Category: Letters

J N Darby – French Letter No. 128 – Work in Italy

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

 

Rochdale – 27th June 1861

To Mr B

Beloved Brother

I have no regret at all that the brethren have recognised their faults in their manner of acting. This often gives to the heart more confidence to act and to serve the Lord. I hope that now that the assembly will go on in peace and seek again the blessing of the Lord. The fruits of righteousness are sown in peace[24]. I have not thought of concerning myself in this moment, unless by my prayers, with the walk of the assembly in X. There are times when one must leave the Lord to act. I hope that His grace will lead these sisters to recognise their faults and even more that the assembly should walk in piety – with that piety which flows from true communion. I believe that at this time this is the important thing. Piety with humility gives a solid judgment, it waits on the Lord, jealous of His glory; it seeks to do His will and not to say: ‘You are wrong and I am right’ – for then it is the ‘you’ and the ‘I’ which enjoy the greater part – but it says: “What wilt thou, Lord, that I should do?[25]” Moreover, while one is not in this state of soul, it is impossible to walk well. To restore souls, so that these souls, so precious to the Lord, glorify Him, that is our great concern. It is not that the state of the assembly does not interest me livingly, quite the contrary. If I was staying longer in France, I would love to have made a journey to X. It is there essentially that the work commenced in the South, when G was established there; there were only four women then, old dissidents; but for the moment, I do not see any direct action where others are acting, able to serve what might be for the blessing of the assembly. I wait rather for the action of God Himself. They are Christians on one side and the other, and I hope that grace will take the place in their hearts.

As to Italy, this is where I am. When the work commenced in F[26], certain people were involved with it, then the Italians, following the malicious proposal from Geneva, had a true fear of the name of Plymouth Brethren. Then I felt that I could not work with these people, and that to raise these questions would have been cruel to these new souls. I therefore only committed the thing to God but, with patience, the time for action for us, and that of testimony to God, comes if one waits on Him. One wearies of evil and what is of man, when one has a true desire for Christ. I believe that although it may be a small beginning that begins to dawn in Italy this time, but it is still necessary, not to say always, to wait on God. One cannot do other than answer to the needs of faith. It is not like a first evangelisation, but I believe these needs begin to be produced. And I am assured that our good and faithful Master, that the God of grace will come to meet these needs. I am assured of it. Our brother O is going there for his health; perhaps he will be able to be useful, in spite of his bodily state? God knows. Whatever it may be, I believe that God will act. Here even, I believe that the neutral party is decadent. It flourishes in one or two places where worldly Christians need something of this sort, but mixed with much worldliness. In general, however, one sees that it breaks down. They do not have God’s power, either, even when their system flourishes outwardly, souls which have need of Christ leave them and come among the brethren. They seek to sustain themselves by the activity of awakening, but the work is not deep.

There are numerous conversions on all sides, with a certain excitement. Some of our brethren who are active in this movement are deceived in their hopes, counting the conversions too quickly, and this creates a certain evil, but in spite of this, there is much good. The work is a bit superficial, but there are very numerous real conversions. This requires pastoral care, for the meetings grow enormously, and these new souls have need to be confirmed. This is my special work at this time, and although I long a bit after evangelisation (which I am occupied with however at the same time), I am very happy in the work. In general, the brethren go on in life, waiting on the Lord; if it were not a matter of the increase in numbers, we would be in a more flourishing state, but I believe that by God’s goodness there is more good than that. In weakness, no doubt, but the brethren experience the goodness of God. In Ireland, things are good.

Take courage, dear brother; we have to work for a little time, but with a power which is not ours and which suffices for all, under the eye of, and encouraged by the goodness of Him whose love we will never lack. Count on Him, abide in Him, feed yourself on Him – work with all patience according to the power He gives you, and be strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory[27].

Greet your wife on my behalf. Greet all the assembly cordially. May God give them to nourish themselves on the Lord, and to seek piety and His communion.

As I am travelling, I have not taken your last letter with me; if this contains something important, I will write from London.

Your very affectionate brother

 

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 127 – Having begun in Spirit, to be perfect in the Flesh

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

no date

To Mr X

… As for the unleavened bread about which you spoke to me, I confess that I am surprised that Christians can be concerned about it, as though what entered the body could defile or cleanse us. It is a proof that the soul has completely lost the leading of the Holy Spirit. There is not any direction in the Word to make us imitate Judaism in this respect, or to plunge us into sterile Judaism – and having begun in Spirit, to make us go on to be perfect in the flesh, for it is not so. But in this particular case, this idea is the more unhappy, because the Spirit of God has given an application expressly, the spiritual application of this figure: Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us, this is why we celebrate the feast, not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth[21]. That is to say, in Christianity, this figure signifies sincerity and truth. As to the letter of the law, the unleavened bread is an ordinance of the law. The letter kills but the Spirit quickens[22]. Those who seek to make themselves important will seek it in useless comparisons. For one who is led by the Spirit, this is impossible: to subject the whole meeting to the letter which kills to satisfy the mind of the one who is led astray is an intolerable thing. For every spiritual man, these words: “the letter kills” are enough to deliver him from such thoughts.

 

[21] 1 Cor 5: 7, 8

[22] 2 Cor 3: 6

 
Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 126 – 81-year-old Darby’s Feelings

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

London – 14th September 1881

To Mr P

Very dear Brother,

I do not need to tell you that I am very pleased by the news which you give me of Orthez[20], a place where I have laboured in the past, but which has been rather neglected for some time. It was the country of almost the first labours and triumphs of dear B, and the start of the awakening in France was there.

As to myself, dear brother, God has had led me close to the gates of death, near enough to have a little experience of what it was, but not as judgment. It was the dissolution of my being which made itself felt; but the experience has been useful to me; no new truth was needed by me, but salvation and grace. Christ Himself and His love, the love of the Father, all this became much more felt, much more real, a great gain to me. Probably, I will no longer have the physical strength to labour as I have in the past, but although to work would be a pleasure to me, I accept the will of God with joy. Besides, for some time, I have felt that I should lead a life more confined to London, then I could be useful in the exercises through which the brethren have passed lately, so beneficial but solemn exercises, which are not finished, but which draw to their end. I work in my office as usual, and I even attended some meetings. An attack of paralysis, though very light, stopped me a bit, but I suffer from it only in the right cheek. Although my members may have lost nothing of their force, I have experienced difficulty in maintaining my balance; at present it gets better, but I have to pay attention to my steps. God continues His work; in several places there are conversions, and the state of the brethren improves in every way.

It is God’s presence, dear brother, which gives us power and joy now and which will always give us them. What joy to see Christ who has so loved us, the same One who has been on this earth, the Friend so accessible to His own, to see Him truly and for ever. Labour belongs to this world, joy to the other, though we taste it as streams of water, before having reached the source.

I thank you, dear brother, for all your good affection. I would have loved to see the brethren in Pau, to whom I am very attached, as to those around, but I do not believe that this will be possible: we will meet elsewhere.

May God lead the elderly ones around you, and sustain the young converts in the good way, and keep them near to Him. All the rest will perish and pass.

Your affectionate brother in Christ

_
Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 125 – Excommunication and Restoration

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

London – 26th April 1881

To Mr P

Very dear Brother

As for the excommunicated brother who eats with his masters, to give thanks at table is fellowship just as much as at the Supper, and I could not do it with one excommunicated. The fact that does not matter to me, he works but I would be reserved, to say to him only what is needed, and in this particular case if this man goes well, he could perhaps regain his life.

As to the other case, if it is a scandalous sin, he would be excommunicated; the question of repentance would come afterwards. If a great lapse of time had passed and his soul has been really restored, and he had been already humbled and had shown this by his conduct, and finally the state of his soul had been clearly renewed by grace, then I would not put the thing on the carpet and especially in another place than that where sin had been committed. If he had always been in the same place, it would be necessary to confirm that the public conscience was satisfied as to this renewal. This case is presented in V, the same question many times. Sin remains sin, however many years have passed since it has been committed, until, for the soul, all is cleared before God and the conscience is in full communion with God in the light. The Lord has had to wash the feet so that the ashes of the red heifer are applied with water, twice over, to give, I believe, the sense of the seriousness of sin, because it is against the grace which is above the sin. Once communion is restored, it is necessary only to abide there. I believe that it is important to maintain the holiness of our relations with God; if it is not so, the power of communion, God’s secret, is lost, and there is a danger that the brethren go to sleep as to these matters; and both joy and the testimony are then lost, even when God does not withdraw His blessing. But I tell myself to stop.

Salute the brethren

Yours affectionately in Christ

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 124 – Excommunication and Restoration -2

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

March 1881

To Mr P

Very dear Brother,

Hidden sin is always a great evil for a soul and for an assembly. It may be that a soul is really humbled, and in this case there is no profit in publishing the evil, but it is something very delicate to take on oneself the responsibility of judging whether he who has sinned has been humbled. There are indeed things which do not appear in your account. Was the young man already in fellowship when he committed this sin? I suppose from your letter that he was converted, and if this was before being in fellowship, was there a long interval between his coming among us and his fault? He was not already married: this changes the character of the sin. If the interval between the sin and his reception has been short, there is room for asking if there has been lightness with him. To humble oneself when the fact is known can be sincere because of the work of God, but the matter can hardly be avoided – what of course one would prefer – that it should go farther. If he is indeed broken and humbled, it is better for the peace of all and the glory of God that things should rest; because sin made public tends to make the mind get used to sin, which is a great evil. I hope he will no longer feel ‘at the head of the assembly’, but, without pointing it out, that he will hold himself more in reserve. Your great concern is, not to pursue him, but to be completely assured that he is humbled. It will show itself in his spirit, in his walk, and in your discussions with him. How long had he been converted when he sinned? Was he then already active in the assembly, exercising a ministry, when he continued to do it? All this says a lot about the state of his soul, and the judgment that he would have of the facts that I list would say a lot more about his present state. As the responsibility lies, when you wrote to me, on you and on X, you will do well to be clear on these points. If the affair is indeed past, and judged, there is no benefit in putting it back on the carpet; but that is the question. God does not lightly dress the wound of his people, but, in his sovereign grace, He does not remember pardoned sin any more. The interval is something, but a sin not judged is a present sin.

Salute the brethren affectionately

Yours affectionately in Christ

—-

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

N Darby – French Letter No. 123 – Darby unwell

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

London – 16th February 1881

To Mr P

Dear Brother,

I have indeed been ill, not exactly ill, but absolutely exhausted following too much fatigue: two meetings a day, often more, and local conferences; then the effect of a very heavy fall on the flagstones in Scotland. My heart did not work, and I have had hardly any breath; I was forbidden to go upstairs. Perhaps my heart will stop completely. I have not been able to lie on my bed for weeks; and I am more than 80 years old! For four or five days, I remained stretched out all night; I also had to eat once or twice in the night; now not more than once. I have again attended the meeting twice for the breaking of bread.

Once a week, I have a large meeting of labouring brothers; and I have not missed it once. It seems to me that I am always better the next day. At last there was a moment when I knew again that it was God’s mind to raise me up. This has been useful to me. I was very restful, and could consider the thing close up with delight. The goodness and affection of the brethren has abounded towards me. At present, I am much better, my breathing is still embarrassed, but it is better.

Salute the brethren affectionately

Your affectionate brother in Christ

______________
2013
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J N Darby – French Letter No. 122 – Peace be with you

Malvern – 12th April 1880

To Mr P

… Peace be with you, dear brother; keep yourself near to the Lord in the consciousness that you are nothing. This is our safety, and it is there that we find the strength and a support which never fails.

Your affectionate brother

————

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 121 – Concern about England

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby
Pau – January 1880

To Mr P

My dear Brother,

… Our business is to follow Christ and to be nothing. Our two collaborating brothers are visiting the meetings around here every Sunday, and even during the week.

I have the idea, after having achieved a certain part of our work, of going to England. They are in peace there, but they need to be nourished and cemented. Mr X is very useful there, and encouraged; brethren are added in London. Certain people would like to blow out the fire, but it seems to me that their puff is spoiled. I find that my strength is to stay quiet.

Your affectionate brother

______________

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 120 – In the Charente

J N Darby
John Nelson Darby

Pau – March 1879

To Mr P

Very dear Brother,

You must not be surprised if I have taken so long to answer your letter, not only because I have not a moment to myself, but sometimes my head can hold no more; but, thank God, our work advances, I hope. The majority of the Bible is translated, and I hope with a care which will leave only little to be desired: not that I am content – I am rarely content; there are passages which embarrass everybody, but the reader will hardly notice it.

We were all with you in your illness; I fear that you also lacked care. As for me, I can testify that our good friends in Nivernais[14] and the Dauphiné[15] that they all were, and still are, disposed to do all that they could, and all that the most brotherly hospitality could suggest; I will always remember it with much recognition and affection.

We have had a very good conference here; the brethren happy together, and I fully hope that, by grace, effects will be retained in the work which is done around us.

In la Charante[16], things go on well, with conversions among the Roman Catholics.

In la Haute-Loire also there has been blessing. In Italy it seems that the work is, although slowly, making progress.

There is in France quite a general movement in the spirits of the Catholics to hear the Word; it is a drop of water if one takes account of the number, but this has not been at all for some years.

I write these things to you because I think that you like to have some news of this country. God acts in the world. We have His Word – what grace! – We have His Spirit – what grace again! The earnest of a grace yet better, His eternal presence; holy and blameless before Him in love[17], like Christ and with Christ; what more could one desire! And it is revealed to us now; He sheds abroad His love in our hearts[18]. We have everything except the glory itself, but still in an earthen vessel; only the veil becomes thinner and thinner. Soon there will be no obstacle, but the exercises here below are the opportunity for much tender solicitude of love. He never fails.

Mr and Mrs S are very poor in health, but He makes everything work together for those who love Him[19].

Peace be to you, dear brother, and may God lead you and keep you.

In Europe, the winter has been harsh and everywhere there is distress as to temporal things. Here we have rain, storms and floods. I have suffered from lumbago and I hobble a bit, but I am always working.

Salute the brethren.

Yours ever affectionately in Jesus

______________
purchasing power.

[11] Rome, GA was founded in 1834 ; badly affected by the Civil War, the population would have been around 3,000 when this letter was written.

[12] Presumably Lord A Cecil

[13] Phil 3:13

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

J N Darby – French Letter No. 119 – Switzerland

Lausanne – July 1878

To Mr P

Beloved Brother

I rejoice with all my heart and in every way for the blessing that God has given you in M.

I have, thank God, good news of all parts of the United States. In Rome in Georgia[11] and the surrounding country, I am advised that the word has been blessed. L works there; Lord A C[12] has visited them; there are two or three new meetings besides Rome. In Pennsylvania also, there has been blessing and the doors are widely opened.

For myself, I have been principally occupied with conferences in London, Elberfeld, Stuttgart, Zurich, Lausanne, etc, and I have found the Lord with me. And now, dear brother, rejoice altogether that we are nothing and so happy to be nothing. Oh! May He be all to our heart. Our great concern is the return to Gilgal after the victories, to the place where the heart is in order before God. Neither the wilderness, nor Gilgal, formed part of God’s counsels, but of His ways, so that on the one hand we should know ourselves, and on the others that we should be held in a state suited to His service. Yes, may we keep near to Him, forgetting the things which are behind us and stretching out to the things which are before[13], pursuing always until He comes to take us to be there where He is, and where all will be to His glory.

May God keep you and bless you. All the brethren are interested in your work.

Yours affectionately in Jesus

______________

[11] Rome, GA was founded in 1834 ; badly affected by the Civil War, the population would have been around 3,000 when this letter was written.

[12] Presumably Lord A Cecil

[13] Phil 3:13

Letter originally written in French, translated by Sosthenes, 2013
Click here for original – If you have any comments on the translation, feel free to let me know.

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