2 ) I must at last be made to call on her, though I had long delayed it; 3 ) she might have provided a resting-place with some other Chris tian friend, where I should not have seen Miss Groves; 4 ) m y mind might have at last, after all, decided not to make a proposal to her; but God settled the matter thus in speaking to me through m y con science — you know that you have begotten a ffection in th e heart o f this Christian sister b y th e w ay you have acted towards her, and th erefore, painful though it m ay be, to appear to act unkind ly towards you r friend and brother, you ought to make her a proposal. I obeyed. I wrote the letter in which I made the proposal, and nothing but one even stream of blessing has been the result. Let me here add a word o f Chris tian counsel. To enter upon the marriage union is one of the most deeply important events o f life. It cannot be too prayerfu lly treated. Our happiness, our usefulness, our living for God or for ourselves afterwards, are often most inti mately connected with our choice. Therefore, in the most prayerful manner, this choice should be made. Neither beauty, nor age, nor money, nor mental powers, should be that which prompts the decision; but 1) much waiting upon God for guidance should be used; , 2 ) a hearty purpose to be w illing to be guided b y H im should be aimed after; 3 ) true godliness without shadow of a doubt should be the
first and absolutely needful quali fication to a Christian with regard to a companion for life. In addition to this, however, it ought to be at the same time calm ly and patiently weighed, whether, in other respects, there is a suitableness. For instance, fo r an educated man to choose an entirely unedu cated woman, is unwise; fo r how ever much on his part love might be willing to cover the defect, it will work very unhappily with re gard to the children. * * * In July, 1853, it pleased the Lord to try m y faith in a w ay in which before it had not been tried. M y beloved daughter arid on ly child, and a believer since the commence ment of the year 1846, was taken ill on June 20th. This illness, at first a low fever, turned to typhus. On July 3rd there seemed no hope o f her recovery. N ow was the trial o f faith. But faith triumphed. M y beloved wife and I were enabled to give her up into the hands of the Lord. He sus tained us both exceedingly. But I w i l l o n l y speak about myself. Though m y on ly and beloved child was brought near the grave, yet was m y soul in perfect peace, satis fied w ith the w ill of m y heavenly Father, being a s s u r e d that He would on ly do that for her and her parents, which in the end would be the best. She continued very ill till about July 20th, when restoration' began. On Aug. 18th she was so far re stored that she could be removed
to Clevedon for change of air, though exceedingly weak. It was then 59 days since she was first taken ill. Parents know what an on ly child, a beloved child is, and what to believing parents an on ly child, a believing child must be. W ell, the Father in heaven said, as it were, b y this His dispensation, “ A rt thou w illing to give up this child to m e?” M y heart responded, A s it seem s good to T h ee, m y h eaven ly Father. T h y w ill b e done. But as our hearts were made w ill ing to give back our beloved child to H im who had given her to us, so He was ready to leave her to us, and she lived. “ Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires o f thine heart” (Psa. 3 7 :4 ). The desires of m y heart were, to retain the beloved daughter if it were the w ill o f God; the means to retain her were to be satisfied w ith the w ill o f the Lord. Of all the trials of faith that as yet I have had to pass through, this was tKe greatest; and b y God’s abundant mercy, I own it to His praise, I was enabled to delight m y self in the will of God; for I felt perfectly sure, that, if the Lord took this beloved daughter, it would be best for her parents, best for her self, and more fo r the glory o f God than if she lived: this better part I was satisfied with; and thus m y heart had peace, perfect peace, and I had not a moment’s anxiety. Thus would it be under all circumstances, however, painful, were the believer exercising faith. END.
The King's Business/.!uly 1957
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