A Letter from John Shaw
Your letter of October 9 was a treat to me. I am always happy to hear from a student for whom I had a regard; I am particularly so when, from a distance, he informs me of his welfare and gives such agreeable news as your letter conveyed. I was pleased to hear that your brother2 was placed in
1The letter was sent on 2 December 1807 to Robert Findlater (see the January issue of this Magazine) and is taken, with editing, from his Memoir. He had just finished his course of training for the ministry and had been licensed to preach. Shaw, who died in 1823, was the minister of Bracadale on the Isle of Skye.
2William Findlater, who wrote the Memoir; he was then ministering by Loch Eriboll, on the north coast of Scotland.
a situation which he seems to enjoy, and where he is likely to be useful; to learn that Mr Stewart,3 who is ever dear to me, was well; that pleasant days of gospel privileges are enjoyed by not a few of the Lord’s people at Dingwall; and that you have been invested with that office to which you long looked forward, and for which I trust it has been your endeavour, in dependance on divine grace, to prepare.
All who have tasted of the grace of God and are invested with the office of an ambassador for Christ have considered it pleasant and honourable, while they have, at the same time, felt it to be arduous. I will not enlarge on these things. The Apostle of the Gentiles magnified his office and reckoned it his glory, and grace was given him to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. His heart and delight were in the work; while at the same time, no man knew more by experience both what he had to do and to suffer in the faithful discharge of his office.
I pray God that by the lively state of religion in our own souls, by communications of spiritual consolation from Himself and by the abundant success of our labours, He may lead us to feel the pleasantness of the office; that by gifts and graces, He may qualify us for honourably transacting the business of reconciliation between Him and rebel sinners; and that in proportion as He exposes us to the difficulties connected with the office, He may support us under them.
A circumstance of the office, to which my attention is directed as much as to any, is the solemn tenure on which we hold it. Woe unto us, if we preach not the gospel. The sinner must receive warning, else his blood will be required at our hand. By faithful dealing with all, we must deliver our own souls. Who is sufficient for these things? You suppose my experience may enable me to suggest something profitable on the subject. I have little experience yet that I can either call my own or by which I can profit others, but if I have learned any thing by experience, it is the answer to the foregoing question: “Our sufficiency is of God”. The more we feel our own insufficiency and are led to God, in Christ, for all things, both for our own and our people’s souls, the more comfort we feel, the more success we are likely to get.
But you will perhaps be thinking that I might say something more from what I have learned by experience in preaching the gospel. In a letter I must be general. I think I know that there is nothing of greater consequence to comfort and success than personal religion. Most difficulties arise, or are increased, either from the lack, or the low state, of this in the soul. If entirely destitute of it, we must be unfaithful, comfortless and burdened in the work.
3Alexander Stewart, minister of Dingwall from 1805 to 20 and father of Alexander Stewart of Cromarty, who wrote The Tree of Promise.
If weak in religion, we are likely to be unskilful, in some degree unsteady, inactive, or exposed to the fear of man that bringeth a snare, ready to be overborne by every difficulty. And the more lively our own souls are, the more comfort we feel; the more faithful we are enabled to be; and the better we know to apply for supplies of grace, for strength under difficulties, for ability and success.
All this is to be understood consistently with our sufficiency being of God. Personal religion is all from Him and is the first and fairest means of success. I do not know a better way, in dependance on our Redeemer’s grace, for encouraging personal religion than to spend much time at once, and often, in deep meditation, self-examination, searching the Scriptures, and prayer. A person with a deceitful heart cannot meditate, examine, or read without prayer. I know, because I have experienced it, that converse with the world is hurtful; and had I been engaged in the profitable exercise alluded to, when at College, I would now be more fit for my work – and at home I spent much time idly, or even in reading too constantly books that were in themselves useful.
Without intimate spiritual knowledge of the Scriptures also, I must add, we cannot rightly divide the word of truth, And speaking to a brother, I would advise you to study your discourses well. We are accountable for what we say; and not a little care and pains are necessary in choosing fit passages of Scripture by which to illustrate or prove our subject. I find most pleasure in delivering my most carefully-composed discourses. I hope the Lord will direct and bless you and your labours. You will likely get some settlement [in a congregation] soon; and it is chiefly in the view of this that I have written the preceding, as your situation then will be similar to mine.