'I have only a minute or two; but, lest you should think I don't
sympathize with you, I send you a line. You ask, did I ever feel so? Yes,
I think just as bad as any mortal _could_ feel--_empty_, inside
and out, as though I had nothing human or Divine to aid me, as if all
Hell were let loose upon me.
But I have generally felt _the worse before the best results_, which
proves it was Satanic opposition. And it has been the same with many of
God's most honoured instruments. I believe nearly all who are truly
called of God to special usefulness pass through this buffeting.
'It stands to sense, if there is a Devil, that he should desperately
withstand those whom he sees are going to be used of God. Supposing
_you_ were the Devil, and had set your heart on circumventing God,
how would you do it but by opposing those who were bent on building up
His Kingdom? He hopes to drive us from the field by blood and fire and
vapour of smoke. But our Captain fought and won the battle for us, and we
have only to hold on long enough, and victory is sure. "Courage!" your
Captain cries. "Only be thou strong, and of good courage, and I will be
with thee, and teach thee what to say."
'"He hath chosen the weak things." He has not _made shift with
them_--taken them because there were no others. No! He hath
_chosen_ them. Will He ever forsake them, and thus make Himself a
laughing-stock for Hell? Never! Will He ever let the Devil say, "Ah, ah!
He chose this weak one, and then let him fail"? No, no, no!'