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THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
TIffi 
 
 SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 ANNA SHIPTON, 
 
 author of 
 
 "tell jestts;" "the child minister ;" 
 
 "wayside service; or, the day of small things;" 
 
 "the brook in the way;" 
 
 etc., etc. 
 
 ' ' 1 will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the 
 Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great good- 
 ness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according 
 to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses." 
 
 ISAIAH lxiii. 7. 
 
 , \ - iTbtv:}; C^Uiatv- 
 
 MORGAN AND CHASE, 38, LUDGATE HILL." 
 
 and may ee ordered of any bookseller. 
 
 iSloT- 
 
 [The right of Translation is reserved.] 
 

 
to 
 
 © 
 
 o 
 
 & DEDICATION. 
 
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 " If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall 
 ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." 
 
 JOHX ST. 7. 
 
 7^0 the Lord, the true God, the living 
 
 God, the everlasting King, I commit 
 
 l^r?f tn i s feeble effort to show forth His 
 
 qy> praise. May He who giveth life to 
 
 the dead, and taketh note of the fall of a 
 
 sparrow, give life, and speech, and blessing, 
 
 to the following simple pages. 
 
 All that is of Himself shall live. May all 
 that is not according to the mind of the Spirit 
 be blotted out in the precious blood of the 
 Lamb slain, 
 
 For Jesu's sake, 
 
 Amen. 
 
 115 * ^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. Page 
 
 THE RAVEN 's CRY . . . . 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 WALKING WITH GOD . . . .14 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 LEANING ON JESUS . . 45 
 
 CHAPTER IT. 
 FELLOWSHIP . . . .67 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 THE WITNESS OF THE SPIKIT . . .85 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 DESERT PLACES . . . .105 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 THE WAY OF THE LORD . . . .140 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 THE SYMPATHY OF JE8U8 . . . .174 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 THE GREAT ADVERSARY . . . .197 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 TESTIMONY ..... 20S 
 
THE SECEET OE THE LORD. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE RAVEN S CRY. 
 
 ' Pie giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens 
 which cry." — Psa. cxlvii. 9. 
 
 ' Ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought 
 with you for my name's sake, not according to your 
 wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings." — 
 
 Ezek. xs. 44. 
 
 F God will not help me, no one else can !" 
 The words were spoken almost despair- 
 ingly by a pale, sad -faced child of about 
 five years of age. A fruitless search for 
 some lost possession had left her over- 
 whelmed with sorrow. She sat alone upon the 
 ground, and gazed on the heavy clouds that 
 crossed the sky in the dim autumn twilight. 
 Having no one below to sympathize in her 
 B 
 
2 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 distress, she looked for the first time from earth 
 to heaven, experimentally learning, "Vain is 
 the help of man." 
 
 The child had lost a treasure, and children's 
 treasures are precious, and children's griefs are 
 sharp. 
 
 The loss comprised a lock of her dead 
 mother's hair. She had worn the locket con- 
 taining it since the day she could remember 
 anything. Nightly she was expected to place 
 this on her table, that it might be seen that it 
 was safe. She had neglected to do so, and now 
 it was gone, — how or where she knew not, — 
 and the child wept. 
 
 It was not for the ornament, nor yet for her 
 disobedience, but for the loss of that brown 
 braid of glossy hair in the tiny casket — the 
 child's wealth. 
 
 She knew that the locket would be missed 
 from her neck, and that she would be punished ; 
 but what punishment could exceed that silent 
 unshared sorrow ? The joy of her life had de- 
 parted ; and though careless eyes observed that 
 she did not eat, none remarked her sad face, or 
 the absence of the chain. 
 
THE RAVEN S CRY. 6 
 
 " I wish it was Sunday," said the child. " I 
 could go to church; perhaps God would hear 
 rne there." 
 
 The child did not know that God's house is 
 not made with hands, and that He is every- 
 where nigh to all that call upon Him. This 
 was Friday, and two long days must intervene 
 before she could make her request known to 
 Him in church. The longest day however 
 has an end, and Sunday came at length. 
 Kneeling in the extreme corner of the pew 
 with her face to the wall, observed by none 
 but God, she told over the petition with which 
 her heart was ready to burst, and ended as 
 she began: "If You do not help me, no one 
 else can." So she begged Him to send her 
 back her lost locket, for He alone knew where 
 it was. When her prayer was over, a strange 
 peace fell on the heart of the little sup- 
 pliant. She did not question that her voice 
 had reached the ear of the Most High, who 
 rules the world. 
 
 Yes ! gracious and Almighty God, Father of 
 the fatherless, as one whom his mother com- 
 
4 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 forteth, so didst Thou comfort her. Thou wert 
 working for the desolate little one. 
 
 When she returned home, the sun shone 
 brightly in her nursery, and glittered on the 
 golden chain. Hastily she opened her casket 
 and found her treasure safe. But she did not 
 praise Him who had heard her cry. Only the 
 soul that knows salvation through the Lamb 
 slain can praise. 
 
 The power of the Lord had wrought on the 
 conscience of the thief to restore the stolen 
 article, and it was not until thirty years after- 
 wards that the culprit was known. 
 
 Dear reader, that child now records the first 
 remembered token of a loving Father's care 
 over thy fellow-sinner, who by His grace would 
 commune with thee by the way. In conscious 
 helplessness I cast myself upon Him, who has 
 redeemed me from death and hell, and I would 
 show forth His praise. My cry is still, "If 
 Thou wilt not help me, no one else can ! " 
 
 I know not how far this early evidence of a 
 loving Father's care influenced my soul. Cer- 
 tain I am, that since I have known Him as 
 my Redeemer and Lord, it has often made me 
 
THE KAVEX'S CEY. 5 
 
 ashamed to lack the simple faith of a child. 
 Through long years of sin and ignorance the 
 remembrance of the recovery of my lost chain 
 has made me realize anew that God, who feedeth 
 the young ravens when they cry, will much 
 more care for the soul that calleth upon Him. 
 
 Since He gave me eyes to see Him, daily 
 have I been proving His wondrous power and 
 willingness to help me. And yet, even when 
 He has reminded me, "All power is given unto 
 Me in heaven and on earth," I have fallen back 
 upon my own miserable plans and natural 
 understanding, as if I had not again and again 
 proved that I had infinite wisdom and power 
 to draw from. 
 
 It is written, " When the Son of Man com- 
 eth, shall He find faith on the earth ?" He will 
 find works, abounding works, of the natural 
 heart, in which He has no part as the Author, 
 or Counsellor, or Partner; but of the faith that 
 lives in Him, watches for Him, waits for Him, 
 follows Him — how little ! 
 
 And yet Jesus died to bring us near to the 
 Father, that we might walk with Him, thus re- 
 storing the heavenly communion which Adam's 
 
6 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 sin had invested with terror and shame. The 
 daily intercourse of confidential affection calls 
 for no preliminary ceremony. Communion does 
 not consist in a mere narration of wants or 
 confession of failure. It is an interchange of 
 mind, a giving forth and receiving. Neither 
 are there any formal preparations to be gone 
 through, nor set phrases to be uttered, before 
 we acknowledge His abiding presence. "The 
 secret of the Lord " has been well described as 
 "that peculiar presence of God which is the 
 secret of His people, with the assurance that 
 they are His." Who that has known this 
 " secret " has not thirsted for deeper and fuller 
 revelations of Himself? He has been found 
 of them while waiting in the sanctuary and 
 watching by the way. 
 
 It was the living God, of whom I read in 
 the Scriptures, that my soul longed to know. 
 Seeking Jesus, my weary heart turned away 
 from what was offered me instead : and I shall 
 for ever praise Him for the sorrow, and sickness, 
 and trial, which have beset my path; since thus, 
 and thus only, have I known that all other 
 refuges are vain. Often have I returned to my 
 
THE RAVEN S CRY. / 
 
 first childish prayer : " If You do not help me, 
 no' one else can!" I have thus learnt to love 
 the cross ere it has been removed, so many 
 Peniels has it marked on my otherwise toil- 
 some way. 
 
 When I am told that the desire of intimacy 
 with my risen Lord is irreverent and un- 
 natural, I test the foolishness of man by the 
 wisdom of God. "The natural man receiveth 
 not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they 
 are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know 
 them, because they are spiritually discerned." 
 (1 Cor. ii. 11) "Henceforth I call you not 
 servants ; for the servant knoweth not what 
 his Lord doeth : but I have called you friends." 
 " If a man love Me, he will keep my words ; 
 and my Father will love him, and we will 
 come unto him, and make our abode with 
 him." (John xv. 15 ; xiv. 23.) 
 
 Shall we read these gracious promises as if 
 they were merely forms of speech, and treat 
 the Lord of life as if He were a wayfaring 
 man who tarries for a night? Is He not the 
 light and centre of that temple in which He 
 has taken up His abode ? Shall He be sought 
 
8 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 for in special emergencies when other help 
 fails, while the flesh, in which dwelleth«no 
 good thing, regards ordinary times and events 
 as those with which the God who appointed 
 them has nothing to do? 
 
 Each trial of onr faith hath its commission 
 from the Father of spirits : in the end it will 
 speak; if it tarry, wait for it. The heavenly 
 Master has still His eye upon His weary 
 followers toiling in rowing, and each wave of 
 circumstance bears Him on its crest. Listen ! 
 His voice is in the storm ; and believe that each 
 billow is appointed by the Lord, whom winds 
 and waves obey : " It is I, be not afraid." 
 
 We are not required to live above circum- 
 stances ; they are assigned to us that we may 
 obtain therein a deeper. experience of the love 
 and wisdom of Him to whom all power is 
 given in heaven and on earth. 
 
 The encouraging "Fear nots!" with which the 
 Holy Scriptures abound, promise us help and 
 companionship through the rivers, not above 
 them , safety in the fires, not escape from 
 them , that we may behold His way in the 
 sea, and His path in the mighty waters; that 
 
THE RAYEN S CRY. y 
 
 the Father may be glorified in the life of Christ 
 manif( sted in us by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 If the eye of faith is withdrawn from Christ 
 crucified, be assured that how much soever of 
 theoretical and doctrinal knowledge we may 
 possess, and however fervent the aspiration and 
 utterance of religious sentiment may be, we 
 shall be barren and unfruitful, and fail of the 
 light of the knowledge of the glory of God in 
 the face of Jesus Christ. 
 
 It is the Spirit's presence in us that tells 
 whence our life springs. Whether in the ware- 
 house or the shop, in the poorest hovel or in 
 the mansion of the rich and noble, the child of 
 God is called to witness for Him. The power 
 of testimony that one solitary soul may possess 
 will carry its influence through time and eter- 
 nity. "The Lord hath set apart him that is 
 godly for Himself: the Lord will hear when 
 he calleth unto Him." "I have declared, and 
 have saved, and I have showed, when there 
 was no strange god among you : therefore ye 
 are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am 
 God." (Psalm iv. 3 ; Isaiah xliii. 12.) 
 
 The coast of Cornwall, particularly in and 
 
10 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 near Mount's Bay, is visited by the warm 
 Gulf-stream, which is the secret of its health- 
 ful temperature. There is little alternation in 
 the atmosphere by day or night. There is 
 not much information to be obtained concern- 
 ing this interesting phenomenon, but the in- 
 fluence is felt and seen, though the Gulf- 
 stream itself is flowing unseen in the ocean, 
 separated in a manner from the deep waters, 
 through which it passes without mingling. 
 The lands it visits are warmed by it; the air 
 above, and in its vicinity, is soft and balmy ; 
 exotics seen nowhere else in England flourish 
 in its neighbourhood, and many an early blos- 
 som is put forth before the winter has else- 
 where departed. In the caves of the rocks, and 
 occasionally in some places of the coast, its pre- 
 sence is known by the rare and beautiful shells, 
 which, carried safely by the current through 
 the ocean, are left as the productions of a dis- 
 tant shore, and tell whence the stream flowed. 
 
 As I felt the soft influence of this genial 
 stream in the months of early spring, it never 
 failed to remind me of the hidden life in 
 Christ — the positive blessing flowing from the 
 
THE RAVEN'S CRY. 11 
 
 fulness of the Spirit in the soul of a child of 
 the light, dwelling in this ungodly world — a 
 continual contrast to that negative Christianity, 
 which lives only on the lips of formal profes- 
 sors, bringing neither warmth nor blessing to 
 themselves, nor light nor gladness to others. 
 
 "The secret of the Lord is with them that 
 fear Him, and He will show them His cove- 
 nant." The worldling has no part nor lot in 
 this promise. It is yours, child of God, to 
 whom I write, saved and separated from the 
 world lying in wickedness. Can you be content 
 to walk in your blindness, in paths everywhere 
 beset with danger, without heavenly counsel 
 and companionship ? Can you endure the be- 
 numbing cares of life without carrying them 
 separately to the mighty Counsellor, that com- 
 mon things may be cleansed and sanctified to 
 His service? For if there is any matter of/ 
 which it can be said, "I cannot ask the bless-fl 
 ing of the Lord on this," then neither ought 'it '. 
 to be an occupation in which His follower I 
 should be found. 
 
 Search the Scriptures; they testify of Him 
 with whom I pray you to walk a day's journey. 
 
12 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Be assured, if your heart burn within you, that 
 the Son of man has made one of our company. 
 May God the Holy Ghost reveal Him more 
 and more to His waiting people, and open their 
 understanding, that they may know Jesus : 
 then will they surely seek their brethren, and 
 tell what things were done in the way. 
 
 Let the perplexed and dispirited traveller eat 
 of the bread that cometh down from heaven ; 
 the Lord shall be known in the breaking thereof. 
 Strengthened in His strength, he shall realize 
 the promise of the Father, and rejoice in the 
 assurance of Him who cannot lie : " Lo, I am 
 with you alway, even unto the end of the 
 world." (Matt, xxviii. 20.) May it be said, "And 
 it came to pass, that while they communed to- 
 gether and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, 
 and went with them." (Luke xxiv. 15.) 
 
 THE SOUL'S PETITION. 
 
 "Ask, and it shall be giyen you."— Matt. vii. 7. 
 Oh for a priceless crown of stars 
 
 To cast before the throne, 
 And a seraph's voice of melody 
 
 To tell what grace hath done; 
 
THE KAVEN'S CRY. 
 
 To sing Thy praise, Lamb of God, 
 
 Who for the sinner died ; 
 To tell the love of Him once slain— 
 
 Jesus, the Crucified. 
 Grant, Lord, unto this longing heart 
 
 Thy blood hath washed from sin, 
 To image back Thy holiness, 
 
 As Thou dost dwell within. 
 Give me a will subdued and meek, 
 
 Obedient to Thy Word, 
 To prove the might of Him who lives— 
 
 Jesus, my risen Lord. 
 
 Give to my hand a heavenly harp, 
 
 To hymn Thy matchless worth, 
 To echo o'er the sea of glass, 
 
 While waiting still on earth : 
 Cause it to break the sleeper's dream, 
 
 And downcast spirits cheer ; 
 And to Thy watching people tell, 
 
 The Bridegroom draweth near. 
 
 Give, Lord— I ask it from Thy grace,— 
 
 The heart, the harp, the crown ; 
 I ask them for Thy service here, 
 
 And all shall be Thine own. 
 I bless Thee for Thy love's sweet seal, 
 
 And nought Thy love can sever ; 
 Lord, lead me on from strength to strength 
 
 To follow Thee for ever. 
 
 
14 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 WALKING WITH GOD. 
 
 •' If wo live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." 
 Gal. v. 25. 
 
 ^AN two walk together except they be 
 i agreed ? " Can " lovers of their own- 
 selves, covetous, boasters, lovers of 
 k^ pleasures more than lovers of God, 
 having a form of godliness, but deny- 
 ing the power thereof," have fellowship with 
 Him? 
 
 The old Adam can never be made better; 
 there is no promise for that, though its mani- 
 festations may differ. Man may adorn it and 
 cultivate it as he will, but its most admired 
 acts are glittering sins. It is the devil's plan- 
 tation (Mark vii. 21) ; the fairest and the 
 deadliest fruit that thrives there, the wild and 
 poisonous grape, is the form of godliness with- 
 out the power. 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 15 
 
 Mesh, and blood cannot inherit the kingdom 
 of God, nor can the natural heart have com- 
 munion with the Holy One. The glory of 
 grass may be beautiful to the eye, but it is 
 still grass, and will be burnt up. "All flesh is 
 not the same flesh : but there is one kind of 
 flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and 
 another of fishes, and another of birds." Many 
 forms appear so gracious in their humanities 
 that we admire them; while we shun others, 
 repulsed by their coarseness. Some, fair and 
 alluring, appear to soar above the earth, and 
 others less prominent seem harmless and silent. 
 We are prone to forget that the fairest only 
 resemble what is acceptable to God, and that the 
 goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. 
 All the natural wisdom and sagacity of man 
 have never done anything for the kingdom of 
 grace. 
 
 From careful calculation astronomers have 
 foretold the comet which appears in due season, 
 and by diligent investigation of the heavens, 
 have discovered new planets in our hemisphere. 
 Columbus, by his observation of the weeds 
 borne on the bosom of the western wave, was 
 
1G THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 led to reflect on the probable position of the land 
 which he afterwards discovered. But neither 
 the contemplation of the heavenly bodies, nor 
 the discovery of a new world of land and 
 water, can bring the soul into the experience of 
 spiritual life, nor open to it the mysteries of 
 grace in the eternal kingdom. "Let no man de- 
 ceive himself. If any man among you seemeth 
 to be wise in this world,, let him become. a fool, 
 that he may be wise." (1 Cor. iii. 18.) 
 
 The old creation lies beneath the curse, and 
 is condemned already. The new creation, born 
 of the Holy Spirit, involves a new life, a new 
 aim, a new object. None but those in whom 
 He dwells can understand that it is by His 
 power alone that they can know God, walk 
 with Him here, and live with Him eternally. 
 The babe must first know Him with whom he 
 would walk : he requires food that he may 
 grow, and the due exercise of his spiritual 
 faculties is necessary, in order that he may 
 respond to the voice of Him who calls him to 
 follow Him. The Giver of life is the Giver of 
 grace : from Him alone is derived the appetite 
 for the hidden manna, and the spiritual thirst 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 17 
 
 which can only be satisfied by the waters of 
 life; and this mnst be received before the 
 living waters can flow from the regenerated 
 heart to others. (John iv. 14.) 
 
 The Lord does not delight in a cistern or in 
 a stagnant pool, but in a channel for life-giving 
 streams. (John vii. 38.) To follow the Lord 
 then, we need to know Him (Jer. xxiv. 7); to 
 know Him is to love Him. I must have open 
 ears to hear Him in His Word, and in the way. 
 (Isa. xxx. 21.) I must have open eyes to behold 
 Him in His providence, and in His dealings 
 with me. Nay, I must perceive Him in cir- 
 cumstances and in places where the wise man 
 of the world can see nothing, or at most blind 
 chance. And if I handle holy things, it must 
 not be with the intellectual knowledge of the 
 old nature, but by the power of the Holy Ghost, 
 as He shall show them to me. For "the wisdom 
 of the world is foolishness with God." 
 
 The soul born of God is complete in Christ, 
 as the oak enfolded in the acorn. All the 
 heavenly faculties are perfect in the germ in 
 the child of God : if they are not exercised, it 
 does not follow that they do not exist. Many 
 c 
 
18 THE SECKET OF THE LORD. 
 
 quickened souls take Christ as their Redeemer, 
 who, from lack of knowledge of foundation 
 truths, manifest but feeble outward evidences 
 of redemption. 
 
 He who is made unto us wisdom, righteous- 
 ness, and sanctification, is willing to give us 
 the continual witness of the Spirit as we walk 
 with Him. He would have us to know whom 
 we have believed, to be assured that our Rock 
 cannot be moved, that bread will be given us, 
 and that our water will be sure. If we believe 
 Kim, we draw from Him such supplies of grace 
 as develope and strengthen the child of God 
 for heavenly citizenship. The new nature is a 
 garden enclosed, in which the Lord delights to 
 walk and talk. There is the sealed fountain, 
 there bloom the fragrant spices, there ripen the 
 pleasant fruits for Him. (Gal. v. 22.) He says 
 of His garden enclosed, "I the Lord do keep it; 
 I will water it every moment : lest any hurt it, 
 I will keep it night and day." " Joy and glad- 
 ness shall be found therein ; thanksgiving, and 
 the voice of melody." And will He ever forsake 
 it ? Nay, when all seems silent, it is not death. 
 The frost but withers the weeds; the Husband- 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 19 
 
 man is there, and where He is, there is life. 
 Let us not expect the way to be a sunny sail 
 upon the lake of Galilee. The faculties given 
 must be exercised, the faith granted must be 
 tried (seven times, if need be) in the fire. Nor 
 shall we have escaped beyond the tempter's 
 wiles, and the secret assaults of sin, until that 
 triumphant hour when this mortal shall put 
 on immortality, and death is swallowed up in 
 victory. When we see the Lord as He is, we 
 shall be satisfied; for we shall be like Him: 
 " and every man that hath this hope in Him, 
 purifieth himself, even as He is pure." 
 
 The thief upon the cross, and the beloved 
 John, were alike complete in Christ. The same 
 simplicity of faith which drew the dying male- 
 factor to trust in the love and power of Him 
 in whose kingdom He desired to be remem- 
 bered, was only a phase of the like faith in the 
 disciple whom Jesus loved, who leaned with 
 endeared familiarity upon his divine Master's 
 breast, believing, from the love He bore him, 
 his right to rest there. 
 
 Communion with God is no subject of cold 
 speculation. The Scriptures are replete with 
 c 2 
 
20 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 it. The vague idea of Jehovah, as the carnal 
 heart understands Him, has no place there. 
 He is everywhere, a very present God; from 
 the glades of Eden, where He talked with 
 Adam in the cool of the day, to that resurrec- 
 tion morning when, in tones of human tender- 
 ness, He called the weeping woman by name — 
 everywhere, and at all times, adapting Himself 
 to the need of His people. All proclaim Him a 
 God near at hand, as well as afar off; cognizant 
 of our secret desires, responding to the faintest 
 cry ; a living God — the God of the living. 
 
 Moses walked with God. " I have known 
 thee by name" is the testimony of intimate 
 fellowship between God and man. For "the 
 Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man 
 speaketh unto his friend." While " with His 
 own right hand He gat Himself the victory," 
 yet it pleased Him to use the instrument He 
 had prepared for His service : the friend of 
 His counsels, whom He had ordained the leader 
 and deliverer of His chosen people. 
 
 Noah walked with God. The Most High 
 made known to him His judgments against an 
 ungodly world, and accepted his family for the 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 21 
 
 sake of the righteousness of his faith working 
 obedience. 
 
 Enoch walked with God, and begat sons and 
 daughters ; and before he was translated he had 
 this testimony, that he pleased God. The secret 
 revelation of that translation we must suppose 
 was the test of his belief in the Lord's almighty 
 power and truth ; for " without faith it is im- 
 possible to please God ; for he that cometh to 
 God must believe that He is, and that He is 
 a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." 
 (Heb. xi. 6.) 
 
 Abraham walked with God ; in what close 
 and familiar intercourse the Holy Spirit has 
 not left us ignorant. God Himself calls him 
 His friend! Doubtless, as He revealed to 
 Moses some glimpse of that Messianic glory 
 which was to come afterwards, the express 
 image of His person, so also in the typical 
 sacrifice of Isaac, the paternal heart of Abra- 
 ham was made to enter into that mysterious 
 transaction which gave the Lamb of God to 
 die for the sin of a guilty world. 
 
 "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear 
 Him, and He will show them His covenant:" 
 
THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 (see margin — "His covenant to make them 
 know it.") His delights with the suns. of men 
 began before He made Himself in all things 
 their brother : doth His pleasure in them cease 
 now that, by taking on Himself their nature, He 
 has wrought for them that great salvation ? 
 
 The vail of the temple was rent in. twain 
 when the Son of God proclaimed the mighty 
 sacrifice "finished." But ere He entered the 
 gates of glory, and sat down on His Father's 
 throne, the Son of man returned to His "breth- 
 ren," to comfort their hearts and strengthen 
 their faith. Still He delights in the loving 
 constraining of His followers, even as when 
 Abraham besought Him to tarry in his tent, 
 and His sorrowing disciples entreated Him to 
 abide with them. 
 
 He is the ever-present Friend. You cannot 
 see Him with the natural eye, as did the 
 favoured band on the shore of Tiberias ; but 
 you can commune with Him as truly, and He 
 with you. Like those dear disciples, essen- 
 tially men subject to like passions as we arc, 
 you may think Him to be far off upon the 
 mountain, and find Him when least expected, 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 23 
 
 in the tumult of perplexity and fears ; having 
 forgotten that when your need is the sorest, He 
 promises special manifestations of His presence 
 and power. 
 
 There are the hidden ones of God, whose life 
 of faith we see not, though we partake of its 
 fruit; but there are others it would take many a 
 page to record, whose life has been manifested 
 before the Church and before the world. 
 
 The fact of two thousand two hundred orphan 
 children having been gathered under holy teach- 
 ing, fed and clothed, and educated for various 
 callings, is a testimony in our own land of 
 what simple faith achieves* To the unbeliever, 
 the New Orphan Houses on Ashley Down 
 are tangible proof of the prevailing power of 
 prayer. Those who know the Narrative of 
 that honoured servant of God, Mr. Miiller, of 
 Bristol, and his multifarious labours, cannot 
 but feel that not one link in that vast chain of 
 blessing but must (both in its formation and 
 continuance) have been forged and constructed 
 by the almighty power of God. " Jotham be- 
 
 * The total number since 1836 is 2263. See "The 
 Bristol Orphan Homes axd their. Founder." By Rev. 
 Dr. Weir. Morgan and Chase. 
 
24 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 came mighty, because he prepared his ways 
 before the Lord his God." (2 Chron. xxvii. 6.) 
 These are facts which the natural eye and 
 natural heart may take knowledge of. But the 
 soul, partaking of the like precious faith, reads 
 the mystery of these facts in the same secret 
 with faithful Abraham. George Miiller walks 
 with God. 
 
 Again, not long since, by the Lake of Zurich, 
 lived Dorothea Triidel * the orphan daughter 
 of a godly mother. The Lord chose richly to 
 manifest what grace wrought in her and by 
 her, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 
 Sorrow and sickness had early put her in a 
 position to sympathize with the sufferin. 
 others. Many were the diseased bodies re- 
 stored to health and activity, and the dis- 
 ordered minds healed of their plague, — main- 
 were the souls granted to the prayer of faith, — 
 before Dorothea formed her establishment for 
 healing the sick. Neither the unholy powers 
 of spiritualism, or animal magnetism, or clair- 
 voyance, can bring souls to Jesus ; nor could 
 they cast around the dwelling of this German 
 * "Tin; Prayer of Faith.'' Morgan and Chase. 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 25 
 
 maiden the heavenly element in which the divine 
 life throve. Faith and prayer ! these were the 
 secrets which the famous physicians, jealous 
 of her success, and the curious investigation of 
 the wise men of the world, failed to discover. 
 Dorothea Triidel walked with God. 
 
 The missionary labours of Pastor Gossner, of 
 Berlin, Francke's Orphanage at Halle, and the 
 lives of many more who have set their hope in 
 God and believed in Him, will suggest them- 
 selves to the reader. There have been such in 
 every age ; God knows them all ; some day we 
 shall know them too. Now we are responsible 
 for their testimony. Men hear and read of 
 them ; and if they are not called to go forth on 
 special missionary enterprises, to build orphan 
 houses, to heal the sick, or to act in some way 
 prominently in sight of the world, they satisfy 
 themselves that they are exempt from the same 
 walk of simple faith. Is it so ? If the saint is 
 indifferent to his high calling, it is that unbelief 
 is the lion in the way, so that he fears to con- 
 fide in Jesus. Mourning for lack of sympathy, 
 and depressed beneath the burden of perplexity 
 and sorrow which no fellow-traveller can com- 
 
20 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 prehend or soothe, he does not realize that 
 there is a Companion of the cross, who is with 
 him even to the end, — changeless in affection, 
 unfathomable in wisdom, unlimited in power, 
 perfect in holiness, — Jehovah Jesus ! 
 
 "The secret of the Lord is with them that 
 fear Him ;" but how few desire to walk in that 
 happy fellowship with God, which the Lord 
 Jesus Christ died to restore to fallen man ! 
 
 If we take Jesus at His word, and believe 
 He is with us "alway," as He said, then the 
 humblest incident of our daily life is invested 
 with a speech and language to the listening 
 soul. This will be when our eyes are up unto 
 the Lord, and we walk in the light ; then it is 
 that the minutest thread of divine purpose 
 unfolds yet more of His love, His wisdom, and 
 His power. Then the soul exults in its help- 
 lessness, because it is the medium of showing 
 forth the faithfulness and might of Jehovah ! 
 
 On one occasion I had apartments with a 
 friend, more expensive than I should have 
 taken alone ; they were very large, and plea- 
 santly situated. 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 27 
 
 It was laid on my mind to prepare for the 
 press a manuscript which I had partly written ; 
 but I knew that if I used up the little strength 
 I had, in seeking for lodgings or in packing, it 
 would be impossible to finish my manuscript. 
 It seemed as if the Lord would keep me where 
 I was until it was completed. I told the land- 
 lady that her apartments would now be more 
 than I could afford, and that I proposed to leave 
 her in a few days. On hearing this she begged 
 me to continue there, at my own terms, until 
 she found a tenant. As the proposition came 
 from herself, I saw more directly the hand of 
 the Lord in it, and I consented to remain. 
 Week after week went by, without any appli- 
 cation for my rooms. One morning the landlady 
 remarked upon it. I could not refrain from a 
 smile, but I told her that she would not be 
 allowed to lose. I said, " I have a little work 
 to do ; when it is finished, you will let your 
 lodgings." But it was not yet done. 
 
 A few days after this, on my return from 
 the beach, I saw a fly at the door ; a family had 
 called, and were about to take the rooms that 
 afternoon. They had gone to another house 
 
28 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 a few doors higher, and would decide in a few 
 minutes. My first feeling was one of utter 
 desolation. I had not a person I could ask to 
 help me; but as this thought swept over my 
 heart, 1 remembered that I had a Friend in 
 heaven, and I said, "Lord, let the people like 
 the other house best," and sat down. But I had 
 not cast all my care on my heavenly Friend ; 
 consequently I put on my cloak and went out, 
 and sought for another abode. One was quite 
 unsuitable, and the next was very gloomy. I 
 returned ; the fly was gone ; the ladies had sent 
 word that they liked the other house best, ]\Iy 
 blessed Lord had cared for His child. 
 
 I learnt by this, first, that this place was 
 given to me in order that I might do my work ; 
 and, secondly, that I must not loiter. 
 
 One day, while upon the sands I remarked 
 three children, a girl of nine, a boy of eight, 
 and another of six, busy making sand towers. 
 I spoke to them: they were very shy at first, 
 but were evidently well-trained children, gentle 
 and courteous, simple in their manners, and 
 very fair to look upon. 
 
 I watched them ui>til they were weary of 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 29 
 
 their spades, and then I called to them, and 
 told them the history of a child, which soon 
 won their attention. The youngest boy had 
 an evil expression, although so young, and a 
 strange hatred of the very name of Jesus. A 
 friendship sprang up between the two elder and 
 myself. Day after day we met on the strand, 
 and at the first glimpse of me their play was 
 left. As they sat one on each side of me, I 
 spoke to them of Jesus — of heaven — and of 
 God's gracious love in giving His own Son to 
 die for sinners. 
 
 They were of a family of some rank, and were 
 living within a few doors of my lodgings. In a 
 short time, with whomsoever they might be, at 
 sight of me they bounded to my side. 
 
 When I found a difficulty in procuring 
 suitable lodgings, I thought it was the Lord's 
 will that I should leave the place ; for I felt 
 that, as my work was nearly done, I should 
 soon be called upon to give up my apartments. 
 Yet the Lord was blessing me with the dear 
 children, and I did not like to quit the neigh- 
 bourhood. 
 
 The following Sunday I was sitting on the 
 
30 THE SECRET OF THE LOUD. 
 
 beach, when suddenly I saw ray two little 
 friends walking with their mother. They sprang 
 forward to me as usual ; but I told them it 
 was not kind to leave their mother, and bade 
 them return. The lady stood at a distance and 
 watched us; and when the children had walked 
 a little with her, they were sent in; then, to my 
 dismay, with slow steps she approached me, and 
 for a moment stood before me silently. I lifted 
 up my heart for grace to help, for I thought she 
 had come to complain of the children loving 
 Jesus. But no ! She said almost timidly, 
 
 " May I sit down with you ?" 
 
 I made room for her by my side. She con- 
 tinued, "I come to thank you for your kindness 
 to my children. You have won their hearts. 
 
 As you have spoken to my L , now speak 
 
 to her mother." My heart was very full, as we 
 talked together. I told her that I expected to 
 leave my former lodgings. She asked me if she 
 might send the children to visit me; "And will 
 you let me come too — come h/ myself V 1 
 
 She came ; and I can only hope it was not 
 in vain that we met, 
 
 My work was finished. I rang the bell and 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 31 
 
 told my landlady that she would let her 
 rooms, as my work was completed. She looked 
 amazed, and said, 
 
 " If you really think so, I should like to go 
 into the country with my family for a day." 
 
 I told her to do so. 
 
 In the afternoon I went out, and on my 
 return I saw a carriage laden with luggage at 
 the door. I felt the time was come — that the 
 rooms were mine no longer. Even so. The 
 servant did not wish to let them, and therefore 
 named half as much again as her mistress had 
 spoken of. It made no difference ; the people 
 engaged them. When the landlady returned, her 
 house was let at a price far "beyond her usual 
 terms. The family remained many months 
 during the dull season, when no other houses 
 near had inmates. It was the means of waken- 
 ing in the landlady's heart a desire of learning 
 something of Him, whom she knew not as the 
 Saviour of all men, specially of those who 
 believe. She came to see rne several times, and 
 blessed the remembrance of the wonderful way 
 in which the Lord had kept me in her house. 
 
 I took a lodging, the only one I met with 
 
32 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 that was within my means ; it was a dull place, 
 looking out on a wall. It had formerly beeu a 
 large house, and was now divided into two or 
 three smaller tenements. 
 
 I required a south room if possible, a good 
 bedroom, and also rain-water ; for the water in 
 this place was very bad. I mentioned these 
 wants to my heavenly Father, leaving other 
 things to Him to choose for me. 
 
 I felt very anxious to be where the Lord 
 needed me, and I prayed for these things partly 
 as a sign of His approval. While I was in the 
 drawing-room speaking of the rent, the landlady 
 said, " If you will come and see the bedroom, 
 I think you will decide upon it ; it is a large 
 south room, with a wide bay window." I went 
 in and found, as she said, a delightful room ; and 
 as I went downstairs, she added, "We have a 
 deep old-fashioned tank, full of rain-water, so 
 that there is a bath for you every day if you 
 like." 
 
 Then I knew that the Lord, by the woman's 
 words, had said, " This is your place ; rest here.' 
 Accordingly I took possession of my tent. 
 
 I went to bed, weary and thankful; but 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 33 
 
 sleep was out of the question. Every quarter 
 of au hour, through the thin partition, from 
 the other house, a low hollow cough rang in 
 my ears. I arose more weary than when I lay 
 down. The next night it was the same. At a 
 loss what to do, yet feeling sure that here I was 
 ordered to come, I was bewildered. At last I 
 cried to the Lord, " Oh, how long am I before I 
 reach out my hand to ' the Eock that is higher 
 than I!"' 
 
 It became clear to me that I must go into 
 the next house, and inquire for the person who 
 coughed. God would teach me the rest. The 
 people were Eomanists. They told me that a 
 family of three lodged above, and that one, the 
 eldest girl, was dying of consumption. With 
 some reluctance the man was persuaded to go 
 up and ask them to see me. He returned, and 
 said the sick one was alone; I might enter. 
 
 I shall not forget the scene. It was a lofty 
 room, in the full blaze of a September after- 
 noon. There were two large windows without 
 blinds or curtains, scarcely an article of fur- 
 niture but of the oldest and meanest descrip- 
 tion ; and, lying on a heap of straw, .covered 
 D 
 
34 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 with a coarse coverlid, was one of the most 
 beautiful women I ever saw, although far ad- 
 vanced in consumption. Her features were of 
 the most faultless model, and a mass of golden 
 hair, bright even though untended and uncared 
 for, fell over her shoulders. Her large blue 
 e}'es looked up smilingly in my face without 
 the least restraint or surpise. 
 
 I felt it was food that she needed, and said, 
 "I am living next door. I heard you cough. 
 Will it help you if I send some dinner daily 
 from my table?" She did not reply, but smiled 
 like a child listening to a story. I spoke but 
 little more that day. 
 
 In a few days I remarked a visible change in 
 her appearance. Her hair was now smooth on 
 her marble- white forehead, and she had lost the 
 expression of extreme exhaustion : her voice too 
 was stronger. I told her that since my first visit 
 I had not heard her cough above once or twice 
 in the night. She said it was so, and continued, 
 
 "You must have thought me very rude 
 when you first came and offered me dinner 
 every day, and sent me what I needed ; but J 
 was expecting you." 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 35 
 
 *How so ? I never was in this part of the 
 town in my life before." 
 
 She answered, " Up to the day before you 
 came to see me I had a kind friend to help 
 me. She has very little means, only what 
 she can give from her own savings. She was 
 obliged to go from this place the day before 
 you arrived. She had nothing to leave with 
 me, no one she could ask to assist me ; but 
 she said God could help me. She passed the 
 night in prayer for a friend to be raised up for 
 me; and she told me one would be sent, and 
 I believed her; so I was just watching for the 
 friend God was to send, when you came in. 
 When I saw you, though I expected some one, 
 I could not speak." She added, "I was very 
 weak." 
 
 "What food had you taken that day ?" 
 
 She smiled as she answered, " Two potatoes." 
 
 The cough disturbed me no more. It ceased 
 
 almost entirely at night. I visited her often, 
 
 and she received me gladly. She was a very 
 
 remarkable person. Her age twenty-five. Her 
 
 father, a Protestant, was dead. At the father's 
 
 death, her mother, a Romanist, brought her 
 
 d 2 
 
3G THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 children and settled herself close by a convent. 
 No one came near the poor girl. I was able to 
 pra / and read to her, and she loved to listen. 
 I believed her converted. I cannot tell. ' She 
 said she used to pray that I should not leave her 
 while she lived, and her prayer was granted. 
 
 One day her mother asked the priest to visit 
 her ; then all our interviews were over. Food, 
 now that she needed it not, was sent her from 
 the convent, and her mother would throw 
 away any little delicacy I sent her. She was 
 surrounded with Sisters of Mercy and lady- 
 visitors : but her end was come, and it mattered 
 little. She became rapidly worse, when I re- 
 ceived a summons to London. The day before 
 1 was to leave, I went in to see my poor 
 neighbour. She was dying fast. She said over 
 and over again, " I shall meet you in heaven." 
 The weather was very sultry, but she could 
 not bear the window open by reason of the 
 noise, and the atmosphere of the room was 
 almost stifling. She said, 
 
 " They asked me why I smiled just now. / 
 could see what they could not. The flies are 
 settling on my hands and face, and I smiled to 
 
WALKING WITH GOP. 37 
 
 see the angels brush them away. You believe 
 me," she said, addressing me, " so I tell you" 
 
 My work was done; I did not see her die. 
 She was in convulsions and insensible when I 
 left the next day, and extreme unction was 
 being administered to her. Oh, what had I 
 not learnt of God's loving care ! I could only 
 do what He gave me to do, and as long as He 
 g ive me to do it. But it was another experience 
 of the necessity of casting our care on Him 
 who alone knows the way. If we are walking 
 uprightly with Him, we must not judge of God's 
 guiding by the amount of natural satisfaction 
 we receive in following it. He leads by paths 
 we know not ; and the lack of strength in His 
 followers is generally from undue reasoning, and 
 from judging before the time. It amounts to 
 this : " Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever 
 Thou goest." An unconditional surrender in 
 words ; but when the Lord goes before us, and 
 we find ourselves in some barren desert, or 
 some lonely city dwelling (for it is in the 
 multitude, that the child of God feels most 
 lonely), then we say, " We asked the Lord to 
 guide, and w T e have taken our own way." " Why 
 
38 THE SECRET OF THE LOUD. 
 
 are ye fearful? how is it that ye have no 
 faith?" still sounds around our way, which wc 
 tread like frightened children. 
 
 Those who believe must not make haste. 
 There is a purpose, and a time for every pur- 
 pose. " He that observeth the wind shall not 
 sow, and he that regardeth the clouds shall not 
 reap." If the believer is taken up with the 
 providences of God, and not with God Himself, 
 he will always be in uncertainty and per- 
 plexity ; for who can understand his own ways, — 
 much more the ways of Him who holds creation 
 in His grasp? For "it is not in man that 
 walketh to direct his steps." 
 
 A service is appointed us, like some point 
 of land we are to reach through long travel ; 
 but before we reach that point which looms in 
 the distance, we have hills, and valleys, and 
 dreary paths, to tread. We know not what 
 awaits us at the end ; but we may be prepared 
 for it in the experiences of the journey. Paul 
 knew he "must see Eome;" but his loving 
 friends did not foresee how little the "pros- 
 perous" journey would resemble what they 
 would have desired for him. One of the buds 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 39 
 
 of promise in the crown of his espousals was, 
 that he should suffer many things for the Master 
 he was prepared to serve. 
 
 To walk with God you must become as a 
 little child. You must be content to be counted 
 a fool for Christ's sake. And truly you will 
 have to walk very much alone. Some may say, 
 "These men are full of new wine;" or, like the 
 enemies of our heavenly Master, " Thou hast a 
 devil, and art mad;" but "wisdom is justified 
 of all her children." "It is enough for the dis- 
 ciple that he be as his Master, and the servant 
 as his lord. If they have called the master of 
 the house Beelzebub, how much more shall 
 they call them of. His household ? Fear them 
 not therefore." (Matt. x. 25, 26.) 
 
 Are you willing to be despised for Christ's 
 sake? You may be learned in prophecy, or 
 otherwise instructed in the letter of the Word, 
 and receive honour from man ; but if you will 
 live godly in Christ Jesus, you shall suffer per- 
 secution. God Himself hath said it. 
 
 If we look around at the busy workers, we 
 should say that Christians were triumphantly 
 carried over the persecution promised. But 
 
40 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 where are the peace and the power which 
 should flow to Christians from communion with 
 the heavenly Father ? Nay, some are so busy 
 keeping others' vineyards, that their own vine- 
 yard they have not kept. 
 
 Fellowship with God must spring from the 
 simple faith of the little child; and this lan- 
 guishes if, instead of seeking His face, we are 
 so occupied about His business, and engrossed 
 with those around us, that we can only bring 
 _to Him the wearied energies and the drooping 
 spirit. No loving husband would be satisfied 
 with such a return of affection; and though 
 others might admire the zeal and activity of 
 the busy wife, he would miss the companion of 
 his life. 
 
 There is a certain stereotyped character dis- 
 cernible in the members of a body or sect 
 gathered under some favourite minister; they 
 reflect his views and opinions, and also his 
 defects. 
 
 The truths which have been burnt into his 
 heart, line upon line, in the furnace fires, often 
 find a ready utterance from those who know 
 nothing of them experimentally. Hearers and 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 41 
 
 admirers adopt them, and thence the appear- 
 ance of rapid advance in the divine life, followed 
 by apparent backsliding. This is often nothing 
 more than a return to their former position. 
 Truths, rendered attractive by their novelty, 
 have been received externally, while their 
 vitality has remained unknown; like children's 
 gardens filled with gathered blossoms that have 
 no root, and so wither away. There are no 
 defects in the Great Teacher; therefore, while 
 the full value of pastors and ministers who 
 are filled with the Holy Spirit is admitted, it 
 must remain true that those who live in the 
 society of the Beloved shall realize most of 
 His beauty, and reflect most of His image. 
 
 Not for this will you be loved of the world. 
 You will realize what the Lord Jesus promised 
 — " persecution ; " and you will become an 
 enigma to your brethren: "Neither did His 
 brethren believe in Him." 
 
 A poor unlettered man said to me one day, 
 "Every believer needs to be confident that a 
 supernatural power dwells within him ; it is 
 this which makes the difference between him 
 and the world." Truly this is walking as 
 
42 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 children of the kingdom : this confidence in- 
 vests them with power in their weakness ; for 
 God hath said, " All things are yours." With 
 Him we overcome ; in Him we have peace. 
 We lack the fulfilment of these blessed pro- 
 mises when we do not walk with God. 
 
 Many saved souls know of this doctrine, but 
 fail in the simple faith by which it is enjoyed. 
 The Incarnate Word is that which God has 
 given to nourish us — the daily bread from 
 heaven. 
 
 Why is it that ordinances become wearisome, 
 and work in its routine a burden ? It is that 
 Jesus is not carried into the changing events of 
 every-day life. But when " Jesus only " is all 
 our salvation, and all our desire, then each 
 hour is a page of deepening interest in the 
 book of life. But if He is sought only at set 
 times, or in ordinances, is it any marvel that 
 the soul lacks appetite, and loathes the " light 
 food," and thus becomes discouraged at the 
 feeble realization of heavenly things ? 
 
 Murmur not if friends fail you. The Lord 
 knows you by name. " Can two walk together 
 except they be agreed?" If one knows only 
 
WALKING WITH GOD. 43 
 
 the letter, and the other seeks the Spirit, pro- 
 bably he who knows only the letter will to 
 the outward appearance outrun him who is led 
 of the Spirit. Nevertheless, the promise is not 
 to him that runneth. (Psa. cxlvii. 10 ; Isa. xxx. 
 15, 16.) 
 
 If you are seeking help from many coun- 
 sellors, you will fail to learn the immediate 
 ministration of the mighty Counsellor. If you 
 look for sympathy from many comforters, you 
 will miss the comfort of the endearing rela- 
 tionship of the everlasting Father. (Isa. lxvi. 
 13.) The day is at hand when the tears shall 
 be wiped away from all faces. But the recol- 
 lection of this burden of grief shared with the 
 Man Christ Jesus : — those hours of darkness 
 during which you waited at His feet for His 
 voice of love ; that hard speech and bitter taunt 
 that sent you to cast your wounded heart before 
 Him for His healing touch ; those silent hours 
 when you sought for guidance, and received 
 special counsel to guide and help, — waiting 
 times, but not idle hours, for they were spent 
 with Him who is our wisdom : — these seasons 
 will be among your heavenly treasures. 
 
44 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Such remembrances even in this life shed a 
 glory over the roughest billow; and hereafter, if 
 not now, we shall see that we have walked the 
 waters with Him, and our loss shall be all gain 
 in our fellowship with Jesus. 
 
 Thy hand controls the howling storm, 
 
 Thy foot is on the sea ; 
 How can I tread the waters, Lord, 
 
 Unless I walk with Thee. 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 45 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 LEANING ON JESTS. 
 
 " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." 
 John xv. 14. 
 
 ^27^ HE disciple whom Jesus loved leant 
 upon His bosom. Dear reader, where 
 ; are you ? It is John to whom Peter 
 v^ addresses his question ; it is to the lov- 
 ^ ing one reposing in confidence on His 
 breast that Jesus answers. It is Mary listening 
 at His feet that the Anointed One of God com- 
 mends; it is from her hand that He accepts 
 the significant offering which remains an ever- 
 lasting memorial of her. Did He love these 
 disciples more than the others ? Nay ; but they 
 apprehended His love to them, and believed 
 Him when He said, " He that loveth Me shall 
 be loved of my Father, and I will love him, 
 and will manifest myself to him." " If a man 
 love Me, he will keep my words : and my 
 Father will love him, and we will come unto 
 
46 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 him, and make our abode with him." What- 
 ever place in the vineyard the Lord has ap- 
 pointed for His disciple, there is no position in 
 which he ought not to be, and may not be, found 
 leaning on Jesus, and listening to His words. 
 
 The Holy Ghost abides not in temples made 
 with hands, neither can He delight in a divided 
 heart. The merchandize that crowds the temple 
 of your God must be cast out ere room can be 
 made for Him. Let not the lowing of oxen 
 drown the voice of the Beloved. Plead not 
 that oxen are needful, that sheep and pigeons 
 are gentle, harmless objects, and that money- 
 changing is lawful, and then complain that you 
 cannot see Him whom you say your soul loveth. 
 
 If you are in earnest in seeking fellowship 
 with the Lord Jesus, go to Him — ask Him to 
 drive out the enemy before you. One sight of 
 His beauty, and all lighter likings will take 
 their appointed place, or disperse as snow- 
 wreaths before the sun. Thus the soul, emptied 
 of all meaner joys, will understand that it has 
 been redeemed with the precious blood of 
 Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and 
 without spot, that so He may dwell in you and 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 47 
 
 walk in you, that you may be His people, and 
 that He may be your God. 
 
 When one bereaved of her husband wept by 
 the coffin of her only child, she exclaimed, " I 
 see God will have my whole heart, and He shall 
 have it." Not all that the Spirit was pleading 
 within her soul was heard on earth ; but the 
 offering was accepted by Him who inspired it : 
 her eyes were opened, and she knew His voice, 
 and henceforth followed Him. 
 
 It is the heart for which the Lord is often 
 contending in His dealings with His people, 
 the whole heart ; for it is in proportion as the 
 old nature, with its affections and lusts, is 
 crucified, that the indwelling of the Holy Ghost 
 is manifested. How soon a desire unduly in- 
 dulged, or an unholy thought unrestrained, will 
 cast its shadow on the spirit ; or idle words or 
 foolish jesting break the sweet peace that 
 reigned before S How rapidly and unconsciously 
 some cherished affection may beget an idol, 
 wmich the hand of love must break in pieces. 
 
 For our poor hearts fail to know, 
 Where our gourds are growing, 
 
 Till the east wind lays them low, 
 And our tears are flowing. 
 
±8 THE SECKET OF THE LORD. 
 
 A godly pastor, who had been much blessed 
 in his ministry, lost the comfort and witness of 
 the Holy Spirit. He became consciously strait- 
 ened in his preaching, and weary of his work. 
 He sought an aged member of his flock, and 
 inquired of her if she still received benefit 
 from his ministry. 
 
 " I no longer gain anything from your teach- 
 ing," replied his honest hearer. 
 
 "The fault may be in yourself,'"' suggested 
 the pastor ; " perhaps you have ceased to pray 
 for me." 
 
 "Not so," said she; "I pray, but the heavens 
 are brass." 
 
 " Nevertheless, pray on," said the sad-hearted 
 man, " and I will see you again." 
 
 Accordingly, after a week had gone by, he 
 inquired anxiously, "What have you to tell 
 me ? was the power of the Spirit felt yesterday 
 in my discourse ?" 
 
 " Nay," replied the faithful woman, "it lacked 
 unction. Your words were nothing to me." 
 
 "Have you prayed for me?" he continued ; 
 for he felt, in the desolation and coldness of 
 his heart, how much he needed it. 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 49 
 
 "I said before," she answered, "that the 
 heavens were brass, when I prayed for you ; 
 but this week the Lord says, ' Let him alone ! 
 he is joined to his idols, let him alone !'" 
 
 There was silence. Faithful are the wounds 
 of a friend. God had spoken. 
 
 The pastor put his hand into his breast, 
 and drew forth a miniature suspended there ; 
 throwing it on the stone floor, he stamped his 
 heel heavily on it, and the ivory picture lay 
 scattered in fragments at his feet. It was the 
 portrait of his fair young daughter, who had 
 been removed by death a few months before. 
 Immoderate grief for her loss had hidden from 
 him the face of the Master, who thus was 
 pleading with him for his whole heart, waiting 
 to restore to him the joy of His salvation ; for 
 what have we to do any more with idols ? 
 
 From the slavery of sin, from the hard bond- 
 age of our own will, the Lord Jesus died to 
 deliver us. And yet that unbroken communion 
 out of which true service can alone flow seems 
 to be desired and sought for too often in ser- 
 vice, rather than recognized as the source from 
 whence it springs. 
 
50 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 
 The works of nature are types of those of 
 grace : day and night, summer and winter, 
 seed-time and harvest, shadow forth the soul's 
 progress. 
 
 Even were we living above our besetting sin 
 of unbelief, yet the fellowship of the Lord Jesus 
 nowhere promises exemptiom from tribulation; 
 for the trial of our faith is much more precious 
 than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried 
 by fire. Fiery trials are no strange things to 
 the Lord's followers. The rejoicing in them is 
 not of the old nature, but is born of the Holy 
 Spirit ; and that joy looks beyond the fellow- 
 ship of suffering, "that when His glory shall 
 be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceed- 
 ing joy." 
 
 Many timid followers of the Lord, with 
 broken health and shattered nerves, add to 
 their own sorrows the often-recurring thought 
 that they have grievously departed from God. 
 They have lost some of the comforts which 
 they enjoyed in other days, and thus they 
 think it was better with them then than now. 
 The overtaxed brain, the jaded mind, and 
 weary body, cannot respond to the joy that 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 51 
 
 once thrilled their souls at thoughts of the 
 Lord's gracious dealings with them. 
 
 Distrust not His love, thou tried and tempted 
 one. Jesus is the same. Thy heart is resting 
 on Him, or it would not grieve over its own 
 airworthiness, and that it can no longer offer 
 the glad sacrifice of praise. Christ is all, all 
 that you cannot be, and He is thy praise. 
 Tear not! His thoughts are "thoughts of 
 peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected 
 end." Another thorn in the chaplet will make 
 heaven the sweeter : soon shall the thorns be 
 exchanged for a crown of glory. Another nail 
 in the flesh will make the cross lighter, and the 
 sight of Him thou lovest shall make amends 
 for all. 
 
 The shadow that sin casts becomes more and 
 more oppressive. And even when repented of, 
 the face of the Lord may not be seen, and a 
 sense of spiritual desertion may be permitted, as 
 well as any other chastening, that the soul may 
 take heed to her ways. The closer the com- 
 munion that may have subsisted, the keener 
 will be the suffering of any departure. " I 
 opened to my Beloved ; but my Beloved had 
 
52 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 withdrawn Himself, and was gone : my soul 
 failed when He spake : I sought Him, but I 
 could not find Him ; I called Him, but He 
 gave me no answer." (Song of Solomon v. 6.) 
 
 To retain unbroken communion we need the 
 constant remembrance of the blood which 
 cleanseth ; otherwise, when the spiritual sight 
 becomes clearer, the heart will be dismayed at 
 the often-recurring view of the cage of unclean 
 birds within us. When the river lies calm in 
 the summer sunlight, it reflects, as in a mirror, 
 the banks that overhang it, and the blue sky 
 above; but cast a pebble into the water and 
 disturb its repose, let a whirlwind sweep over 
 it, or a boat cross its surface, then the serene 
 reflection of the heavens is broken into fitful 
 gleams, or altogether obscured. The sky is 
 really as fair as ever, but peace must reign 
 upon the troubled waters before that sky can 
 be reflected in them. 
 
 We know how light a cloud w T ill mar our 
 peace. Then how can it be beneath the majesty 
 of the Most High to take cognizance of the 
 minutest temporal affair of His beloved ones ? 
 There is none too small for the Infinite to guide 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 53 
 
 and rule, and it is, in fact, broad infidelity to 
 doubt it. 
 
 I had lately arrived at , and was ac- 
 companying a lady for a drive. I was struck 
 with the beauty of the downs, and remarked 
 that the church was being rebuilt, and that 
 there was no place of meeting for the people 
 without a long walk. I said, " Oh, how I 
 wish my lot had been cast here ! How I 
 should have loved to visit the cottages." How- 
 ever, I was far from them. 
 
 I was very comfortable in my cottage lodg- 
 ing, until a man who had a room in it began 
 to smoke. This affected my heart, and brought 
 on fainting. I sent to ask him to desist, but 
 he rudely refused. I did not like leaving my 
 pleasant summer cot, where I had expected to 
 remain many months. I prayed to be directed ; 
 for I strove to endure the sickness, and thought 
 I should perhaps become accustomed to the 
 annoyance. At last, I asked the Lord to lead 
 the man to give up smoking, or to keep me 
 from suffering. If not ; then, as I was fast losing 
 all power of moving, to let me see whether it 
 was His will that I should depart. 
 
54 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 The following day the smoke was worse, 
 and I fainted. For some days I could do, 
 walk. I had no friend in the place that I 
 could ask to seek for a lodging, and one I must 
 have at once. So I sent for my old chairman 
 to enquire, and went out, praying the Lord to 
 put into the mind of the chairman the house 
 He wished to me occupy. The man said, 
 Yes, he knew some lodgings, " very beautiful 
 ones," in the centre of the town. I told him 
 the town would not suit me. So he w r ent on 
 very sulky for a time, and I very dark and 
 unhappy. At last I said to myself, " What a 
 hypocrite I am ! I ask the Lord where He 
 wants me, and pray Him to put it into the 
 mind of the man, and when told, I say, 'II 
 does not suit me!'" 
 
 When my mind had reached this conclusion, 
 and he/ore I could speak, the chairman stopped 
 and said, "I wish, ma'am, you would let me 
 take you to see the lodgings." I now answered 
 him, " Certainly." He quickened his pace; and 
 when he stopped I found myself in a gloomy 
 street, before a fine old house that in former 
 days had stood alone. A suite of many spacious 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 55 
 
 rooms were offered me at a proportionately high 
 rent. 
 
 I told the person they were not suitable 
 either in situation or price. 
 
 She said, " Would you object to a house in 
 the country, about a mile on the other side of 
 the town?" I answered, it was exactly what 
 I should like. 
 
 The girl said, "That is very singular. We 
 have a cousin just come in, who asked us to 
 speak of her to a lady. She has a large plea- 
 sant cottage, and a good servant; do see 
 her." 
 
 I saw her. She begged me to go and look at 
 the apartments. The chairman was ready to 
 take me anywhere. The evening was beautiful, 
 and I arrived at the cottage long before the 
 mistress. 1 found a large delightful upper 
 room, with bay-window, and a charming bed- 
 room, in great order and cleanliness. I engaged 
 them of the servant, and returned home glori- 
 fying God! The following morning I took 
 possession of my new tent, and again my 
 health was restored in a few days to its former 
 state. 
 
56 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 The glory of the harvest set in; it was a 
 month of golden beauty. One morning at ten 
 o'clock I set off, with my books and tracts, 
 into the harvest fields. I threaded a long, 
 shady lane, turning into the fields where I saw 
 the labourers, and about noon found myself, 
 at a bend of the road, in a plain — this same 
 plain where I had longed to work among the 
 cottages ! I sat down and almost wept with 
 joy. Did I not go on ? No ; I had my service 
 close at hand. It was enough for to-day to 
 praise. 
 
 Nearly every morning I set forth. Every- 
 where doors opened, and glad welcomes greeted 
 me. 
 
 One morning the strongest inclination seized 
 me to go to the town for some purchases that 
 seemed indispensable, though I had prayed 
 much to be helped on the plain. I am assured 
 it was a device of Satan ; for it was only in the 
 clear blaze of this hot sun that I had strength 
 to walk or speak. I waited when I began to 
 suspect the enemy, and felt it was better to be 
 still and do nothing, than do wrong. 
 
 At last it came clearly that my way was to 
 
" LEANING ON JESUS. 57 
 
 the harvest field. The conflict had made me 
 later in leaving, so that it was nearly noon 
 before I had gone through the field and entered 
 the plain. I was growing very weary, and 
 looked out for a cottage where I could, perhaps, 
 procure some milk. I was at a loss whither to 
 bend my steps, when I saw, on a bank near, 
 a girl knitting. On inquiry, she told me that 
 a little further on there were two paths, and 
 if I took the one to the left, it would lead me 
 to a dairyman's. I was hoping the girl would 
 have accompanied me, for the direction was 
 vague. I was weary, and the heat was exces- 
 sive ; but she was sullen, and would scarcely 
 give me an answer, and refused any further 
 information. 
 
 There were many roads, and I could not see 
 any house near ; but on crossing a field, two 
 paths diverged, and in the shelter of an or- 
 chard I saw the chimneys of two cottages. I 
 hastened down a path before I remembered 
 that I had not asked the Lord to direct me, 
 but immediately retraced my steps, and asked 
 His Spirit's guidance, and found myself in the 
 same direction. 
 
58 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 I am minute in these particulars, because I 
 learnt a lesson practically, that in no other way, 
 I think, is taught so as to be useful. 
 
 At the end of this path was a wicket gate. 
 I was crossing an old-fashioned garden, when I 
 met a young woman. I told her I wanted to 
 find the cow -keeper's, that I might procure 
 some milk, and I believed that was the cot- 
 tage. 
 
 God only knows what a trial of faith it 
 was when she told me the other was the cow- 
 keeper's. The trial was, not my exhaustion, 
 but in suspecting that I had after all walked 
 according to nature, and not by the Spirit. She 
 saw that my countenance fell, and pointed out 
 the road very kindly. I had a little book, and 
 I felt I must give it her, though I had kept 
 it for whoever gave me the milk, as I had no 
 money with me. I turned, with sorrow in my 
 heart, to retrace my steps once more, when the 
 girl hastily followed me, saying, if I would go 
 through their homestead I could reach the 
 cow-keeper's in half the time. Again I turned 
 back, and went through a court that opened 
 into the dairy. I made known my request, 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 59 
 
 and was rudely refused ; and wondering in my 
 heart what it all meant, I left the cow-keeper'?, 
 purposing to rest on the wayside until I could 
 get back to my lodgings. faithless heart ! 
 the Lord was working, and I could not trust 
 Him. 
 
 The young woman was leaning on the wicket 
 gate, evidently watching for me, and accosted 
 me as I bent my head in passing. 
 
 She said, with some hesitation, " My mother, 
 ma'am, has been watching you from the win- 
 dow. She said to me, 'Mary, that lady looks 
 very ill and tired. Go out and ask her if she 
 will rest, and let us offer her what refreshment 
 we have." 
 
 My heart was full. I knew the Lord had 
 gone before me. I entered that clean, cool 
 cottage, with feelings which those only can 
 understand who take rest, and food, and wel- 
 come, from the Lord God. 
 
 It was the brightest cottage I ever entered. 
 The brass and copper that hung over the large 
 open fireplace, the white w r alls, the bright case- 
 ment overhung with honeysuckles, the snowy 
 curtain, the polished chairs, and the sheltering 
 
60 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 trees over the roof, made it a sweet rest to 
 the weary pilgrim in the heat of a September 
 noon. 
 
 A pale-faced woman, old-fashioned in appear- 
 ance and gentle in her manners, had already 
 spread a clean cloth on a table, and was pre- 
 paring a meal. Home-made bread and cheese 
 were placed before me, and as I sat down, 
 mother and daughter stood by. The blessing 
 was a very long one for a " grace before meat," 
 but my hosts stood in silent reverence while I 
 asked a blessing on their home. The face of 
 the mother was bathed in tears ; the daughter 
 never took her eyes from my face. Oh, my 
 sweet, sweet Lord ! what a welcome He gave 
 me there ! So I ate of their food, and rested 
 quietly; for with genuine hospitality to a weary 
 traveller they left me alone. 
 
 After a time the daughter returned and 
 removed the table ; and, strengthened and re- 
 freshed, I spoke of my beloved Master. The 
 mother wept silently. Then addressing the 
 daughter, I pleaded with her for Jesus. She 
 listened attentively, and asked me a question 
 or two that showed an unquiet mind. The 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 61 
 
 afternoon had gone before I could leave them. 
 
 Then the woman rose, saying, 
 
 « God has sent you. Oh, how my husband 
 
 would love to speak -to you! He is one who 
 
 loves your Lord." 
 
 "And you?" I inquired. 
 
 "Yes," she said sadly; "but I have lived a 
 
 long way from Him, though knowing Him. 
 
 But 5 you have done me good. Will you come 
 
 some day when my husband is at home?" 
 I found that he was only at home in the 
 
 evening, so*I felt it was not possible, as I could 
 
 not walk in the evening ; but I promised to go 
 
 again if the Lord would send me. 
 
 Accordingly, in the middle of the following 
 
 week, I went. The mother was alone. She 
 
 greeted me with such joy, that at first she could 
 hardly speak. She said the words I had been 
 led to speak to her daughter had been greatly 
 blessed, and her own soul had been revived. 
 Her husband longed to see me ; but it was in 
 the busy harvest season, so we saw no prospect 
 of that. I called several times, and as 1. went 
 to and fro my heart sang songs of joy. Jesus 
 walked with me. 
 
62 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 One day I was detained on the road so late 
 that it was afternoon before I reached the cot- 
 tage. I knocked at the open door, and then 
 entered. There I saw a harvest labourer. 
 
 " This is our lady, John," was my introduc- 
 tion; and there was no necessity to ask who 
 he was, for they had told me that he loved my 
 Lord. And if God ever sealed the face of one 
 of His own in this mortal flesh, the seal was 
 on the face of this son. of toil. 
 
 The heat of the day had been intense, and 
 he had returned home to take his meal, and 
 rest till eve. Truly he was taught of God. I 
 had blessed communion with him. Jesus was 
 indeed there, and I traced His love in giving me 
 full measure, pressed down and running over, 
 from the fountain of His fulness that day. 
 
 As I rose to leave, after praying together, he 
 sat a few minutes silently ; then rising, he came 
 towards me, and taking my hand in both of his 
 own, he bowed over it like any old courtier, and 
 the blessing he breathed fell on my soul like 
 dew from heaven. The tears were in his eyes. 
 I have seldom seen such an expression — never 
 above once or twice in my life. 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 63 
 
 "If we never meet again, madam, on this 
 earth, I look for you before the Lamb slain, in 
 heaven's glory." So we parted, all hoping to 
 have another meeting here. But when I re- 
 turned to my lodgings a letter awaited me, 
 which took me away at once. I never saw 
 them again. 
 
 In several of the other cottages I had deeply 
 interesting interviews, and in more than one I 
 found some of the Lord's precious jewels. The 
 wife of one of the labourers said that all 
 through the winter her husband rose at four 
 o'clock for an hour's prayer and reading the 
 Bible, before he went out to his day's work. 
 She herself went out washing. She slept 
 heavily, and could not wake sometimes, so 
 weary was she with her day's work. Her hus- 
 band would rise so quietly as not to disturb 
 her, and when she opened her eyes, there he 
 was, with the little candle no larger than a 
 rushlight, seeking in his Bible for his daily 
 food. He laboured in the field from five to 
 five, and their garden was tended by him, and 
 was fruitful and in good order. 
 
 I felt drawn to enter a hut, at the end of a 
 
64 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Long narrow slip of garden. I knocked in 
 vain, and at last gently lifted the latch and 
 went in. There sat an aged woman, bent over 
 a lire of withered branches and dead fern, 
 which burned brightly on the open hearth. 
 The room, was narrow (like the garden), a 
 casement under a deep eave, and the fire at 
 the extremity of the chamber. The poor old 
 woman looked forlorn. At first she was very 
 hard and sharp in her answers; but I have 
 often to remember that broken glass will cut 
 the finger with the least touch, and broken 
 hearts without the sanctifying grace of God 
 will do the same. 
 
 I asked her to let me rest ; she consented. 
 She was in trouble for a sailor son, of whom 
 she had not heard for very long. "He was such 
 a good son — she had only him." Then she 
 took down the little pictures on the wall, views 
 of Constantinople and the coasts of the Medi- 
 terranean, saying, he always used to send her 
 these little tokens at every fresh voyage ; now 
 she never heard from him. 
 
 I spoke to her of Him who holds the waters 
 in the hollow of His hand, and told her in 
 
LEANING ON JESUS. 65 
 
 whom my own soul was rejoicing ; and then I 
 pointed her to Him whose eye was on her son 
 in a distant land, and on her weeping by her 
 little fire. I knelt by her, and prayed for the 
 absent son. The poor woman looked on amazed, 
 but listened. My prayer over, I was leaving. 
 She looked at me and merely asked, " Who are 
 ye?" as if frightened. I never saw her again. 
 I can only believe my Lord sent me, and that 
 He heard me. 
 
 I bless God that He gave me special grace 
 at this season to follovj Him. I was content 
 to sit in the sunshine, when He showed me 
 that I should be silent, though that was often 
 the hardest work. The Lord of the harvest 
 will watch over the seed ; and certain it is He 
 accepts the willing mind in obedient service. 
 Not one grain of the harvest will be lost, and 
 not one effort to please Him will pass un- 
 noticed. For He is the centre from which 
 love and service spring. Just in proportion as 
 the soul is in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, 
 in communion with His will, shall we trace 
 His leadings, hear His voice, and " understand 
 in part" what we shall soon read in the light 
 F 
 
06 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 of His unveiled face. Were it not for m; 
 many and repeated failures in obedience, my 
 faithlessness, and my sinful yielding to my 
 self-will, glorious things would be spoken o: 
 my Lord and my God. 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 67 
 
 CHAPTEE IY. 
 
 FELLOWSHIP. 
 
 J Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without waver- 
 ing ; for He is faithful that promised." — Heb. x. 23. 
 
 QtjJgkANY are in bondage in regard to 
 
 nJ mj I V fellowship. Natural joy has been 
 
 ^Vj^^ mistaken for communion, when the 
 
 j$2? feet were not walking in the path of 
 
 j the Lord; while in another cace, the 
 
 joy in the Lord may still be there, even when 
 
 the lips can only moan their sorrow. Did not 
 
 Jesus say, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, 
 
 even unto death" — "If it be possible, let this 
 
 cup pass from Me"? And shall we not have 
 
 fellowship with the Man of Sorrows ? Has He 
 
 not cried, " Why hast thou forsaken Me ? " 
 
 And will He not be very near to us, if the 
 
 same cry has gone up from the torn and 
 
 tempted heart of one whom He loves ? 
 
68 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 The bulwark of the believer's hope is the 
 faithfulness of Him who has called him. When, 
 through our unbelief, we miss the sight of the 
 King in His beauty, let us not follow the 
 w T atchmen with our clamorous grief; let us 
 not cry to the daughters of Jerusalem to tell 
 Him our desolation; let us go direct to Him- 
 self, that He may teach us to profit, and lead 
 us jm the way that we should go. If the con- 
 sciousness of the love He bears us is blotted^ 
 by our unfaithfulness, let us to the stronghold 
 of His covenant. He is not changed ; He 
 loves us with an everlasting love. 
 
 Up, mourning soul ! though shadows round thee hover ; 
 Up to the stronghold ! Christ's own might is thine. 
 Doth danger threaten ? Lo ! His wings shall cover, 
 And thou shalt say, " Behold, His strength is mine !" 
 In the sweet radiance of His presence sun thee, 
 When faithless hearts and harsh words wound thee sore ; 
 Lean on that loving breast whose blood hath won thee 
 The right to rest there now — and evermore. 
 
 Again: the heart may be so absorbed with 
 its own natural depravity as to lose sight of the 
 fact, that it was for sinners by nature the Lamb 
 of God gave up His sinless life. He died that 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 69 
 
 in Him we should be more than conquerors. 
 He lives to cleanse and heal. "Though ye have 
 lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings 
 of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers 
 with yellow gold." 
 
 Your outgoings and incomings, your trials 
 and temptations, your sorrows and struggles, 
 your hopes and fears, each secret service, and 
 the sacrifice none else takes knowledge of, are 
 more important in His eyes than in your own. 
 Xo care that causes you one throb of pain is 
 insignificant to Him, nor one joy puerile that 
 you would share with Him. If we forget this, 
 the loss is ours. He remains the same. And 
 that we do forget it — forget Him in mere ex- 
 ternal labour, or lose sight of Him in careless 
 slumber and disobedience — my often sorrowing 
 heart knows too well. 
 
 Yet it is to His perfection we must look for 
 peace, and not on our uncomeliness. We can- 
 not make ourselves fair. He has made us 
 fellow-heirs with Himself in the kingdom of 
 the Father, and He has called us "all fair" in 
 His sight. We are accepted in the Beloved. 
 "He loves me!" To realize this is life, and 
 
70 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 power, and rest. Love to Him who first loved 
 us is the secret of the holy life. 
 
 But those who walk with Jesus know it is 
 not always thus. There are lonely hours when 
 He is not seen of the mourning soul. One who 
 has never known the blessing of sight cannot 
 comprehend the desolation of sudden blind- 
 ness. " Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant 
 thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." 
 Yet even the shadows are caused by the sun, 
 and are an evidence of His presence. Great 
 is the loss of the sweet face of nature, or of the 
 countenance of the best loved on earth; but 
 what comparison does this bear to the darkness 
 that hides the face of the Beloved? There is 
 no comparison to it but a realization of hell, 
 from which we are delivered by the Blessed 
 One whom this shadow shrouds. Bewildered 
 by our loss, and the memory of the wilful way, 
 the disobedient or careless walk, we forget that 
 sin has done the work that sin must ever do, 
 and blotted out the consciousness of the eternal 
 love of God, but not that love itself. 
 
 Satan will suggest that we have now for- 
 feited the favour of Him whom we have called 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 71 
 
 "Abba;" that never more will He condescend 
 to use so vile an instrument for testimony or 
 service. Blessed be God ! our great High "Priest 
 ever liveth to make intercession for us. Hush ■ 
 He will not cast off. Keep silence before Him, 
 and hear what the Lord saith : " Behold my 
 hands and my feet !" . 
 
 But there is another sense in which we feel 
 deserted. A change of experience in the soid, 
 wrought by the power of the Spirit, and not by 
 the will of man, should be carefully examined 
 in His light. The watchfulness which it de- 
 mands may cause the exercised soul to consider 
 her ways, and perhaps warn her from the net 
 of the fowler, or deliver her from the snare. 
 Mental afflictions are not sins, neither are 
 temptations. Of the one He can heal us, and 
 from the other deliver us. Desolation of spirit 
 does not always spring from grieving the Holy 
 Ghost; nor do I hold it as a mark of dis- 
 pleasure from the Lord, more than any other 
 chastening, sickness, bereavement, etc., though 
 it is the most severe to bear ; but it is discipline 
 always, and calls for self -searching and self- 
 judgment. Those who live far off from God 
 
72 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 know nothing of such darkness, and those who 
 enjoy most continually His presence feel the 
 withdrawal of it most acutely. 
 
 Nor do I think that all are called to the 
 same participation in the sufferings of Christ, 
 "Wherefore, let them that suffer according to 
 the will of God commit the keeping of their 
 souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful 
 Creator." (1 Peter iv. 19.) To feel the heart's 
 warmest emotions called forth in fervid utter- 
 ance is a swift return for seeking the mercy- 
 seat; but if we sought His face only for the 
 joy it gives us, it might lead us at last to follow 
 Him, like the multitude, for the loaves and 
 fishes. Prayer is still prayer ; and though it is 
 barren and cold in comparison to your desire, 
 it is as real, and reaches heaven as surely, as if 
 it were rich in fervour and eloquence. 
 
 I believe also that there is a certain deso- 
 lation of soul, which is the answer to prayer 
 for humility and deeper conformity to the 
 Lord, with whom we desire to walk more 
 closely. It is sent to arouse us to increased 
 watchfulness, and to awaken us to cry for 
 fresh supplies of grace. It is experimental 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 7 3 
 
 instruction in the ways of Gocl ; and intended 
 to bring us into fuller sympathy with Christ's 
 suffering members among whom He may design 
 us to minister. 
 
 It will be understood that I am not dealing 
 here with depression resulting from sin in- 
 dulged or sin unrepented of; nor of failure 
 through ignorance or temptation; but that 
 spiritual drought and sorrowful depression 
 which some of His faithful followers are called 
 to suffer by the will of God. 
 
 It may be that it is permitted in order to 
 give us an errand to the throne; and ; to the 
 soul that lives in communion, that errand must 
 be to bring a blessing. I cannot remember 
 many occasions, since I have been led to seek 
 for treasures in darkness, in which I have 
 not found some precious view of Christ's suffi- 
 ciency for which I had to praise Him. One I 
 record. 
 
 # A day of special nearness and enjoyment in 
 the Lord was followed by much such a trial 
 as I have touched on. A cloud overshadowed 
 my spirit. My heart, that so late had been 
 absorbed in thoughts of Him I loved, and of 
 
74 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 service I desired for His sake, was now cold 
 and dead. And yet I cannot say that I felt 
 myself deserted; but as one left suddenly in 
 darkness in a room before filled with golden 
 sunlight. The room is the same, the furniture 1 
 is not displaced ; but though the windows may 
 be open, the shutters are closed, and the lovely 
 prospect in which we delighted is hidden. The \ 
 Bible is still the Word of God; but it seems to 
 have become a sealed book. The promises are 
 ours ; but we cannot enjoy them. The eternal 
 glory is ours; but we can no longer rejoice in 
 the thought of our portion. Christ is faithful 
 still; but we cannot realize Him. We may 
 grasp His robe, and He knows who has touched 
 Him, and how it is with them ; but we feel not 
 the garment we grasp. 
 
 This day I often inquired, "Why is it thus 
 with me?" I sat before the Lord that He 
 might show me. The darkest hour of mid- 
 night heralded the dawn of His appearing " in 
 another form." 
 
 It was impressed upon my mind in these 
 sad hours, that by watching I should again 
 see Jesus. So in my trouble I watched for 
 
FELLOWSHIP. ( 
 
 the star that should rise upon my darkness, 
 and point me to the object of my search. 
 
 From early dawn until evening I looked for 
 my Lord to come and gladden my solitary 
 soul. The sun went down, but the Sun of 
 Eighteousness had not arisen for me with 
 healing in His wings. For " it was now dark, 
 and Jesus had not come" unto me. 
 
 The cottage in which I then sojourned was 
 in a very retired part of the country. It was 
 situated in a lane, shadowed by elms, then 
 almost bereft of their autumnal foliage, and by 
 groups of lofty pine. Few passengers went by, 
 as it was out of the high road, bounded on one 
 side by the fields, and on the other by my 
 garden. 
 
 Thankful was I this day that I was alone; 
 for I was sweeping the chambers of my heart 
 for my lost treasure, and longed for a messenger 
 of the Most High to bring me some word from 
 Him ; but none came. I read ; but the Scrip- 
 tures, through which my Lord had so often 
 spoken sweet words of consolation and guid- 
 ance, were silent. 
 
 Late in the evening my servant had gone tc 
 
70 THE SECltET OF THE LORD. 
 
 visit a sick person in the neighbourhood, and 
 I sat alone in the house, watching the shadows 
 deepen into night, and my sinking heart still 
 saying, " Why is it thus with me ?" The deep 
 stillness was broken by a loud hurried knock 
 at the outer door. At another time I think 
 my natural fears would have caused me to 
 tarry ; but I rose without hesitation ; for I had 
 lost the light of my life, and all else seemed 
 as nothing. Before I could reach the door, the 
 knock was repeated more vehemently. I in- 
 quired who was there, and was answered by a 
 stranger's voice, begging to see the lady who 
 lived there. She did not know my name, but 
 had heard of me as an unworthy disciple of 
 my gracious Lord. 
 
 I opened the door, and, hastily lighting a 
 candle, led the way into the drawing room. 
 The broken accents, and the anguish on the 
 face of the stranger, won at once my tenderest 
 sympathy. It was a painful case, to which I 
 listened with intense interest, and long before 
 she came to a close, my heart had taken up the 
 burden of my sorrowful visitor. She was a 
 Christian. Seven years before she had fallen 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 
 
 into the snare of contracting 
 with a man of the world. From year to year 
 she had delayed ratifying it, hoping, as she told 
 me, that his soul would have been given to her 
 prayers. But it is not thus that the Lord meets 
 His children's disobedience. He was outwardly 
 moral in his life; he was willing to forego 
 anything she disapproved, and observe any 
 outward forms, to win her for his wife ; but he 
 had no desire or intention to change masters, 
 or to exchange the slavery of Satan for the 
 freedom of the service of God — that Lord 
 whom still his betrothed loved, though she had 
 followed Him afar off, in ignorance of that 
 divine command so clearly written for our 
 warning in 2 Cor. vi. 14-17: "Be ye not 
 unequally yoked together with unbelievers : 
 for what fellowship hath righteousness with 
 unrighteousness ? and what communion hath 
 light with darkness ? and what concord hath 
 Christ with Belial ? or what part hath he that 
 believeth with an infidel? .... Wherefore 
 come out from among them, and be ye sepa- 
 rate, saith the Lord." 
 
 The day had arrived when, knowing her 
 
78 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 responsibility by a clearer knowledge of the 
 truth as it is in Jesus, she must either contract 
 "this unhallowed marriage," as she termed it, 
 or part with him she confessed to love better 
 than life, better tnan all but Christ. The 
 anguish that convulsed her whole body, and the 
 misery depicted in her countenance w r hile this 
 struggle went on, were like the wrestle with 
 the powers of evil. And never had I such an 
 experimental teaching of 1 Sam. vii.* I also 
 this day set up a way-mark of my pilgrimage. 
 
 There w^as no time to be lost. 
 
 "You must give him up. It must be done," 
 I said, as I gently drew her to her knees by 
 my side. 
 
 * " Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If 
 ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put 
 away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and 
 prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only;, 
 and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 
 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ash- 
 taroth, and served the Lord only. . . . And as Samuel was 
 offering up the "burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to 
 "battle against Israel ; hut the Lord thundered with a great 
 thunder on that day upon tho Philistines, and discomfited 
 them ; and they were smitten "before Israel. And the cities 
 which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to 
 Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof 
 did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines." 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 79 
 
 "But it will break my heart," she said de- 
 spairingly, as she wrung her hands in the bitter- 
 ness of her sorrow. 
 
 " Not so ; Jesus is able to deliver you, if you 
 only believe. He will comfort you. We will 
 ask Him." 
 
 She did believe, and she was strengthened. 
 She rose from her knees with that same blessed 
 peace stealing over her which must have calmed 
 the fearful hearts of the disciples when, at the 
 fourth watch of the night, the voice of Jesus 
 floated over the billows, "It is I; be not afraid." 
 In the power of the Spirit she had cast her 
 idol from her, and, broken-hearted at the feet 
 of Jesus, had strength given her to leave all 
 and follow Him. 
 
 The blessing that fell from the lips of my 
 visitor as w T e parted descended like dew upon 
 my heart. Coidd she divine how the same gra- 
 cious Deliverer had used her sorrows for my 
 consolation? When I had closed the outer 
 door upon her, and returned to that room, the 
 scene of much searching of heart and watch- 
 ing, and so lately of the wondrous power of 
 the Lord mighty in battle, I was to prove yet 
 
80 THE SECRET OF THE LOUD. 
 
 more marvellously the faithfulness of Him who 
 has never said " Seek ye my face" in vain. 
 
 I can only compare it to the sweet welcome 
 of a beloved friend awaiting me. In the depth 
 of my soul rang that voice that was never 
 imitated : " I was a stranger and ye took Me 
 in." The flood of joy that filled my whole 
 being, spreading like the glory of day over the 
 night of weeping, left me praising Him who so 
 often has said to me, " Could ye not w ? atch with 
 me one hour?" 
 
 A word concerning my God-sent visitor. From 
 that evening she grew in grace and in the know- 
 ledge of the Lord. The snare was broken, and 
 she was delivered. Gracious was the Lord in 
 His dealings with her — leading her, strength- 
 ening her, teaching her. From time to time I 
 have been permitted to trace His wondrous work 
 in her. She is now far distant from me. Love 
 and gratitude to the instrument used by the 
 Lord breathe in all her letters to me, though 
 years have gone by. The praise with which she 
 constantly records new blessings that owe their 
 birth to that "memorable night" sends me to 
 the feet of my beloved Lord, who alone knows 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 81 
 
 the weak and worthless witness of His grace. 
 She constantly impresses on me the necessity 
 of reminding yonng Christians of that wily 
 snare of Satan to entrap the unwary — the hope 
 of winning a soul. We have no claim for 
 protection and blessing in a self-constituted 
 service in the path of wilful disobedience. I 
 use her own words : 
 
 " One hour I was raised up to the third 
 heaven, believing that my lover was converted, 
 so much pains did he take to deceive me ; the 
 next day I was dashed to earth by the dis- 
 covery of his false pretences. But he was 
 dearer to me than life itself. Alone as I was, 
 I could never have broken the tie that united 
 me to him. It was then, even then, at the 
 eleventh hour, that the Lord in His grace and 
 mercy sent His dear servant to meet His poor 
 wanderer, and by that grace and might gave 
 her the power to break the yoke that had 
 weighed so long upon the weary one's shoulders. 
 May the prayers of that night be for ever 
 before the Lord, that night to be remembered 
 by angels, and never to be forgotten on earth. 
 
 Not only was I enabled to give up the friend I 
 G 
 
82 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 loved so fondly, but before I rose from my 1 
 knees I received strength to renounce him, and ] 
 then — to forget him! Never have I had al 
 relapse." 
 
 Much, much more I could extract from her 
 letters, that proclaims the lovingkindness of] 
 the Lord to the upright in heart; but to me] 
 they are sacred pages. I never receive them] 
 as they follow me in my pilgrimage, but my 
 heart is braced for service, although strength 
 comes in a different form from that in which 
 I expect it, and I exclaim, It is good to wait 
 on Thee. " I found Him whom my soul loveth : 
 I held Him, and would not let Him go." (Song j 
 SoL in. 4.) 
 
 "MY INFIKMITY." 
 
 "Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath He in anger shut up 
 
 His tender mercies ? And I said, This is my infirmity." 
 
 Psalm lxxvii. 9, 10. 
 
 I wept by the misty headland, 
 
 Down by the sea ; 
 And none in that hour of anguish 
 
 Stood there by me. 
 "Within and without was midnight ; 
 
 Where once had been 
 The smile of the Lord who loved me, 
 
 No Lord was seen. 
 
FELLOWSHIP. 83 
 
 I said, " On this earth's wide bosom 
 
 I walk alone ; 
 God hideth His face, I'm forsaken; 
 
 All hope is gone! 
 I watch for His hand in the shadows 
 
 That shroud my feet; 
 I listen, and nothing I hear, save 
 
 My heart's wild beat. 
 
 " Cold, drear, is my soul, and loveless, 
 
 Hopeless and dead; 
 For God has departed for ever," 
 
 Sadly I said. 
 " I shall never more bask in His presence, 
 
 Never proclaim, 
 "With a song and the voice of thanksgiving, 
 
 Jesu's sweet name. 
 
 " Yet how can I marvel He leaves me, 
 
 Faithless and vain, 
 To walk in the light of His favour 
 
 Never again. 
 My heart hath forsaken His mercies, 
 
 And mercy is past, 
 And my Lord, whom my sins have long wearied, 
 
 Leaves me at last." 
 
 Then, swift as the flash of the lightning 
 
 Passing the sky, 
 Came a voice like a dove's in the woodland, 
 
 So tenderly: 
 " When father and mother forsake thee, 
 
 Look thou above; 
 The Father eternal remembers 
 
 The child of His love. 
 g 2 
 
84 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 " The shadows have gathered around thee, 
 
 Born of the light; 
 Had the sun never risen to warm thee, 
 
 Where were thy night ? 
 Remember the springs in the desert, 
 
 Arid and drear; 
 For thee hath the wilderness blossomed : 
 
 Why dost thou fear? 
 
 " There are treasures beneath the dark waters ; 
 
 Seek thou, and learn : 
 Hidden riches in secret places 
 
 Thou must discern. 
 And think not He changes or chides thee : 
 
 Comforts decline, 
 But Christ made the covenant blessings 
 
 Eternally thine. 
 
 " He gave thee His promise to keep thee: 
 
 Can He deceive ? 
 He granted His Word and His Spirit : 
 
 Only believe. 
 He sought thee, cast out and forsaken, 
 
 Bidding thee ' Live ! ' 
 He gave thee the Son of His bosom: 
 
 More can He give ? " 
 
 Then swift on the purple headland, 
 
 Down by the sea, 
 The light that seemed vanished for ever 
 
 Came back to me ; 
 And I looked on the Man Christ Jesus 
 
 On God's high throne: 
 Forgive me, my Father ! I measured 
 
 Thy love by my own. 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 85 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 THE WITKESS OF THE SPIRIT. 
 
 " Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they 
 shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." 
 
 Psalm cvii. 43. 
 
 fKEN the apostle said, "I put away- 
 childish things," the Holy Spirit did 
 not include simple childlike faith in 
 ^gj our heavenly Father's care as one of 
 ^ the things to be put away. 
 The witness of the Spirit is too little re- 
 garded : His power and His presence in the 
 Church of God have ceased to be expected 
 and recognized in signs and wonders. While 
 the fulness of the truth in doctrine has been 
 set forth, our absolute dependence on the third 
 person of the Godhead for the application of 
 that truth to the hearts and consciences of 
 men has not been fully recognized. He is 
 admitted as an influence for blessing, but not 
 always as the One whose prerogative alone it is 
 
86 THE SECRET OF THE LOED. 
 
 to enlighten the eyes of the understanding, by 
 impressing the mind, by guiding the. steps, by 
 comforting the heart, and by warning and re- 
 proving the conscience. 
 
 The gifts which were once manifested in the 
 Church of God are seen only at distant intervals 
 and for brief periods. When they are beheld, 
 they create such suspicion and amazement, as to 
 beget the cry that went out aforetime against 
 our blessed Lord: "He deceiveth the peo- 
 ple." " Neither did His brethren believe on 
 Him." And yet the rivers of living water, 
 which were to flow from the hearts of them 
 that believed in Jesus, were promised only 
 from the Spirit's life-giving power. 
 
 The happiness that burns in the heart of 
 those who walk with God here is the foretaste 
 of that which they look forward to enjoy in 
 its fulness for ever, — to live with Him in un- 
 broken fellowship ; to be like Him ; to delight 
 in Him in whom the Father delighteth; to 
 hear His voice; and to behold the King in 
 His beauty; never more for shattered nerve 
 and quivering flesh to act as a cloud on the 
 perception, or the shadow of sin to obscure the 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 87 
 
 free revelation of Himself. Oh, this is bliss 
 unutterable ! And now, even now, with eyes 
 and ears so often dull, and heart and feet so 
 often failing, is not this the desire born of 
 the Spirit in the heart, — to "follow the Lamb 
 whithersoever He goeth"? 
 
 And you who read, is this your desire ? 
 Then lose not the blessed privilege which He 
 has given you of approaching the King at all 
 seasons. Assure yourself continually of your 
 oneness with Him, and welcome the witness 
 of the Holy Spirit in your heart. "And hereby 
 we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit 
 which He hath given us." (1 John iii. 2-4.) If 
 you do this, you will find a speech and lan- 
 guage in things otherwise indifferent, but in 
 which He delights to reveal Himself to them 
 that love Him. "Do not I fill heaven and 
 earth ? saith the Lord." (Jer. xxiii. 24.) 
 
 Many a sweet love message will then be 
 distinct to your heart, and tokens of His guid- 
 ance and tender care will be read in His light ; 
 and these oftentimes from sources insignificant 
 and contemptible to those who are wise in 
 their own estimation. In the presence of the 
 
88 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Holy Ghost, in the temple of God, there isi 
 nothing common or unclean ; for " God is light, 
 and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say 
 that we have fellowship with Him, and walk 
 in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But 
 if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, 
 we have fellowship one with another, and the I 
 blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us j 
 from all sin." "As many as are led by the] 
 Spirit of God, they are the sons of God ; " and 
 He has said, " In all thy ways acknowledge 
 Him, and He will direct thy paths." 
 
 The Lord is not acknowledged in all the 
 ways of His people, and therefore they remain 
 in sad uncertainty whether He does direct 
 their paths. It is not to acknowledge Him in 
 all our ways, to ask for light upon our path and 
 then to neglect the watchfulness needful to 
 follow Him in it. We are not to do the Lord's 
 work deceitfully (negligently), and when we 
 eat the fruit of our own folly to say, "It is 
 the Lord." "Thou shalt be perfect [margin, 
 upright, sincere] with the Lord thy God." 
 (Deut. xviii. 13.) From a lack of the witness 
 of the Spirit, they who are thus negligent 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 89 
 
 lose the blessed companionship of a Friend 
 who sticketh closer than a brother; One in 
 whose wisdom, and faithfulness, and power, 
 they may alone continually and safely confide. 
 The natural heart would have secrets of its 
 own; it would fain, if it could, keep out of 
 its counsels the Lord who searcheth it, and 
 hide its ways from Him. Fear, and shame, 
 and unbelief, clothe the God whose name is 
 love with the attributes of vengeance to the 
 sinner. The soul rejoicing in salvation rests 
 even in tribulation on the faithful love of Him 
 whose eyes are over the righteous, and whose 
 ears are open to their prayers. Have you been 
 tried by oppression and misconception, where 
 you thought you had the best right to look for 
 kindness and sympathy? Acknowledge Him 
 in it, and He will show you that the hearts of 
 men can be turned by His Almighty power, 
 or used as the means to hedge up your way. 
 Christ's love changes not : it is a blessed reality. 
 Barter not His precious smile, His sweet com- 
 panionship, for any earthly possession. Child of 
 God ! communion with the Father and the Son 
 is your birthright. 
 
90 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 There is no uncertainty as to what path the 
 Lord has undertaken to direct; for He has 
 written, "all thy paths." Not only in the 
 dark way, when we are perplexed ; not only I 
 when the heart is in heaviness through mani- 1 
 fold temptations ; but also when we tarry in 
 the pleasant shade of Elira's palm trees, as 
 well as by Marah's bitter waters ; yea, all our 
 ways He will direct and guide, as every day's 
 need requires. 
 
 The holy inspired Word is the revelation of 
 Himself to man, from the sacrifice of Abel to 
 the unveiling of the glory on Tabor's moun- 
 tain, and the forty days' sojourn on earth. 
 The world He has created is but one vast 
 arena on which He is displayed. " The heavens 
 declare the glory of God, and the firmament 
 showeth His handiwork." He is seen in the 
 earth and the fulness thereof; in the sea and 
 all that is therein. Not one form of insect- 
 life can be withdrawn without marring the 
 great whole ; nor can anything be added to its 
 perfection. " He hath made all things beauti- 
 ful in their time." 
 
 The ant, the coney, the spider, He uses as 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 91 
 
 our instructors. The raven, the eagle, and the 
 dove, are ministers of His. The palmerworm, 
 the fly, the frog, the grasshopper, are part of 
 His great army, which carries destruction to 
 His enemies, and chastening to His people. 
 Nor is there anything His hand has formed, 
 from Lebanon's cedar to the minutest lichen in 
 our own land, which may not in turn become, 
 through the power of the Spirit, our teacher, 
 leading us to profit. When the circumcised 
 ear is turned to listen to the Lord, with whom 
 there is fellowship, then common events and 
 natural objects become spiritual parables. 
 
 The soul that seeketh Him shall find Him 
 everywhere, and rest continually in the realized 
 sanctuary of His presence— the rock of the 
 heart ! Well may He exclaim, " fools, and 
 slow of heart to believe all that the prophets 
 have spoken!" when it is written that "His 
 delights were with the sons of men." He is 
 more desirous to give than we are to receive 
 that deep and full communion which He offers 
 us, as free as salvation, without money and 
 without price. 
 
 I was very happy in a place to which the 
 
92 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Lord had called me. I had also the occasional 
 rare enjoyment of communion with one who 
 walked in the light of His countenance. The 
 winter had been a time of suffering, but the 
 early summer was breaking upon us, restoring 
 me to some measure of health, and I looked 
 forward to using it in His service. 
 
 One afternoon I sat in the sunshine, the 
 valley at my feet, and the balmy breeze from 
 the distant sea stealing over the May flowers. 
 I felt soothed and invigorated, and never had 
 my little tent in the wilderness seemed so 
 desirable. The Lord had blessed me there. 
 My heart was glad, for the Lord had made it 
 joyful. 
 
 Suddenly, in the stillness, I felt my spirit 
 drawn into the condition of listening, and the 
 impression came strongly on my mind that I 
 had tarried long enough in this place ; I must 
 now arise and follow Him. I strove to set it 
 aside; it seemed so opposed to the purposes 
 for which I fondly hoped I had been raised 
 from sickness into comparative health ; but 
 there it lay like a cloud upon the fair prospect 
 before me. It was contrary to my natural taste 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIEIT. 93 
 
 to leave this spot, and there seemed nothing in 
 opposition to faith in remaining. So I waited 
 before the Lord, desiring to do His will when 
 it was made evident to me. I asked to see my 
 way straight before my face. 
 
 Later in the day I saw my friend, and said to 
 her, " I think it is the Lord's will that I should 
 leave you, and go to the place that. He will 
 show me." 
 
 Great was the opposition I met with. " It is 
 Satan," she exclaimed impetuously. " He sees 
 the blessing here, and he has put it into your 
 mind to go away." 
 
 This indeed was a fiery dart of the Wicked 
 One, and one to which I have not very often 
 been subject. Job's wife was used by Satan to 
 tempt him, and the friend who walked with 
 God was used to try me, and prove again that 
 the treasure is "in earthen vessels, that the 
 excellency of the power may be of God, and 
 not of us." The temptation to listen to her 
 was the greater, because she had followed Jesus 
 for many years, and I for only three. 
 
 There is an extensive service for the weakest 
 of the family, who are circumcised in heart and 
 
91 THE SECRET OF THE LOKD. 
 
 spirit, and who seek not praise of men. Let 
 none, then, be discouraged ; nevertheless, their 
 faith must not stand in the wisdom of men, 
 but in the power of God. I find my need con- 
 tinually to be reminded of this. That service 
 has been the most blessed which I have re- 
 ceived direct from the Spirit of Truth, — when, 
 like Paul, I have not waited to confer with 
 flesh and blood. " Neither told I any man what 
 my God had put into my heart to do/' has often 
 been one of the secrets of success in service, 
 seen only by Himself. 
 
 The source of life in the body is hidden ; we 
 only see the results. The breath of the life of 
 Christ hidden in the soul sets in motion the 
 spiritual creature : the effects are felt and seen, 
 but the life is hid with Christ in God. Our 
 self-seeking and lack of subjection, our little 
 quietude and patient waiting, hinder the fruit 
 for others, and leave the soul barren and un- 
 fruitful towards God. Work begun, continued, 
 and ended, without any knowledge that the 
 work for God is really of Him, or acceptable 
 to Him — work done without any communion 
 with Him in its details — may still, by God's 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 95 
 
 long-suffering grace, be blessed to others, but it 
 is not blessed to the servant. 
 
 I met with great opposition from my friend. 
 From this day I rapidly lost my strength. 
 This I felt was the hand of God ; so I proposed 
 to make the matter a subject of special prayer, 
 that I might understand the will of the Lord 
 concerning me. My friend left me, uncon- 
 vinced that the Lord would have me leave 
 the place to which He had called me; and 
 promised to see me on the morrow. " The way 
 of the Lord is strength to the upright." 
 
 Next morning she met me with her heart 
 subdued to His will, but still reluctant to give 
 me up at once. " Yes, it is all true," she said 
 sadly; "you must go, but I think not just yet." 
 
 However, I prepared for my departure a few 
 days later. A letter reached me from a Chris- 
 tian lady, suggesting my going for change of air 
 to the neighbourhood where she was residing. 
 I had lost my strength so rapidly, that I was 
 thankful that the place proposed was within 
 an easy distance, which I might accomplish 
 without much fatigue. 
 
 The set time being fully come, I went. I 
 
96 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 called on the lady to learn where my lodgings 
 were situated. As I waited for her in the 
 drawing-room, feeling very weary and ill, Satan 
 took occasion to tempt me by suggesting that 
 this was not my place ; that I had left the one 
 designed for me, the pleasant little resting- 
 place, and the service suitable to my weak 
 hand, and had moreover refused to be guided 
 by my wise and loving friend, who knew the 
 way of the Lord better than I did.. In the 
 midst of this fierce onset, a large stone was 
 thrown with violence against the window 
 behind me, and the glass lay shattered around. 
 With a cry of pain I lifted my sinking heart 
 to the Lord. I dare not write the rebellious 
 thoughts that rushed through my mind, soon to 
 be put to flight at the word of my faithful God. 
 
 " Wherefore" I cried, "wherefore this, 
 Lord?" Instantly it was brought to me, that 
 " this also cometh from the Lord of Hosts, who 
 is wonderful in counsel and excellent in work- 
 ing," though my thoughts did not run in the 
 exact words of Scripture. 
 
 I felt sure that the tender Guide of my 
 pilgrim way would not have permitted an 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 97 
 
 dditional trial of my faith, or an added pain 
 to my suffering body, were it not that He had 
 a purpose to fulfil for His own glory, in which 
 also I might know Him, and the power of His 
 resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffer- 
 ings that I might be made conformable unto 
 ffis death ; and thus for me my loss was gam. 
 I pressed my hand firmly on my heart, and 
 prayed Him to calm and still the throbbing 
 pulse of pain. He did so. Before the lady had 
 entered the room, I had returned again to the 
 peaceful position of rest, and I could say, 
 "Happy are thy servants which stand con- 
 tinually before Thee." « But Thou, Lord, art 
 a shield for me, and the lifter-up of my head. 
 Now was the time to watch. The culprit of 
 the broken window lived in a lane, through 
 which we passed to my lodgings. The lady 
 proposed accompanying me, and calling on the 
 way to make a complaint against the boy to his 
 parents. The cottage was pointed out. I de- 
 clined to enter, and stood without. After some 
 time had elapsed the door was opened. My 
 friend came out first, and on the threshold of 
 the door stood a tall, pale, stern-looking woman, 
 
98 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 with a countenance in which anger seemed j 
 mingled with bitterness of spirit. I cannot 
 describe the effect of her appearance upon me. 
 Like a roll of mighty waters came the voice of 
 Him who had called me to follow Him — 
 
 " Therefore /" 
 
 I kept all these things, and pondered them 
 in my heart, " neither told I any one." 
 
 I had lately experienced the additional trial 
 of seeking guidance from man. It is not well 
 always to reveal the counsel of the Lord. 
 When tempted to speak unadvisedly and sin 
 with my lips, my loss has been great. I have 
 found few who understood or cared for the 
 manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and speaking 
 of it to those who cannot receive it has occa- 
 sionally been used by Satan to lead them to 
 imitate the walk without the calling, or to 
 scorn the divine manifestation, and bring sin 
 upon their souls. 
 
 A few days passed. Helped by the quietude, 
 and more invigorating air, I revived. 
 
 One afternoon I went to the house in the 
 lane, feeling assured that I had a mission there. 
 It might be only a few words. I had seen that 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 99 
 
 in His sight much doing was of no value with- 
 out Himself; and that He who cared for the 
 sparrow would care for me. I stood at the 
 door, content to do His will by the power of 
 the Spirit. 
 
 After waiting long on the step, the door was 
 slowly opened by the stranger, whose name 
 even I did not know. The pale, stern face- 
 was even sterner and more rigid. She recog- 
 nized me as the companion of her visitor, and, 
 perhaps, imagined I had come on the same 
 errand, or one equally unwelcome ; for she did 
 not appear inclined to let me enter. But the 
 Lord is " able to subdue all things unto Him- 
 self." He had taken me to the door, and opened 
 it ; now He bade me enter. I asked permission 
 to rest awhile, and she gave a cold assent. 
 
 Nothing daunted, I sat down. The air of 
 desolation in the half-furnished room was in- 
 describable. I could not help feeling that the 
 occupant had belonged to a better position in 
 life than she now occupied. This proved to be 
 the case. She had married a poor man; her 
 family were too "respectable" to help her, and 
 had therefore cast her off. 
 
100 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 She was cold and reserved, and but for the 
 pity and sympathy the Lord put into my heart 
 towards her, I could not have remained as an 
 intruder. 
 
 At length I drew from her that her husband 
 was at sea, and she now feared he was dead, 
 so long had she been without any tidings of 
 him. She had six children, only two of whom 
 could earn anything. She was friendless, and 
 had no claim on the parish. Bitterness was 
 in all her speech, and the proud heart seemed 
 galled and irritated that her circumstances 
 were disclosed to a stranger's ears. 
 
 I spoke, as the Lord seemed to guide me, 
 of the Eefuge in the day of trouble, and the 
 power of Him who is that Eefuge. There was 
 no response. I opened my Bible, and asked her 
 if I should read. She assented gloomily. As 
 we proceeded, I found that she knew, at least 
 intellectually, the doctrine of the cross ; but 
 of the peace and the power which flow from 
 an experimental realization of the love of God 
 she had no experience. 
 
 I ceased to read, spoke a few words on the 
 loviiigkindness of the Lord, and asked the 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 101 
 
 desolate woman if I should pray. Her answer 
 was slower ; she seemed to hesitate. At length 
 she replied : 
 
 " If you like." 
 
 I did like. As I knelt, I said to her, " What 
 do you wish me to ask the Lord? What do 
 you want?" 
 
 She seemed startled, and answered abruptly, 
 " Want ! why I want my husband to come 
 back, or to know where he is !" But it was in 
 a tone which seemed almost to deride the 
 thought of going to the Almighty God on 
 such an errand. 
 
 "Kneel with me," I said, "and I will tell 
 the Lord." 
 
 She knelt. I pleaded the tender compassion 
 of my Father, and His promise. I told Him, 
 as minutely as I knew, the sad circumstances 
 of the poor wife and mother, and finally asked 
 Him to let her hear of or from her absent 
 husband, if still in the body, and to help her 
 now, and cheer her sorrowful heart. Clear and 
 strong came the voice of the Spirit witnessing 
 that the petition was of Him. 
 
 "In three iveeJes she will meet with him." 
 
102 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Before I rose from my knees, I said to her, 
 " In three weeks you will meet with him." 
 
 She was silent ; but the amazement and fear 
 visible in her countenance proved to me that 
 she had not yet been comforted, and did not 
 know the love of God. But He was in my 
 heart, and God is love ; and I yearned over 
 the forlorn woman. 
 
 She kept her eyes upon my face, while I 
 spoke with the tenderness I felt; but no an- 
 swering emotion lighted her own countenance. 
 I rose to depart, happy in the tender message 
 of my Lord, and bade her farewell, without 
 receiving any response. My foot had passed 
 the threshold; she silently followed me, and 
 suddenly stretched forth her long thin arm, 
 until her cold hand grasped my shoulder con- 
 vulsively, and arrested my steps. 
 
 The Lord had smitten. Large tears were on 
 her face. In a hoarse voice she cried out, 
 rather than said, "You'll come again! You'll 
 come again ! — won't you? I'll weary till I look 
 on your face again." 
 
 My heart was full as I went on my way. It 
 is good to trust Him who alone seeth the end 
 
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 103 
 
 from the beginning. I looked back. The light 
 fell full upon the tall gaunt figure upon the 
 threshold. Her head was still turned in the 
 direction of my steps, but her arm had fallen 
 despairingly by her side, and then the door of 
 the dreary home was closed. 
 
 I visited her again, and strove to lead her to 
 believe in the love of God to her. Sometimes 
 she was cheered, and the Lord enabled me in 
 some degree to help her. Ten days had gone 
 by, when one morning a little rosy child came 
 to my lodgings. The landlady told me she had 
 even then been long waiting to see me. I bade 
 her come in, and recognized the youngest child 
 of the absent sailor (for I could not believe him 
 dead). Bright and fresh as the flowers stood 
 the happy messenger, her face proclaiming that 
 she was the bearer of an important secret. 
 
 " Mother sent me with this," she said, pro- 
 ducing a letter ; " it came last night. Mother 
 said, ma'am, 'you would like that letter;" and 
 the merry eyes twinkled with delight as she 
 watched me read it. 
 
 It was from the sailor husband. A vessel, 
 homeward bound, had brought it to the very 
 
104 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 port near to our dwelling, and a sailor had sped 
 with the good news, with a sailor's delight in 
 helping a messmate's wife. It told her the 
 occasion of his long silence, breathing strong 
 affection to her and his children : he longed to 
 be with them again, and asked her to go to 
 Falmouth to meet him in a week from the date 
 of the letter ; for, wind and tide permitting, 
 they should be in the harbour by that time. 
 
 Three days within the three weeks they met. 
 Was this chance ? 
 
 I went to her at once, to share her joy and 
 hasten her journey. A neighbour agreed to 
 look after the children. I remained until she 
 returned with her long-expected husband. 
 
 " God is faithful. The Lord told us you should 
 see him again," I said, as she came forward to 
 greet me, her face beaming with joy. 
 
 " Yes ; but I did not believe Him then — did 
 not believe your words." 
 
 The ship was paid off, and her husband 
 joined her. No sooner had he arrived than 
 the Lord led me to another place. "When I 
 remember these things, I pour out my soul in 
 me." (Ps. xlii. 4.) 
 

 DESERT PLACES. 105 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DESERT PLACES. 
 
 'He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed." 
 Luke v. 16. 
 
 ^HE Most High dwelleth not in temples 
 made with hands." The new heart is 
 His abode, and there the Holy Spirit 
 testifies His presence, felt, if not ac- 
 knowledged, even by those who despise 
 His power. However contracted the sphere, how- 
 ever antagonistic surrounding circumstances 
 may be, let none despair of testimony, and 
 therefore of service. The land cannot be barren 
 through which the river of life is flowing. 
 Can a soul be unfruitful if it realizes fellowship 
 with Jesus ? Thus in the solitary place the 
 stranger may look confidently to the heavenly 
 Boaz to perform the kinsman's part. We all 
 know that in order to experience the weight of 
 loneliness it is not needful to be alone; the 
 caverns of the heart God only can fill. Thorns 
 
106 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 hedge up the busiest path, and even in the home 
 circle there may be an isolation of the spirit, per- 
 haps more complete than in a desert solitude. 
 
 Such seasons are offers of special blessings, 
 when the Beloved cries, "Open to me!" He 
 waits to come with new and living power to the 
 soul, in the tender relationship of friendship. 
 " my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, 
 in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy 
 countenance, let me hear thy voice ; for sweet 
 is thy voice and thy countenance is comely." 
 (Song of Solomon, ii. 14.) 
 
 Surely none can sympathize with His soli- 
 tary followers so well as He who has gone 
 before them. Kemember His divine capacity, 
 and His lowly station on earth, His pure mind 
 that endured the contradiction of sinners, and 
 His holy life that called forth the scorn and 
 hatred of men. But He went into the wilder- 
 ness, and there * prayed." He is in the wilder- 
 ness still, and He has allured His loved ones 
 thither, that they may hear His voice, and learn 
 more of His loving heart than th*y have yet 
 done in the busy activities of life. 
 
 But there are those who tread this solitary 
 
DESERT PLACES. 107 
 
 path, too faintly realizing the love and favour 
 of God. To them the wilderness is a place of 
 conflict. But ah ! with whom is that conflict ? 
 Not with God, but with the powers of dark- 
 ness — " with wicked spirits in heavenly places." 
 
 Soldiers of the cross ! followers of the Lamb ! 
 be of good comfort ; the Captain of our sal- 
 vation will meet His wounded soldier here. 
 Does He command heavy chains for the feeble 
 hands that can scarcely plead for the dumb 
 lips ? Does the Lord upbraid the weary one ? 
 Does He cast the sinking soul from His sight ? 
 Nay ! He stoops to wash the dust-stained feet ; 
 He cleanses the gaping wounds, pours in the 
 oil of His love, and lays the drooping head 
 upon His breast. " In all their affliction He is 
 afflicted." 
 
 Be of good courage, ye who meet the enemy's 
 malice in many a fierce encounter in the desert 
 places. Jesus is the adversary of your enemy. 
 Confide in Him : " Cast not away, therefore, 
 your confidence, which hath great recompence 
 of reward." dks you live with Him, you shall 
 live for Him ; for " light is sown for the right- 
 eous, and gladness for the upright in heart." 
 
108 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. . 
 
 I knew a man of God who earned his bread 
 by the sweat of his brow. It was impossible 
 to observe him and not feel that he was sepa- 
 rated from those around him by the indwelling 
 of the Holy Ghost. He told me in deep 
 humility, that he could not "speak for the 
 Lord," by which I discovered that he meant 
 that he could not accost strangers on the sub- 
 ject of their personal salvation. If he could 
 not speak to man, he could to God ; and never 
 shall I forget the first time I heard his voice 
 raised in supplication and prayer at a little 
 wayside gathering. I knew not from whom it 
 proceeded, but I felt that whoever it was, that 
 soul had power with God. 
 
 He went to live in a village where none 
 cared for anything beyond this present life ; he 
 was a stranger indeed among them. Early and 
 late he laboured in the fields. But the Lord of 
 the whole earth had ordained a blessing for this 
 dark hamlet when He sent His servant there, 
 and a river of the water of life was to flow 
 through this lonely man, unseen by all save 
 the One who keepeth Israel, and who neither 
 slumbers nor sleeps. 
 
DESERT PLACES. 109 
 
 Yet for this ministry the servant of God 
 was not required to forsake his calling, but to 
 follow the Lord in it. He lived in a poor 
 thatched cottage on the outskirts of the 
 village ; and when his work was done, seated 
 by the low casement of his room in summer 
 time, he rested his weary heart in close com- 
 munion with his heavenly Friend. Dispirited 
 by intercourse with the mocker and profane, he 
 refreshed himself with new contemplations of 
 the covenant of grace, or pondered over the 
 promises which he was every day proving for 
 himself to be priceless treasures and constant 
 sources of spiritual power. 
 
 As he communed with God aloud, and 
 poured forth his soul in prayer, a woman of 
 ill character passed by the cottage door ; the 
 sound of the stranger's voice arrested her steps, 
 and she lingered by the casement. She listened. 
 Never before had she heard a soul speaking to 
 the God of its life in such glad thanksgiving 
 for redemption through the blood of the Cru- 
 cified, or imagined such holy boldness in ap- 
 proaching the Holy One, by her unsought. It 
 seemed a new language to her ears. The prayer 
 
110 THE SECRET OF THE LOKD. 
 
 ceased. The listener, astonished and perplexed, 
 went on her way, and the solitary man, the 
 charge of angels, lay down to sleep. None but 
 God saw that tiny rill of life that followed a 
 sinner's steps, whispering, " Come !" " And let 
 him that heareth say, Come. And let him that 
 is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him 
 take the water of life freely." (Rev. xxii. 17.) 
 
 Another day passed. The woman again 
 took up her station in the twilight to listen, 
 and the freedom from condemnation in which 
 the stranger rejoiced seemed to bind her in 
 chains of misery unfelt before. Her occupation 
 was a degrading one. She possessed a voice of 
 remarkable power and sweetness ; her husband 
 frequented the taverns in the neighbourhood, 
 and she accompanied him, for with the price of 
 his wife's company and songs he procured from 
 the landlord or his guests the liquor that he 
 thirsted for. 
 
 Day by day the singer marked the man of 
 God, to see if his life contradicted his desires 
 after holiness, for his prayers set a sign upon 
 him; she watched for his halting week after 
 week, but watched in vain. While in. many a 
 
DESERT PLACES. Ill 
 
 conflict, and in humble brokenness of spirit, 
 this dweller in the desert seemed to himself a 
 cumberer of the ground, as far as bringing any 
 honour to God was concerned, yet through him 
 flowed the living stream which should turn 
 " the wilderness into a standing water, and dry 
 ground into water springs." 
 
 God's minister slept, unconscious of his 
 ministry, little dreaming that the prayers he 
 had breathed in the silence of that summer 
 evening were disturbing the midnight orgies of 
 sinners to whom he had never spoken, and who 
 had never heard of his existence. The woman's 
 heart was heavy, and she could not sing. She 
 turned away in bitterness of spirit from the 
 scene in which she had hitherto dwelt con- 
 tentedly. The anger of her husband raged 
 against her; his gains were gone, and the means 
 of procuring his evening's unholy revelry were 
 over. His persecution added to the poor 
 creature's distress, but it was as nothing in 
 comparison to the weight of misery on her 
 heart. Heavier and heavier pressed the burden 
 of her sins ; the way of escape she knew not ; 
 despair took possession of her soul. Satan now 
 
112 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 thought the prey was his own; he whispered 
 that "in death there was no remembrance;" 
 but the enemy added not, " and after death the 
 judgment." 
 
 The heart -stricken woman saw only one 
 way of escape from her wretched life and the 
 memory of her sins, and she determined to 
 rid herself of an existence which had become 
 intolerable to her. One morning, when she 
 thought herself secure from interruption, she 
 went to a neighbouring stable, and tying a 
 noose in a rope, fastened it securely to a beam 
 in the roof, and prepared to end a life too 
 miserable to be borne. But, as her foot was on 
 the edge of the loft from which she premedi- 
 tated casting herself down, the stranger's praise 
 and thanksgiving for redemption through the 
 precious blood of Jesus came flowing into her 
 mind, and arrested her. She knelt ; she re- 
 peated again and again the words of the prayer 
 which had taken her captive : such sweetness 
 came with the words, " Eedeemed ! pardoned 
 through the precious blood of God's dear Son ! " 
 As if the floodgates of her tears had opened 
 the way for prayer, it poured forth in a won- 
 
DESERT PLACES. 113 
 
 drous tide. The sinner wept at the feet of 
 Jesus ! The prey was taken from the mighty. 
 Hour after hour went by, she heeded it not ; 
 and daylight had faded into evening before her 
 new-born joy allowed her to perceive that the 
 day was spent, and she was saved. 
 
 When the servant of the Lord returned to 
 his dwelling, it was to find a rejoicing child of 
 the faith awaiting him, the fruit of those days 
 that seemed of no account, save that he walked 
 in fellowship with Jesus. He had lived near 
 the fountain ; the stream that flowed in refresh- 
 ment through ' his own soul had given life to 
 the weary one without. (John iv. 14.) 
 
 . Year after year, from many a prayer-meeting, 
 arose the voice of the rescued minstrel, clear 
 and strong, in strains of praise to the Lord and 
 Giver of life. And not alone. Her husband 
 was by her side, the first to give heed to her 
 words, and to believe her witness to the Lord's 
 long-suffering mercy towards herself. Heaven 
 alone can declare the harvest of that lonely 
 man who walked with God. 
 
 Have you not shrunk from desert places, 
 whether in the city's solitude or elsewhere, and 
 I 
 
114 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 yet found that the Lord there revealed Himself 
 in a manner that no other circumstance could 
 have afforded ? 
 
 Has He not there proved better and dearer to 
 you than ten friends, and has not the wilderness 
 rung with songs of heaven ? There you have 
 had some new communication with the Lord you 
 loved ; and, like Jacob in his desert solitude, 
 exclaimed, " This is none other than the house 
 of God, and this is the gate of heaven." 
 
 I have had some experience of desert places 
 in my wanderings : they have ever been pro- 
 ductive of richest blessings. When, by the 
 grace of God, I have been able to look to Jesus, 
 and to Jesus only, He has made the wilderness 
 and the solitary place glad for me, and caused 
 the desert to rejoice and blossom as the rose. 
 
 Subjection is a needful requirement to meet 
 the mysterious dealings of the Lord. The will 
 must be offered up, not only as to place, but 
 as to manner of service ; and this is often the 
 Isaac last laid upon the altar. 
 
 Eocks intervene which hide the Shepherd 
 from the sheep, but never the sheep from the 
 Shepherd. His wisdom apportions what shall 
 
DESERT PLACES. 115 
 
 be fitting for growth and health. The footsteps 
 of the flock are traced often on the ridges of 
 the mountain path ; the herbage is scanty there, 
 and they are often bleating for Hirn who is not 
 far off. 
 
 I narrate the following incident, trusting to 
 the Lord to bless it to some member, as feeble 
 as myself, who may be cast in desert places. 
 
 I was in a position of peculiar discomfort, 
 surrounded by careless worldlings, without any 
 Christian companionship. Physically I was un- 
 fitted for any outward service, and I missed the 
 quietude needful for calm meditation. For days 
 together I could not write or read, and often it 
 was an effort to think or pray. 
 
 My beloved Lord had so unmistakably placed 
 me in this position, that I could confidently 
 rely upon His purpose being fulfilled; though 
 what that purpose was, excepting the discipline 
 of an often impatient will, I knew not. 
 
 Waiting hours are seed-times of blessing. 
 But it is often the fourth watch of the night 
 ere we say, " It is good to wait, on Thee." " I 
 waited patiently for the Lord," is the key-note 
 of a song of praise. When I say that my Lord 
 
116 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 was present with me, I do not mean that I was 
 in a state of joyous emotion, but I realized His 
 promises, and knew that He was near me. 
 
 If we watch in times of tribulation, and limit 
 not the Holy One of Israel, the desert will be 
 to His children what it was of old, a wondrous 
 arena on which His almighty power is dis- 
 played. Darkness of circumstances is quite a 
 different phase of trial from darkness of con- 
 science. Though painful to the flesh, the soul 
 has a secret pleasure in watching the Lord's way 
 in the mighty waters, even when His footsteps 
 are not seen ; and remembering His faithful- 
 ness, it exults, saying, " The Lord God shall 
 help me, therefore I shall not be confounded." 
 " The darkness hideth not from Thee ; hut 
 the night shineth as the day. The darkness 
 and the light are both alike to Thee." " Who 
 is among you that feareth the Lord, that obev- 
 eth the voice of His servant, that walketh in 
 darkness, and hath no light ? Let him trust in 
 the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God/' 
 (Isaiah 1. 10.) 
 
 One day, while I was sitting by the window 
 close upon the street, an earnest-looking man 
 
 
DESERT PLACES. 117 
 
 passed with a Bible under his arm. I watched 
 hini, feeling sure that he was on some service 
 for my beloved Master. I said, " I cannot read 
 my Bible; Lord, help me to pray for one who 
 can." I had at once the most blessed realization 
 of the acceptance of my prayer following a 
 servant of the Lord (for this I felt he was), and 
 leaving a blessing with him. 
 
 A week had gone by, when a steamer was 
 preparing to sail. She was being loosed from 
 her moorings, when I saw the same thoughtful- 
 looking man with his Bible evidently hastening 
 to the vessel. I prayed the Lord to detain it 
 until he could reach it ; and I had the satisfac- 
 tion of seeing the stranger take his place, as the 
 steamer left the quay. 
 
 I then remembered that it was on this day of 
 the preceding week that I had begun to pray 
 for him. Then I said in my heart, "Who knows 
 but the Lord has placed me here to pray for one 
 who needs special help at this season? I will 
 accept it as a service ;" and I gave myself to 
 prayer. 
 
 Speaking naturally I had not the least pros- 
 pect on earth of hearing of any result. Seven 
 
liS THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 weeks passed by; I was expecting to close a 
 sojourn which, though one of much trial, had 
 been brightened for seven weeks by the con- 
 sciousness of a secret service known only to 
 God. He "divideth to every man severally as 
 He will." I looked only to the day when 
 hidden things should be revealed, to know how 
 my prayer had been blessed. 
 
 The Lord had ordered it otherwise. He is a 
 gracious Master to those who work but one hour 
 in His vineyard. I discovered for whom I had 
 been held in prayer; and, previously to my 
 departure, the Lord so ordered circumstances 
 that I was obliged to apply to the stranger 
 on a matter which required his immediate 
 reply. 
 
 This necessitated my writing to him. I longed 
 to know something of him ; but I kept the 
 matter in my heart, and confined myself wholly 
 to the business I had in hand. But when my 
 letter was written, I felt the Lord did not smile 
 on it : so I thought again, and prayed, and re- 
 wrote it, but did not wait; and then sad-hearted 
 and discouraged, I said, " Perhaps after all I am 
 not to write." 
 
 
DESERT PLACES. 119 
 
 Greatly to my discomfort, it seemed brought 
 before me, that I must have a personal inter- 
 view with the stranger. This was the only 
 hard part of my service; but the Lord gave me 
 sweet assurance of His presence being with me, 
 and a few hours afterwards I found myself face 
 to face with the subject of my seven weeks' 
 prayers. 
 
 The purpose of my visit was soon satis- 
 factorily arranged, and ray heart was refreshed 
 by the interview; but on taking leave of him, I 
 told him, that having no service here, I had 
 longed for something I could do, and from 
 my seeing him pass on certain days with his 
 Bible, the Lord had given me to pray for him. 
 The expression of his face told me that my 
 service was no delusion. 
 
 "Tell me how long you have prayed," he 
 inquired eagerly. " When was it that you first 
 began ?" 
 
 "Seven weeks ago," I answered; "on the 
 fourteenth of the month." 
 
 There was silence that I could not break. I 
 felt his Master and my Master was praised and 
 glorified in it. At last he said, "For seven 
 
120 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 weeks I have been helped and upheld beyond 
 all I can tell you." 
 
 He then detailed to me the circumstances in 
 which he had been placed, and whither he was 
 bound the first day I had seen him pass me 
 with his Bible. 
 
 Deep was the joy of that hour : sweet was 
 the lesson to my heart. My heavenly Master 
 had appointed the service, and He would have 
 me reap the fruit even here. Not man's judg- 
 ment of what the Lord requires from His weak 
 ones, but God's own requirement, constitutes 
 our true service. 
 
 It was from this simple incident that I first 
 learned to look up to Him for direction in other 
 equally trying positions. God is faithful and 
 will let none of His words fall to the ground. 
 Gracious Lord! Thou hast said it, "Walk be- 
 fore Me." 
 
 If the Lord sends trial to His children, He 
 goes with it; and if He gives faith, He tests it. 
 While we strive to be rid of the cross it will 
 bruise us; but if we take it up and bear it, 
 looking unto Jesus, it will become a fruit- 
 bearing tree. Mere emotional feeling, in which 
 
 
DESERT PLACES. 121 
 
 the old nature bears part oftener than we are 
 conscious of, is not always joy in the Lord, but 
 joy in some of His gifts ; and therefore is it 
 that trial and tribulation have many lasting 
 benefits that outwardly prosperous days fail in 
 securing. 
 
 In fair weather, as his vessel glides over the 
 water, the traveller gazes upon the coasts, bright 
 in the sunshine, spread on either side of him. 
 Occasionally, perhaps, he admires the wisdom 
 of the Pilot. But when mists hide all the 
 beauty from view, and storms beat upon the 
 vessel, the voyage is not so pleasant. It calls 
 for fuller faith in Him who guides. There is 
 the same unerring wisdom : but before the 
 tempest the traveller enjoyed the way and 
 forgot the Guide, and now, with his eyes bent 
 only on the Pilot, he forgets the way. 
 
 Early in the spring of the year I came to 
 England for some affairs that required my 
 presence. I went to London, intending to re- 
 main a fortnight, which would complete the 
 matter- for which I had been summoned, and 
 then to proceed into the country. 
 
 A few days after my arrival, however, I was 
 
122 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 seized with severe illness. The spring passed, 
 and the summer came, and I still lay in- 
 capable of moving, longing to quit the close 
 air, but unable to obtain any change whatever ; 
 for the providence of God had so hedged up 
 my path that I could in no wise pass over it. 
 
 On the last day of August the heat was 
 greater than had been known for years. The 
 walls of the opposite houses and the white 
 pavement reflected the rays of the sun, and the 
 glare added to the discomfort produced by the 
 sultry atmosphere. My couch was in a small 
 apartment on the ground-floor, looking on the 
 street, and the peculiar stillness which reigned 
 was vocal to me of what was not, save in 
 memory. 
 
 Long days and uights of suffering left me 
 incapable of occupation, and the leaden pressure 
 of the heated air weighed down every thought 
 which strove to rise above the body's ills. A 
 longing for that which was denied me came to 
 disturb yet more that time of inaction. I craved 
 for the fresh pure air of the country. There . 
 was nothing sinful in desiring the fresh air, you 
 will say. There is sin in a rebellious desire for 
 
DESERT PLACES. 123 
 
 what is deuied (Prov. xxiv. 9), a lack of sub- 
 jection, a lack of love. The cross was galling, 
 and I wanted it changed before it had borne 
 fruit. 
 
 I closed my eyes : visions of green woodlands 
 and mountain paths rose before me, and last of 
 all the childish memory of a river, with every 
 bend of which I was familiar. Its banks were 
 fringed with flowery sedges, and on its bosom 
 blossomed the white water-lilies; the very 
 ripple of the water for a moment seemed con- 
 jured back by my fevered imagination. 
 
 gracious loving God ! Thou didst not 
 leave me there, dwelling on things of time and 
 sense. Neither didst Thou visit my foolishness 
 by giving me the desire of my discontented 
 heart, by permitting me to choose my own path, 
 by granting me fields and summer flowers, and 
 sending leanness into my soul. 
 
 A brother or sister might upbraid me; but 
 let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for He 
 is pitiful and of tender mercy, — He remem- 
 bered I was dust. My brain throbbed; I tried 
 vainly to rest my longing vision elsewhere, and 
 turned heavily on my pillow. Through the open 
 
124 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 window, round the corner of the street came 
 distinctly to my ear a low monotonous cry. 
 It was from an old man who sold wreaths of 
 immortelles, some stained and painted to 
 imitate other flowers, some in their own natural 
 beauty of white or gold colour ; clusters for 
 ornamenting the houses of the living, and 
 chaplets for adorning the low chambers of the 
 dead. Clearly his voice rang through the still 
 
 street, " Everlasting flowers ! Ever lasting 
 
 flowers ! " 
 
 I raised my head and listened, for to my sad 
 heart the words sounded as though from heaven, 
 reminding me that this was not my rest. There 
 was no mistake. The words came again, distinct 
 and clear, " Ever lasting flowers ! Ever- 
 lasting flowers !" and then the voice ceased, and 
 I heard it no more. 
 
 The man had unconsciously delivered his 
 heavenly message. The fountain of my tears 
 was unsealed ; the scales fell from my mental 
 vision : like the blind men by the wayside, I 
 received sight. "Jesus had compassion on 
 them, and touched their eyes; and immediately 
 their eyes received sight, and they followed 
 
DESERT PLACES. 125 
 
 Him." (Matthew xx. 34.) I recognized in this 
 long-protracted suffering, this strange captivity, 
 this city dwelling, this sultry, silent, oppressive 
 hour, my Father's will, my Father's love. I 
 bowed my neck again to His gentle yoke, and 
 never since that day has the snare of green 
 woodlands, and rivers, and summer flowers, held 
 dominion over me. For I know that Jehovah- 
 Jesus has something better for His loved ones. 
 It is the new man in Christ Jesus that shall 
 inhabit the glorious land; he has no part or 
 portion in the earth which was cursed for man's 
 sake, although it may be fair to the senses. I 
 looked for a city whose Builder and Maker is 
 
 God; I longed for fadeless joys, for ever 
 
 lasting flowers ! 
 
 I was content to see the summer fade into 
 autumn, and autumn giving place to winter, 
 and I said, He leadeth me in paths that I have 
 not known; but He can open rivers in high 
 places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. 
 It is the same Lord who called me out of Egypt, 
 and He will not forsake. I shall some day see 
 why it is thus with me. Let the Lord do that 
 which is ^ood in His sight. 
 
120 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Soon after this, an aged relative of the mis- 
 tress of the house returned from the country. 
 When I saw her, she asked my prayers in be- 
 half of a motherless girl in whom she had been 
 much interested : first, for her soul's salvation ; 
 secondly, that she might be brought to the 
 house in the capacity of servant. I declined 
 using my influence to induce this ; but I did 
 join her in prayer, that if the Lord saw good He 
 would bring it about in His own way. Perhaps . 
 I had less interest in the second part of the 
 request, as I daily looked forward to the pos- 
 sibility of removal. 
 
 The Lord saw fit to keep me still a prisoner ; 
 but the loving bonds no longer galled the flesh. 
 I was seeking Him in it all. The Hand pierced 
 for me had closed the door and barred the gate ; 
 and I felt sure that when the time was accom- 
 plished, light would shine into my prison, and I 
 should go forth understanding what the will of 
 the Lord was. 
 
 Time rolled on, and many a song of praise 
 arose from the rough waters on which it was 
 the will of my Lord that I should be borne. 
 The young servant was engaged. I was not 
 
DESERT PLACES. 127 
 
 interested in her in any other way than by 
 natural love and pity for the orphan, a plea 
 which few can resist. 
 
 December came — the last week, and the 
 close of the year found me where I was in its 
 first quarter. The busy Christmas time was 
 nigh, when the world, who celebrate the Lord's 
 coming in the flesh as of the flesh, are occupied 
 in planning enjoyment of the things of this 
 world's good, in which the Lord Jesus could 
 bear no part. (Rom. viii. 8.) 
 
 One day our little servant arrived from the 
 country. She was obedient and trustworthy in 
 her service ; yet it was but fruit of the old 
 nature ; the love of Jesus, as the spring of life, 
 was not there : so I yearned for her salvation. 
 
 As I sat alone in the wintry twilight, I 
 looked back by the way my Lord had led me, 
 when, bound in the sins and follies of the world, 
 I looked forward to the joy of giving and 
 receiving new-year's gifts, which had no aim 
 but self-gratification; the anticipated delight 
 in the receiver, and the preparation making 
 up part of the satisfaction ; and I said, " Lord, 
 give me a new-year's gift. Give Thou /" My 
 
128 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 
 thoughts ran over the spiritual gifts I needed, 
 but did not pause there. " Give me a soul, 
 Lord ; give me Harriet's soul for my new-year's 
 gift." I craved for everlasting flowers for my 
 Saviour's crown. 
 
 I have said, that in this labour of love the 
 preparation of such a gift is foretasted joy, 
 and the preparation of the heart is from the 
 Lord. My preparation consisted in increased 
 suffering, which confined me to my chamber, 
 and left me more powerless than before for 
 thought or action. 
 
 To the soul resting on Jesus there is always 
 peace in believing ; but those who have to learn 
 the fellowship of suffering, understand some- 
 thing more of conformity to His death. The 
 fruit of the Spirit is brought forth according 
 to its season ; and if the call is for meekness, 
 patience, and long-suffering, it may be borne 
 with love, from which parent-root it springs: 
 but He has not asked for joy ; grieve not that 
 you cannot give it. Suffer His will ; in this 
 there is rich compensation ; for those that 
 wait on Him shall not be ashamed. (Kev. ii. 3 ; 
 Matt. xii. 50.) 
 
DESERT PLACES. 129 
 
 I say this, because I would not have it sup- 
 posed that it was a joyous season with me : far 
 from it. I went forth weeping, bearing the 
 precious seed. Weeping did not hinder the 
 harvest ! It was not in my feeble hand bearing 
 it ; it was in the power of the Holy Ghost in 
 the seed of life cast forth. 
 
 Days passed. At last only two remained of 
 this year of peculiar exercise and trial. Only 
 two ! and my prayer was still unanswered. 
 
 Satan came in like a flood, and never did a 
 more wily assault of the Evil One seek to turn 
 me from the desire of my heart. I had prayed, 
 I had spoken cursorily on the great salvation, 
 but I met with no response ; and I saw less of 
 our little maiden, so that my opportunities 
 were now fewer even than before. 
 
 Satan would fain have persuaded me that, 
 as I had been unable to foresee this sickness, 
 therefore prayer was void. Again — that I erred 
 in having fixed a time for my prayer to be 
 answered. 
 
 Still I had asked, and I knew it depended on 
 Him in whom all power dwelleth. It was as 
 easy to grant my petition now as later ; and I 
 
 K 
 
130 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 thought — I have asked for this soul to 
 brought into light, and yet not one step in faith 
 have I taken to secure it. I rose, and rang the 
 bell. I feebly lifted up my heart to Him who 
 knew the utterly broken reed that He ha 
 taken up, and yet I -almost trembled when the 
 slow and rather heavy footstep of Harriet re 
 plied to my summons. 
 
 Oh, before that day I think I never knev 
 that any of those who had been saved fron 
 destruction could find a difficulty in speaking 
 of their own beloved Lord, or in telling another 
 that He who had saved them was waiting and 
 willing to save all who go to Him. 
 
 But I did speak for Him in broken words ; 
 and weak, and almost weeping, I told her of 
 the love of Jesus to poor lost guilty man. 
 
 The stolid expression of cool indifference that 
 sat upon the countenance of ni}' listener was 
 more painful than a contradiction of the truth 
 which I brought forward, for I could have met 
 that with " It is written." 
 
 But I went on. I told her what He had 
 done for mc y and that warmed my own heart j 
 and I read such portions of His Word as show 
 
DESERT PLACES. 131 
 
 our need of a free and full salvation, not re- 
 quiring of us to do anything more than believe, 
 in order to be saved ; that Christ's work was a 
 finished work; that we must have everlasting 
 life before we could walk or serve. " He that 
 believeth hath everlasting life." 
 
 The same gloomy face, the same hopeless 
 silence. My heart, that in the fervour of 
 dwelling on the loveliness of Jesus had been 
 sanguine, now fell again. 
 
 I prayed briefly with Harriet, or rather for 
 her ; and then she rose, replaced the chair, 
 carefully adjusted the carpet, which had been 
 slightly disarranged, and, without the least trace 
 of emotion on her countenance, left the room. 
 
 I sank back, almost relieved that she was 
 gone, and that I was not called to speak another 
 word. I rejected the idea that I had asked that 
 which the Lord was not ready to give me. It 
 was for His glory ; and my only pleas were His 
 love, His power, and His promise. (Matt, xxviii. 
 18 ; John xv. 7.) There were yet twenty-four 
 hours more. What could He not do in twenty- 
 four seconds, if it pleased Him ? thou of 
 little faith, wherefore dost thou doubt ? 
 
132 THE SECRET OF THE LOUD. 
 
 Another day — the last ; and again I felt led 
 to ring for Harriet. She came, bowed down, as 
 she told me, in the misery of unpardoned sin. 
 I pleaded with her to go to Jesus, just as she 
 was, now. 
 
 The temporising flesh suggested, perhaps 
 some circumstances in the future, some other 
 person might be more blessed to her ; in time 
 this soul may live, and still it would be given 
 to my prayers, and I must wait. 
 
 Nay. I had prayed, "Lord, give me Harriet's 
 soul for my new-year's gift." That compre- 
 hended my instrumentality within a certain 
 definite period, and in reliance that God had 
 heard me, I had taken one step in action, and 
 this was in testimony that I relied on His 
 power; for my own utter emptiness left no- 
 thing for me to rest on. 
 
 Then I cried in my heart; such a cry as 
 Elisha gave over the dead body of the child of 
 the Shunammite. It was in vain to seek for 
 another argument, to urge her not to delay an 
 hour in seeking Him who was waiting to 
 receive her. All seemed blank. Memory failed 
 me ; my strength was ebbing fast. Inward 
 
DESERT PLACES. 133 
 
 silent prayer was all of which I was capable, 
 and my cry, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant 
 heareth," waited only on Him. " Show me the 
 word in Thine own written promise that shall 
 give life to the dead." 
 
 I felt like one gone to the rescue of a drown- 
 ing man, myself battling with the billows, 
 blinded by the brine, so that I could no longer 
 point out the harbour of refuge to the ship- 
 wrecked stranger. But my feeble cry, which 
 owned Jesus as my hope, and Jesus only, was 
 answered speedily. I opened my Bible. Like 
 an illuminated text, so bright and powerful 
 stood out this blessed message of my covenant- 
 keeping God: "If ye then, being evil, know 
 how to give good gifts unto your children ; 
 how much more shall your heavenly Father 
 give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him !" 
 (Luke xi. 13.) It was the voice of my Beloved. 
 "Behold, He conieth!" "Behold, now is the 
 day of salvation." I read the verse aloud very 
 slowly, and paused. " I have it ! " I cried. 
 " Kneel, and ask for the Holy Spirit to be given 
 you now, Harriet. He will hear and answer 
 you." Jesus was indeed passing by ! Oh, so 
 
134 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 near, so near ! We held Him, and would not 
 let Him go. 
 
 We prayed ; for there was no doubt now that 
 the bended head and clasped hands near me 
 were the expression of prayer such as is heard 
 in heaven; and then there was a smothered 
 sob, a groan — the dead was alive. 
 
 "My sins are gone, all gone!" exclaimed 
 Harriet, as she sprang to her feet, and burst 
 forth into praise; no longer the cool, indifferent 
 being who had first knelt down with me, but 
 with a face that told the joy of sin for ever 
 washed away in the blood of the Lamb slain. 
 Blessed Jesus ! He is faithful ! 
 
 Through the glad tears there met me such a 
 glance of grateful love that I shall never, never 
 forget. That morning of joy was well worth a 
 night of weeping. 
 
 I said, "Dear Harriet, I asked the Lord to 
 give me your soul for a new-year's gift." 
 
 "And He has done it !" said Harriet. " My 
 sins are gone ! my heart is as light as a fea- 
 ther!" 
 
 I sang with Hannah in the temple of God : 
 " For this child I prayed ; and the Lord hath 
 
DESEKT PLACES. 135 
 
 given me my petition which I asked of Him : 
 therefore also I have lent her to the Lord ; as 
 long as she liveth she shall be lent to the Lord. 
 And they worshipped the Lord there." (1 Sam. 
 i. 27, 28.) 
 
 To all appearancce my words had fallen on 
 deaf ears, but it was not really so. I learned 
 afterwards the exercise of that soul so soon to 
 be reconciled to God, and brought into the 
 goodly heritage of peace and joy in believing ; 
 and it strengthened my hand. 
 
 I was allowed to see the change clear in its 
 evidence, and also the growth in grace, which I 
 have now watched with tender interest for ten 
 years. When later I was laid still more help- 
 less on my sick bed, Harriet arose daily before 
 her usual time to seek in the Scriptures for 
 some crumb of bread wherewith to sustain the 
 life given, and committing a portion to memory, 
 softly repeated each morning at my bedside the 
 portion she had learned. Nor was this con- 
 fined to a verse or two, but extended often to 
 the greater part of a chapter. The comfort I 
 found from this it is difficult to express ; for 
 the peculiar light and blessing which always 
 
136 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 followed these portions of Scripture marked the 
 certain guidance of the Holy Ghost, and the 
 prayerful search that my little maiden gave to 
 the task. 
 
 This it taught me, that the Lord setteth the 
 bounds of our habitation. There is no situation 
 in which we are placed, but there is in it a 
 blessing for all who wait on Him : they shall 
 not be ashamed ! The soul that looks beyond 
 life's unsatisfactory joys, and will trust Him 
 unto whom all power is given both in heaven 
 and on earth, shall find the Lord of Life in 
 desert places, ready to open the blind eyes, and 
 bring out the prisoner from the prison, and 
 them that sit in darkness out of the prison- 
 house. Then shall the dumb sing; for in the 
 wilderness shall waters break out, and streams 
 in the desert, and the parched ground shall 
 become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of 
 water. 
 
 QS*X ® &Sc) 
 
DESERT PLACES. 137 
 
 THE WOUNDED SOLDIER. 
 
 " The soul of the wounded crieth out, yet God layeth not folly to 
 them." — Job xxiv. 12. 
 
 It was the hour of hattle, 
 
 No human eye looked on ; 
 Angels and devils, marvel ! 
 
 A victory is won ! 
 
 There is a moan of anguish, 
 
 A warrior lies low — 
 A poisoned shaft is proving 
 
 The malice of the foe. 
 
 In the still midnight hour 
 
 No other sound is heard, 
 The weary hands fall helpless 
 
 That wielded well the sword. 
 
 There is no song of triumph, 
 And none the chaplet twine } 
 weak and wounded soldier, 
 For that pale "brow of thine. 
 
 Hath earth no balm to bring him ? 
 
 Hath love no word to speak, 
 As in the dust he lieth 
 
 With heart so nigh to break ? 
 
 For fierce the foe that found him, 
 And who his power can scan ? 
 
 Oh, is there none to succour 
 That sad and lonely man ? 
 
138 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Earth's sweetest love, nor angel, 
 Could solace now impart ; 
 
 No song, though heard from heaven, 
 Uphold' that sinking heart. 
 
 But see ! the Man of Sorrows 
 Comes where His soldier lies ; 
 
 He marks the lip that quivers 
 In untold agonies. 
 
 Say, doth He bring him fetters, 
 Or comes He to upbraid ? 
 
 Nay ! to His loving bosom 
 He draws the drooping head. 
 
 And in that deep, deep silence, 
 The gaping wounds are bound, 
 
 With touch so soft and gentle ; 
 Hush ! it is holy ground. 
 
 Christ ! thy tender pity 
 
 For every pang I see ; 
 Each sob of pain is numbered, 
 
 And counted as for Thee. 
 
 Yea closer, and yet closer, 
 Thy wounded one is prest ; 
 
 And human woes are whispered 
 Upon a human breast. 
 
 Then in the solemn silence 
 I hear the whisper sweet — 
 
 " Fear not, my wounded soldier ; 
 Behold my hands and feet." 
 
DESERT PLACES. 139 
 
 The fever's dream is over ; 
 
 The tearless eyes can weep ; 
 And He, whose arms enfold him, 
 
 Gives His heloved sleep. 
 
 Rest, rest, wounded soldier ; 
 
 Distrust thy Lord no more ; 
 And think not strange the battle 
 
 Thy Captain fought hefore. 
 
 He knows thy fierce accuser ; 
 
 Thou shalt not fall nor yield ; 
 Hold fast thy blood-red banner, 
 
 Thy bright sword, and thy shield. 
 
 Behold thy strength in Jesus ; 
 
 Believe thy Brother nigh, 
 Whose heart in love o'erfloweth 
 
 With tenderest sympathy. 
 
 Thou hast no pain He feels not, 
 
 No pang He doth not share ; 
 And when the fight was hottest, 
 
 Deliverance was there. 
 
 He kept thee in the conflict, 
 
 His shield was o'er thee thrown ; 
 
 A Conqueror ne'er defeated, 
 Thy battle was His own. 
 
 Best in His love, and fear not ; 
 
 The victory is won. 
 weak and wounded soldier, 
 
 Thy Lord hath said, "Well done." 
 
140 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE WAT OF TEE LORD. 
 
 ; 'And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? 
 for ye are the temple of the living God ; as God hath 
 said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will 
 be their God, and they shall be my people." 
 
 2 Cor. vi.16. 
 
 JAN you have communion with God, 
 and yet walk with the world? "We 
 marvel how any soul that has caught 
 one transient gleam of the presence 
 of the King of kings should need the 
 question to be answered. " Know ye not that 
 the friendship of the world is enmity with 
 God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of 
 the world is the enemy of God." 
 
 How can you clasp the hand of the world 
 that hates your Lord — that hates you, if you 
 in any way resemble Him ? You urge that 
 you frequent the society of worldlings as Jesus 
 did, and that He sat at the board of publicans 
 and sinners. Are you among them for the 
 

 THE WAY OF THE LORD. 141 
 
 same purpose ? — to rebuke the hypocrite and 
 Pharisee, and to succour the sin -stricken? If 
 your position and your powerless testimony for- 
 bid this, look well to it that you have the Master 
 you profess to follow as your example, and use 
 not an excuse for your own self-indulgence 
 which even the worldlings about you justly 
 deride. "If thine eye be single, thy whole 
 body shall be full of light." 
 
 I have heard a Christian man argue with 
 an ardour worthy of a better cause in defence 
 of entering the rifle corps. Have heavenly 
 citizens their portion in this life? Has the 
 Prince of peace commanded His followers to 
 cultivate earthly warfare? Has He not said, 
 " My kingdom is not of this world ; if My 
 kingdom were of this world, then would My 
 servants fight"? 
 
 Let those declare, who have once sought a 
 heavenly city, and now have joined the ranks 
 of the world's warfare, how much more they 
 now know of Him who has called them to 
 follow Him — how much deeper knowledge 
 have they gained of Him — how much sweeter 
 has been their communion — how much are 
 
• 142 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 they weaned from the world's snares and the 
 power of sin — since they voluntarily sought 
 the parade and false glory that the worldling 
 delights in ? 
 
 " Let the dead bury their dead." 
 
 Another believing brother pleaded the neces- 
 sity of retaining " manly sports," as he termed 
 cricket, for needful recreation. 
 
 " Certainly," replied the Christian addressed, 
 " if to serve the Lord Jesus is irksome to you, 
 and you require relaxation with the world, the 
 flesh, and the devil, and you find cricket assist 
 you in your heavenward course, continue it, 
 pray." 
 
 The cricket -ground has lost the Christian 
 brother, and his vacant place is a testimony 
 for the Lord beyond what any word which his 
 position contradicted could have been. You 
 may offer your hands, and your feet, and your 
 head, and your voice to the Lord, but without 
 your heart, it is a vain oblation. 
 
 Abraham was called " the friend of God ; " 
 but we find no such expression of endeared 
 familiarity bestowed on righteous Lot, though 
 he was " vexed with the filthy conversation of 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 143 
 
 the wicked." We do not hear of him praying 
 to be delivered from the evil men with whom 
 it was his choice to dwell, and from whom he 
 received the honour that cometh from men. 
 We find that he accepted a post of dignity 
 . from them, and sat in the gate. If he lived 
 among them for testimony, that testimony 
 was valueless ; for when he would have saved 
 his relatives from the impending ruin, they 
 heeded not his words : he was to them " as one 
 who mocked." It is true that he was saved 
 from destruction ; but it was almost by com- 
 pulsion. The Lord being merciful to him, he 
 was preserved. 
 
 If you are content with the world's honours 
 and favours, then you know nothing yet of 
 communion with a living God. If the onty 
 desire of your heart is the ill-defined hope of 
 salvation from eternal death, and not of salva- 
 tion from sin — if you live without fellowship 
 with the Lord Jesus Christ, and persuade your- 
 self that some natural attainment or peculiar 
 position is needful to maintain it, and that you, 
 a saved soul, may safely walk with the world, 
 your loss here and hereafter is great indeed. 
 
144 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Can you picture the day which followed 
 that solemn night wherein the destroying angel 
 passed over the blood-sprinkled lintels of the 
 Israelites' dwelling? Can you imagine tlicm 
 hastening to join with the Egyptians in their 
 pastimes, forgetting so soon their deliverance — 
 forsaking their own mercies ? 
 
 I remember, as I was entering into the assur- 
 ance of eternal life by Christ, the testimony 
 of a child who had paid a visit to a worldly 
 family of my acquaintance. On being invited 
 to join in some idle game, she steadily declined, 
 and sat apart while others were engaged in it. 
 Vainly was she urged to make one of the party. 
 On being pressed to give her reasons, she 
 replied with unflinching courage : 
 
 "I do not think it would please Jesus if I 
 joined in such foolish games." 
 
 The following Sunday afternoon the little 
 witness was sought for in vain. When ques- 
 tioned, she confessed that she had taken her 
 Bible to the kitchen, to read to the "dear 
 servants;" adding, "they seemed very much 
 surprised." Nevertheless, they accepted the 
 ministry of the child ; and the simple prayer 
 
 
THE WAY OF THE LOED. 145 
 
 that followed her Bible-reading must be still 
 remembered. " How is it that ye sought me ? 
 "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's 
 business ? " 
 
 Communion with God is not sanctification; 
 it is the fruit of sanctification. It is only 
 known by the heart purged from dead works, 
 and become a temple of the living God, — 
 not a hall of controversy on theology, nor an 
 arena for occasional worldly enjoyment. The 
 lack of the Church to-day is a lack of indi- 
 vidual holiness, and therefore of individual 
 testimony. The natural heart would substitute 
 forms and ceremonies, and mis- called "good 
 works," for life in Christ ; but " their webs 
 shall not become garments, neither shall they 
 cover themselves with their works." It is 
 easier to decorate the walls of edifices, than to 
 adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour ; and to 
 delight in wax candles on the altar, than in 
 " the Light of the world." 
 
 The Lord is nigh unto them that fear Him. 
 
 " He speaketh once, yea twice, yet man per- 
 
 ceiveth it not." He delights to walk with the 
 
 soul whom He has called out of darkness, but 
 
 L 
 
146 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 the heart is often so immersed in the things of 
 time, that, as at the inn at Bethlehem, there 
 is no room for the Holy Child Jesus. 
 
 "I see there is no way to keep in commu- 
 nion with God," writes one who walked with 
 Him, " but by strictly adhering to the words 
 of the apostle : ' I determined not to know any 
 thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him 
 crucified.' There must be a shutting-to of the 
 door of the soul against anything else ; not 
 only against sin, but also against any undue 
 care of or meddling with that to which we are 
 not called to attend." 
 
 To be blind and deaf to the evil around us, 
 we need the continual help of the Holy Spirit. 
 None but the Holy One can touch the leper 
 and be undefiled. Who cannot remember the 
 wandering glance; the thoughtless perusal of 
 the newspaper paragraph that fascinated the 
 careless mind off the watch ; the book whose 
 errors we intended to refute, and which took 
 us captive ; or the idle curiosity that led us to 
 look and linger ; following after, rather than 
 flying from, the fowler's snare ? 
 
 These are sinful failures that hinder us in 
 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 147 
 
 our communion, and leave us halting; and 
 the accuser will again raise them before us. 
 We can only escape them by fleeing anew to 
 the blood of Jesus, the High Priest of the hea- 
 venly sanctuary, who, being perfect Man and 
 perfect God, can alone cleanse and heal. 
 
 Must you then leave the city and go into 
 retirement, to walk with God ? Nay ! where 
 would you go, where sin and the world are 
 not ? Has not Jesus said, " T pray not that 
 Thou shouldest take them out of the world, 
 but that Thou shouldest keep them from the 
 evil. They are not of the world, even as I 
 am not of the world." If walls of brick and 
 stone could protect the soul against the sin 
 which they enclose, and if ceremonial services 
 and priestcraft had power to remit sin, then 
 the withdrawal from a life of testimony, before 
 and against an ungodly world, would be ac- 
 ceptable to God, — then Christians would be 
 safer in monasteries, or in any place of ascetic 
 seclusion. Such places have been most nume- 
 rous in the darkest periods. We are too prone 
 to reckon "the world" as comprehending the idle 
 amusements and enjoyments of the worldling, 
 
148 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 forgetting that " the world " is adapted to each 
 peculiar soul, and that it consists to each in 
 whatsoever he delights in out of God. 
 
 Be not tempted to believe that fellowship 
 with God is confined to a few who possess 
 some special gift, or who, in forced seclusion, 
 have an imaginary enjoyment of spiritual life. 
 Although those who are contented with a very 
 little of Christ's company are of the exceeding 
 number, yet His followers are far removed 
 from idle dreamers. Things of eternity are 
 things of reality. Communion is compatible 
 with health and vigour, with household care, 
 and faithful attendance on life's daily calling. 
 The trials that meet us here are but as the 
 goads and nails of true crucifixion ; they drive 
 us nearer to Jesus, to bring about His own 
 counsels for our advancement, to hedge us 
 up into a closer fellowship with Himself than 
 we could otherwise attain. Martyrdom is but 
 the outward fulfilment of inward crucifixion. 
 It is the crucified man who walks in resurrec- 
 tion life and power. " Deny thyself, take up thy 
 cross, and follow Me." This is war, not peace, 
 It is battle declared against the world, the 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 1-49 
 
 flesh, and the devil. " In Me," said Christ, " ye 
 have peace" — not in the world, there is no 
 promise of it there. The followers of the Master 
 must expect tribulation and hatred and scorn. 
 Life is everywhere set forth as a conflict. By his 
 halting Jacob proved that he had wrestled; 
 but Israel, prince as he was, had still to serve 
 and suffer. 
 
 Marvel not that you have but faint desires 
 after communion, or that you never realize its 
 joy, if your thoughts are engrossed by the 
 news of the world, your time wasted in the 
 ceremonious visit, the aimless letter, or the 
 current literature of the day — things on which 
 you ask no blessing, and expect none ; then it 
 is not strange that communion with the Father 
 and the Son is as an unexplored land to you. 
 I enquired of one dear to me, to whom the 
 Lord has said, " Come up hither," why she did 
 not visit the International Exhibition. She 
 replied, " I am longing after closer communion 
 with Jesus. I do not expect to find it at the 
 Exhibition, and therefore I do not go there." 
 
 If the spirits of the blessed could regret, 
 would she be re^rettine now that she turned 
 
150 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 from the things of time, which her natural 
 heart would have enjoyed, lest partaking of 
 them should hinder her realizing her union 
 with Christ. 
 
 You may plead that you are not in a posi- 
 tion favourable to the development of the 
 divine life. Then you charge the Divine Giver 
 of that life with injustice. To you He is the 
 hard Master, the "austere man," gathering 
 where He has not strown. 
 
 It is true there are seasons when the Lord 
 Himself may lead you into Egypt ; but beware 
 how you seek such a place for yourself, listen- 
 ing to Satan's deceitful suggestion, "Perhaps 
 you may do good." Such places of testimony, 
 if accepted from the Lord in prayer and watch- 
 fulness, bring forth blessing ; but only so : for 
 it is written, "Come out from among them, 
 and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean 
 thing." With your eye on Jesus, you may pass 
 through the enemy's land as safely as the 
 young Israelites walked through the fiery fur- 
 nace before the multitude ; as securely as the 
 man greatly beloved spent the night in the den 
 of lions. The God whom Daniel served in the 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 151 
 
 court of kings delivered him : He is able to 
 deliver you. 
 
 The soul must go on from strength to 
 strength. The Holy Child Jesus was brought 
 forth amid the herd at the wayside inn, but He 
 did not live there. He grew in wisdom and 
 stature, in meek obedience to His earthly 
 parents ; and when the set time was fully 
 come He went up to Jerusalem. He must be 
 about His Father's business. 
 
 The soul born of God is not bidden to for- 
 sake the duties clearly marked out for him. 
 Some think that they can only preach Christ 
 by forsaking their daily calling, and that there 
 is no way of recommending the gospel but by 
 proclaiming it to a crowd. Doubtless many 
 are called to do so; but many more, as they 
 go, preach, even while they think they have 
 no service for the Lord they love. They take 
 up the cross, and bear it before their worldly 
 family, or beneath the sneers of a godless neigh- 
 bourhood : they are most effectually preaching 
 by living the truth, oftentimes too lightly 
 spoken and too faintly realized. There is a 
 power in reality that even the scoffer does not 
 
152 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 gainsay in his heart. That power flows from 
 fellowship with God alone — it is the Spirit's 
 witness. (Song of Solomon, i. 12.) 
 
 Is any longing to be able to say, "This is my 
 Beloved, this is my Friend"? Is the desolate 
 heart crying, " Where dwellest Thou ?" Hark ! 
 His reply is, " Come and see." 
 
 You may be desiring fellowship with Jesus, 
 and yet be seeking by sense what is only given 
 to faith. You may look for it in some great 
 enterprise, and miss it in the every-day walk 
 of life. You may deny that you are hindered 
 through unbelief, and yet it is a virtual denial 
 of Christ to make to ourselves another Christ 
 than the One revealed to us. " This is the 
 work of God, that ye believe on Him whom 
 He hath sent." To believe on Him is to live 
 with Him— to glorify Him. It is not enough | 
 to know that there are treasures for us : if we 
 would really possess them, we must stretch 
 forth our hands for them, receive them, and 
 hold fast our confidence to the end. If you 
 are indeed longing after this good land, then 
 acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace. 
 For this you need not wait till you have 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 153 
 
 climbed some difficult point of experience. No 
 intellectual study will give it to you. "Whence 
 then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of 
 understanding?" (Job xxviii. 20.) The secret 
 is simple faith in Christ Jesus, the wisdom of 
 God, and the power of God. This is received 
 hour by hour, throwing a light and interest 
 over the commonest affairs of every-day life. 
 
 The service of the sanctuary is not always 
 carried on in the sight of the multitude, nor 
 in the presence of our brethren. There are 
 those who stand by night in the temple of the 
 Lord. The service consists in the acceptance 
 and faithful performance of the allotted work. 
 The post of each servant is alike honourable and 
 of equal responsibility : " for unto whomsoever 
 much is given, of him shall be much required ; 
 and to whom men have committed much, of 
 him they will ask the more." (Luke xii. 48.) 
 
 Baal-hanan the Gederite, the overseer of the 
 olive trees and sycamore trees in the low plains 
 (1 Chron. xxvii. 28), had his work without the 
 house. But the oil from the crushed berry 
 called for the service of Joash : he was ap- 
 pointed guardian over the cellars of oil. Both 
 
154 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 were needed; each must faithfully fulfil his 
 office. 
 
 So now, we have our Gederites in the olive 
 groves in the sight of men, who know nothing 
 of the hidden treasures over which some chosen 
 Joash keeps his vigilant watch. None are ex- 
 empt from the life of faith ; for " without faith 
 it is impossible to please Him ; for he that 
 cometh to God must believe that He is, and 
 that He is a rewarder of them that diligently 
 seek Him." (Heb. xi. 6.) "The knowledge of 
 His will in all wisdom and spiritual under- 
 standing" is the spring of service — "that ye 
 might walk worthy of the Lord unto all 
 pleasing, being fruitful in every good work." 
 (Col. i. 10.) 
 
 If we will be children, led by the Spirit, 
 renouncing our own wisdom, and willing to be 
 nothing, I believe we shall see and hear Him 
 who came to do the will of His Father. 
 
 All service ought surely to flow from com- 
 munion with the Father and the guidance of 
 the Holy Spirit; and the outward act should be 
 an act of faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is 
 sin. In this way tract distribution, the Sunday- 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 155 
 
 school class, and every other kind of Christian 
 work, would be as great a blessing to the giver 
 as to the receiver. There might be less actually 
 done ; there would be less to be burnt up. My 
 own service and testimony are for the most 
 part within a narrow limit ; but, nevertheless, 
 it is possible that the same experience would 
 hold good in a far wider sphere. I have found 
 that the " word spoken in season " must come 
 from God, if it is to reach the heart, and the 
 seed must be committed to Him, if we expect 
 to gather the grain. 
 
 I remember, in a time of affliction, when I 
 had been long a prisoner to the house through 
 sickness, I desired to be used, feeble instrument 
 as I am, by my gracious Lord, who had laden 
 me with benefits. It was a bright afternoon, 
 and the necessity of air to assist my recovery, 
 after many months of illness, led me to seek 
 the will of the Lord in what manner I could 
 at the same time serve Him. The case of a sick 
 person whom I could perhaps help was brought 
 under my notice. I was unable to walk, and had 
 it been otherwise, the distance was beyond my 
 
156 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 strength. I therefore proposed taking a cab. 
 Desiring that the Lord should guide 
 step, I walked softly, that I might not miss 
 any token of His guiding hand. Several cabs 
 passed me as I waited, but I did not feel five 
 to use any of them. I was weary, and I sought 
 the Lord's guidance before returning to the 
 house, which was within a few yards of the 
 place where I stood. The object of my journey 
 I had seen plainly enough placed before me ; 
 the way of its accomplishment was yet to be 
 made known. 
 
 I reasoned in vain, and returned to the sim- 
 plicity of the babe, and prayed that my tender 
 Father would show me in what conveyance He 
 would have me go. My eye was led to an omni- 
 bus that was waiting for a change of horses. 
 This gave me time to reach it, and on finding 
 that it went to the end of the square I desired to 
 visit I entered it. AVhen I say I felt God with 
 me, those who know His presence as their jos 
 and strength will understand the feeling with 
 which I took my seat in the omnibus. A 
 coarse-looking grazier from the cattle-market 
 was the only occupant. He was making up his 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 157 
 
 accounts, and counting his money. I would not 
 interrupt him. I sat still and prayed. But when 
 his accounts were finished, I offered him a tract. 
 His first impulse was to thrust it back; his 
 second to keep it. He looked at my mourning 
 dress, and then in my face. God moved him to 
 relent, and he held the tract still in his hand. 
 T spoke a few words, to which he gave a gruff 
 but not insolent answer. The omnibus door 
 opened, and a gentleman and lady entered, the 
 latter careless-looking and fashionably dressed. 
 
 The grazier's eyes said, as plainly as eyes 
 could say, " Ah, you gave a tract to me ; you'll 
 give none to those fine folk." 
 
 Again I laid my feeble heart before the Eock 
 of my strength, and prayed Him to brace it 
 for the next struggle ; for I confess I had found 
 it easier to give the tract to the rough grazier 
 than to the fine gentleman. 
 
 Did you ever trust in God and were con- 
 founded ? 
 
 No ! My fingers moved amongst the mes- 
 sengers of mercy, believing God was with me. 
 I am no heroine ; my heart beat very fast, and 
 my hand trembled, but I offered our smart 
 
158 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 companion a tract, and the lady also, and they 
 received them. The grazier's eyes were on me, 
 and he smiled such entire approbation that I 
 felt cheered. Now he looked at the tract I had 
 given him, and then read it; and, with his 
 horny fingers, he smoothed it carefully in folds, 
 and, opening his pocket-book, laid it amongst 
 his paper money, and placed it in his breast. 
 
 My weak hand was strong that day, for I 
 knew who had done it all. 
 
 A poor forlorn woman joined us ; she sat 
 near me, and read a little book that I had given 
 her, and I saw tears in her eyes. As each per- 
 son came in I sought a fresh anointing ; and, I 
 can truly say it, the Lord was there. When we 
 reached my destination, I had one messenger 
 left, which I gave to the conductor, who touched 
 his hat and put the tract in his pocket. 
 
 The exercise of faith, and hope, and prayer, 
 to which the little journey gave rise, taught me 
 a lesson which I have not forgotten. Surely the 
 Lord will often teach us in the sunshine of His 
 smile, if we will be but babes. 
 
 There was nothing actually done before my 
 eyes to show that my tract distribution was 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 159 
 
 successful. Granted. I had asked the Lord to 
 let me serve Him — I, who am the least in my 
 Father's house. He knew what He wanted 
 done. I did not ask for results, I only asked to 
 do His will ; and He gave me the blessed con- 
 sciousness that I had done it, and that He had 
 smiled on me in the doing. 
 
 Martha is often left to "serve alone;" she 
 loves serving. Mary is not alone ; the object 
 of her desire is before her. Yet she is serving 
 Him by sitting silently listening to the voice of 
 the Beloved. Oh to be found oftener there ! 
 
 Out of living communion with a living God 
 should flow life and service. And there may be 
 as much obedience in walking silently, or in 
 travelling silently, as in giving tracts and books. 
 Prayer is always ministration, and the way is 
 opened for the word by a mighty hand, if our 
 eyes are up unto Him who maketh a way in 
 the darkest wilderness. 
 
 I know that many are troubled in regard 
 to tract distribution, and also as to speaking 
 to their fellow-travellers on railway and other 
 journeys. This ought not to be. Waiting on 
 the Lord will make all plain; watching Him 
 
L60 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 :ed 
 he 
 
 will prevent many a fiery dart of the Wicked 
 One from reaching the willing workers ; and the 
 heart bent on doing His will, and the eye on 
 Him, is service, though none else behold it. 
 
 The fact of your having a tract in your 
 pocket, is not the reason why you should give 
 it, without asking counsel of the Lord. You 
 see a wearied man, with closed eyes, sitting in 
 a corner of the carriage. You may know him 
 by sight, as one of the earnest labourers in the 
 vineyard. You judge him — why does he not 
 give away tracts, or speak to these people who 
 are talking recklessly and lightly around ? Let 
 him alone. He is resting his weary head upon 
 a Saviour's loving bosom; he is holding com- 
 munion with Him who has upheld him through 
 the labours, and trials, and temptations of the 
 day. (And oh that we had more communion, 
 in these days of restless activity!) Neither 
 expect him to give a tract, nor break that 
 moment's peace by offering him one. 
 
 To walk with God is the secret of blessing ; 
 less may be visibly done, but that little will 
 have glorified the Lord in the soul so exercised, 
 and bear on it the impress of God's work, not 
 man's. 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 161 
 
 This journey in the omnibus had a special 
 preparation for me. It led me to accept the 
 least service, if called on to follow the Lord ; 
 and there is great need of watchfulness to be 
 kept from all delusions of Satan, in waiting as 
 well as working. The witness of the Spirit is 
 never denied to the seeking soul, that desires 
 to be conformed to Him who came to do the 
 will of His Father and our Father. 
 
 I had some business to be transacted in a 
 distant part of the country, for which it ap- 
 peared needful to employ a solicitor. He gave 
 me some idea of the probable expense, which 
 far exceeded what I expected. While ponder- 
 ing what the Lord's will was in the case, it 
 came to my mind that by His help I could go 
 myself, and that He would direct my path, and 
 give me understanding of the matter in hand. 
 I was not hasty in deciding ; but this was from 
 natural reasons. I hoped that some other way 
 might yet be opened whereby I could escape 
 the cross, for cross it was. 
 
 After a few clays an envelope reached me, 
 containing the sum which would have paid the 
 expenses of the solicitor, had he undertaken 
 
 M 
 
162 THE SECRET OF THE LOKD. 
 
 the journey as he proposed As far as outward 
 
 circumstances could be taken for guide, with- 
 out the witness of the Spirit, I should have 
 felt justified in employing him, and avoiding 
 the journey. I believe this was a test whether 
 I would serve the Lord or not. I truly sought 
 to be guided, and the more I watched and 
 prayed, the fuller was the confirmation that the 
 Lord had chosen me to go. 
 
 I had been confined to my sick-room in my 
 little lodgings for the winter and spring. The 
 prostration consequent on over-exertion tolc 
 (as it ever will) upon shattered nerves and an 
 over-wrought frame. I could not realize any- 
 thing but pain, and the troubles and temp 
 tations of the way. All happy communion 
 seemed shut out by clouds and shadows. I was 
 leaving friends, with whom I had happy fellow- 
 ship, to go among those who neither lovec 
 my Lord, nor believed the full blessed trutl 
 of revelation. It was indeed going down into 
 Egypt. 
 
 The day previous to my departure my cup 
 was quite full. I was tempted to think that 
 was acting out a delusion ; and that because 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 163 
 
 nature shrank from the journey I called it a 
 cross, and wanted to bear it in spiritual pride. 
 Satan came in like a flood ; faith failed ! 
 
 I sat upon the floor, my portmanteau was 
 half packed, and leaning my aching head upon 
 it, in very weariness I wept bitterly. My pre- 
 cious Lord who wept on earth was watching 
 the weeper, and waiting to heal and comfort. 
 Among the litter scattered around lay fragments 
 of packing-paper, in which some articles from 
 a warehouse had been folded. Mechanically I 
 rolled a slip on my fingers; as I did so the 
 words "the Lord Almighty" caught my eye. 
 Instantly I smoothed the torn and crumpled 
 leaf, and read, "I, who commanded thee to take 
 this journey, am the Lord Almighty. I will he 
 with thee to Mess thee." 
 
 Never will that moment be obliterated from 
 my heart, for still in the eternal kingdom I 
 shall tell the wondrous tale of eternal love to 
 the worst of sinners. Had Gabriel suddenly 
 appeared to me as before Zacharias, and de- 
 clared the message of the Lord of Hosts, these 
 glad tidings could not have shaken my soul 
 with more astounding power. It was as if God 
 
164 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 were speaking face to face with me, as with His 
 servants of old. I believed the message was 
 for me. My countenance was no more sad. 
 I finished my labours with a light heart. 
 Without a pang I left behind me all I loved ; 
 for had not my Lord said, " I will be with thee 
 to bless thee"?* 
 
 I accomplished my long journey, but with 
 more obstacles than had hitherto met me on 
 my travels. We say, "It is the Lord!" when 
 all earthly good prospers according to our 
 natural desires. We enclose a great multitude 
 of fishes, and we believe God is with us. But 
 when He leads beneath stormy skies, we do not 
 recognize the loving Lord who walks upon the 
 rough waters where our bark is tempest-tossed ; 
 yet the trial of faith and love thus being proved 
 in these lonely hours with Jesus only, is as 
 
 * A few words on the message so blessedly used to my 
 solace and deliverance. Not another sentence was legible, 
 but a line at the edge of a corresponding leaf opened to me 
 another anthem of praise. It was a fragment of "The 
 Penny Pulpit,'' and I had prayed many times for the 
 preacher who had delivered the sermon; why or wherefore 
 I could not tell, as I had no personal knowledge of him 
 beyond the simple fact of seeing his name in print, and my 
 mind being attracted to him. 
 
 
THE WAY OF THE LOED. 165 
 
 mighty a display of grace, and as precious in 
 His sight, as when * the seventy returned again 
 with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are sub- 
 ject unto us through thy name." (Luke x. 17.) 
 
 Previous to my leaving London, the editor of 
 "The Life of Eichard Weaver" had called on 
 me, and brought me the only copy of the book 
 ready from the press. We prayed together for 
 the work in general, and for this copy in par- 
 ticular, trusting it would have some mission 
 in the worldly family where for a brief season 
 I must sojourn. 
 
 I arrived at the house where I was to re- 
 main, until the business which had taken me 
 into the country was arranged. In spite of the 
 sweet love-message which I still cherished, I 
 was often heart-sick and sad at all that sur- 
 rounded me, so utterly was my beloved Master 
 despised. But the Lord was using His enemies 
 for my enlargement. 
 
 The Lord had given me much favour in the 
 eyes of the housekeeper, a faithful, conscien- 
 tious person, but without any knowledge of 
 her own state as a lost sinner, and consequently 
 without any desire after Him who is the Sa- 
 
166 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 viour. I strove to lead her to hear what God 
 had said of our own righteousness, but without 
 any visible result. One afternoon she told me 
 that a young girl, who had been a servant in 
 the family, lay sick at home. Her mother's 
 cottage was within a drive. She offered to put 
 a basket of provisions in the carriage, suitable 
 for the sick girl, if I would go to the next 
 village and see her. She was very anxious 
 that I should not forget some tracts: "And 
 be sure," she added, "take your Bible; for 
 the poor sinners here have no one to teach 
 them." 
 
 On this I said, "Are you a sinner ?" 
 
 " No," she replied with an expression of 
 entire self-satisfaction ; " I never did any harm 
 to any one in all my life ; but these poor crea- 
 tures are very ignorant." 
 
 The Holy Ghost can alone convince of sin. 
 She remained immovable ; and I have since 
 thought that she was glad to find me service 
 outside the house, to prevent my troubling the 
 peace within. 
 
 The carriage arrived at the door before I 
 expected it, and hurriedly taking my bag from 
 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 167 
 
 the drawing-room table, I was on my way to 
 the cottage, accompanied by a pretty, careless 
 girl, one of the family of my host. 
 
 The lanes we drove through were bright in 
 the sunshine after a recent shower, and the air 
 was perfumed by the tasselled larch, and the 
 sweet scent of the meadows. Everything was 
 fresh and lovely. 
 
 The sick-room in the cottage, and the suffer- 
 ing face of the poor invalid, were a contrast to 
 the scene without. Her mother was a garrulous 
 old woman, with a ready joke and laugh, and 
 appeared quite regardless of her daughter's 
 state, which was evidently very critical. To 
 me she seemed fast sinking ; but the girl her- 
 self spoke 'cheerfully of her recovery, and was 
 sanguine of soon taking her place again in the 
 household which she served. 
 
 With such companions, the task of visiting 
 this poor girl with purposes of love was an 
 almost hopeless matter, as far as the instrument 
 was concerned. But my trust was not in an 
 arm of flesh, but in the living God. I prayed, 
 and waited. Soon I saw the Lord working for 
 me. The old woman led my companion to the 
 
168 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 end of a long granary, where their voices were 
 scarcely audible, and thence into the garden, 
 and I was left alone with the sick girl. I at 
 once spoke to her of the possible termination 
 of her sickness by death, and asked her if she 
 knew anything of Jesus as the good Shepherd 
 and the great Physician. The face of the girl 
 was turned to me in wonder. She listened as 
 if it were a new song. She did not say she 
 "hoped that her sins were pardoned," or she 
 " trusted that God would be merciful." She 
 only looked up into my face with eager and 
 absorbed interest, leaning on her elbow towards 
 me, as if she would not lose a word. But as I 
 told her, if she saw herself a sinner, that Jesus 
 stood there ready to receive her, the tears fell 
 fast over her wan face, while an expression of 
 grateful love lighted up her countenance. I 
 repeated a few texts to her, and, finding that 
 we were still undisturbed, I opened my bag for 
 my Bible. Great was my consternation ; no 
 Bible was there, nor even a tract, — only the 
 "Life of Eichard Weaver," which I had taken 
 by mistake for my pocket Bible as it lay be- 
 side it. Disappointed and grieved, I replaced 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 169 
 
 it in my bag. We were interrupted by my 
 companion, who summoned me to the carriage. 
 My time had expired. With a sense of utter 
 helplessness, and in deep regret for my want of 
 care, I lifted up my heart to the Lord who is 
 mighty to save. 
 
 I felt strangely comforted. With my hand 
 on the book, the whisper of that voice of love, 
 which is heard when the earth keeps silence 
 before it, came distinct and clear, " Give it." 
 Again I lifted up my heart, and again came 
 the gentle suggestion " Give it." With a silent 
 prayer for spiritual blessing, I gave the book, 
 and told the poor girl it was hers if she desired 
 it. She looked at the bright green cover, and 
 turning over a page or two, her eye lingered 
 delightedly on a paragraph concerning the lost 
 sheep. Her face beaming with joy, she eagerly 
 thrust the volume in the bed, as her mother 
 entered the room. I bade the poor girl farewell, 
 promising soon to see her again, if the Lord 
 permitted. The loving look of gratitude which 
 followed me to the door soothed and cheered 
 me. I felt that I had done nothing but lead 
 her thoughts to the probable termination of her 
 
170 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 illness, and to the mighty love of the good 
 Shepherd, who laid down His life for His 
 sheep. 
 
 On my return, I told the housekeeper how ill 
 I thought the servant ; but she would not be- 
 lieve it, and insisted on keeping open her place 
 in the household, confident that she would be 
 able to resume her duties, as she had done 
 before. I was suddenly called away, and was 
 detained for a fortnight. My first question 
 on entering the house again was, " How is 
 Susan?" 
 
 "Dead!" was the startling reply that fell 
 heavily on my ear. 
 
 " Dead ! " I repeated. 
 
 " Yes, dead — died mad ! And they say you 
 made her so. And they are all ready to do 
 anything to you, if you go there." 
 
 "Mad!" I said, greatly shocked. "What did 
 she do ? " 
 
 " Why she cried all night, and said she was 
 going to hell, and called herself a lost sinner, 
 poor young creature. She begged her mother to 
 fetch the kind lady who had spoken to her, for 
 she would help her." 
 
THE WAY OF THE LOEB. 171 
 
 "And did she come?" I enquired, trembling 
 lest they had sought for me in vain. 
 
 "No!" replied the indignant housekeeper; 
 f it was something in that book you gave her 
 that did the mischief. She read it, and read 
 it again, and cried and sobbed. At last they 
 fetched the doctor. He ordered the book to be 
 taken away, and said it had killed her (though 
 he had not been to see her for weeks). But she 
 wept and prayed to have her book again. So 
 they sent for the parson. He said her mind 
 was quite gone, and you and your book had 
 done it. 
 
 " Two or three days after this she awoke her 
 mother early in the morning. She was quite 
 cheerful. She said, ' Mother, I am so happy ; 
 I am going to live with Jesus ; I have seen it 
 all in a dream. I shall walk with Him in the 
 green pastures I saw last night.'" 
 
 And with some few more words precious to 
 my sorrowful heart, she died. 
 
 Lord God Almighty, Thou art faithful! Ac- 
 cording to Thy promise Thou didst go with me 
 on this journey, and Thou didst bless me. 
 Glory to Thee alone ! 
 
172 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 The housekeeper, however much she was 
 opposed to the doctrine of grace, prepared my 
 way from time to time among "the poor sin- 
 ners." Three of these were backsliders. One 
 from marriage with an unbeliever ; the others, 
 like Lot, had chosen the fertile land, and dis- 
 regarded the upper springs. Thus from luke- 
 warmness they had fallen into careless walking 
 and deadness of soul. 
 
 The housekeeper, notwithstanding her dis- 
 pleasure at the loss of her favourite servant, 
 begged the book which, as she said, had been 
 the cause of her death, to keep in remembrance 
 of her. My own path was full of trial ; but 
 abounding grace sustained, protected, and de- 
 livered me. 
 
 Dear reader, if you go into Egypt, be sure 
 the God of Israel has commanded you; then 
 "be strong and of a good courage; be not 
 afraid, neither be thou dismayed : for the Lord 
 thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." 
 (Joshua i. 9.) 
 
 I do not ask it otherwise, 
 
 spotless Son of God ; 
 I do not ask to tread a path 
 
 That Thou hast never trod. 
 
THE WAY OF THE LORD. 173 
 
 Better to suffer — better far 
 
 To taste the cup of woe, 
 Than miss Thy smile of tenderness, 
 
 My light and joy below. 
 
 It is enough to know Thy will, 
 
 And meekly follow Thee ; 
 Enough ! Thou wilt not lead me, Lord, 
 
 "Where Thou canst never be. 
 
 Then shall I weigh the worldling's sneer, 
 
 Or dread the laugh of scorn ; 
 Sharing with Thy sweet fellowship, 
 
 The griefs that Thou hast borne ? 
 
174 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE SYMPATHY OF JESTJS. 
 
 "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of 
 them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 
 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 
 Fear ye not therefore ; ye are of more value than many 
 sparrows." — Matt. x. 29-31. 
 
 =<HERE is nothing great or small to Him 
 who rules the world. Page after page 
 in God's blessed Book reveals this. 
 Those who delight to follow the un- 
 folding of the Divine purpose, in the 
 minute chain of circumstance developed there, 
 will love to see God everywhere, and to find 
 a speech and language in the daily events of 
 life : the heart will be full of Him who filleth 
 all creation. 
 
 When the stripling shepherd took the parched 
 corn and loaves to his brethren, it was his first 
 step towards the throne. Ahasuerus's sleepless 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 175 
 
 night led to Mordecai's promotion. When Ruth 
 went forth to glean in the fields of Boaz, she 
 knew not that her foot was on her own fair 
 inheritance. When the woman of Samaria 
 carried her pitcher to the well, it was to meet 
 One greater than her father Abraham, and One 
 who gave unto her the living water. 
 
 The Lord, who would have His own to be 
 all things to all men, will be all things to us 
 according to bur faith. To the soul that will 
 only be satisfied with intimate and unbroken 
 fellowship He manifests Himself as the Friend 
 who sticketh closer than a brother. What- 
 ever thy need, the almighty Lord can meet 
 it. Aforetime He condescended to encourage 
 the timorous Gideon by a twofold sign, and 
 strengthen him by the narration of a dream. 
 He manifests Himself to the doubting Thomas 
 in the way best calculated to dispel his doubt 
 and remove his unbelief. 
 
 He is still the same Jesus. He knows the 
 hearts He has to deal with. He knew what 
 we were when He called us to follow Him. 
 He foresaw that we should distrust Him, deny 
 Him, forsake Him. But He is the almighty 
 
176 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 God, and not man ; He loves us with an ever- 
 lasting love. 
 
 The Lord who said, " I will bring the blind 
 by a way they know not," also promised, 
 "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, 
 saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye 
 turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to 
 the left." 
 
 You commit yourself to the guidance of 
 even a stranger who knows the point you desire 
 to reach; and when you hear his voice cheer- 
 ing you onward, you take courage, though the 
 mountain path be steep, and the mists blind 
 your eyes. Will you give less confiding trust 
 to Him who saith, "All power is given unto 
 Me in heaven and in earth ;" " Follow Me " ? 
 
 The minute thread of heavenly blessing run- 
 ning through the following incident, I always 
 remember, as one of the teachers which the 
 Lord has chosen I should behold for His praise 
 and glory. (Isa. xxx. 20.) 
 
 One morning I found on my writing-table 
 two numbers of The Revival which had been 
 removed from a drawer, where the periodical 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 177 
 
 usually remained until the end of the month, 
 when I forwarded a package into the country. 
 I replaced them. The following day the servant 
 had placed them again on my writing-table 
 with some books. They were in my way; 
 impatiently I put them aside. As I did so, I 
 felt ashamed of my impetuosity, and sat down 
 before the Lord grieved in spirit. I considered 
 how often I was irritated by trifles, in which, 
 when I had taken them to Him, I subsequently 
 found blessing, and I began to enquire of the 
 Lord why it was thus. 
 
 I thought that I might have omitted to 
 read one of these papers; but, on looking at 
 the date, I remembered that it was a very 
 interesting number; and as I held it prayer- 
 fully in my hand, it struck me that I had 
 possibly overlooked something that the Lord 
 intended as a blessing for me. I carefully 
 perused the first page or two, when my atten- 
 tion was arrested by the account of a blind 
 boy learning to read by means of raised letters. 
 I had read it all before, but I could proceed no 
 further. The Spirit of the Lord most clearly 
 said to me — 
 
 N 
 
178 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 " Send him eighteen-pence." 
 
 I replied, " Lord, I know not where he lives." 
 
 I sat quietly waiting, and it was brought to 
 ray mind that I could forward the money to a 
 person living in or near the same village, and 
 that thus it would reach him. A text was given 
 me to enclose, which I wrote. I addressed an 
 envelope to the person who should forward the 
 stamps, and proceeded to direct one to the 
 blind youth himself. One or two very common 
 envelopes lay before me, but my hand was on 
 a good one with a deep mourning border. I 
 reasoned that the common one would do equally 
 well, and laid the other aside. Hastily com- 
 pleting the matter, I sought a messenger to 
 post my letter. 
 
 In vain. The rain poured in torrents. But 
 rain or sunshine was of little account to me ; 
 a desolation of spirit had fallen on me, which 
 no sunshine could dispel. Amazed and afraid, 
 I enquired, as I often have to do, " Why is it 
 thus with me?" "Had I not done the Lord's 
 will in the Lord's time ?" Yes. But had I done 
 it in the Lord's way ? I took the letter from 
 the mantel- shelf, and opened it. There was 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 179 
 
 the text as given — the stamps my loving Lord 
 had permitted me to send. Something was 
 lacking: what was it? It was the best en- 
 velope. 
 
 I argued, "The blind boy cannot see it." 
 Nay ; it was for the Lord. 
 
 At last I thought, Can it really be that the 
 Lord wishes me to use the best envelope? 
 Then I was willing to be a fool for Christ's 
 sake; and I was able to say, "Lord, it is a 
 little thing ; but it is better to do it, believing 
 it is thy will, than miss Thee by not doing 
 it." Accordingly I addressed the long black- 
 bordered envelope to the blind boy, and again 
 enclosed it. 
 
 Then the earth-mist of unbelief floated away 
 before the light of the Sun of Eighteousness, 
 and my heart was glad. Before the post time 
 a messenger was found, for the rain had ceased. 
 My letter was posted, and I rested peacefully 
 on the Eock of my heart. 
 
 It was bread cast upon the waters. About 
 two months after this, in a season of great 
 depression from trial and temptation, a dear 
 servant of the Lord called on me. I was not 
 
 N 2 
 
180 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 
 in the house; but the servant sought me, 
 saying a stranger had called, and that he 
 could only remain a short time. I went in 
 full of hope. I knew not why. I felt sure 
 the Lord would comfort me through His own 
 messenger. 
 
 After we had spoken a little, he said, smiling, 
 " So you have a correspondent at K ? " 
 
 " No," I replied ; " I have none there." 
 
 " That is strange," he answered ; " I thought 
 I knew your handwriting. I was in a cottage 
 there one day, and among the papers and let- 
 ters in the casement I saw a black-bordered 
 envelope. This attracted my attention, and 
 I said to the woman, 'Who is your corres- 
 pondent?'" 
 
 "'Ah, sir,' she replied, 'that is a w r onderful 
 answer to prayer. Poor Leonard has his "blind 
 books," you know. He has almost all the Tes- 
 tament now, and he wanted a box for them. 
 The carpenter said that he would make him 
 one for fifteen -pence. So Leonard prayed to 
 the Lord to send him the money. There came 
 this letter, as you see, with eighteen -pence in 
 stamps and this text, which was indeed for 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 181 
 
 him. We don't know the name ; but Leonard 
 always prays for his "friend in London."'" 
 
 Precious, precious return! A flood of thanks- 
 giving rushed through my clouded heart, and 
 carried doubt and distrust away. 
 
 The gracious Teacher who was moulding my 
 ungracious heart was gathering up the blind 
 boy's prayer. " Fear not, ye are of more value 
 than many sparrows." 
 
 "What is thy Beloved more than another 
 beloved, that thou dost so charge us?" (Song 
 of Solomon, v. 9.) 
 
 " Saw ye my soul's Beloved, 
 The faithful and the true ? 
 Tell Him I seek Him, sighing, 
 Longing to see Him too. 
 
 " Tell Him, oh, tell Him for me, 
 His steps I cannot trace ; 
 I pine till He restore me 
 The sunshine of His face." 
 
 " Who is thy soul's Beloved ? 
 And whither is He gone ? 
 Why charge us thus ? We know not 
 Thy lost beloved One." 
 
 " My Love is white and ruddy : 
 Who can His charms declare? 
 The chief among ten thousand, 
 And altogether fair. 
 
182 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 u I slumbered in the garden, 
 I wandered from the way, 
 I lost the light that led me, 
 My joy has passed away. 
 
 " I sought Him in the broad way, 
 In the city's streets in vain ; 
 Returning to the valley, 
 I found my Love again." 
 
 By visible and by invisible means the Lord 
 nswers the need of the heart. His resources 
 are infinite, and He loves that we should believe 
 they are so. 
 
 A few years ago my faith was tried by the 
 agony of a bereaved mother weeping for her 
 first-born. Grief had blinded her eyes to life's 
 daily duties and to God's tender love. In vain I 
 sought to comfort her ; it was human comfort : 
 the words fell on her ear, but never touched 
 her heart. She only realized her darling in the 
 grave, and sighed to behold him again. 
 
 At last one evening I felt I had been seeking 
 to console her myself, and had not carried her 
 grief to Him who is the Comforter. I pra} T ed 
 Him that night to soothe and comfort her in 
 His own way; for only He who made a parent's 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 183 
 
 heart so tender, and knew the treasure He had 
 gathered, could minister to her overwrought 
 mind. I left her for the first time at the mercy- 
 seat. The following morning she met me with 
 a smile. She told me that in a dream of the 
 night she had beheld her child, bright and 
 blooming as before the brief illness which 
 carried him to his rest. He drew back the blue 
 curtain of the sky, and smiling upon her, told 
 her she must wait a little longer patiently, and 
 that then they should meet again. 
 
 I was touched by the gracious pity that fell 
 on the sorrow of a mother's heart ; and she 
 learned another lesson of heavenly love, and 
 ivas comforted. 
 
 She knew her child was safe with Jesus. 
 There was no assurance needed for that ; nor 
 would a dream or vision have strengthened her 
 conviction. Bright was the testimony of the 
 power of the life of Christ in her son, a boy of 
 twelve years of age. We had only to track his 
 footsteps here to know his resting-place there. 
 bruised and bleeding hearts ! seek ye the 
 pierced hand of Jesus, who came to bind up 
 the broken-hearted and comfort all that mourn. 
 
184 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 The sympathy of the Lord is full and free, and 
 unlike our niggard gift of love to others. 
 
 There was a Christian girl who had a friend 
 to whom she was tenderly attached. The foun- 
 dation of that friendship was the only one that 
 never fails — it was knit in Christ. The means 
 of instruction were scant around them, and 
 the two young witnesses stood alone in their 
 families, helping and encouraging each other 
 on a way beset with difficulties. The one with 
 whom I was acquainted was assailed with 
 temptation, partly on questions as to the sepa- 
 rate state — a wile of the Evil One to draw her 
 from her simplicity, and entangle her in vain 
 philosophy. 
 
 She proposed to her friend, that in case of 
 the death of either of them, if still together, 
 they should mutually strengthen each other 
 by making known any consciousness of glory 
 beyond the grave. 
 
 She said to me, " My dear Helen fell sick 
 soon after. Great was my grief. In the few 
 weeks during which she was rapidly fading, her 
 growth in grace was so visible that I know now 
 that the Holy Ghost was her teacher. She told 
 
 . 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 185 
 
 me that she was thankful for her illness, as it 
 left her more alone with Jesus, and she could 
 now pass much of her time on her knees. 
 
 " I did not realize that I should lose her, or 
 know how my heart would be drawn from my 
 dying to my undying Friend. She grew sud- 
 denly worse. I was sent for at her request, and 
 when I entered the room I saw that she was 
 greatly changed. She lay motionless, without 
 evidence of life. I feared that she had passed 
 away, and I had not been near her to receive 
 her last look or hear her last word. 
 
 " After long waiting her pulse again beat. A 
 faint colour appeared on her lips, while her face 
 literally shone like an angel's. 
 
 " She turned to me, and said in a clear voice, 
 'I have been to heaven! but I shall remain 
 here a little longer. Such nearness to Christ 
 have I experienced ! such views of the atone- 
 ment ! It is impossible to speak of it or 
 describe it.' 
 
 "I said to her, f Eemember, Helen, if you see 
 or know anything of the glory as you leave me, 
 let me know.' ' I will,' she answered solemnly ; 
 ' it is a covenant between us.' 
 
186 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 u She appeared better ; but I returned home, 
 heavy at heart to leave her. 
 
 " Before many days had passed, drawn by 
 the force of our fond eternal affection, I again 
 returned to her. As I had feared, my beloved 
 friend was suddenly worse. Convulsions had 
 seized her. Her end threatened to be one of 
 terrible sufferings. Vainly her nurse and some 
 of her family sought to dissuade me from 
 witnessing them, as I could not relieve them. 
 I took my place by her side ; the convulsions 
 ceased ; she became calm and still ; I bent over 
 her ; she smiled sweetly, and said, ' No valley ; 
 no shadow.' Then all was quiet. 
 
 " ' All is over !' said the sister, trying to lead 
 me from the bed. Nay; for me all was not over. 
 
 "She lay still and motionless; every pnlse 
 had ceased. The nurse closed her eyes. 
 
 "I knelt beside her, and took in mine the 
 deathly hand which lay lifeless by her side. 
 
 "Amid my sobs of anguish I exclaimed, 
 ' Helen ! Helen ! do you know me ? Do you 
 remember our covenant V 
 
 "Never can I describe that moment. The eyes 
 that had seemed closed for ever now opened 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 187 
 
 again. She gazed in my face. That look I shall 
 never forget. Such eyes, I should think, have 
 the angels before the throne. In a sweet, dis- 
 tinct, most thrilling voice, she said, 
 
 " ' I am just entering heaven ! ' 
 
 " Her eyelids fell ; her lips closed ; all was 
 still ; she never moved again." 
 
 God in His pitiful love to the tempted one 
 had sent her friend back to show heaven in 
 her face. Like Thomas, we can only say, " My 
 Lord and my God!" "Blessed are they who 
 have not seen, and yet have believed." 
 
 Who shall limit the love and power of the 
 Holy One of Israel, "who giveth not account 
 of any of His matters"? "For God speaketh 
 once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In 
 a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep 
 sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon 
 the bed ; then He openeth the ears of men, 
 and sealeth their instruction." (Job xxxiii. 
 
 I4r-16. 
 
 The eternal Father is God, and not man : 
 He meets the poor and ignorant, and them that 
 are out of the way, with that Divine love we 
 
188 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 are so slow to believe, and of which we are so 
 cruelly suspicious. 
 
 One day I was in great sorrow over the 
 backsliding of a dear brother. I felt as if 
 Satan stood by to resist every effort I made 
 to help this wanderer. 
 
 During a night of special prayer and many 
 tears, the word came to my mind, "If thou 
 wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory 
 of God." I took my Bible to comfort my heart 
 with God's blessed promises, and I opened at 
 John xi. " Thy brother shall rise again." 
 
 "Said I not nnto thee, if thou wouldest 
 believe ?" Blessed promise! I did believe; 
 but it was not an abiding belief. I looked 
 on the waves of circumstances, and not on Him 
 who ruled them. All without was dark; and 
 I, more sad -hearted and dispirited, listened to 
 the tempter's voice, "Hath God said?" 
 
 I sat in the garden praying to the gracious 
 Comforter to comfort me, and to deliver His 
 wandering child. As I prayed I received 
 strength to take God at His word. 
 
 My eye was attracted to a spider's web on a 
 rose tree near me in the sunlight. A poor fly 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 189 
 
 was caught in the mesh ; the more it struggled, 
 the deeper it was entangled. I felt fascinated, 
 so that I could not withdraw my eyes. The 
 great black spider in ambush was ready to 
 destroy his victim. All hope seemed over, 
 when a blast of wind rent the prison in twain, 
 and the bright -winged captive flew by me in 
 freedom. Then I praised the Lord. 
 
 Six long years of waiting, with the promise 
 given me often conned, and the picture of the 
 broken web often before me, when lo ! the 
 stone was rolled away, and he that was dead 
 came forth. 
 
 " My Father ! I thank Thee that Thou hast 
 heard me." 
 
 A day or two after this -blessed assurance of 
 life was given me, I received a letter from a 
 Christian friend, and she gave me for my por- 
 tion — " Said I not unto thee, that, if thou 
 wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory 
 of God?" 
 
 I did not apply it at once, yet the words 
 deeply impressed my heart. But in the night- 
 watch the word came again, and I was led 
 back step by step through my hopeless unbe- 
 
190 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 lief, my cruel doubt of God's faithfulness, my 
 ready ear to the tempter's voice, the night of 
 weeping, and the morning of hope, when in 
 a parable the Lord wrought out His loving 
 promise ; and, in tears of joy and mingled 
 shame at my own unfaithfulness, I again ex- 
 claimed — 
 
 " This God is my God for ever and ever ! 
 He shall be my guide even unto death !" 
 
 " Only believe .'" wondrous words, 
 That wake the doubting soul's dull chords ! 
 
 'Tis Jesus pleadeth thus. 
 " Only believe ! " Lord of light, 
 Help us to watch for Thee by night, 
 
 Who watched long nights for us. 
 
 Thou art " the same," though faith is low ; 
 From Thee the streams of mercy flow : 
 
 Jehovah Lord ! " The same ' ' 
 To-morrow, yesterday, to-day ; 
 Unchanged thy word with us shall stay, 
 
 For Faithful is thy name. 
 
 The Holy One of Israel is not limited to 
 time or place or circumstance ; it is the natural 
 understanding that limits Him. Often has He 
 opened my ears in the night season, and sealed 
 instruction for myself and for others who were 
 on my heart. The following dream influenced 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 191 
 
 my spiritual life, and, as I have spread it before 
 the Lord, light has dawned upon it, and it 
 became a teacher leading me to profit. 
 
 I was alone in sickness among strangers. All 
 probability of my recovery at this time was 
 over. I had only one desire, to bear testimony 
 before the world as to what the Lord had done 
 for my soul, and to depart and be with Christ, 
 which is far better. I looked with complacency 
 on increasing weakness ; and the longing of my 
 soul to be with Him who had redeemed me, 
 hid from me the blessed privilege of serving 
 and suffering for Him on earth. 
 
 I had no desire to return to life, and its 
 snares and conflicts. I feared that if health 
 should be renewed, I might dishonour Him 
 who had done such great things for me. I 
 had yet to learn that the Saviour from eternal 
 death was the Saviour from sin — the great 
 High Priest, the ever-living Sacrifice. 
 
 In a vision of the night I was sailing alone 
 in a dark vessel over the wild murky sea, heavy 
 clouds above me, the wide waters around me. 
 As I proceeded the sky became brighter, the 
 waves calmer, and I beheld in the distance the 
 
192 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 faint outline of a headland jutting into the 
 ocean. As I neared it land extended far and 
 wide before me. Every moment it was more 
 clearly discernible. Most beautiful was that 
 calm sunlit shore. 
 
 I felt my voyage was over. As my tempest- 
 tossed bark neared the coast, more and more of 
 the glorious land opened on my sight. I saw 
 angelic forms awaiting me ; but I only thought 
 of One whom I saw not. My foot was on the 
 prow of my boat. With a rapturous shout of 
 joy I was about to spring on shore, when from 
 out a glory-cloud above me came forth the hand 
 of a man. It pressed gently but firmly on my 
 breast, so that I was impelled backward to the 
 seat I had quitted. Then it was withdrawn. 
 My boat returned to the ocean, under the 
 louring sky, and into the chill atmosphere; and 
 the "delightsome" land receded from my view. 
 
 " Go hack and save others" said a sweet and 
 sonorous voice. The oars were placed in my 
 hands, but I plied them so feebly that the boat 
 seemed to lie motionless like a log upon the 
 water, and I said mournfully, " I make no pro- 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 193 
 
 Then I beheld a huge vessel strike upon a 
 rock. It went to pieces. Hundreds of people 
 were drowning : many clung to floating spars ; 
 some battled with the waters, then sinking 
 were seen no more. 
 
 A sharp anchor was cast into my heart by 
 an unseen hand; to the anchor a long cable 
 was attached, which floated far and wide upon 
 the waters. One after another clung to the 
 cable. I could not see the way I was going; I 
 seemed stationary, and again went up my cry, 
 " I make no way." 
 
 Then I heard a voice saying to me, "Look 
 back, and see how far you have come." 
 
 I obeyed, and in the distance saw the wreck, 
 which was fast disappearing under the billows. 
 I gazed upon the faces of those who looked up 
 to me in eager wonder, clinging to my cable. 
 With every stroke of my oar the anchor grap- 
 pled deeper and deeper into my bleeding heart. 
 Then I struck back with my living freight to 
 the sunny land. As the surpassing glory broke 
 again upon my sight I awoke, and found myself 
 still in the body of sin and suffering. 
 
 From that day I date the new light which 
 
 
194 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 broke upon my heart, on the privilege of living 
 here, that the will of the Father may be done 
 on earth, as it is in heaven. Shall unbelief 
 limit the tender fellowship of the Son of Man, 
 who saith, "Without Me ye can do nothing"? 
 And shall our natural understanding, and the 
 adversary of souls, insinuate that there are 
 occasions too trival for the consideration of 
 the God of the whole earth ? 
 
 My service (for I would still recognize it as 
 service, though it will appear mean to other 
 eyes) has been principally carried on in way- 
 side watching, or in a chamber of suffering, in 
 weakness, in strange places, and in solitude, 
 or under what appeared unpropitious circum- 
 stances. Did I regard the result of my labours 
 I should be weary, and faint by the way ; but 
 it is impossible to estimate here how much we 
 have been allowed to do for the exercise of our 
 own faith, and how much will be visible to the 
 reapers. Enough if we have sought only the 
 will of Him who has called us to follow Him. 
 The wise father may command his son to wield 
 his hammer on the granite rock. Day after day 
 the feeble stroke may become stronger; yet the 
 
THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS. 195 
 
 granite receives but a few faint marks, that a 
 graver's chisel might have traced. Complain- 
 ingly he points out to his father that he has 
 made no progress ; yet still he proceeds with 
 what seems profitless labour, The father finds 
 him patiently at his work, with muscles de- 
 veloped and healthy vigour bracing his frame ; 
 then pointing to the sinews of the arm that 
 have obediently performed the task enjoined, he 
 smiles on him. That smile is sweeter to the 
 heart of the obedient child than without it 
 would have been the sight of any monument of 
 granite that might have been wrought. 
 
 " Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear 
 much fruit ; so shall ye be my disciples." The 
 fruit must spring from the root : " I came not 
 to do mine own will, but the will of Him that 
 sent Me." " This is the work of God, that ye 
 believe on Him whom He hath sent." 
 
 I have dwelt upon this, in consequence of 
 receiving the often sorrowful complaints of my 
 dear brethren and sisters, mourning the decay 
 of their usefulness, and regretting that the 
 afflictions with which the Father has visited 
 them have withdrawn them from the busy 
 o 2 
 
196 THE SECRET OF THE LOUD. 
 
 field. The vine does not labour, it gives forth 
 its fruit. The Lord does not prune and dig 
 about the wild thorn, but about trees of His 
 own right hand planting. 
 
 One of my readers may exclaim, " We have 
 no need of dreams and visions to teach us." 
 
 I answer, "Shall not the Lord do what He 
 will with His own ?" The Lord chose to mani- 
 fest Himself in this gracious way to me. It 
 may be said, we have no need of the fair blos- 
 soms that every season make the earth glad 
 and bright ; no need of the sweet endearments 
 of loving kindred, and the unnumbered bless- 
 ings that fall upon our way. 
 
 Oh, may He manifest Himself how, and 
 when, and where He will ! — in dreams by night 
 and in parables by day ; in His written Word ; 
 in His providence ; in the strokes of adversity 
 and the sufferings of this mortal body. " Sirs, 
 we would see JESUS." 
 
 
THE GEE AT ADVERSARY. 197 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE GREAT ADVERSARY. 
 
 " What shall we do, that we might work the works of God ? 
 
 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of 
 
 God, that ye "believe on Him whom He hath sent." — 
 
 John vi. 28, 29. 
 
 " Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." — 
 
 John iv. 48. 
 
 £hEN the Lord claimed Paul as His 
 own, the first words of the stricken 
 Pharisee evidenced his desire to do the 
 Lord's will. In persecuting Christ in 
 His people, he had been doing his own 
 will long enough. The Lord at once commands 
 as to the first step, and gives promise of fur- 
 ther direction : " Arise, and go into the city." 
 "I will show him how great things he must 
 suffer for my sake" was the next beam of light 
 upon the ministry of the apostle of the Gen- 
 tiles. The " secret of the Lord " was with the 
 chosen vessel, and he could offer himself in the 
 
198 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 fulness of confiding affection. He had heard 
 the voice of Him who spake as never man 
 spake ; and then He could say, " I am ready 
 not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusa- 
 lem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 
 
 Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy 
 Ghost, is chosen to serve tables ; but he" did 
 great wonders and miracles among the people," 
 and " they were not able to resist the wisdom 
 and the spirit by which he spake." Not only 
 were the tables served, and the truth declared 
 by word of mouth (a prophecy of no smooth 
 things); but we are at once shown the enmity 
 of the world to the Holy Spirit, for the hearers 
 were cut to the heart, and gnashed on him with 
 their teeth. Had he sought to please man by 
 interesting his auditory, or flattering their in- 
 telligence, they had not stoned him to death ; 
 nor would he have been enabled to look stead- 
 fastly into heaven, and see the glory of God, 
 and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 
 The Lord needs witnesses in this present evil 
 world. Much fruit is not recorded as the 
 result of Stephen's last sermon, though he laid 
 down his life for the preaching thereof. Bit 
 
THE GREAT ADVERSARY. 199 
 
 what had he done ? — the will of Him that sent 
 him. And that witness for his Lord and Master 
 has been blessed to millions of souls, and will 
 be blessed to millions more. Like his Lord, he 
 prays first for his murderers ; and the result is, 
 the Gospel proclaimed far and near by word of 
 mouth, and the power of the same Spirit felt, 
 by one at that time a Pharisee of the Pharisees 
 — a young man named Saul. " Ye shall receive 
 power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon 
 you ; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me," is the 
 last promise of the risen Saviour. 
 
 In these last days, when Antichrist is ram- 
 pant, with infidelity and spiritualism on one 
 hand, and Eomish superstition on the other, we 
 need to test the subtle work of the Evil One, 
 who is stealing on us as an angel of light, to 
 deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. " To 
 the law and to the testimony; if they speak 
 not according to this word, it is because there is 
 no light in them." In the ark of the covenant 
 there was no place for man's theology : the law 
 of the Lord alone was there. In the heart of 
 Jesus there was only room for God : " I delight 
 to do thy will, my God ; yea, thy law is 
 
200 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 within my heart." " Ye are my witnesses, 
 saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have 
 chosen ; that ye may know and believe me, 
 and understand that I am He." (Ps. xl. 8 ; Isa. 
 xliii. 10.) 
 
 It is not given to all, like Peter, to preach, 
 and then to see three thousand converts as 
 the fruit of their sermon ; or, like Stephen, 
 to be stoned for the faithful delivery of his 
 Master's message ; but it is given to all to 
 take up the cross daily, and follow the Lamb 
 whithersoever He goeth. 
 
 " Henceforth I call you not servants, for the 
 servant knoweth not what his lord doeth ; 
 but I have called you friends" (John xv. 15.) 
 This was not spoken by the Lord to the multi- 
 tude around, nor to His mother and brethren 
 who stood without, but to those dear com- 
 panions of three years' ministry who sat about 
 Him. " Behold my mother and my brethren ; 
 for whosoever shall do the will of my Father 
 which is in heaven, the same is my brother, 
 and sister, and mother." (Matt. xii. 49, 50.) That 
 Ave may know His will, and do it, we have the 
 infallible guide of His Word, the promise to 
 
THE GREAT ADVERSARY. 201 
 
 the single eye and the pure heart. "When He 
 putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before 
 them, and the sheep follow Him; for they 
 know His voice." (John x. 4.) 
 
 Tf the Holy Spirit guides you to follow the 
 Lord in action, you may expect that obstacles 
 will arise in your path. These may appear of 
 little consequence when you yield to them, but 
 tbey will become the beam in the eye that 
 shall mar the vision, and in the end will bring 
 forth disappointment and pain. 
 
 Satan will not present to you what he would 
 offer to the worldling : it will be some form of 
 "good works" that shall draw you from the 
 path of simple obedience in which the Lord 
 has called you to follow Him; or it may be 
 some trivial act that will appear of little im- 
 portance whether you do it or not. He will 
 place before you a natural enjoyment that shall 
 lull you to slumber, when you need special 
 vigilance ; or tempt you to a weak yielding of 
 principle or action, that the natural under- 
 standing translates as being " all things to all 
 men," to lure you from the path of simplicity 
 in which you desire to walk. Give not room 
 
202 THE SECRET OP THE LORD. 
 
 for temptation ; no, not for a moment. "E 
 the devil, and he will flee from you." 
 
 We are long in learning what a fertile field 
 of temptation is open to Satan in the mind 
 and the imagination. The wicked spirits in 
 heavenly places do not war with worldlings, 
 but with the Christian soldier who is looking 
 for victory in the strength of our great Fore- 
 runner within the veil. We may have taken 
 one step in dependence on the Lord, and the 
 result may be very different to that which we 
 anticipated. Discouraged and disappointed, if 
 we seek not the sanctuary of the God of Jacob, 
 we become an easy prey to doubt and distrust. 
 The Accuser injects fear into the mind. And 
 if we do not put on the whole armour of God, 
 we are again brought into legal bondage. The 
 eye of faith is taken off the object of faith, and 
 fixed on self. This is an unsatisfactory centre, 
 and leads far from peace. " In Me ye shall 
 have peace." 
 
 " lieturn unto thy rest, my soul !" Christ 
 is thy wisdom. Those very events which you 
 are deploring, and on account of' which you 
 have been led faithlessly to say, " It cannot be 
 
THE GREAT ADVERSARY. 203 
 
 of the Lord," are perhaps the very circum- 
 stances which were to spring from the step 
 you took. 
 
 I am not supposing a case of needless action, 
 but one of watchful, prayerful seeking to do 
 His will. Self-judgment is one thing ; the ac- 
 cusation of the Enemy of souls is another. "We 
 look to the mercy-seat ; the blood is there to 
 cleanse. But if you look for certain positive 
 results as the fruit of the step you took, marvel 
 not that you are disappointed. 
 
 The Lord has promised that we shall know 
 His will. He has nowhere covenanted that we 
 shall understand His way. His command is, 
 "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He 
 shall direct thy paths." This commandment is 
 exceeding broad, and embraces every possible 
 contingency. It is not in much pondering on 
 results, or in much serving, that Satan is kept 
 at bay ; but by a simple, child-like dependence 
 on a faithful God and Father. 
 
 The gracious Lord, who giveth liberally and 
 upbraideth not, has taught me, at various 
 seasons of my spiritual life, through His hidden 
 ones. And often, in solitary places, when I 
 
204 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 have longed for Christian fellowship, lie has 
 guided me to some one as lonely as myself, 
 through whom I have been instructed. At 
 such a season He once led me, after many days 
 of prayer, to a cabin on the roadside, so rudely 
 constructed with planks, that in passing I won- 
 dered if it were inhabited. One morning I 
 reached it. The door was ajar, and, looking 
 in, I saw an aged woman, whose back was 
 towards me ; she was peeling potatoes. On one 
 side of her was the kettle, into which when 
 prepared she dropped them ; on the other side 
 was the basket ; but before her was an open 
 Bible, into which she glanced from time to 
 time as she proceeded with her work. Near 
 her was a girl of about eight years of age. 
 
 I watched them for a few minutes un- 
 observed, then gently placing my hand upon 
 the woman's shoulder, I spoke of Him whose 
 message of love lay beneath her finger. The 
 simple wisdom of her reply made me glad in 
 the Lord. 
 
 I asked to whom the child belonged. 
 
 " To me," she answered ; she is my grand- 
 child." 
 
THE GREAT ADVERSARY. 205 
 
 I said to the child, " Do you know that your 
 grandmother is the daughter of a King?" 
 
 The old disciple bent her head backward, 
 and looking in my face with a beaming smile, 
 answered, 
 
 " Thou also art one of them ; for thy speech 
 bewrayeth thee." 
 
 " The royal family are poor here." 
 
 "No," said my bright -faced friend, "no; 
 we're tick now, rich now. My Father owns 
 the cattle on a thousand hills, and every beast 
 of the forest is His." 
 
 She had been feasting on the bread that 
 cometh down from heaven, and her face told of 
 whom she had been taking sweet counsel. 
 
 When I saw her again it was no longer thus 
 with her. She was greatly depressed. She had 
 been ill, and sorely buffeted by Satan. She 
 replied to something I had said on Satan's 
 devices to stumble the saints : 
 
 " Yes, I know that it is sin that makes my 
 sorrow. Satan is like a dog \ if you leave the 
 door ajar, he puts in his head ; and then, if 
 you do not shut the door, he puts in his paw ; 
 and if you don't get up and slam the door, he 
 
206 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 gets in his whole body. Ah, ma'am, I don't slam 
 the door in his face. I wish I could always do 
 that. Just as often I open the door, set a chair 
 for the Evil One, and let him be seated." 
 
 " Be of good courage," I said ; " Jesus has 
 overcome him, and you will overcome in His 
 strength." 
 
 "I have been thinking," she said. "I have 
 been very ill, and could not get up, and so I 
 have had a good deal of time to think, you see. 
 I am come to the conclusion that there is 
 nothing like a child of grace in me." 
 
 " That is Satan at the door," I said, trying to 
 draw her from her sadness. 
 
 " No, ma'am, no;' she said despondingly, " I 
 am not a bit like those good old martyrs. I 
 said to myself last night, when I could not 
 sleep, ' Now, I say I love God ; now would I 
 die for Him ? Would I be sawn in two, or 
 burnt on a gridiron, or with faggots in the 
 market-place, or be torn in pieces, for the faith 
 that's in me?' No!" repeated the poor old 
 woman, shaking her head sorrowfully, while 
 her wan face told how real had been the con- 
 flict. Satan had put in his paw. 
 
THE GREAT ADVERSARY. 207 
 
 " Has the Lord called on you to be burnt 
 iu the market-place, or to be torn in pieces ? " 
 I enquired. " If so, be sure that he will give 
 to you, as He did to His martyrs of old, grace 
 to witness for Him. Dying grace for dying 
 hours. ' Without Me ye can do nothing.' " 
 "I see it !" she exclaimed joyfully, " I see it!" 
 And Satan ceased to fight, for the harassed 
 dove was resting in the bosom of redeeming 
 love. 
 
208 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ' Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so Ion? time with you, 
 and yet hast thou not known Me ?" — John xiv. 9. 
 
 oEVEE yet was a soul born again of 
 God to be placed in such a position 
 that fellowship with Jesus was unat- 
 tainable. That would be to deny us 
 the only solace here, the brightest hope for 
 eternity. What can compare for a moment 
 with the favour of the King's countenance? 
 The smile of Jesus is a foretaste of that bliss 
 which we look to enjoy as an everlasting 
 portion. It is love that makes the pilgrim's 
 home of glory. It is not the promise of " no 
 more pain" to the sick, nor of ties of earth 
 re-knit to the mourner, that constitutes the 
 bliss of heaven. It is that which makes our 
 delight here — the unclouded presence and com- 
 panionship of a risen Lord and Saviour. 
 
TESTIMONY. 209 
 
 When, commissioned by their Lord, the 
 mourning women went forth to tell to His dis- 
 ciples the glad tidings of His resurrection, the 
 disciples treated it as an idle tale, and believed 
 them not. Nevertheless, this did not invalidate 
 the fact. Those who were most interested in the 
 matter ran to the tomb, notwithstanding that 
 the women had proclaimed that Jesus had 
 risen. They desired to assure themselves that 
 it was no fabrication of excited feeling, but a 
 confirmation of the promise so tenderly spoken 
 to console them, had they but believed. (Mark 
 xiv. 27, 28.) Their heavenly Master, having 
 foretold their denial and desertion, did not 
 withdraw His love. He continueth faithful. 
 
 To the travellers to Emmaus He appeared in 
 "another form;" but it was the same Jesus. 
 (Mark xvi. 12.) They had equally to endure 
 the rejection of their testimony, as the women 
 had done, because that testimony embraced a 
 clearer revelation of the person of Jesus than 
 others had then received. Oh, if their hearts 
 burned within them by the way, how was it 
 that they wist not that it was Jesus? Who 
 besides could open their understanding to un- 
 

 210 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 derstand the Scriptures, which testified of these 
 things ? Having once felt Him near them, how 
 could they willingly part with this blessed 
 Companion of their lonely way ? Well might 
 they pray Him to "abide" with them. Was 
 He hard to be entreated ? No ! When did He 
 yet leave the soul that drinks life, and joy, and 
 strength from His presence only ? 
 
 While the friends of Jesus were receiving 
 only the testimony of others they doubted. He 
 had been long time with them, and yet they 
 had not known Him. (John xiv. 9.) They 
 journeyed with Him as a stranger ; they spoke 
 of the things which had been done, but not of 
 His words, which should have prepared them for 
 what had happened. But He communed with 
 them. He lets them hold Him by their loving 
 constraint. (Song of Solomon, iii. 4.) He breaks 
 to them the bread, the hallowed token, His 
 divine legacy ; and then indeed He is recognized 
 as their ever-living God and Saviour. Ah, then 
 they waited not to discuss with the multitude, 
 who knew Him not, whether such things could 
 be. The fire within their own breasts witnessed 
 with whom they had walked and talked. 
 
TESTIMONY. 211 
 
 Dear soul, do you believe that you may be so 
 satisfied with the companionship of Jesus, that 
 earth's passing pleasures cease to win a desire 
 after them ? If you have a Friend fairer than 
 the children of men, One whose lips are full 
 of grace and truth, you have a more powerful 
 magnet than the world's fascinations. Do you 
 believe this ? Or do you aver that this com- 
 panionship is a theory of the imagination only ? 
 Look well to it. Such a thought is not of God, 
 but from the father of lies. You may cavil at 
 my words ; but search the Scriptures, and seek 
 this communion experimentally. If you are as 
 sincere as Thomas was, go to the Lord Himself, 
 and He will solve your doubt. Why give the 
 half-hearted assent that brings neither rest to 
 yourself nor glory to your Lord? Why not 
 be a vessel sanctified and meet for the Master's 
 use? He is as willing to give His presence 
 now, as when in the morning twilight on the 
 shores of Tiberias He invited the toiling dis- 
 ciples to leave their nets, exchanging for them 
 that companionship which He desired more 
 than themselves. 
 
 The blessing of the soul that believeth lies 
 p 2 
 
212 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 in fellowship. Sin is the one only circumstance 
 that can destroy it. There are days when our 
 eyes may be holden that we cannot see Him ; 
 but we must look for Him and expect Him. The 
 Lord does not call us to the warfare at our own 
 charges ; and the difficulties which sometimes 
 seem to obstruct the path in which we have 
 sought to walk with Him are but answers to 
 former prayers for patience and meekness. But 
 we must believe that He is willing to remove 
 the obstacles in our way, or enable us to over- 
 come them, as shall be most to His glory. 
 
 I have never committed the least matter to 
 Him that I have not had reason for endless 
 praise. Praise which I have begun here, for 
 the results which He has allowed me to see, 
 and praise which I feel assured is to be eternal, 
 for what I shall see hereafter. 
 
 The infidel will say, there are certain laws 
 which will be carried on, whether you see them 
 or not, whether you pray or not. When Christ 
 says He is Wisdom, and that all things are mine, 
 I understand that wisdom is mine, and I may 
 seek it. How can I, a poor helpless worm, think 
 to direct the smallest matter in any wisdom of 
 
TESTIMONY. 213 
 
 my own ? The poison of death is on everything 
 that was made good and beautiful in its time. 
 
 How often has some evidence of His tender 
 care humbled and brought back the wandering 
 heart, while the expected chastening has passed 
 by! There glided in the beam of His sweet 
 compassion. His voice has whispered, " I have 
 not forgotten thou art dust ; I will never leave 
 thee, nor forsake thee." 
 
 We fondly prize the expressions of affec- 
 tionate remembrance from a beloved friend in 
 another land — seeds, perhaps, of a foreign flower 
 we are to rear on English ground — a text written 
 out for us — some handicraft of busy fingers, 
 not of much worth in others' eyes, and value- 
 less to those who, it may be, neither know nor 
 love the beloved one who so fondly remembers 
 us. To us they are treasures. We read therein 
 the love that designed, and the care that ac-- 
 complished all for us. How humbling it is to 
 remember, that while the vessel which conveyed 
 the gifts was speeding on its way, we were 
 untrue to or forgetful of the giver. But this is 
 fallible love, love that to-morrow may change, 
 which doubt or suspicion may at least have 
 
214 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 clouded. God's love changes not — it is ever- 
 lasting. "God is faithful, by whom ye were 
 called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus 
 Christ." You who have proved this testify in 
 your daily walk that you have to do with a 
 living God. All power is given unto Him. 
 
 In so far as you keep close company with 
 the King will your conversation declare plainly 
 that you seek another country, even a heavenly. 
 He who rejoiced in the habitable parts of the 
 earth, and whose delights were with the sons 
 of men (Proverbs viii.), rejoices over the new 
 creation now. To all that He has received from 
 the Father He bids willing hearts welcome. 
 He longs after that fellowship with His people 
 which the evil heart of unbelief alone prevents 
 the soul born of God from enjoying. 
 
 Why forfeit one hour of heavenly communion 
 for any earthly mess of pottage, however sweet 
 to nature, — whether the snare come in the form 
 of active work of our own devising, or some 
 meaner pleasure over which we are left to weep 
 bitter tears? No matter what it is that you 
 have discovered to hide His beauty ; even if it 
 seem lawful, it must be placed in His hands. 
 
TESTIMONY. 215 
 
 If it is of the flesh, take it to Him, and He 
 will consume it, and deliver you. No matter 
 what it be, take it to Jesus. Let nothing rob 
 you of your joy. He is able to save to the 
 uttermost. He knows how to deliver you out 
 of temptation, so that you may walk with Him 
 in the light, cleansed from all sin. 
 
 Have you not experienced circumstances and 
 opportunity leagued against you on account of 
 some besetting sin ? and has He not been faith- 
 ful, and given you power to cry, "Let me not 
 do this great wickedness and sin against God " ? 
 And He has delivered you ; and He has made 
 a way of escape, and cheered your soul with 
 tender sympathy. " There hath no temptation 
 taken you but such as is common to man : but 
 God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be 
 tempted above that ye are able ; but will with 
 the temptation also make a way to escape, that 
 ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. x. 13.) 
 
 If you are one with Christ, then you expect 
 to reign with Him, to share His glory eternally ; 
 and you desire His fellowship here. Have you 
 counted the cost? There are temptations in 
 the wilderness. You may have to watch with 
 
216 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Him through midnight hours, with no earthly- 
 friend to bear you company. On the road 
 there may be Gethsemanes you never dreamed 
 of. There is the cross, from which there is no 
 escape. Will you turn aside from following 
 Jesus, when He will be the companion of your 
 way? Will you not in His strength take on 
 you the easy yoke of the will of the Father, 
 and learn of Him who carried it before you ? 
 
 The simple faith that works by love will 
 keep the bright hope of your calling before 
 you. You will centre all your delights in Him, 
 and realize His delight in you. Legal bondage 
 is incompatible with fellowship ; for the fear of 
 the Lord is to hate evil, — not the fear of a slave 
 toward his master, nor of a culprit toward his 
 judge ; but the fear of the Lord is strong con- 
 fidence, and His children shall have a place 
 of refuge. 
 
 Fellowship with Jesus lies not alone in plea- 
 surable emotions : you must learn it in suffering 
 and in service. Have you, out of your full 
 heart's happiness, babbled some of its sweet 
 secrets to one who knows not their precious - 
 ness, and been met by the cautious doubt and 
 
TESTIMONY. 217 
 
 scorn of a fellow-traveller? Those who live 
 contented with knowing very little of the Lord, 
 who has laid down His life for them when 
 enemies (Rom. v. 8), will treat the idea of His 
 companionship as a chimera, and the breathing 
 of His Holy Spirit in the temple of His praise 
 as fanaticism, or as an idle tale. 
 
 Fear not I You are only learning to walk in a 
 path He has already trodden. When the people 
 said, " Thou hast a devil, and art mad," neither 
 did His brethren believe in Him. " Blessed" 
 are ye who are thus reviled, for He has pro- 
 nounced it. You will press closer to His 
 wounded side, and say, "Thou knowest all 
 things ; Thou knowest that I love Thee." Let 
 your words be few. The power will live in 
 your life. Christians who are content with 
 externals will not comprehend that divine 
 strength which arises from intercourse with 
 Him. But guard it jealously. Amid the storms 
 of earth, it will keep your heart fixed, and 
 yourself at peace, without one desire for those 
 palling pleasures that find a place in the hearts 
 of lukewarm Christians. 
 
 Yet conceal not the fruit of the land, be 
 
218 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 faithful to the light He has given you, for "to 
 him which hath shall be given." The day may 
 not be distant when others also may long for a 
 better portion; and though they now despise 
 the pleasant land, and disbelieve the word of 
 the Lord, yet some day they may whisper, " Let 
 us go up." He who was your shield shall be 
 your exceeding great reward. Fear not ! speak 
 of that good land which the Lord our God doth 
 give us. Oh, tell them of that " land of brooks 
 of water, of fountains and depths that spring 
 out of valleys and hills." Let them hear that 
 " the Lord thy God He is God, the faithful God, 
 that keepeth covenant and mercy with them 
 that love Him." " For they got not the land in 
 possession by their own sword, neither did their 
 own arm save them: but Thy right hand, and 
 Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, 
 because Thou hadst a .favour unto them." (Ps. 
 xliv. 3.) 
 
 Think not that in this walk of faith all the 
 trials, and conflicts, and afflictions, of the 
 wilderness have come to an end. The old 
 Adam is not dead, though dying daily; but 
 his last groan will be the first note of the 
 
TESTIMONY. 219 
 
 song of triumph : " Death is swallowed up in 
 victory ! " 
 
 The fruit of sanctification springs from the 
 root of redemption. Love to Him who bought 
 us will not wax less fervent if He permits us 
 to learn how sore are the wounds from an evil 
 heart of unbelief. Whether this is taught at 
 conversion, through the first deep waters of 
 conviction, or whether it be by gradual ex- 
 perience, may differ with individuals ; but this 
 spiritual knowledge must be learned here. God 
 knows what is in the heart of man; but He 
 would have men learn something of it also. 
 
 The fiery darts of the Wicked One may assail 
 the child of God, but "no weapon that is formed 
 against thee shall prosper." (Isa. liv. 17.) No 
 difficulty which seems to obstruct his path in 
 heavenly communion, but shall in the end prove 
 how "good is the Lord." Thus we learn that 
 the God of the hills is the God of the valleys, 
 and the place of weeping becomes the valley 
 of blessing. 
 
 Nothing can supply the place of secret com- 
 munion — deep realized intercourse with the 
 Friend of sinners and the King of saints ! 
 
220 THE SECRET OF THE LORD. 
 
 Stint not yourself of tins privilege. Neither 
 teaching, nor preaching, nor works; neither 
 books of devotion, nor communion of saints, 
 can supply this loss. No commentary on His 
 holy Word can bring you the fresh glory of the 
 light He gives direct from Himself. It is the 
 bread broken and given by His own hand for 
 your daily sustenance. Meditate upon it, then 
 will it be your delight, and you will be able to 
 say, " How sweet are Thy words unto my taste : 
 . . . therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concern- 
 ing all things to be right." (Ps. cxix.) He has 
 promised to manifest Himself to us, as He doth 
 not unto the world. Shall we not take God at 
 His word, and believe in Him who has said, 
 "Lo, I am with you alway"? 
 
 As there is deeper anguish than language 
 can express, but which is communicated sym- 
 pathetically, so there are deeper foretastes of 
 the fellowship of Jesus, which is hereafter to 
 satisfy us, than can be told by words. You 
 must yourself taste of the sweetness to under- 
 stand it. But shall any therefore delay enter- 
 ing into the state of rest ? 
 
 Do you ask for a joy that shall never perish? 
 
TESTIMONY. 221 
 
 — a hope that will never wax dim ? Do you sigh 
 for an interest that every day shall increase 
 and deepen, and a peace passing all under- 
 standing? Place your hand in the pierced 
 hand of Jesus, and walk with God ; for " truly 
 our fellowship is with the Father, and with 
 His Son Jesus Christ." 
 
 "I thank Thee, Father, Lord of heaven 
 and earth, because Thou hast hid these things 
 from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed 
 them unto babes. Even so, Father ; for so it 
 seemed good in Thy sight." (Matt. xi. 25, 26.) 
 
 LONDON : 
 MORGAN AND CHASE, LUDGATE HILL.