Epistles of Faith

Letter XIII

William Huntington (1745-1813)

Reverend and very dear Friend,

I JOIN my request to that of your affectionate friend John Pavey, That you continue publishing Epistles of Faith; because I believe, and am sure, that they have been the means, under God; of answering cases, or speaking to circumstances, and those not a few, which never were proposed in form to you, but are well known to him whose Spirit acts as a sovereign in directing your unsolicited, and consequently unexpected, communications, to accomplish his pleasure, in reproving, correcting, instructing, and establishing, some whose inclination, ability, or opportunity, might never enable them to seek such special assistance; but whose necessities will be like your own, so long as face answers face in the glass.

I was a little put to it last month. A friend sent to borrow a chafing-dish; and not being worth one, nor yet willing to seem deaf to my friend's request, I ventured to send the annexed, as the best substitute then in my possession; and who can tell but it may serve him to plead also on some future occasion? Believe me to be, so far as I know myself.

Reverend and Dear Sir,

Your very affectionate

S. W.

P.S. It has pleased a gracious Lord to enable and incline us to open Little Providence Chapel, under my unworthy roof, in lieu of that now discontinued on Friday evenings. Preaching s: will therefore be regularly continued, at my house, if God please, on Tuesday evenings, and on Friday evenings. But, when you are at liberty to visit us, the evening shall be such as shall be most convenient to you. And I will expect, without farther solicitation, that you will become my constant remembrancer to the Rev. Mr. Huntington on this account, and desire him to remember us before the throne; and then he will also visit us as oft as convenient, and consistent with his other avocations.

HEAT, rage, and fury, passion, fume, and pet,
Storm, tempest, hence! begone! I dare not fret.
My Lord is near; and bids me take no care,
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.

Let those provide a group of chafingdishes,
Whose chief concern respects the loaves and fishes.
What eat, what drink, or how to keep me warm's
On these accounts I feel no great alarm.

My Father knows my wants, my every need
He'll clothe my back; and he'll my belly feed
With food convenient, be it cold or hot.
'Tis children's bread; 'tis not the Gentiles' lot.

Let Satan roar; while Judah's Lion keeps
The Church of God, He slumbers not, nor sleeps,
Cloth'd in his robe, and sprinkled with his blood,
All things must work together for my good.

Rather than starve, a widow shall sustain
Those whom the Lord's engaged to maintain:
Ravens shall cater, bread and flesh shall bring,
If so commanded by my Lord the King!

Nor shall we need to carry scrips or purses,
Which oftentimes are only fill'd with curses,
If unbelief be truly put aside,
And precious faith reports, "God will provide!"

May such be my experience! such be thine!
For chafingdishes we shall not repine.
Our bread is manna, and our flesh is Lamb!
"Eat, drink, my friends!" So saith the great I AM!

HALLELUJAH.

William Huntington