January 19th

My dear aged friend, William Elder, Scotscalder, came today, as he heard that I was worse. We both wept when we met. I will not soon forget it. He does not seek a high position for himself, but he would knock down all that riseth up against the Most High. He feels very lonely since his dear brother Alexander, and worthy William Murray were taken away. They were so often together, and were bound by the bonds of redeeming love, that he finds none to fill their place. How he pities the blind ministers ruining their poor blind followers, leading them to lightness and vanity, instead of walking worthy of God, adorning the Gospel, and being living epistles seen and read of all men! Instead of that, "they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things," bazaars, soirees, vain songs, vain company, where there is no fear of God, but rather doing the work of their father, the devil, and pretending they are not.