I doubt that it will be possible now for me to come to the South in France; I am coming back to England after two years’ absence! Moreover, the translation which I have made of the New Testament is completely finished; finally I am thinking of going to the West Indies this winter, and if I can do that, I do not want more. A brother from the West Indies has just arrived, who will furnish me the particulars about the details of this voyage. If before my departure I can achieve the preparation of the new edition, I will write a word, but I am expected for a conference in York, then to the West of England. I do not think for the same reasons of staying there. I desire much to see the brethren, as well as those in Germany and Switzerland and I rather think of visiting the West Indies than to stay there. So I have given you a quick round-up of what the Lord has given me to do. Then I hope to visit the brethren in France and Germany, because I am so delayed in visiting them. I am very attached to the present work in America, but I think that I will have to put it in the Lord’s hands; where therefore if it was not there? Without doubt it is sorrowful to abandon a country where one has worked, but I grow old; although by God’s grace I am well. I hope therefore that God will give me the grace to see the dear brethren on the Continent again. If I do not go to the West Indies, I will come soon, if God will; this will be a joy for me.
I am relaxed about your going to Italy; God will be with you, I do not doubt.
I always read some pages in Italian so as not to forget it entirely.
The work opens up in America, and God has raised up several workers.
Remember that I have reached over 68 years.
When I know something positive about my movements, I will communicate with you.
Yours very affectionately
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.
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.
I received your second letter a day earlier than the first, so that the news of the death of your dear wife reached me before the expression of your hope. What therefore is this world! Your loss is great, in truth, for your wife was good and excellent as wife and as mother; then as you say, three orphans so young left without a mother. In the same packet of letters, I received news of four deaths; all these departures are harsh sorrow for the families. What lessons we receive in this world! I understand, beloved brother, how much this event must be in every way sorrowful for you, but have good courage. Our God is never mistaken in His ways; not a sparrow falls to the ground without Him; how much more therefore does He take care of His children, whom He loves and cherishes, and His dear children, as He calls us. I do not doubt, dear brother, that the death of your dear wife will be ever more felt in the measure that you prove difficulties in the care that you have to give to your children. It is good to look all these things in the face, so that faith in God is exercised, and that we bring our difficulties to Him as well as our sorrows. Confide in His love; He will never fail you. It is a great exercise of faith, but He in whom we must have confidence is greater than all our difficulties, and His ever-faithful love can never fail. He makes all things work together for good to those who love Him[1]. He severs us from this world in every way, to attach us to a world for which He has created us anew. This is only a passing place where Christ has been rejected; we pass through it and, being denied everything down here, we have nothing else to do but to work for Him and to glorify Him. The hand of God is always better than the hand of men, His apparent hardness better than the favour of this world; what directs it basically is always love. Love leads by a perfect wisdom which we will understand later. In the meantime, He has given His Son so that we can be sure that all is love. It is a world of sorrows, but where Christ has left His footsteps, indelible proofs for faith that love has come into this world of sorrow to take His part in grace in it. Look therefore to Jesus, dear brother; He takes part in all our afflictions, and be sure that the love of God will never leave you. Be troubled about nothing, and may God Himself direct you as to your dear children. I will be happy to receive your news.
I do not understand how your letters have been so delayed; it is true that I was the other side of the Mississippi.
I will not speak to you today about my Italian, for I am thinking of your affliction. I have always read my Bible in this language a little so as not to forget it.
God would desire to bless you and maintain in your soul an entire confidence in Him. As to Him, He is surely faithful: His ways are always perfect. Look to Him much and may your sorrowful exercises of heart be for you the means of a deeper communion and an ever more complete detachment from the world.
Your affectionate brother in Jesus
The work makes progress in the Western States. About ten meetings, great and small, are formed there.
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.
I am sending you herewith my letter to J; it is my first letter in Italian. There was only my Italian tract before. I am almost in trouble for the fact that you simply passed on the help which had been sent to P. However, I do not blame you at all; I believe rather that you have had reason, but they need encouragement and perhaps I have gone too far.
You will see from my letter that I have only a little pocket dictionary and a little travel grammar, so that idiomatic phrases fail me. Whatever it may be, if you wish, you will be able to understand what I want to say.
I have been very happy, and give thanks from the bottom of my heart to God for the good news that I receive in general from France, and Germany too; and not bad from Switzerland. In England, the number of brethren increases greatly, and the discussion about the sufferings of Christ has been a great blessing to them. In Ireland, things are not bad.
In the United States, it is a work of patience. However, the Lord is acting; quite a large number of souls have found peace (nobody had it among them), many have received the truth of the coming of the Lord, a certain number of whom the unity of the church and the state in which it is currently found. The truth spreads, the gathering of the brethren goes slowly, and I waited for it, knowing the state of the professing church in this country. As for those with minds, to advocate and to elate man, to be concerned with political scandals, a terrible debauchery in morals, that is what characterises them. They would like the women to vote in political elections. A proverbial phrase says: in this country it is necessary to say: ‘Parents, obey your children’. One begins to have a feeling that there is no brake on things. On one side, the magistracy is quite corrupt, they say: it has denied the corporation of New York the direction of the police, otherwise one would have quite feared for the town; nobody was in charge. The police and mayor himself were linked with the criminals. Now the direction of public vehicles has been abolished, and the permits to sell strong liquor, and this has been put in the hands of the police. Then the mayor has revoked all the permits and each can do what he will; to sell, to ask for public vehicles if he wishes, etc.. They are used to abuse, they expect it. The Christian passes through all this quietly, as he did in the best policed town in the world.
In Boston, things are better in general. The churches become a kind of safeguard for respectability, but then revenge is taken by a surfeit of worldliness that surpasses even the worldly people. To hold oneself outside the churches, however, has a bad appearance, this does not put the badge of an honest man on one’s clothes. However, God does His work. In Canada, in this vast country, now ours, we are about 300 people, and the truth makes progress; it spreads and the testimony makes itself felt, however small it is.
My faith and my patience have been exercised, but I have enjoyed the presence of the Lord and His Word.
We are going to have, if it pleases God, our conference in the United States, and we will be represented by a much larger number of people than last year. Not all are in fellowship, but they are concerned about the truth.
I understand, beloved brother, that you will seek to protect your dear children from the worldly influence which surrounds them. Embrace them on my behalf. Greet all the brethren much; I think of them heartily. May God bless them and keep them.
Yours affectionately 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.
I have duly received your letter, but I waited to read your article before replying to you, and I was in the course of holding meetings morning and evening, and sometimes meeting brethren in the neighbourhood, sometimes in Ireland where there is a remarkable movement. Although over-loaded with work, I have read your article. I have only one remark to make: you give to the churches a formal importance greater than I would think. I do not accuse you of error, for you recognise the church, the body of Christ, but only of an impression that your writing has left on me. I do not recognise that there are members of a church, and I do not know that you say so; I only speak of an impression. But in the end, your expressions could perhaps say this to those who are used to this idea. Do not think, dear brother, that I say this to criticise your writing, for I have found it very good, and I remark to you the only thing that presents itself to my mind as possibly under question. This will, I hope, be a very useful summary for your compatriots. I thought I would write to you again after having re-read the majority of your writing, for I have a little more quietness here in Edinburgh, but here I received a little word from L F with the letter that you have sent him, and of which the contents are quite important. Union is always good in itself but faithfulness to Christ goes before union itself. I would enjoin you to enquire exactly about the subject of the meeting of which you speak, before you compromise in this respect. It is not a matter – God keep us from it – of making difficulties, but it is necessary for us to know if the holiness of the Lord’s table is really kept. I can rejoice in a work when, in summary, souls are delivered, even when I could not walk there myself.
As to Bethesda, before I mixed with them, I would have to be quite clear about the fact that they had been freely delivered. I would never have thought of bringing in these questions in Italy, but they are already there. This is what has hindered me from coming there or getting involved with it. It would have been cruel to occupy these brethren, newly out of Popery, with these difficulties. It would have been impossible to walk with the Newtonians, for those who were active in Italy were even nearer than Bethesda. I have therefore put the thing, with many prayers, with God, and I am waiting on Him, for the work really interests me. Dear brother, Bethesda with the fruits of the spirit which reigns there, manifest themselves more every day. I speak of the worldliness and the destruction of all true integrity, of all conscience with those who dabble in these things. One finds this in Switzerland, in France, in Germany – everywhere – where it could not be said that there was a party spirit. Most probably are ignorant of all this, so that they are, as a result, not personally defiled, but once the two brothers of whom you speak and who know these things have taken their side, they are necessarily plagued. It is important therefore that these two should be quite decided: do not hurry. What is necessary is that the Lord’s table should be safeguarded from this known corruption, and that discipline should be sufficient. For me, I should bear many weaknesses and infirmities in the state in which they are found, as long as the basis is good. I understand, it goes without saying, that the principle of gathering should be the unity of the body of Christ, otherwise you deny the substance even of your writing. You must understand, dear brother, that if, after you have become mixed up in it, others should be obliged to leave the assembly, you would be under the weight of an accusation of division. I doubt for my part whether, if the truth, as you hold it, gets in there, all support it; you have to weigh all this and not precipitate yourself, while welcoming from the heart these dear brethren, and in enlightening them according to your power. Be brotherly with all, unless they personally support the evil; then the faithfulness and even brotherly love that you are obliged to show, while you cannot walk with evil. Do not abandon faithfulness to Christ and to the truth to avoid smallness, and patience; our normal state is to have only a little power and not to deny His Name and His word. The Lord, after three and half years of work, had gathered only one hundred and twenty (Acts 1: 15), and the servant is not above his Master.
A meeting in Geneva is spoken of, although it has been postponed. I am sure that it would be very happy to see them there. If they renounce the wages that produce infinite evil[1], they must confide in God and not in their brethren. However, I fully recognise the need of brethren to come in aid of those who devote themselves to the Lord. The walk is a walk of faith, because the riches of the established system fail when one is free of their ties, and their fortune does not influence as before the walk of the church. But it is precisely what is necessary that the Spirit of God should take again His place and His rights in it. May God do this, and give enough faith to these brethren and to all those who are at the work, so that the Holy Spirit may act freely.
God is good always to act in spite of infirmities, failures and sins which are found among His own. Be cordial, therefore, dear brother; do nothing precipitately; look to what may be completely purified from the defilement of Bethesda, and that in principle, even though it may be in weakness, the holiness of the Lord’s table may be safeguarded. I do not desire anything else than what you state as truth in your writing; hold firm to it with a heart as large as possible.
I would be very happy to have your news and that of your activity. There are indeed important details, but it is impossible to enter on these now.
Greet indeed Mrs B and the brethren who are with you, although I do not know them.
Many souls have broken recently with the system of Bethesda, and also some workmen in Ireland who did not know until now what it was. I believe that God acts in this way; if I may say so, they will all be needed to keep pure the meetings which are formed today in quite a large number in Ireland. Brethren go on well, their number increased very much. We have lost for down here our dear brother Trotter; another very well known evangelist can no longer work; but God has raised up several new [ones] – and the meetings multiply greatly.
Peace be with you, and may our God, always faithful and full of grace, direct you and sustain you. Never be discouraged; be careful about nothing …let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, … shall guard your hearts[2]. Remember that Christ is always faithful and will never fail His own. Greet these two evangelist brothers affectionately; I desire ardently that, whatever it be, God will bless their work.
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.
[1] the original letter uses Italian here: ‘allo stipendio che produce infinite mal’
I have just received your letter. I bless God with all my heart that He has strengthened you in body and soul. He is always faithful, always God; one can always count upon Him, whatever may be. His love does not change; He always thinks of us – a marvellous thing, but true – and counts the hairs of our head. It is marvellous indeed that the God of glory enters into all the details of our life, and always in view of our blessing. “He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous”[1], and everything contributes good to those who love Him[2]. I ask you to greet Mrs B affectionately. May God also bless your little boy; it is a worry no doubt in this world, but a worry that God, if we confide in Him, can take, and take in fact as an occasion to prove anew His faithfulness and His goodness. May God accord to you both to be faithful and to know to look up to Him.
As to what concerns the history of St, I see it a little differently to what I have been told. Our dear brother F has told me some details of what has taken place. I do not envisage the position of these sisters as an excommunication. The assembly alone could excommunicate; but when they said to some that they do not want to come to the assembly, they were free to state their feelings and those of other people, if they authorised them to say so. I do not say it was a wise thing according to God, but they were free to express their feeling as being their feeling; if it is the flesh which has produced this feeling, it is clear that it was not according to God. But I believe that it is not [within] the competence of a brother or a sister to withdraw from the assembly and to come back at their whim. The assembly must have its word to say about this. It may be that the one who has absented themselves has committed all sorts of sins during their absence. Thus as to those who stand apart, the assembly must say if it can receive them, as also an individual who may want to return. I hope, I would like to say I have good hope that this will happen, that the assembly will be blessed and restored by grace; it will be if it walks in humility and in a spirit of dependence on grace. If grace acts in the heart of these sisters, they will judge what has been the flesh in them. It may be that N having had the habit of directing a lot, there has been a lack of spiritual know-how with him.
Your part, I am sure, is to work according to grace and to communicate to souls what God gives you for them, while nourishing your own soul. Besides, it is what is much more useful for the assembly itself. I doubt that it would be the will of God to deny a souls the Supper because they are in a bad state. The word says that one examines oneself and eats; but if I saw a soul in a state of conscience that sin would have produced and did not know what it was, I could, it seems to me, imagine the case where I could counsel the person to abstain until it was clear. However, as a general rule, one cannot exclude souls provisionally, and it would only be in a particular case that I could even give such counsel. Pastoral care is the remedy which a soul in a bad state must have, and not temporary exclusion. This care is lacking a little sometimes among the brethren, and often expedients are turned to. I think that strangers were people who were not of the locality, principally brethren and in particular the Lord’s workmen (perhaps others too), towards whom the assembly exercised hospitality. Diotrephes would not do it[3]. You can see that the second epistle of John warns the elect lady not to receive those who did not bring sound doctrine as to the Person of Christ; the third encourages Gaius in his hospitality. I think that these are Christians in general (as approving hospitality in general – cf Heb 13: 2) because of what follows. The “who have given testimony” in v 6 applies to v 5 in general – (some read it: the brethren and even those [among them] who come from outside); vv 7 and 8 show that he had the workmen principally in view, for thus they worked together with the truth. Diotrephes did not want to receive them, desiring to have the assembly for himself, and broke the link with the apostle and all the brethren.
As to the word ‘Gentiles’ – your Diodati[4] links these words: “are gone out” with “from among the Gentiles”. He translates thus: “They are gone out from among the Gentiles for His Name, without receiving anything”.
This translation is not received by the majority; however there are some very acceptable names that accept it. I think that John, like Peter, was still much attached to the Jewish cradle of Christianity. Thus, in 1 John 2: 2 he says, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours alone, but also for the whole world”. Paul himself often speaks [thus], as in Galatians 3 and Ephesians 3, where “we” refers to the Jews, “you” to the Gentiles” and “we” afresh of Christians. I think it is more often a matter of Gentile believers than of unbelievers, but it could well be that these men had not wanted to receive anything from their parents. The apostles considered the Jews (even unbelievers) as brethren, not in the Christian sense but nationally; Paul spoke thus in his discourses. The Gentiles were only Gentiles; it could well be that Diotrephes did not want to receive workmen from among them. The workmen had to be received, and it was a title accorded to Christians of the Jewish race who had not wanted to receive anything from the Gentiles, or their parents, unbelievers or otherwise.
Farewell, beloved brother, may our good and faithful Father, full of love, be with you, encourage you and sustain you near to Him. In the enjoyment of the love of Jesus, one is always well, always encouraged.
Greet the brethren affectionately everywhere you go – may those in St cultivate peace, being tranquil and seeking above all to grow in the grace of Jesus.
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.
[3] This is a discussion about 3 John – the strangers are those referred to in v 5, and Diotrephes is in v 9
[4] Giovanni Diodati or Deodati (6 June 1576-3 October 1649) was a Swiss-born Calvinist theologian and translator. He was the first translator of the Bible into Italian from Hebrew and Greek sources. He also undertook a translation of the Bible into which appeared with notes in 1644 – Wikipedia
You are mistaken if you think that I consider you to be a lazy person. Such an idea has never come into my mind. I have sometimes thought that you lacked courage. I do not doubt that the judgment which you carry of yourself is exact. As to G, I ignore the details of what has passed there. Mr K, who visited me the other day, told me about some [of them]. All this history has pained me profoundly, for the family, but also for him who has caused the scandal. He has been devoted; he has suffered sometimes for the Lord. This must be a weight on the spirits of all who think about it. I had no idea at all at that time of what has led to the catastrophe, as the iniquity came about, or how the affair became public But whatever the instruments, it is necessary to look higher. If the hand of God is upon us, it is His hand, in love no doubt, but His hand. I do not think that the evil which has been judged in this poor brother would be the only thing which has obliged God to put His servant under the iron rule, for it has been His servant. His inflexible character has made discipline necessary, at least so it seems to me. God would never have allowed it to be before the whole world as it has been. How He has handled fallen Christians, and treated them with a gentleness which man perhaps would have said he did not deserve, and which they themselves have said and felt they did not deserve, for He does not like to injure or break us. Why has this poor brother been dragged in public for his faults? It could be that such and such has been the instrument, and others have been embittered against him; but it is God who holds all our hearts in His hands. What I hope is that God in His grace, God who always acts in love, will act by these means, however sorrowful they are, to lead this brother to be softened, to commit to judge himself, to humble himself before God; then surely God will bless him, and I desire this with all my heart. It could be that God has judged it necessary to treat this evil hardly, for fear that it should take root; whatever it be, we have to consider His ways.
I do not have any view regarding your relocation; where the wisdom of man fails, God leads us and directs the affairs of His dear church through our weaknesses and even by means of our weaknesses, if our heart is right. I hope that you will be blessed in V, and I do not blame you at all for what you give as lessons.
I desire with all my heart that God will send out workmen into His harvest[2]; but nobody can exceed his gift, and what is done beyond can only be dangerous to himself and perhaps to all. Yes, I ask that God may raise up workmen; and that there will be faith and devotion. I ask it with all my heart, but I do not pretend even to have an opinion on all the cases that arise. I am profoundly interested in the work, you can well believe. In consequence, the activity of workmen touches me closely, but I believe that God has the upper hand in everything; and my confidence is in His goodness and in His faithfulness. Naturally, when one is much interested in a thing, one thinks of all that happens. I am accused of letting too much go, but it seems to me that I rely on God, for the work is His. If I could be useful in this work, it is a grace which He confers upon me, but I see that often when one wants to govern and direct too much, it is faith in God which is lacking.
As to my journey to Canada, family business has stopped the brother who knows the country and who would have had to escort me ….
Greet the brethren affectionately. If I am not bound for Canada, I have a little hope of seeing them.
May God keep and bless your wife
You ever affectionate brother
PS – I have just had excellent meetings the provinces, and the brethren are generally going on well.
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.
[1] a different version of this letter also appears in JND’s published Letters – vol 1 p324
I was happy to have your news. Before seeing Mr B, I had thought I read in your letter that it had been you who had lost a child; for I had one of my eye attacks, and I had only been able to cast an eye over it. I see now that it was a child of your sister-in-law. May the Lord console her.
As to N, what can I say? All this is so sad. For me, the more I go on, the more importance I attach to the judgment of the assembly, but I am profoundly saddened for X. I also think of his children: I believe that God is visiting him for his rigidity, and because his will is not broken. He even boasts about never bending, and then God is forced to say to him: Well, I will bend you. Otherwise, he breaks us; but this gives me sorrow, for he has been blessed, devoted, and has suffered for the Lord. But God desires that we should submit. There is only His grace; will is worth nothing, we are worth nothing. We have to recognise that all is grace; if we submit ourselves to His grace, God is full of goodness. He does not take pleasure in disciplining us; far from it, he spares us a thousand times and blesses us.
I am happy to learn, dear brother, that you have more courage. Have it, for this courage proves confidence in Jesus. He will never let you down. His power is perfected in weakness[38].
I am very happy to know that the Rs are better. Greet them much on my behalf; greet all the brethren too. I had some hope of visiting the South, but my bad eye takes rather a long time. I have before me now the voyage across the Atlantic, to visit the brethren in Canada. If I do not go there (for I depend humanly speaking on a brother E who has worked there), it could well be that I will see you again this year in France; if I go to Canada, I think that we will leave some time this month. It is a long voyage for me at my age, but it is for the Lord’s service, so that I feel encouraged; I am under His wings. I would surely love to see the dear brethren in France again; I do not know if, or when God will accord me this joy. May He keep them until the day of Christ! May He keep them in devotion, in humility and in the joy of His communion. My soul is much linked to theirs, my desires for their eternal happiness. All the rest only passes away. May He bless you too, dear brother. If God prospers me in my journey and I have time to see the brethren, I am thinking of coming back from Canada this year. There is much to do here and in Ireland, and thanks be to God, blessing in many places.
Look how long it is, beloved brother, since I ought to have written to you, and I had thought of doing it; but, always travelling or in conferences, and pressed by desk work, your letter has remained among the unanswered letters. I take the pen at last, and be assured that it was not a lack of will or interest, for your letter has interested me a lot as news of the brethren always does. A stop of two or three days following a conference allows me a little time to answer you. ‘Dolce far’[29], I understand a little, but dolce farniente[30] I hardly ever get, while rest is in God and one does not fail to enjoy it. This gives us the power to work.
I have been told that you are established at V, so that your doubts as to your stay at St are over. I think however that you continue to visit G-I-P and other neighbouring villages, for there are open doors around V. Have good courage, dear brother. When God wills, we will harvest if we do not weary; and then His power is perfected in weakness[31]. Our brethren in V are quite independent, but I have always found a little affection in walking happily with them. One could wish that there would sometimes be a bit more order, but there is a good foundation. For the rest, it is Jesus who is able for all, and His grace which does all.
Who is working at St now? After all, if the meetings are happy it is the great thing. For St to begin at nine so to say is not evil. Do they still meet at G in the same place where they met in Mr L’s time?
As to your labours, dear brother, seek the Lord’s face and rely on Him. When the body is not robust, one is in danger of doing this as a chore, as an obligation, and the spirit becomes a bit legal, or even one yields to fatigue and is discouraged before God. The work is a grace which is accorded to us; be fully in peace and happy in the feeling of grace, then go and spread this grace on souls. This is true work: one can become very tired in body but sustained and happy, one rests under God’s wings; and takes up His labours until the true rest is reached. One renews one’s strength like that of eagles[32]. Always remember these words: “My grace suffices thee, for my power is perfected in weakness”[33]. May communion with God be your first concern, as the sweet relationships in which we are placed with Him. All is well when we walk thus; then one discovers and judges day by day all that hinders communion. Thus the heart is not hardened, or the conscience dulled, and one easily enjoys these communications of grace which give power. Yes, seek above all personal communion with the Lord.
As to your Italy, in effect all is quite dark, and not just Italy but the whole earth. Soon the world will no longer suffer from man’s ambition, only it will be stopped by Him who has the right to it. England, up to now so prosperous, is in difficulty like every other country. The American business tends to ruin it. In France, it is the same again; Austria, Poland, Turkey, are like the others. Here, workmen are without work; everywhere enormous preparations are made for war. How small the wisdom of man is! Why therefore? The Lord is coming and we belong to heaven. In the church, there is neither Greek nor barbarian nor Scythian[34]; we are Christ’s bondmen, sure of our Master’s victory, victory which will give peace to the whole world. In waiting, in this place where He has set us as a testimony to the real peace which God gives, may God’s love and grace which set us in an intimate relationship with heaven fill our hearts, and may we know how to bring to agitated and suffering souls the tranquillity and peace which nothing in this world can destroy. We are not of the world, as Jesus was not of the world[35]. Our life comes down from heaven and goes up there to its source. Keep there, dear brother. It is possible that we will have tribulation in the world, but be of good courage, he has overcome the world[36].
May God in His goodness keep all the brethren in this spirit, so that at least someone in the midst of this world of trouble and worry for such a great number knows to wear peace in their countenances, because it reigns in their hearts. All that happens, happens by the hand of God; not a sparrow falls to the earth with Him. He forgets nothing; nothing escapes Him. Then the Lord will come. Oh may the children of God think of that! I believe that this truth has more practical power in the hearts of the brethren in England. May God be blessed. Conversions are still numerous; meetings grow a lot, and new ones are formed. There is a little more devotion, and I believe a good spirit and unity. There are meetings which are ten times more numerous than last year, others twice, and although there was more activity than now and for some, the danger of being caught up in the current of revival, I believe that the brethren’s principles are dearer to them than ever. There are superficial elements in this revival more than in Ireland, but a lot of true conversions too.
Brother O is married and gone to Italy to seek the brethren; might it be possible or him to communicate with G or B if they are still there? As he has gone a bit for his health, he will not be visiting la Valais.
Greet all the brethren in V with much affection on my behalf; I am reminded of their good memory in their prayers.
Your very affectionate brother
______________
[28] most of this letter also appears in JND’s published Letters – vol 1 p317
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.
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.
