(Continued from Vol. XIII., page 469.)
5 SHORT STREET, DUNEDIN,
NEW ZEALAND, 29th September, 1905.
MY DEAR MR. CAMERON,—I was glad to get your letter of the 3rd August last week, and although I daily looked for a letter from you, I know very well that your time would have been fully occupied at Communions in the north. I thank you very much for your kindness in seeking means to help me. I had a three months’ (twelve weeks) stay in the Sanatorium. I had a very severe attack of indigestion, caused by the amount of food and milk that we had to consume: it came so severe on me at last that I could hardly look upon the food at all, and consequently began to lose instead of gaining. In this circumstance I had to leave the Sanatorium, even supposing I had means to stay. I find that although the treatment I got there improved my health generally, still it is very little good—if any—it did to the disease in the lung. However, I should submit to the will of God, in whose hands we all are as the clay in the hands of the potter, and He only is able not only to restore health to the body but also life to the dead soul. If He is able to raise the dead soul to life, how much more is He able to restore health and strength to the body, as it is written, “Which is easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Rise up and walk?” Our chief business here should be to make our calling and election sure; all other things should be laid aside until this is done, for if this is not done all is lost for ever. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” But the cry of the natural heart is, Give us first our lusts, and we will put the rest all right in five minutes on our death-bed.
I am sorry to hear that a good number out of St. Jude’s Congregation have passed into eternity since I left. We are all following them; when this span-length of time is over we shall all be there. I value very much being remembered in the prayers of the Lord’s people, but if I have no place in the prayers of the Great Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous, I shall have no lot nor inheritance among them that are sanctified. But those who have got a place in His prayers of Christ—their eternal salvation is as infallible as God Himself, for they have been given to Christ by God the Father in His electing love. They and they only have got a place in His prayers. “I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for those whom Thou hast given me. Thine they were, and Thou gavest them me.” And again, “And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” But oh, to be of this number; and to make sure that we are of this number should be our chief business. These, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are brought from spiritual death to life, and from the power of sin and Satan unto God. They are made able and willing, in a day of God’s power, to accept of Christ as He is freely offered in the Gospel, and this is what is beyond all that flesh and blood can do; and those who are thus made able and willing to accept of Christ in the Gospel, are indeed within the bounds of eternal election. “All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me.”
I should tell you before I close that I have tried another treatment since I left the Sanatorium, which a doctor here is using for this trouble. It is by injecting into the skin a serum which is supposed to kill the germ in the lung. I heard he did much good by this, and so I went to him, to see what he would say. So he has given me six injections, and so far I feel a great benefit by the treatment, and not so expensive.
The Lord has indeed raised a friend for me; not, however, in New Zealand but in Australia. I told them in one of my letters home that I got a letter from a gentleman in Brisbane who is quite unknown to me, with an an order for £5 in it. He says he heard of me from a correspondent on the Clarence River. He did not, however, give his address, so I had to write to Brushgrove for it. Mrs. Scott wrote me, with his address, and also explained who he was. I wrote him some weeks ago, and got another letter from him yesterday, with a bank draft for another £5; but his letter has put me about very much, as he says that Mr. Scott, Brushgrove, is seriously ill. I wrote Mrs. Scott whenever I got his letter, but I am afraid that there will be no word from them by the departure of the ‘Frisco mail.
I see that you had somewhat a divided Synod in Inverness. There are many reasons to justify the Free Presbyterian Church in opposing a Union with the Free Church at present, besides those taken up in the motion which became the finding of the Synod. But the way in which they have dealt with Dr. Alexander shows clearly to anyone who will open his eyes how lightly these men look upon matters of the greatest importance. Their Moderator (Mr. M’Leod, Oban) has already stated something to the effect that the reasons taken up in the motion are more imaginary than real.
But I must now come to a close. I am sorry your mother is so frail; according to the course of nature, we cannot expect her to live long. By the arrival of this letter your Communion season will be drawing near, and I hope it may be a time of refreshing to the Lord’s people. If I had wings I would fly away and be with you there, for indeed I am getting very tired of this place. However, I hope when it is well with you that you remember me. May the Most High bless all your labours, and may the peace of God rest upon yourself and all your household!—I am, yours very sincerely,
JOHN MACLEOD.