_To Mr. H――――._
_Edinburgh, Sept. 24, 1742._
_My most endeared Friend and Brother_,
YOUR short letter, dated _July_ the 14th, I received two days ago,
to my great satisfaction. I am glad my dear family is removed to Mr.
_B――――_, and rejoice, that our glorious GOD had raised him and his
brother up, to be such friends in time of need. Our all-wise Saviour
saw this, and therefore sent them to be converted at the Orphan-house.
O LORD, thou art fearful in praises, glorious in holiness, doing
wonders! I trust this will find you, my dear friends, and my dear
lambs, happily settled at _Bethesda_. I cannot think, GOD will give
you over into the enemies hands, or that he will suffer the enemy to
abide in _Georgia_ for any considerable time. My thoughts have been
variously exercised, but my heart kept stedfast and joyful in the
LORD of all Lords, whose mercy endureth for ever. The kings taking
_Lot_, and _Abraham_ recovering him out of their hands, hath been much
pressed upon my heart. _Abraham_’s going into the land of _Canaan_,
and being driven out by a grievous famine soon after he came there,
has also been applied to my soul. And those words of _Moses_, “These
enemies which you see, you shall see them no more,” have fallen with
great warmth, and wait upon me. These things put together, keep my
mind humbly depending upon GOD, in a full assurance that some great
and good event for the kingdom of JESUS will ere long be brought about.
I am supported in a peculiar manner, and kept from staggering through
unbelief.――With this, I send you a continuation of the Orphan-house
account, which I printed to satisfy the public, and to promote future
collections. The news about the _Spaniards_, perhaps may strike a damp
upon the collection at this time; but even this shall work for good.
GOD has a wheel within a wheel. O, my dear brother, how do I long
to be with you! You need not say, “if possible now come over,” for I
have long wished for the wings of a dove to fly to _Georgia_. I yet
owe upwards of two hundred and fifty pounds in _England_, upon the
Orphan-house account, and have nothing towards it. How is the world
mistaken about my circumstances: worth nothing myself, embarrassed for
others, and yet looked upon to flow in riches? Our extremity is GOD’s
opportunity. O faith, thou hast an all-conquering power! Surely, my
dear man, you and the rest of you will grow now in this time of trial.
Fear not, neither be dismayed: the LORD your GOD will fight for you.
I put my trust in him, and through his mercy I shall not miscarry. He
still strengthens me to go on from conquering to conquer. I pray for
you, I think and dream of you almost continually. I long, I long to
be with you, and methinks could willingly be found at the head of you
kneeling and praying, though a _Spaniard_’s sword should be put to my
throat. But alas! I know not how I should behave, if put to the trial:
only we have a promise, “that as our day is, so our strength shall
be.” I would gladly write to you all, but being so variously employed,
having the superintendency of so many souls and so many spiritual
affairs, in many different places, I feel a little of what St. _Paul_
says, when he wrote these words, “besides that which cometh upon me
daily, the care of all the churches.” What am I? LORD, I adore and
worship! I hope ere now you have had letters from brother _G――――_ and
_Philadelphia_ friends. Some there, are suspicious that I am joined
with the _Moravian_ Brethren, but indeed I am not. My principles are
still the same; only as I believe many of them love the LORD JESUS, I
would love and be friendly to them, as I would be to all others, who
I think bear the image of our common Master, notwithstanding some
of my principles differ from theirs, and are as far distant as the
East is from the West. Glory be to GOD, for keeping me stedfast
to those truths, which himself and not man hath taught me. I feel
the power of them more and more every day, and am continually made
happier and happier in the righteousness of the glorious Redeemer.
O free, sovereign, distinguishing, electing, everlasting, infinitely
condescending love! it quite amazes me. The thoughts of this love
carry me above every thing. My dear friend, the _Spaniards_ cannot
rob us of this, nor can men, or devils. It is immutable and eternal as
GOD himself. May the meditation on this, lead us nearer and nearer to
GOD in CHRIST, that we may every day, every hour, every moment be more
and more conformed to his blessed image, and ripen more and more for
eternal glory. But I must have done. Adieu! my dear man, adieu! I am
ready to weep tears of love. Humbly hoping, that I shall shortly hear
of the spiritual and temporal welfare of you all, I subscribe myself,
with the utmost sincerity and affection,
Ever, ever yours,
_G. W._