To Rev. Mr. H——

Heaven’s nobility incog — Views presented by the Spirit on the subject of confession — A sanctified soul hails from heaven- -The force of the clause, “in earth as in heaven” — An angel on earth; his singleness of purpose; his heroic zeal — “JVIy boast in the Lord.”

We have daily been expecting the return of brother

W, to forward the inclosed $10, which, though

he is now absent from us, have been gained in part through his instrumentality; in answer to your request, for your friend, who though poor in this world, is, it seems, rich in faith. Heaven’s nobility often goes incog here on earth. It is an honor to be coveted to be counted meet

“After our lowly Lord to go,
And serve the heirs of heaven below.”

And now, what cheer, dear brother? Is your blessed Saviour still in close companionship with you? Let me say, to the praise of his grace, that I have never proved his sustaining power more

Dead. Former Views recur. “Can you do it 1”

gloriously than of late. The significant passage, “For ye are dead, and youi’ life is hid with Christ in God,” has been apprehended in my recent experience so deeply, that language fails to express what I would say.

Some views which I received on the memorable hour, when I was permitted, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, to enter within the veil, have recurred to my mind with much force within a few days. They were the communications of the Spirit, and, as such, I am sure witl ever be useful to me. I do not remember ever to have mentioned them to you, and it has been urged upon my mind, that it may be well to present them to my beloved brother.

Just prior to the reception of these views, it had been suggested that I might be called to testify of this grace before hundreds and thousands. In view of this, it was proposed, “Can you do it?” I was startled at the thought! Not from an unwillingness to profess the blessing before an assembled universe, if such were the will of God concerning me; but the remembrance came up before me, of the many times I had resolved to confess Christ before men, and had failed by yielding to the plausible reasonings of the deceiver. “How possible to mistake duty!” with a variety of similar suggestions, would be urged, until the opportunity had passed, and when too late, my foe stood ready to taunt me

Suggestion. A Member of the Body. I will rather die than yield.

with the victory he had gained. And now it was suggested, that this was the way I should lose the blessing, and you will not wonder that I was startled at the thought.

I saw it was necessary that some principles should be established in my mind, relative to what might constitute duty on this point. The matter was resolved thusj On any occasion, when I had reason to believe that a declaration of what God had done for my soul might be helpful to my own spiritual interest, even though another might not be specially benefited, this should fix the duty relative to my own soub and might have a bearing upon my neighbor also, inasmuch as I was but a part of the great body, and, for the ultimate good of the whole, it was needful that I should be in a healthful state.

You may at once perceive by analogy, how duty to my neighbor, in relation to confession, was made plain also. After perceiving what should constitute duty, I was enabled to resolve, that if it literally cost me my life to go forward, I would make that sacrifice rather than yield to the shrinkings of the flesh.

It was at this point that the Lord gave me to see more fully the nature of the blessed state upon which I had entered. I had said, “Into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” It was suggested, Had your

A Soul committed to God. We belong in Heaven.

spirit actually returned to the God who gave it, at the time you made this solemn surrender, and were it said, after having mingled for a little time in adoration with the burning spirits before the throne, You are now required to return for a little time to earth, to confess Christ before men, as a Saviour, able to save unto the uttermost, would you hesitate in declaring the object of your mission before hundreds and thousands?

I at once perceived that I would have no more to do with the world, so far as being influenced by its opinions, than would Gabriel, or any inhabitant of heaven who might be commissioned for the performance of a work on earth; and my burning spirit only needed an angel’s wing to bear it through the habitable earth, to proclaim “full salvation throuo-h faith in the blood of the Lamb.” I now apprehended in my experience the meaning of the prayer, “Thy will be done in earth as it is done in heaven.” The beautiful words of our poet, —

“Let us, to perfect love restored,
Thine image here retrieve,
And, in the knowledge of our Lord,
The life of angels live,” —

had power and point in them. In experimental verity I now realized the truth of the Saviour’s words: “Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” How unreasonable did it appear to expect sympathy from the world, Christ’s avowed enemy!

An Angel on Earth. Fidelity. Zeal.

Let us conjecture, dear brother H, what might

be the sentiments that would inspire one of those angel spirits who have been centuries past doing the will of God in heaven. Were it said to such a one, You are commissioned by the will of your holy Sovereign to perform a mission to earth. It may require threescore and ten years of time, according to earthly computation, and while there, you must lay aside your angel wing, and your flaming spirit must be enshrined in just such a form as mortals wear, and to the various vicissitudes to which men are subject you must submit. He comes! But conceive the sentiments which inspire him to action. Is he influenced to be as much like the world as he may be, or does his ardor, in the performance of his work, reprove the world, and show a regardlessness of its smiles or frowns? And- in relation to the reception of his message, has he not such an assurance that it is not his own, but the message of his Lord, as to make it his only concern to deliver it faithfully that he may, in the most expeditious manner, accomplish his great work? Think you not that the aspirations of his heaven-born soul might incline him to efforts far more ardent than the children of this world, or even some professed Christians, might think necessary?

And now, let me make my boast in the Lord, and say, Somewhat similar are the sentiments which

The Author’s Experience. Inquiries.

have influenced my heart ever since I was enabled, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to set myself apart wholly for God. 0 what a deadness to the world do I continually realize! I have received the sentence of death in myself, that I should not trust in myself, but in Him that raiseth the dead, and I experimentally apprehend that he hath raised me to entire newness of life. I feel that I have but one work, and that is to do the will of my heavenly Father. Heaven is my home. Christ is my Saviour. Exalted be his name for ever! Yours, &c.