The Annals of the Poor | Page 8

for Jesus' sake! May his word, spoken by you, his chosen vessel
of grace, be made spirit and life to their dead souls! May it come from
you as an instrument in the hands of God, as sharp arrows from a
strong archer, and strike a death-blow to all their sins! How I long to
see the arrows of conviction fasten on the minds of those that are

hearers of the word, and not doers! O sir, be ambitious for the glory of
God and the salvation of souls! It will add to the lustre of your crown in
glory, as well as to your present joy and peace. We should be willing to
spend and be spent in his service, saying, 'Lord, may thy will be done
by me on earth, even as it is by the angels in heaven.' So you may
expect to see his face with joy, and say, 'Here am I, Lord, and all the
souls thou hast given me.'
"It seems wonderful that we should neglect any opportunity of doing
good, when there is, if it be done from love to God and his creatures, a
present reward of grace, in reflecting that we are using the talents
committed to our care, according to the power and ability which we
receive from him. God requires not what he has not promised to give.
But when we look back, and reflect that there have been opportunities
in which we have neglected to take up our cross and speak and act for
God, what a dejection of mind we feel! We are then justly filled with
shame. Conscious of being ashamed of Christ, we cannot come with
that holy boldness to a throne of grace, nor feel that free access when
we make our supplications.
"We are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works;
and where two are agreed together in the things of God, they may say,--
'And if our fellowship below In Jesus be so sweet, What heights of
rapture shall we know When round the throne we meet!'
"Sir, I hope Mrs. --- and you are both of one heart and one mind. Then
you will sweetly agree in all things that make for your present and
eternal happiness. Christ sent his disciples out, not singly, but two and
two, that they might comfort and help each other in those ways and
works which their Lord commanded them to pursue.
"It has been my lot to have been alone the greatest part of the time that
I have known the ways of God. I therefore find it such a treat to my
soul when I can meet with any who love to talk of the goodness and
love of God, and all his gracious dealings. What a comfortable
reflection, to think of spending a whole eternity in that delightful
employment! to tell to listening angels his love 'immense,

unsearchable!'
"Dear sir, I thank you for your kindness and condescension in leaving
those that are of high rank and birth in the world, to converse with me,
who am but a servant here below. But when I consider what a high
calling, what honour and dignity, God has conferred upon me, to be
called his child, to be born of his Spirit, made an heir of glory, and joint
heir with Christ; how humble and circumspect should I be in all my
ways, as a dutiful and loving child to an affectionate and loving Father!
When I seriously consider these things, it fills me with love and
gratitude to God; and I do not wish for any higher station, nor envy the
rich. I rather pity them, if they are not good as well as great. My
blessed Lord was pleased to appear in the form of a servant, and I long
to be like him.
"I did not feel in so happy a frame of conversation that day, nor yet that
liberty to explain my thoughts which I sometimes do. The fault must
have been all in myself; for there was nothing in you but what seemed
to evidence a Christian spirit, temper, and disposition. I very much
wished for an opportunity to converse with you. I feel very thankful to
God that you do take up the cross, and despise the shame: if you are
found faithful, you will soon sit down with him in glory.
"I have written to the Rev. Mr. ---, to thank him for permitting you to
perform the burial service at --- over my dear departed sister, and to tell
him of the kind way in which you consented to do it. I should mention
that your manner of reading the service on that day had a considerable
effect on the hearers.
"Pray excuse all faults,