_To Colonel G――――._
_Edinburgh, October 7, 1742._
_Honoured Sir_,
THOUGH I never had the pleasure of seeing you, yet I have often prayed
for you, and can assure you I love you in the bowels of JESUS CHRIST.
I hope you will not be offended with me, for troubling you with
this. Your honoured lady tells me, you will not. Love, I am persuaded,
inclines me to write, and I doubt not but you will receive it in the
same spirit. Dear Sir, I rejoice to hear that you are a good soldier
of JESUS CHRIST, and that you delight to fight the Redeemer’s battles.
May you be covered with all his armours and filled with all his
fulness! I have the pleasure often to go without the camp, and to bear
a little of his sacred reproach, and I prefer it to all the treasures
in the world. Weak as I am, my JESUS makes me more than conqueror
through his love. He has brought mighty things to pass here, and
gotten himself the victory in many hearts. I trust, there is not a
day passes but some poor creature or another is plucked as a brand out
of the burning. I wish I could hear GOD was more in the camp. Blessed
be his name for raising you up, honoured Sir, to lift a standard
for him. May you be endued with the meekness of _Moses_, the courage
of _Joshua_, the zeal of _Paul_, and a large portion of the blessed
spirit of CHRIST! I hope, honoured Sir, you will now and then remember
me a poor sinner, and speak a word for me to the King of kings and
LORD of lords, that I may not turn my head in the day of battle, but
rather die for, than deny him in any wise. Neither you nor yours are
forgotten by me. Indeed I am a poor creature, but happy, very happy in
the once crucified, but now exalted JESUS. For his sake, and in his
great name, I beg leave to subscribe myself, honoured Sir,
Your affectionate humble servant, &c.
_G. W._