Living Testimonies

LETTER III.

To the Rev. Mr. HUNTINGTON.

REV. AND DEAR SIR,

I PRESUME to send the following account for your encouragement, that while an erring world reflects, you may still be enabled to pray, preach, and write, for the benefit of those whom God has humbled, and will most gladly receive the same as for their souls' benefit.

My wife has now brought into the world her seventh child: but a few months since, having a thought of her wants at such times, she mentioned it to a neighbour who, she thought had it in her power to spare a trifle for the occasion; but, instead of that, she said to my wife, Did you ever read Mr. Huntington's 'Bank of Faith'? My wife said, No.' Well,' says our neighbour, 'I will lend it to you; and though there are many things in it which I think are Wrong, yet let me hear your opinion concerning it.'

My wife brought it home, and read it; and, dear sir, we can inform you that God came to us with the book, forasmuch as my wife and myself are both enabled in a more free and frequent manner to commit ourselves unto him. Indeed, sir, we have hitherto too slightly laid our case before the Lord, making our wants first known to man, who sometimes has thrown our requests in our faces.

It has pleased an all-wise God to bring us about much in the same way as he has brought you. We have known the want of bread for years, though it has pleased him these two last years to make it a little better for us. We have often seen the hand of God in unthought-of ways releasing us: sometimes when we have had nothing for our children to eat, we have remarked they have not asked for it.

Happy would it have been for us, if we could have as fully committed ourselves unto the all-wise Disposer as you were enabled to do. But, blessed be God, we find more power to do it now. The Lord be pleased to give us more of this confidence, and continue it to us, so long as we shall have to struggle here below.

Surely we can say, respecting the book put into our hands, that the Lord came with it; for that every line seems to sympathize with us, 'There is the thing we suffered.' Surely we can say, God gave you to commit it to the press for us, and for others before us, and for others after us into whose hands it shall fall!

We were obliged to return the book: the Lord enable us to purchase it, that we may have it with us continually, and lend it to others, unto whom we should think it a blessing! For, dear sir, there are thousands in the world that it would be better to than a present of ten pounds; though at the first not so gladly received, yet afterwards such would find the good, and be enabled to bless the Lord.

I said, at the beginning of this letter, that I presumed it might be for your encouragement; but, O sir, how slight is such a prop! God, that has most wonderfully brought you to this moment, can aid, direct, and support you, and make you a blessing where, how, and to whom his wisdom thinks fit. But excuse me, sir, as in the gladness of my heart I have made the same known to you, as the Lord has been pleased to make you a blessing both to me and mine. The Lord keep you; so prays,

Rev, and dear Sir,

Your very humble servants, T. and M. W.