138
New York – 6th October 1867
To Mr B
Beloved Brother
I rejoiced greatly about the news you sent me abut Nice. I see the goodness of God at work there. When a place has been long under the domination of the enemy, and thus without testimony or worse than that, it is a great and precious proof of the goodness and the operation of God Himself when a testimony is raised up there that there should be by this goodness a candlestick – however small it may be – set there, and a lamp lit. I rejoice in what God has given you the grace to have part in; it is still the fruit of His goodness and an encouragement for you. I am happy too that the brethren continue to walk in the path of faith in Milan. Greet them on my behalf when you write to them. Here, we are in small beginnings today; it is an effort to obtain a little reality in the midst of an enormous mass where activity is not lacking, but where balls and theatres are justified and everything that you might want. A certain number of souls moan but do not know what to do. The idea of the progress of man and of the gospel dominate everything, but however they feel that things are going very wrong, for after all, the Papists rule the city, which is also as badly governed as possible, and calm people tell you: “we are at the mercy of the Irish populace, a thing quite bizarre in a free country, but which is also much the case in England”. The Irish do not have any following, and honest people do like to get into fights; liberty has become licence, and they become enriched at the taxpayers’ expense. In the midst of all this, one can consider peace all the same, God forms a small assembly, a very little thing, but His work I do not doubt. There are twenty or thirty people who seek to glorify the Lord, and these are faithful people in general. The work is of God, for they are people without any outward influence whatever; clerks, cashiers and others of the same class; and then some people attracted by a simpler and clearer gospel. For this part of the work, I need to stay longer here than I can. But there is devotion with those who compose the meeting, and I hope that God will bless them. I believe that what God does now is to form a nucleus, while blessing some souls individually.
In Boston, the little nucleus belongs to another class. Our brother B, a former Baptist minister, having parents and acquaintances, the meeting begins to take on some consistency, although there may be smaller numbers than here. I will go there if it pleases God. In the West, it goes well in general, and the fruits of my journey are increased there after my departure.
In Canada, the work is maintained; there are three new meetings. With the Indians, there is felt progress. In general, things are pretty much in the same state; except the under-mentioned case, there is not much energy for meeting. It is devotion that I seek (with myself, alas!), and that God desires through all, this love of souls to seek them with more activity. One slows down easily, alas! – it is not that I do something else, or that my outward life is less busy, on the contrary. There were works at Ephesus (Revelation 2), but one can lose his first love as to the work, while continuing to work. May God rekindle in us this energy of love. I know that I grow old, and I sense it, but grace does not age. For the rest, He is always good, and He exercises our patience in His work for our own good.
In general, I have very good news of Ireland and England. The opposition is quite strong, and this is nothing new; but the brethren go on well. God has shown His goodness as to them and has made the work progress.
Greet the brethren very affectionately. I have in New York, at least as many French-speaking listeners as English-speakers; three French and five Swiss break bread. In the West, there are at least a hundred French-speaking brethren; I have found open doors.
May God bless you, dear brother, with your dear children, and direct you in this task.
Your very affectionate brother in Jesus
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.
