January 25th

Reading the book I like best (Bible excepted), Ralph Erskine's sermons. A letter of Mrs A.'s will be a pleasure for me to write here. "My dear friend, - The kind letter received this morning was very welcome. Not but that we hoped you got home safely, for I was remembering that David Steven used to say that he was often laid up coming from the market, selling watches, but not from the means of grace. I thought Wednesday and yesterday to write and ask for you, but instead wrote the one day to Mr. Duff, and the next to Doctor Kennedy, telling them you were like to make us fear you had become a broken vessel as well as themselves, and requesting them, when their own bodily infirmities had to be brought before the Hearer of prayer, that they would for their friends' and brethren's sakes remember you. He to whom all authority has been committed by His Father knows what end is to be served by His varied dealings with His people. That end is His own glory, and they think they would rejoice in His accomplishing that end, but let Him begin to deal with them to that end, alas! alas! how far are they from submission, from meekness, from quietness, but, like the bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, either kicking in rebellion, or sulking in stubbornness, the only hopeful sign being, that underneath the rebellion and the stubbornness, like the wail of an infant in a storm, a voice is rising, "Thou art the Lord my God." Yes, He is the Lord their God, and yet perhaps, they nursing only what is opposed to Him. Surely now He will leave them to their own way, surely now He will withdraw the breathing from the babe of grace that struggles to be heard, saying, "The Lord is my God," surely now He will turn from the strife altogether, and let them alone, but He had His own end in view, the glory of His own grace, so the decree is gone forth from heaven. "I will surely have mercy upon him. Surely I will have it, notwithstanding all the unlikelihood. Surely I will turn him. Surely I will humble him. Surely I will make him a pleasant child. Surely I will hide pride from his eyes. Surely I will make him a debtor to me, and to my grace, for every thought that he thinks, every word that he speaks, every action that he does. Surely grace, and grace alone shall be magnified in him." Kind love to you all. We sent our petition against instrumental music away to-day with 810 signatures, and one against the Affirmation Bill is being filled."