PORTREE, SKYE, 12th June, 1895.
I AM writing you these few lines wishing that you will not forget me and this place at a throne of grace. I feel very dry to-day, but you may say that is my oftenest cry at any rate. The thing is this, when the truth is away in the power of it, and no dew on the soul, then my sins rage so much the more. If you saw a man or a woman in whom there was life, and wild beasts tearing them, or worms eating them up, would you not pity such? I am that person, yet spiritual death prevails so much that I feel it too little; but one in such a case cannot but groan and cry; and how relieved he would feel if ointment or oil were poured on his wounds. So it is spiritually when the truth comes with power. O that the Lord would subdue our iniquities, and love us freely, so would we be able to give Him praise!
I do not very well understand how any one can give a good report of the kingdom without tasting of the living Bread that came down from heaven. What is desirable is, that this taste would be in a person’s mouth always, for there must be either the taste of sin, or the taste of holiness on our spirits.
We had a very pleasant journey after leaving Strathy. I felt the power of the love of Jesus. I cannot forget the warm meeting we had in Dingwall. There is something wonderful in the fellowship of the saints of God! May He pour out more and more of His Spirit, and fill all His true people with the Holy Ghost; and O to have in truth fellowship with Jesus, and to be done with forms without Him, for some, even on this earth, walked with God. What is a king’s palace compared with the state of one who has the company of Jesus! O that He would come over the mountains of our sins as a church, and the mountains of our sins individually, and dwell in our souls, so that there would be personal fellowship with Himself!
Remember me to all the friends, and ask them to pray for me, and remember I want you really to pray for me, all of you. Be sure and write soon; and may the love that is better than life be with you, and in you, in great measure.
I was trying to speak twice last Sabbath, and also had two meetings in the week. One meeting was always kept here, but I did not feel so much liberty at the last meeting, so do pray for me that I may get a new tongue to speak of the love of Jesus; and that by tasting it, I may be able to tell how sweet it is.—I am your dear friend,
D. M.
THE last words that Archbishop Usher was heard to express, were, “Lord, forgive my sins, especially my sins of omission.”