέτης. (Acts 13:55And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. (Acts 13:5).) Moreover, You have a specialty in work (judging by your labor in Quebec, Montreal, Richmond) which lays an embargo upon you before the Lord; you are not your own to go out of your own special line wherein the Lord has blessed you.
The only person I ever asked to go with me on my own little line (and I did it in the full liberty, as I judged, of 2 Cor. 5:15, 1615And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (2 Corinthians 5:15‑16)) was one who was then in nowise committed to any kind of work. Dear—, I took him just as if he had been in nature my own son, and nothing more, and he knew not whether there was any work from the Lord for him of any special kind; and, moreover, then had no wife or child.
You see where my soul is in this matter. The ought of duty, and not the " I like " on the one hand, or " I dislike " on the other, has to rule.
My prayer for your wife and children as well as for yourself will be heard for His sake.
Most affectionately yours in Him that is coming for us,
G. V. W.