Undated
MY DEAR SIR,
I WISH well to your Philanthropic Society Penitentiary: but we cannot imitate you. Our prisons are supplied with chaplains, and I do not know that any of our magistrates are disposed to assist, or even countenance Methodistical plans. But we likewise have a Philanthropic Society, for the education of the children of convicts and vagrants, which I hope is pretty well conducted, and the children attend a church where the gospel is preached at least one part of the day.
J. NT.
XXXVI.
London, October 14, 1797.
I belie ve I answered your first letter I received at Southampton. I am now to thank you for your second, dated 8th September, which, as you intended, gave great pleasure not only to me, but to my friends there. Give my love to Messrs. H*** and A***, and tell them that I rejoice in their zeal, their acceptance, and in their success.” Why should not the Orkneys, and the Highland Islands, deserve attention as much as the islands in the South Sea? I hope gospel zeal will, in due time, sail northwards to Shetland, and westward to St. Kilda, and all the intermediate islands. You have already a society established for the Highlands, may the Lord put all their wheels in motion!
The gospel ministers in orf Establishment are mostly confined to their parishes, and cannot do much abroad; but the Congregational Dissenters are stirring in most parts of our kingdom, and associating with a design to spread the good news amongst the villages in their respective neighbourhoods, which are wofully neglected in many places. Indeed we cannot expect those who have no concern for their own souls, should be careful for the souls of their parishioners. I fear but few of them, comparatively, have either the rvill or the skill, which the shepherd’s office requires; and therefore, though I am a mighty good churchman, I must bid God speed to the labours of all who preach the truth in love, whether in meetings or barns, in the highways or the fields. It is better people should be Dissenters or Methodists than heathens.
May your schools prosper! The Lord make you like the tree in Psalm i. I congratulate you and myself on the progress of what some may call latitudinarianism in Scotland. May we not say with the apostle, “Grace be with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity?” I think that is a latitudinarian prayer — I hope many agree in loving him, who sadly disagree about trifles. Such is the weakness and wickedness of the heart, even in good men. There is a great and old established house, which does much business, and causes no small disturbance in the world and in the church. The jinn is Satan, Self, and Co. Till this powerful, extensive partnership be dissolved, we cannot expect perfect peace and union among all believers. It will be a joyful day, when its credit shall totally fail. Such a day we are warranted to hope for.
Infidelity spreads, and I trust the gospel spreads likewise. Perhaps the time is coming, when all sects and parties shall be reduced to two, christians and infidels. So it was at the first promulgation of the gospel. For what I know, before long, the infidel spirit may be so prtvalent, that no man without real grace will dare to avow so much as a professional attachment to the name of Jesus: then formal professors will drop oft like leaves from the trees in October. The Lord’s fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and burn up the chaff; but he knows them that are his, and how to take care of them. He that endureth unto the end shall be saved!
Navigation would be more dangerous than it is, if the storm gave no warning of its approach: but the skilful mariner has his eye upon the clouds, and when he sees them gathering thick and black, he takes in his sails, and prepares, as much as he can, to meet what he expects. If he should neglect this, and play or sleep, his vessel might be overset. May we walk circumspectly, considering the times, because the days are e.vil!
Your two missionaries called upon me, and promised to come to breakfast, if they could; but I saw them no more. I invited two others sent from Glasgow, who spoke to me at church on Sabbath evening; but I suppose they had no time. They were all set apart at Mr. Hill’s chapel on Monday, and from what I hear may be by this time at Portsmouth. May a blessing go with them! I am glad to find by yolir memorial, that you are better informed of the Moravians than you seemed to be when I first mentioned them to you. They say money is the sinews of war; if it was likewise the sinews of missions, we might do well. But, O that the
Lord may drop the mantle of the Moravian mis. sionaries amongst us.
We returned from Southampton in peace and safety the 14th September, after ten weeks’ absence, and found all well at home and at St. Mary’s. I have a nice curate, Mr. Gunn; I know not whether his report is heard in Scotland. I have reason to hope that the Lord owns both his labours and mine. The church is crammed, the hearers are attentive — we often hear of new inquirers, especially young people; and I know of no gross miscarriages among those who profess the gospel. Last time we had more than 300 communicants. We are situated, as it were, upon an island. The storms of controversy and dissention which make such havoc upon that-rra? continent, the religious world, are not permitted to reach our peaceful shore. We know but little of them, and that little only by report. I may truly say, (O that I could say it with due thankfulness) the lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place.
As to myself, I am in statu quo. I am a year older than when I went to Southampton last summer; in other respects I am much the same. I feel but little abatement either of bodily or mental powers. In spirituals I have nothing to boast of. I am poor and needy, but I trust the Lord careth for me. I hope it is not worse with me than in former times. I seldom have the sunshine of sensible comfort, but I am favoured with day-light. I certainly do not walk by sight, but I hope it is given me to walk by faith, and to maintain a conscience void of offence. Long experience and advancing years have gradually weakened my attachment to the present world, especially since the removal of my late dear partner. The Lord has so smoothed my temporal path that I can think of nothing worth a wish, to add to my comfort: yet the best, and the whole of it, would scarcely make me desirous of living here another day, but for the sake of my profession and ministry. For these, I am willing to live my appointed time. May I live, while I do live, to him, and be found ready and willing to depart when he shall see fit te call me hence. The rest I wish to leave, without anxiety or choice, to him who does all things well.
But though I have been remarkably exempted from outward trials since the year 1 790, I have an inward warfare. I am a poor creature still — when I would do good evil is present with me. My best is defective and defiled, and needs pardon before it can hope for acceptance: but, through mercy, my hope is built, not upon frames and feelings, but upon the atonement and mediation of Jesus. When I am called home, I trust I shall leave all my abominations behind me, as my dear friend Cowper says in his hymn —
“One view of Jesus as he is
Will strike all sin for ever dead.”
If I do not write often, you have a good quantity at a time, when it comes. Let us pray for each other, and may the Lord hear and answer. I only add an assurance that I am
Affectionately yours,
J. N.