II.
1.
216 West Regent Street, Glasgow, 24th June, 1926.—My dear Friend, I was pleased to have received your letter, and to learn that you were able to rise and go about a little every day, also that your household were all well. So we can say truly: “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” When we consider our fruitlessness in the past and the Lord’s mercy and goodness which followed us all our days, we must say with the psalmist: “With us He dealt not as we sinned nor did requite our ill.” The goodness of the Lord is as far beyond our thoughts as the heavens are above the earth. No man can measure that distance, neither has any man ever found out the extent of God’s goodness and mercy. To open a way for this mercy to guilty men, the only begotten Son of God came into this world of sinful, lost men, and by His obedience, sufferings and death, He opened a way for mercy to the guiltiest man on earth. But, alas! God’s mercy is despised and rejected. Is not an infallible proof that sin is madness?—as it is written: “Thereq is madness in the heart of man while he liveth, and after that he goeth to the dead.” I have been thinking of the awful condition of guilty men, even in time, if it were not that Christ crucified is held forth as an Almighty Saviour, in the gospel. If the conscience of any man should be awakened to feel the wrath of God against sin, would he not fall into despair without Christ set forth in the gospel? So that we should say from the depth of our hearts: “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.”
May the love of God fill your heart in believing that it was out of electing love, He sent His Son into the world to call sinners to repentance, and that it was the same love which moved the Father and the Son to send the blessed Holy Spirit to convince you of sin and to enable you to place all your hope in Christ.
I hope you and all yours are well. And with kindest regards, I remain, dear friend, Yours very sincerely, Neil Cameron.
2.
216 West Regent Street, Glasgow, 19th January, 1927.—My dear Friend, As you are often in my poor thoughts, I am writing you this short letter. I hope the Lord upholds you in comfort in soul and body, and that you are so conscious of the plague of your heart as to cause you to wait daily at the posts of the door of the almighty and merciful Physician—the Lord Christ. Sin is the cause of all the misery in this world and also in eternity. There is only one that can save from sin: “Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” Salvation from sin itself is the cry of every quickened soul. It makes Christ doubly precious to His people, that they believe that “He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,” and all their hope is placed in Him that He will save themselves. Christ is called “the Sun of righteousness.” What an awful calamity it would be if the natural sun should be removed! How dark, cold, and dead this world would become! But that would be a small matter when compared to the removal of Christ out of our own country. Death, darkness and despair would immediately be the result. He is truly the light of the world. Alas! how men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. The glory of God shines in this perishing world through the cross of Christ. It is there that His justice, holiness and truth shines; also His love to men, His mercy, goodness, and pity shine forth as the sun in Calvary’s cross. The Lord’s faithful servant, Rev. D. Macfarlane, Dingwall, has been removed to his eternal reward. It could truly be said of him: “I have fought a good fight; I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” We cannot doubt but that he has received the crown, and the welcome: “Thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” May the Lord give a double portion of His Spirit to those who are left to make them faithful unto death. With kindest regards to each member of your household, and fond regards to yourself. I remain, dear friend, Yours very sincerely, Neil Cameron.