It has not unfrequently been observed, that when it is the Lord's
pleasure to remove any of his faithful followers out of this life at an
early period of their course, they make rapid progress in the experience
of divine truth. The fruits of the Spirit ripen fast as they advance to
the close of mortal existence. In particular, they grow in humility,
through a deeper sense of inward corruption and a clearer view of the
perfect character of the Saviour. Disease and bodily weakness make the
thoughts of eternity recur with frequency and power. The great question
of their own personal salvation, the quality of their faith, the
sincerity of their love, and the purity of their hope, are in continual
exercise.
Unseen realities at such a time occupy a larger portion of thought than
before. The state of existence beyond the grave, the invisible world,
the unalterable character of the dead, the future judgment, the total
separation from everything earthly, the dissolution of body and spirit,
and their re-union at the solemn hour of resurrection--these are subjects
for their meditation, which call for serious earnestness of soul.
Whatever consolations from the Spirit of God they may have enjoyed
heretofore, they become now doubly anxious to examine and prove
themselves whether they be indeed in the faith. In doing this, they
sometimes pass through hidden conflicts of a dark and distressing nature;
from which, however, they come forth like gold tried in the furnace.
Awhile they may sow in tears, but soon they reap in joy.
Their religious feelings have then, perhaps, less of ecstasy, but more of
serenity.
As the ears of corn ripen for the harvest, they bow their heads nearer to
the ground. So it is with believers: they then see more than ever of
their own imperfection, and often express their sense of it in strong
language; yet they repose with a growing confidence on the love of God
through Christ Jesus. The nearer they advance to their eternal rest, the
more humble they become, but not the less useful in their sphere. They
feel anxiously desirous of improving every talent they possess to the
glory of God, knowing that the time is short.
I thought I observed the truth of these remarks fulfilled in the
progressive state of mind of the Dairyman's daughter.
Declining health seemed to indicate the will of God concerning her. But
her character, conduct, and experience of the Divine favour, increased in
brightness as the setting sun of her mortal life approached its horizon.
The last letter which, with the exception of a very short note, I ever
received from her, I shall now transcribe. It appeared to me to bear the
marks of a still deeper acquaintance with the workings of her own heart,
and a more entire reliance upon the free mercy of God.
The original, while I copy it, strongly revives the image of the
deceased, and the many profitable conversations which I once enjoyed in
her company, and that of her parents. It again endears to me the
recollections of cottage piety, and helps me to anticipate the joys of
that day when the spirits of the glorified saints shall be re-united to
their bodies, and be for ever with the Lord.
The writer of this and the preceding letters herself little imagined,
when they were penned, that they would ever be submitted to the public
eye; that they now are so, results from a conviction that the friends of
the pious poor will estimate them according to their value; and a hope
that it may please God to honour these memorials of the dead, to the
effectual edification of the living.
"REV. SIR,
"In consequence of your kind permission, I take the liberty to trouble
you with another of my ill-written letters; and I trust you have too
much of your blessed Master's lowly, meek, and humble mind, to be
offended with a poor, simple, ignorant creature, whose intentions are
pure and sincere in writing. My desire is, that I, a weak vessel of
his grace, may glorify his name for his goodness towards me. May the
Lord direct me by his counsel and wisdom! May he overshadow me with
his presence, that I may sit beneath the banner of his love, and find
the consolations of his blessed Spirit sweet and refreshing to my
soul.
"When I feel that I am nothing, and God is all in all, then I can
willingly fly to him, saying, 'Lord, help me; Lord, teach me; be unto
me my prophet, priest, and king. Let me know the teaching of thy
grace, and the disclosing of thy love.' What nearness of access might
we have, if we lived more near to God! What sweet communion might we
have with a God of love! He is the great I AM. How glorious a name!
Angels with trembling awe prostrate themselves before him, and in
humble love adore and worship him. One says--
'While the first archangel sings,
He hides his face behind his wings.'
Unworthy as I am, I have found it by experience that the more I see of
the greatness and goodness of God, and the nearer union I hope I have
had with him through the Spirit of his love, the more humble and self-
abased I have been.
"But every day I may say, 'Lord, how little I love thee, how far I
live from thee, how little am I like thee in humility!' It is,
nevertheless, my heart's desire to love and serve him better. I find
the way in which God does more particularly bless me, is when I attend
on the public ordinances of religion. These are the channels through
which he conveys the riches of his grace and precious love to my soul.
These I have often found to be indeed the time of refreshing and
strengthening from the presence of the Lord. Then I can see my hope
of an interest in the covenant of his love, and praise him for his
mercy to the greatest of sinners.
"I earnestly wish to be more established in his ways, and to honour
him in the path of duty, whilst I enjoy the smiles of his favour. In
the midst of all outward afflictions I pray that I may know Christ and
the power of his resurrection within my soul. If I were always thus,
my summer would last all the year; my will would then be sweetly lost
in God's will, and I should feel a resignation in every dispensation
of his providence and his grace, saying, 'Good is the will of the
Lord: Infinite Wisdom cannot err.' Then would patience have its
perfect work.
"But, alas! sin and unbelief often, too often, interrupt these frames,
and lay me low before God in tears of sorrow. I often think what a
happiness it would be if his love were so fixed in my heart that I
might willingly obey him with alacrity and delight, and gradually
mortify the power of self-will, passion, and pride. This can only
arise from a good hope through grace that we are washed in that
precious blood which cleanses us from every sinful stain, and makes us
new creatures in Christ. Oh that we may be the happy witnesses of the
saving power and virtue of that healing stream which flows from the
fountain of everlasting love!
"Sir, my faith is often exceedingly weak: can you be so kind as to
tell me what you have found to be the most effectual means of
strengthening it? I often think how plainly the Lord declares,
'Believe only, and thou shalt be saved. Only have faith; all things
are possible to him that has it.' How I wish that we could remove all
those mountains that hinder and obstruct the light of his grace; so
that, having full access unto God through that ever-blessed Spirit, we
might lovingly commune with him as with the dearest of friends. What
favour does God bestow on worms! And yet we love to murmur and
complain. He may well say, 'What should I have done more, that I have
not done? or wherein have I proved unfaithful or unkind to my
faithless, backsliding children?'
"Sir, I pray that I may not grieve him, as I have done, any more. I
want your counsel and your prayers for me in this matter. How
refreshing is the sight of one that truly loves God, that bears his
image and likeness!
"But delightful as is conversation with true believers on earth, whose
hearts are lifted up to things above, yet what is this to that happy
day which will admit us into more bright realms; where we shall for
ever behold a God of love in the smiling face of his Son, who is the
express image of his Father and the brightness of his glory! Then, if
found in him, we shall be received by the innumerable host of angels
who wait around his throne.
"In the meantime, sir, may I take up my cross, and manfully fight
under Him who, for the glory that was set before him, endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at his Father's right
hand in majesty. I thank you for the kind liberty you have given me
of writing to you. I feel my health declining, and I find a relief,
during an hour of pain and weakness, in communicating these thoughts
to you.
"I hope, sir, you go on your way rejoicing; that you are enabled to
thank Him who is the giver of every good gift, spiritual, temporal,
and providential, for blessings to yourself and your ministry. I do
not doubt but you often meet with circumstances which are not pleasing
to nature; yet, by the blessing of God, they will be all profitable in
the end. They are kindly designed by grace to make and keep us
humble. The difficulties which you spoke of to me some time since
will, I trust, disappear.
"My dear father and mother are as well as usual in bodily health; and,
I hope, grow in grace, and in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.
My chief desire to live is for their sakes. It now seems long since
we have seen you. I am almost ashamed to request you to come to our
little cottage, to visit those who are so much below your station in
life. But if you cannot come, we shall be very glad if you will write
a few lines. I ought to make an excuse for my letter, I spell so
badly: this was a great neglect when I was young. I gave myself
greatly to reading, but not to the other, and now I am too weak and
feeble to learn much.
"I hear sometimes of persons growing serious in your congregation: it
gives me joy; and, if true, I am sure it does so to yourself. I long
for the pure gospel of Christ to be preached in every church in the
world, and for the time when all shall know, love, and fear the Lord;
and the uniting Spirit of God shall make them of one heart and mind in
Christ our great head. Your greatest joy, I know, will be in
labouring much for the glory of God in the salvation of men's souls.
You serve a good Master. You have a sure reward. I pray God to give
you strength according to your day.
"Pray, sir, do not be offended at the freedom and manner of my
writing. My parents' duty and love to you are sent with these lines
from
"Your humble servant in Christ,
"E--- W---."
Epistolary communications, when written in sincerity of heart, afford
genuine portraits of the mind. May the foregoing be viewed with
Christian candour, and consecrated to affectionate memory!