BY THE LATE REV. FRANCIS M’BEAN, FREE CHURCH,
FORT-AUGUSTUS.
(Continued from page 64.)
CONVERSATIONS WITH BETSY LINDSAY.
20th February, 1835.—“Betsy Lindsay, how do you feel to-night?” “Much as I did on Sabbath—the cough troubles me.”
“It seems a dry cough.” “Yes; I had it sometimes before I became ill.”
On removing the curtain, it was observed that perhaps the light might affect her sight. “Oh,” said she, “I do not see the light, nor do I miss my sight.”
“How are you reconciled to the want of your sight?” “The presence of God, which I trust I enjoy, reconciles me to it.”
“Do you not feel the want of being able to read the Scriptures?” “Yes; I would like to be able to read the Scriptures, but the promises are brought to my remembrance, and I am enabled to meditate upon them.”
“How often are promises brought to your remembrance?” “There is a promise brought afresh to my remembrance every day, on which I am enabled to meditate all the day.”
“Well, what promise had you to-day?” “The legacy which the Lord Jesus left to His people.”
“What is that?” “It is this in John xiv. 27, ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’”
“And what promise had you yesterday?” “It is in the 23rd Psalm—‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ He, indeed, is my Shepherd, who thus wonderfully supplies all my wants.”
“Upon what subject do you feel most inclined to meditate?” “On the love of Christ.”
“Wherein do you see the love of Christ?” “In His death, and in having laid down His life to purchase salvation; His love to myself in having, I trust, brought me from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.”
“Whether do you wonder more at the love of the Father, in having purposed and devised salvation, and in having given His beloved Son to be a sacrifice for sin, than at the love of Christ in having laid down His life a ransom for sin to purchase salvation?”
“I am lost in both.”
“Does it at any time come across your mind that all you have is delusion?” “It often did, but not for some time back. When my body was stronger, the Lord permitted the enemy to tempt and buffet me sadly, and sometimes to take away my hope; but now, being so weak, the Lord kindly prevents him from tempting me, and comforts me with His promises.”
“What do you think of the law of God?” “It is holy, and required a divine sacrifice before infinitely divine justice could be satisfied.”
“Do you miss that you cannot put yourself in a posture for prayer?” “I cannot move out of this posture, but I can put forth the breathings of my soul to God, who will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer; and sometimes I am able to speak to Him.”
“It is a good thing to be in a praying frame of mind.” “Oh, yes; and blessed be the Lord, I find it sweet exercise to hold converse with God in prayer.”
“Do you feel contemplating upon the love of Christ warming and heating your heart?” “Oh, yes, constraining me; but at times the heart gets cold, and I have to say with David, ‘Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.’ Then He brings a promise to my remembrance, and then I am revived and refreshed.”
23rd February.—”How are you to-day, Betsy?” “Weaker than yesterday. I have not been able to speak to-day in prayer, being so weak. I have, however, had a very happy day to-day.”
“Indeed! What were your promises to-day?” “The whole of the twelfth chapter of the Hebrews. I have been able to meditate upon it the whole day, and felt particular joy in musing upon the following verses: ‘But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.’ Though I am yet on earth, I can say in a manner that I am come unto Mount Zion,” etc.
24th February.—”Well, Betsy, where feedest thou to-day?” “In green pastures, sir.”
“What field are you upon to-day?” “The twenty-third Psalm again. The Lord, indeed, is my shepherd; He lets me want no good thing; He feedeth me in the green and rich pastures of His sweet promises, and leads me by the still waters of peace, joy, and consolation.”
“Have you been able to take any food to-day?” “No, sir.”
“What would you think of a little chicken juice?” “Oh no, sir. It is with great difficulty I sometimes can take two teaspoonfuls of beef-tea. A mouthful of bread, with a little tea mixed with more milk, is what I try now and then to take. It is a wonder to myself how I am alive. It is a wonder from the Lord, and I do not wonder should people not believe that I could be in life as I am with almost the shadow of food, and especially that I could be twenty-five days not without food merely, but without as much as a teaspoonful of drink reaching my stomach. The only refreshment I had from the earth was dipping my palms in cold water, which I myself could not do, being so weak, but was done by others.”
“That reached and refreshed your heart?” “That was the object of it. But the divine Spirit refreshed me with His gracious and sweet influences in His blessed promises; that was what supported me.”
“As to your being twenty-five days without any food, how was Moses alive on the mount with the Lord without food for sixty days?” “God mysteriously supported him.”
“And how was the humanity of the Lord, which needed nourishment like any other, supported while without food, and in the wilderness enduring the outpourings of all the powers of darkness for six weeks?” “His divinity supported Him. But these instances can easier be believed from the Word of God than that anything approaching them should happen to me in this day. But God is still the same, and is a wonder-working God.”
(To be Continued.)