Part 12 (2/2)
To the same.
”NOVEMBER 2, 1800.
”You have, I find, been the child of affliction: she is a stern, rugged nurse; but blessed often are the lessons she teaches. I have, says G.o.d, chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. It is G.o.d's ordinary way of drawing sinners to himself, either to dry up or imbitter the streams of worldly comfort, that he may shut them up to seek that comfort that depends not on any transitory source.
”I have no doubt but you shall yet sing with the royal Psalmist, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted; for before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept thy word. Blessed is the man thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law.' Many are the texts to the same purport; take them for your consolation as a part of G.o.d's well-ordered covenant.
”You have met with a late bereavement, which has entered deep into your soul. We are not called to stoicism, but to tenderness of heart and spirit. Jesus wept with the two sisters over a brother's grave. But still, the Christian's spirit must be resigned, and say, and try to say with cheerfulness, 'Not my will, but thine be done.'
And Oh, my friend, great will be the wisdom and happy the acquisition, if every new bereavement enlarge the room for divine love in the heart, and be filled up with that most n.o.ble, most blessed of principles. Seek not, my friend, to replace friends.h.i.+p with any mere worldling; beg of G.o.d to fill up the vacuum, then will you be a great gainer.
”Why hesitate to join the church? Let not a sense of unworthiness keep you back--a deep sense of unworthiness is one grand part of due preparation; and no worthiness of yours can give you any t.i.tle to that new testament in Christ's blood, which was shed for the remission of sins. Worthless, vile, empty, helpless is every son and daughter of Adam's race: but it was for the unG.o.dly that Christ died; it was while we were without strength; his name was called Jesus, because he should save his people from their sins. In that day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood among a mixed mult.i.tude, and cried, 'If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink--whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.'
”If conscious at the time it is the supreme desire of your soul to be washed in his blood, clothed with his righteousness, sanctified by his Spirit, go and take this water of life freely; go as a _sinner_ to a _Saviour_; go at his command, put honor on his appointment, and repeat the dedication of all that you _are_, _have_, or _can_ have, over the symbols of his body broken for you, his blood shed for you; go, trusting in his mercy, and leave all to his management, believing that _he will_ shed abroad his love in your heart, order your footsteps in his ways, and in due time perfect his image in your soul. Keep close to him in the use of means, but look beyond the means for life and power. I commit you to our G.o.d and Saviour, and pray that he may be to you 'wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,' and complete 'redemption.'
”I am, my dear Miss M----,
”Your ever affectionate,
”I.G.”
In March, 1801, the health of her daughter Mrs. B----, requiring a sea-voyage and absence from care, Mr. and Mrs. B---- sailed for Britain, and the following letters were addressed to them during their absence:
”MARCH 23, 1801.
”MY DEAR CHILDREN--This is mortifying to us all that you should be anch.o.r.ed half a mile from us, and there lie for hours; but even this, trifling as it may appear, has its end to answer in _His_ scheme, without whom 'not a sparrow falls.' I have retired with my Bible, to commit you, and all my cares and concerns, afresh to that G.o.d whose goodness and mercy have followed us through life; who is my G.o.d, your G.o.d, and the G.o.d of our children; who answered my prayers in opposition to my inconsistent conduct; took you out of my idolatrous management into his own more merciful guidance. He has done all things well, and he will perfect his own work.
”Now, may the Angel that redeemed you, be with you, keep you in the hollow of his hand, and as the apple of his eye; be with you on his own ocean, and command the billows not to touch you; carry you to the bosom of your dear native country, where a large proportion of his body live in him and by him; bless you, and make you a blessing wherever his providence shall carry you, and restore you with blessings to us, in his own time. Amen.”
”SABBATH, after morning service, March 29.
”This, my dear children, is a day of storm, wind, and rain. O that the prayer of our dear pastor, and I hope of many present, may be with you, and be answered to and for you: Lord, be with that family, who now, on the mighty ocean, desire an interest in our prayers. May he whom winds and waves obey, preserve them in this tempestuous season; may they see and improve his wonders in the great deep; may the blessings of the everlasting gospel preserve their souls in peace, conduct them in safety to their destined port, and restore them to us, enriched with the blessings of thy well-ordered covenant.
”I sent two notes for the Dutch churches, enclosed to Mr. B----; one for Wall-street, to Mr. A----, and one for the Brick church, to Mr. M----. I watered all with my tears.
”FIVE O'CLOCK.”
”O, how it blows and rains. O my children, how my poor heart aches for you; if not in danger, yet sick, and in much discomfort. I gave a note in the old church in the afternoon, supposing the congregation on this dreadful day to be different. Mr. M---- prayed: ”The Angel of thy presence be with them; give them much of the consolations of thy Spirit. Conduct them in safety to the place of their destination, and restore them, enriched with thy blessing, to wors.h.i.+p with us again in this thy house of prayer.' I write on this day merely to record, for your perusal, the prayers of your church. I think you ought, if the Lord conduct you safe, to propose public thanks to that G.o.d who heard and answered, if agreeable to Mr. M----.
Write me how it was with you on this day. Now I will go to a throne of grace for you and all of us. O keep close to the Lord; may he save you from a dissipated, trifling, carnal spirit; may he sanctify all your comforts, and give you a just estimation of all you see and hear: may the Christian's portion rise more and more; and the world and its vanities sink in your view.”
”APRIL 10.
”What the Lord is going to do with his and my children I know not; but the Samuel Elam has returned to port with a leak, after being out nineteen days. On the day of storm, she had seven feet of water in her hold. I hope the Lord, in mercy to you, to his church, and to me his unworthy servant, has guided you in safety, and that the prayers of his church were answered in your behalf. O, my children, what would be the situation of my heart had I not confidence of your being within the ark. I desire to rejoice over all my fears, for this unspeakable consolation, that nothing can hurt you. I experience for you what I did in my own case, when darkness and tempest added to the horrors of many, while our vessel kept das.h.i.+ng on the rock: I, too, expected her to go to pieces every moment; but the idea was ever with me, 'in the bosom of G.o.d's ocean, I shall find the bosom of my Saviour.' On the night of the 29th of March I dreamt my dear J----y fell overboard, and I saw her floating on the billows, supporting herself by her little chair: this is the state of my mind; yet I am thankful, and enjoy much peace. The Lord has given me what I have asked--the salvation of your souls. In a little time we shall all be gathered around his throne.
Well may I leave to him all intervening circ.u.mstances, as well as who goes first, and how. O how he blesses my latter end, how he soothes and comforts my old age; far other things have I merited, that my soul knows; but he has not only pardoned, but comforts, and draws a veil over my transgressions, covering them from the world's observation.
What can I say? He is G.o.d, a G.o.d of mercy.”
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