by Rev. Neil Cameron
(The following letter was sent to Mrs MacGillivray, Oban).
4 Shaftesbury Terrace,
Glasgow
26th February 1917
My dear Mrs MacGillivray,
Your minister sent me today ten shillings from you for Foreign Missions, for which I desire to thank you. He told me also that your son is at the front in France. No doubt this will cause you anxiety. You should look to the power and faithfulness of God as regards your boy. He took the three young men out of the fiery furnace, though heated seven times more than usually, without one hair of their head being singed. He is the same now, and not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His providence. A man is of much more value in His eyes than a sparrow. Cast your heavy burden upon the Lord Jesus; He is able to bear both your burden and yourself. Not one can fall there but as He wills. Let us place our hope and confidence in Him at all times. “None perish that Him trust.”
It is only when we take our eye off the Lord Jesus and begin to look at the wind and waves that we begin to sink. Alas, alas, that we should listen to that child of the murderer — unbelief! Had we faith in God as we should, we could sing in the fires in the isles of the seas; for we have a faithful, merciful and pitiful God to look to and trust in. Look to Him therefore. Black clouds and wintry weather are just now on the face of our skies if we only take our senses as our guide, but if we look up to God’s throne and see our Great High Priest advocating the cause of His poor ones tossed with tempest and not comforted in this world, we have solid cause of rejoicing should it be with trembling.
There is nothing in this world but troubles, and we need not expect to find rest in it; because it is defiled with sin. So are we defiled from head to foot by the loathsome disease of sin. Therefore let us make up our mind, that one trouble must follow another while we are here, and let that cause us to seek a better country, that is an heavenly; where neither sorrow or sighing shall ever enter. Sin is our greatest enemy. Alas, that we fear it so little!
I hope you enjoy good health of body, and that there are signs of life in your soul. You will ask, What are these signs? (1) “Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious.” (2) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (3) Do you love the Lord’s people? “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (4) Would you have all men and yourself obey God’s commandments? “O, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.” These are four marks. Have you got one of them? I am certain you must confess that you have all of them. What is that but grace in your heart?
I trust Capt. MacGillivray and your daughter are well, also your son. Remember me to your son.
With kindest regards to you all,
I am,
Yours very sympathetically,
Neil Cameron.