[Written to Pastor Theodore Monod of Paris by a
Presbyterian Minister]
NEWBURGH, Sept. 26, 1842.
DEAR BROTHER,—I take a few moments of that time which I have devoted to the Lord, in writing a short epistle to you, His servant. It is sweet to feel we are wholly the Lord’s, that He has received us and called us His. This is religion, a relinquishment of the principle of self-ownership, and the adoption in full of the abiding sentiment, “I am not my own, I am bought with a price.” Since I last saw you I have been pressing forward, and yet there has been nothing remarkable in my experience, of which I can speak; indeed, I do not know that it is best to look for remarkable things; but strive to be holy, as God is holy, pressing right on toward the mark of the prize.
I do not feel myself qualified to instruct you: I can only tell you the way in which I was led. The Lord deals differently with different souls, and we ought not to attempt to copy the experience of others; yet there are certain things which must be attended to by every one who is seeking after a clean heart.
There must be a personal consecration of all to God; a covenant made with God that we will be wholly and forever His. This I made intellectually, without any change in my feelings, with a heart full of hardness and darkness, unbelief and sin and insensibility.
I covenanted to be the Lord’s, and laid all upon the altar, a living sacrifice, to the best of my ability. And after I rose from my knees I was conscious of no change in my feelings. I was painfully conscious that there was no change. But yet I was sure that I did, with all the sincerity and honesty of purpose of which I was capable, make an entire and eternal consecration of myself to God. I did not then consider the work as done by any means, but I engaged to abide in a state of entire devotion to God, a living perpetual sacrifice. And now came the effort to do this.
I knew also that I must believe that God did accept me, and did come to dwell in my heart. I was conscious I did not believe this and yet I desired to do so. I read with much prayer John’s first epistle, and endeavoured to assure my heart of God’s love to me as an individual. I was sensible that my heart was full of evil. I seemed to have no power to overcome pride, or to repel evil thoughts which I abhorred. But Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, and it was clear that the sin in my heart was the work of the devil. I was enabled, therefore, to believe that God was working in me to will and to do, while I was working out my own salvation with fear and trembling.
I was convinced of unbelief, that it made the faithful God a liar. The Lord brought before me my besetting sins which had dominion over me, especially preaching myself instead of Christ, and indulging in self-complacent thoughts after preaching. I was enabled to make myself of no reputation, and to seek the honor which cometh from God only. Satan struggled hard to beat me back from the Rock of Ages; but thanks to God, I finally hit upon the method of living by the moment, and then I found rest.
I felt shut up to a momentary dependence upon the grace of Christ. I would not permit the adversary to trouble me about the past or future, for I each moment looked for the supply for that moment. I agreed that I would be a child of Abraham, and walk by naked faith in the word of God, and not by inward feelings and emotions; I would seek to be a Bible Christian. Since that time the Lord has given me a steady victory over sins which before enslaved me. I delight in the Lord and in His word. I delight in my work as a minister; my fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. I am a babe in Christ; I know my progress has been small, compared with that made by many. My feelings vary; but when I have feelings I praise God and trust in His word; and when I am empty and my feelings are gone, I do the same. I have covenanted to walk by faith, and not by feelings.
The Lord, I think, is beginning to revive His work among my people. “Praise the Lord!” May the Lord fill you with all His fulness, and give you all the mind of Christ. Oh, be faithful! Walk before God and be perfect. Preach the Word.
Be instant in season and out of season. The Lord loves you.
He works with you. Rest your soul fully upon that promise, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Your fellow-soldier,
WILLIAM HILL.
THE MINISTERIAL COMMISSION
(From an Address by Ebenezer Erskine at an Induction)
To the Minister.
V. Tha’n daimh pòsaidh so eadar Criosd agus creidmhich, a giulan ann fois agus tlachd gu siorruidh. Ann an daimh pòsaidh tha tlachd mòr aig an dithis dà chéile, na co dhiubh bu chor e bhi mar sin, ann an latha ‘m pòsaidh. Tha fios agaibh mar a tha Solamh a labharrt, “Dean gairdeachas maille ri mnaoi-phòsda t’oige. Biodh i mar an eilid ghràdhach, agus mar an earb thaitneach; sàsicheadh a ciochan thu ‘s gach àm; le a gràdh bi a ghnàth air do lionadh” (Gnàth. v: 18, 19). Tha so uile a gabhail a stigh an t-aoibhneas, an fhois, an tlachd sin a tha’n daimh sin a giulain leis, agus a tha aig an dithis da aon a chéile; agus tha sinn a leughadh, mar a tha fios agaibh, mu aoibhneas an fhir nuadh phòsda mar an nì is àirde, agus is fior-ghloine, a tha air fhaotainn a’ measg chlann nan daoine: mar sin, anns a phòsadh spioradail sin eadar Criosd agus creidmhich, tha fois choitchionn agus tlachd aca ‘n a chéile: ‘s iad, mar gu’m b’eadh, fois, aoibhneas, agus sàsachadh aon a chéile; a comhfhurtachadh anamaibh aon a chéile. Air an laimh eile, tha Criosd a gabhail fois agus a deanamh gairdeachais anns a chreidmheach, mar a dheanadh neach ann am bean òige. Mar so tha chéile Dhà, mar eilid ghràdhach agus mar earb thaitneach, agus tha E gabhail còmhuidh gu h-aoibhneach maille rithe; uaithe so tha i air a h-ainmeachadh a thlachd, agus sin mar aon a tha pòsda Ris: “Theirear ruit, Bean mo rùin: agus ri t-fhearann Bean-phòsda: oir bi rùn an Tighearna ort, agus bi t-fhearann air a cheangal ann am pòsadh. Oir mar a phòsas duine òg òigh, mar sin pòsaidh t-fhear-togail thusa” (Isa. lxii: 4, 5). ‘S e suim so uile, Air bhi do Criosd a pòsadh a shluaigh Ris Fein, tha E gabhail tlachd annta, agus a deanamh gairdeachas thairis orra, agus sin leis an tlachd is àirde agus is fior-ghloine a tha freagarach do’n daimh sin. ‘S e’n fhirinn a th’ann gu’m b’heil E labharrt mar gu’n do dhi-chuimhnich E tlachd a ghabhail anns ‘n a h-ainglean, na ann a’ nì air bith eile de oibrìbh a làmh, ach annta-san ‘n an aonar. A deir E ris an Athair, “Cha ruig mo mhaiteas ortsa. A thaobh nan naomh a tha air thalamh, agus nam flat: thà mo thlachd uile annta” (Salm xvi: 2, 3). Seadh, tha E ‘g a ainmeachadh Fein mar air eigneachadh leo, mar a chéile; “Dh’éignich thu mo chridhe, a phiuthar, a chéile: dh’éignich thu mo chridhe le aon de d’ shùilbh, le aon slabhruidh mu d’mhuineal” (Dàn iv: 9). Agus tha E labharrt mar aon air eigneachadh dà-rìreadh. “Cia àillidh, agus cia taitneach a thà thù, a ghaoil, ann ad mhaisealachd ” (Dàn. vii: 6), agus thà E ‘g a aideachadh fein mar aon air a ghlacadh leatha, ” Tionndaidh uam do shùilean, oir chlaoidh iad mì: tha t’fhalt mar threud ghabhar a nochdar o Ghilead ” (Dàn. vi: 5). Seadh, thà E cur an cèill gur iad a shuaimhneas, ” Is i so mo shuaimhneas gu siorruidh: an so gabhaidh mi còmhnuidh, oir mhiannaich mì i ” (Salm cxxxii: 14). Thà e air a ràdh mu Shion, mar shamhladh air an eaglais, agus céile Chriosd, agus fhois innte; agus dà-rìreadh is iad a shuaimhneas, tha anam aig suaimhneas annta; annta tha àrd-aoibhneas-san. Bh’uaithne so tha’m focal milis sin, ” Thà an Tighearna Dia ann a d’ mheadhon cumhachdach; nì e do thearnadh; nì e gairdeachas os do cheann le luathghair; gabhaidh e fois ‘n a ghràdh: nì e gairdeachas os do cheann le seinn ” (Seph. iii: 17), mar gu’m biodh e air a ràdh, a làn shuaimhneas, agus a mach as a chomhfhurtachd, agus a thlachd bithidh annaibh. Air an laimh eile, tha’n creidmheach a gabhail fois agus a deanamh gairdeachas ann an Criosd, mar ann ‘n a Cheann agus Fhear-pòsda. ” Fo a sgàile mhiannaich mì, agus shuidh mì sios, agus bha a thoradh milis do’m bhlàs ” (Dàn ii: 3). Ghabh i fois agus suaimhneas, mar a thà neach gu milis ga chur, dhà anam Ann-san. Bha a h-anam aig fois agus air a lionadh le tlachd, mòr tlachd, bha aoibhneas mòr a sruthadh suas an taobh a stigh dhith, agus so uile ann an Criosd a Fear-pòsda; ann ‘n a Phearsa, agus ‘n a lâthaireachd, ann ‘n a dhion, ann an toraidhean a ghràis agus a ghràidh; agus uime sin thà e leantuininn ” agus bha a thoradh milis do’m bhlàs,” mar gu’n abradh i, O! ciod e’n t-aoibhneas, ciod e chomhfhurtachd, ciod e’n tlachd agus an sàsuchadh anam leis an do chùm mì comhladur Ris, agus a bheathaich mì Air! Uime sin anns a phòsadh so thà tlachd agus sàsuchadh eadar Criosd agus creidmhich. Agus O! cia cho milis ‘s a thà so! thà so a cur blas làidir de neamh air a phòsadh so, agus a cur an anama sios eadhon aig geata nam flaithanas. Mar so nochd mì dhuibh ciod e’n daimh pòsaidh so a thà eadar Criosd agus na creidmhich.
(R’a leantuininn)