15 Argyle Street, Inverness. 22nd Nov., 1951—My dear Friend, I think it is time I was answering your kind and welcome letter. But it just shows how little I have of the true love. There is nothing too hard or difficult for love. It endureth all things. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. If I do not love Him how can I glorify Him. I find I come short of that in everything I do. I find I cannot attain to it for want of love and true zeal for His glory. But says you, You must come to Christ just as you are with all your wants and wounds and diseases and shortcomings, for He is made all things to His people. Who of God is made unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. But then am I not in danger of coming with a covering, which is not of God’s spirit. If the Spirit of the Lord would give me the spirit of self-loathing and godly sorrow, then I would be in a more hopeful condition, not that my mourning would merit anything before God. But although such a condition often comes after a revelation of Christ to the soul, yet I believe, it also goes before. However, I have much reason to be ashamed of myself before the Lord. Were I to give my present experience as a mark of grace, I believe it would be more honest of me to give it as a mark of unwatchfulness and prayerlessness and slothfulness, because it is written that the soul of the diligent shall be made fat, and we are told to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. What hope could I have were it not that it is written, that He is the Author and Finisher of faith, and that they are kept by the power of God unto salvation, and that salvation is of the Lord, and that He will bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying grace, grace unto it . . . With kindest regards, Yours very sincerely—MURDO CAMPBELL.
15 Argyle Street, Inverness. 16th Feb., 1952—My dear Friend, I received your very welcome letter some time ago . . . I have much reason to be thankful for the Lord’s restoring mercy. The elder in writing to the well-beloved Gains says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth.” I honestly believe that portion will suit your case well and I wish it for you. Although, as regards my own case, I would like to reverse it. That is, I wish above all things that my soul would prosper and be in health as my body prospereth. Perhaps you will put me down for a heretic for reversing the Scripture, but you will understand what I mean. To be healthy in soul, I would like to have a true zeal for God’s glory, a thing I cannot attain to, and there are many other marks of a healthy soul, which I would like to have. But we must look to Him Who glorified the Father on the earth and finished the work which He gave Him to do, and that on behalf of such as come short of His glory in everything.
I suppose you would hear the communion news long before now, much better than I could give. There was a good number of men on Friday. There were 22 on the list, but it was only 12 who spoke. The Question was in Job. “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” Given out by John Grant. There was a Presbytery meeting at 3.30 so there was no time for the others to be called. The ministers were enabled faithfully to preach the whole counsel of God His Word will not return unto Him void, but it shall accomplish that which He pleases, and shall prosper in the thing whereto He sent it. I believe this will be a comfort to the men who bear precious seed. When they cannot command the showers to mollify, nor the sun to shine upon it, they have to wait patiently on Him Who giveth the increase. It is truth that Apollos watereth, but you know better than I do that Apollos was only an earthern vessel in the hand of the Great Husbandman to water His own plants. I remember when I was a little boy at school learning to write, the teacher used to take hold of my hand with the pen in my hand shewing me how to write. I believe the Lord’s children will be feeling this need of the warm hand of the great Teacher to direct them in all that their hand findeth to do . . . With kindest regards, Yours sincerely—MURDO CAMPBELL.
15 Argyle Street, Inverness. 27th Feb., 1953—My dear Friend, It was in my mind to write you long ago, but I feel so poor and miserable and dead, that if I were honest in telling my experience, my letter would be like an obituary on my own spiritual death. What awful ruin sin brought upon us! We would like to hear the money sounding in our own pockets making ourselves and others believe that we are rich. I remember hearing big Rory MacLean who was missionary at Beauly, one, two or three of the men being present at family worship, they were striving about concluding. At last Rory was prevailed upon to conclude, and he began thus, “O Lord, we are like little children when their mother would be sending them to the shop, they would not like to go unless they had money, but if they had money they would be quite willing to go.” So that is the way with me, too proud to be a beggar. But the Lord will have all His people to be beggars, as long as they are in this world . . . With kindest regards, Your sincere friend—MURDO CAMPBELL.