London, September 2, 1795
DEAR SIR,
IT runs in my head that I have two of your letters unanswered, but- 1 can find only one; nor can I recollect the particulars of the other, if there be another. That before me is dated the 1 rth August.
It is good to desire to be useful; but it is not necessary to know how much we are so. If you walk humbly and uprightly before the Lord, I may venture to answer for your usefulness: but we often mean by the word, to be instrumental in doing great things. Self likes to do great things; but grace teaches us to do little things with a great spirit — that is, for the Lord’s sake. To fill up his appointed post with integrity, submission, and thankfulness, is all that an angel could do, if he was upon earth.
I thank you for the extract from Dr. Gillies’s letter. I hope, as you say, it does suit me, and I pray that it may suit me, if it should be the Lord’s pleasure to lay me aside. I may expect it daily at my time of life; though at present I am lusty and strong: but a few minutes is sufficient to produce a great change. But I wish to work while it is day, and to leave to-morrow in his hands.
Dr. E*** bears fruit in old age. I never exchanged a line with him; but I have long had a high respect for his character. I hope to know him hereafter. I once breakfasted and once dined with Lord H***. He seemed a very amiable gentleman. May the Lord give him the best honours and the best riches, and strengthen his chaplain abundantly.
I smile at your not knowing the meaning of Easter. Those who observe it, profess to observe it in commemoration of our Lord’s resurrection. As this took place the third day after the passover, and the passover was regulated by the full moon, the third day, or Easter, most frequently happened on a week-day. Some great Doctors thought it most proper to observe it on the Lord’s-day next following the passover — others, perhaps as great Doctors as the former, thought it best to abide by the numerical third day. I cannot tell you how many councils and convocations were held to settle this knotty point: but as Pope Self presided in them all, and held both sides of the question, the disputes ended in & total and final separation between the eastern and western, that is, the Greek and Roman churches. And venerable Bede long afterwards, writing in praise of a cotemporary, thought himself bound in conscience to close the account with this censure, “But poor mistaken man, he did not keep Easter in our way y” and this spoiled his otherwise good character. I consider many of the modern disputes of the like importance.
Your account of should animate us to
bear a faithful and affectionate testimony to the truth, upon all proper occasions, and not be discouraged by apparent difficulties. The heart is like gunpowder, which lies quiet if fire be kept from it; but a single spark, in the Lord’s time, is sufficient to set it in a blaze.
Mr. Romaine lived honourably and usefully, and died comfortably. The same may be said of many who live and die unknown and unnoticed by men. A poor old man or woman in a parish work-house, if faithful in their profession, and submissive to their lot, who rejoice» to hear of the great minister’s success, and pray for him, may be equally great in the sight of the Lord, who seeth not as man seeth, and accepteth, not according to what his people actually do for him, but according to what they would do, if they could. I suppose, when Lazarus died, no train of coaches attended his funeral, he had probably no funeral oration, no sumptuous monument; but he had an attendant guard of angels, and is represented to our conceptions as obtaining a chief seat in the kingdom, even in the bosom of Abraham; (see Luke xvi. 22.) And what is said of him, Luke xvi. will embalm and honour his memory to all succeeding generations.
Farewell. My time is expired, and my paper nearly full. May the Lord bless you and all his people in Edinburgh, in North Britain, and between the North and South Poles. Amen. I am
Your trulv affectionate,
J. X.