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[To the Rev. B. G.] London, 18 May 1837.
My dear Friend,
- The spirit of your letter comforted me greatly. I myself am under many trials, and am often cast down because of the way. The troubles of our church fill me with much grief, and being ignorant, I know not how to handle them. I have some fearful apprehensions of the necessity of sheltering in Christ's wounded side. It is on this firm Rock alone that believers stand. The weakest of all weak worms shall stand there, even when towers fall.
My letter to Mrs. H. can be no grief of heart to you; nor can there be any other gospel than that which I have showed to M. C. B. Being much in trouble myself, I had much sought the Lord for myself, and had found at times such sweet supporting strength as I cannot describe; and those two letters were written when I was like a weaned child, under the sweet influence and power of these things. The true light shone; the TRUTH and the WAY were discovered; and therefore I felt so free in heart to point out the snares of the devil, and the sly soft insinuations of natural affection, which always forbid a probing of the wound, and therefore of consequence, a sound healing. But truth will come out at such a time; and if it meet with rickety children, they cannot bear shaking; and if with sound and healthy, they receive it, and it confirms their spiritual health.
The hindrances to my visiting you appear great, yet I am never disheartened by such things, nor do I ever find them to be the sign; for often the sweetest blessings are found, after pressing through the thickest crowd.
Many here join me in kind remembrances to your little church. Nothing comes so sweet as what we get at through the difficulties you describe; it is rest to the weary, bread to the hungry, and to them "every bitter thing is sweet."
Yours very affectionately, J. B.
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