journey to learn the same lessons as the prophet,—that it is not the tempest, nor the earthquake, nor the fire, but the still small voice of the Spirit, that carries on the glorious work of saving souls.

Andrew will be with you on Monday, and I am almost tempted to send this to-night to the Post Office; but it is not right to encourage the Sabbath mail, so will defer it till Monday. May you have a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord! May He be the third with you who joined the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, and made their hearts burn by opening to them the Scriptures concerning himself. I hope your evening meeting may be as delightful as the last. May your mind be solemnized, my dear friend, by the thought that we are ministers but for a time; that the Master may summon us to retire into silence, or may call us to the temple above; or the midnight cry of the great Bridegroom may break suddenly on our cars. Blessed is the servant that is found waiting! Make all your services tell for eternity; speak what you can look back upon with comfort when you must be silent.

I am persuaded that I have been brought into retirement to teach me the value and need of prayer. Alas! I have not estimated aright the value of near access unto God. It is not the mere daily routine of praying for certain things that will obtain the blessing. But there must be the need within the real filial asking of God the things which we need, and which He delights to give. We must study prayer more. Be instant in prayer. You will be thinking my affliction is teaching me much, by my saying these things. Oh! I wish it were so. Nobody ever made less use of affliction than I do. I feel the assaults of Satan most when I am removed into a corner; every evil thought and purpose rushes over my soul, and it is only at times that I can find Him whom my soul loveth.

Monday, Jan. 14, 1839.-I now sit down to finish this, and send it away. I am much in my usual to-day, perhaps, if anything, a little better. Still I have a hope at present of resuming my labours. Will you give me a Sabbath-day's labour ? I had no intention of asking you when I began this; but I feel that I had better not close it without asking this favour. I would fain be back, but I do not feel that I would be justified in so doing. When I give a short prayer in the family, it often quite knocks me up. I heard of my people to-day : they are going on as well as can be expected. Death is busy among them, and Satan too. I try to lean them all on Him who e!!!usied them to me. I did hear of your brother's

illness, and sympathized with you in it, though I heard no particulars. Write me particularly how he is. I hope and believe that he has an anchor within the veil, and therefore we need not fear for him whatever storms may blow. Remember me to him when you write him or see him. May we both be made better men, and holier, by our affliction.

Take care of your health. Redeem the time, because the days are evil. Does the work of God still go on among your people ? There is a decided improvement in the ministers here—more prayer and faith and hope. There are marks of God's Spirit not having left us. Remember me to Gillies and Smith, your fellow-labourers. May their names be in the Book of Life.-Yours ever,

ROBT. MURRAY MÓCHEYNE.

TO MRS THAIN, HEATHPARK.

During the continuance of the same illness.

EDINBURGII, February 9, 1839. MY DEAR MRS THAIN,—I was happy to receive your and Mi Thain's kind letter. It is very cheering to me, in my exile from my flock, to hear of them. I send you a short line, as I am not good at writing. I am glad you are keeping pretty well, and still more that your spiritual health seems to prosper. The spring is advancing, -I feel already the softness of the wind, so that we may hope the winter is past, the rain over and gone. I know the summer revives you, and the doctor gives me good hope that it will revive me. In spiritual things, this world is all winter time so long as the Saviour is away. To them that are in Christ there are some sweet glistenings of his countenance, there are meltings of his love, and the sweet song of the turtle-dove when his Holy Spirit dwells in the bosom; still it is but winter time till our Lord shall come. But then, “to you that fear his name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” And if before He comes we should go away to be where He is, still we shall enter into a world of perpetual summer,—we shall behold his glory which the Father gave Him.

I feel much better than usual to-day; but I have returns of my beating heart occasionally. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, and sometimes I think the door will give way before his gentle hand. I am bid to try the sea-water hot bath, which I hope will do me good. I have good hope of being restored to my people again, and only hope that I may come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ, that this time of silent musing may not be

lost.

I am thankful indeed at the appointment of Mr Lewis. I hope he has been given in answer to prayer, and then he will be a blessing. We must pray that he may be furnished from on high for his arduous work. I have great hope that he will be the means of raising many more churches and schools in our poor town-I mean poor in spiritual things.

I hope Mr Macdonald was happy, and made others so. “Apollos watered.” May great grace be upon you all.–Your affectionate friend, etc.

TO THE SAME.

Before going forth on the mission to Israel,

EDINBURGII, March 15, 1839. MY DEAR MRs Twain,-You will think me very unkind in breaking my word to Mr Thain, in not writing you in answer to your kind letter by him. But I did too much the week he was in Edinburgh, and fairly knocked myself up, so that I had just to lay aside my pen and suffer quietly. My friendly monitor is seldom far away from me, and when I do anything too much he soon checks me. However, I feel thankful that I am better again this week, and was thinking I would preach again. This is always the way with me. When my heart afflicts me, I say to myself : Farewell, blessed work of the gospel ministry! happy days of preaching Christ and Him crucified ! winning jewels for an eternal crown! And then again, when it has abated, I feel as if I would stand up once more to tell all the world what the Lord of Glory las done for sinners.

You have sent me a pocket companion (a Bible) for Immanuel's land. I shall indeed be very happy to take it with me, to remind me of you and your kind family, at the time when I am meditating on the things that concern our everlasting peace. All my ideas of peace and joy are linked in with my Bible; and I would not give the hours of secret converse with it for all the other hours I spend in this world.

Mr M - is the bearer of this, and I have told him he is to call on you with it. He is one much taught of God, and though with much inward corruption to fight against, he still holds on the divine way a burning and shining lamp.

I knew you would be surprised at the thought of my going so far away; and, indeed, who could have foreseen all that has happened ? I feel very plainly that it is the Lord's doing, and this has taken away the edge of the pain. How many purposes God has in view of which we know nothing ! Perhaps we do not see the hundredth part of his intentions towards us in sending me away. I am contented to be led blindfold; for I know that all will redound, through the thanksgiving of many, to the glory of our heavenly Father. I feel very plainly that towards many among my people this separation has been a most faithful chastisement. To those that liked the man but not the message—who were pleased with the vessel but not with the treasure-it will reveal the vanity of what they thought their good estate. To some, I hope, it has been sent in mercy. To some, I fear, it has been sent in judgment. Above all, none had more need of it than myself; for I am naturally so prone to make an ill use of the attachment of my people, that I need to be humbled in the dust, and to see that it is a very nothing. I need to be made willing to be forgotten. Oh! I wish that my heart were quite refined from all self-seeking. I am quite sure that our truest happiness is not to seek our own, -just to forget ourselves, -and to fill up the little space that remains, seeking only, and above all, that our God may be glorified. But when I would do good, evil is present with me.

I am not yet sure of the day of my going away. There is to be a meeting on Monday to arrange matters. Andrew Bonar and Dr Black can hardly get away till the first week of April; but I may probably go before to London next week. I know you will pray for me in secret and in the family, that I may be kept from evil, and may do good. Our desire is to save sinners—to gather souls, Jew or Gentile, before the Lord come. Oh is it not wonderful how God is making people take an interest in the Jews! Surely the way of these kings of the East will be soon prepared.

I shall be quite delighted if J- is able to take a small part in the Sabbath school. She knows it is what I always told her,

-not to be a hearer of the word only, but a doer. It is but a little time, and we shall work no more here for Him. Oh that we might glorify Him on the earth! I believe there are better ministers in store for Scotland than any that have yet appeared. Tell J to stay herself upon God. . Jesus continueth ever, He hath an unchangeable priesthood. Others are not suffered to continue by reason of death.

You expected me in Dundee before I go; but I dare not. You remember Paul sailed past Ephesus-he dared not encounter the

M

meeting with his people. Indeed, I do not dare to think too much on my going away, for it often brings sadness over my spirit, which I can ill bear just now. But the will of the Lord be done.

Kindest regards to you all. Christ's peace be left with you. I shall remember you all, and be glad to write you a word when I am far away.--Yours ever, etc.

TO MISS COLLIER, DUNDEE.
How his silence may be useful to his people and himself.

EDINBURGH, March 14, 1839. MY DEAR Miss COLLIER,—I feel it very kind your writing to me, and rejoice in sending you a word in answer by my excellent friend Mr Moody. Indeed, I was just going to write to you when I received yours, for I heard you had been rather poorly, and I was going to entreat of you to take care of yourself ; for you do not know how much my life is bound up in your life, and in the life of those around you who are like-minded. I feel it quite true that my absence should be regarded by my flock as a mark that God is chastening them; and though I know well that I am but a dim light in the hand of Jesus, yet there is always something terrible where Jesus withdraws the meanest light in such a dark world. I feel that to many this trial has been absolutely needful. Many liked their minister naturally, who had but little real relish for the message he carried. God now sifts these souls, and wants to show them that it is a looking to Jesus that saves, not a looking to man. I think I could name many to whom this trial should be blessed. Some also who were really on the true foundation, but were building wood, hay, and stubble upon it, may be brought to see that nothing would truly comfort in the day of the Lord but what can stand the hour of trial. You yourself, my dear friend, may be brought to cleave much more simply to the Lord Jesus. You may be made to feel that Christ continueth ever, and hath an unchangeable priesthood; that his work is perfect, and that infinitely; and poor and naked as we are, we can appear only in Him-only in Him. But if the trial was needed by my people, it was still more needed by me. None but God knows what an abyss of corruption is in my heart. He knows and covers all in the blood of the Lamb. In faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me. It is perfectly wonderful that ever God could bless such a ministry. And