He Exhorts His Fellow Sinners

A portion of a letter by James Haldane to his ten year-old daughter, Elizabeth. He and his friend, John Campbell, were away preaching in the northern part of Scotland. He told her about a man that had been converted on a previous trip they had made to the north, who had lost both his hands "by the going off of a gun." This convert was most thankful for the goodness of God in sparing his life that he might come to know Christ. The letter was written June 22, 1805.

He was brought to a knowledge of the truth, by a sermon of Mr. Campbell's, the last time we were north. We did not find him at home, but just as we were setting off, after dinner, he came running to see us, and appears to be very happy in waiting for the coming of Jesus. He occasionally exhorts his fellow-sinners, and sometimes holds out his arms, and calls their attention to the goodness of God, in not allowing him to die when he was ignorant of Christ.

The Lives of Robert and James Haldane, by Alexander Haldane, first published in 1852, reprinted by The Banner of Truth, 1990, p. 349.

A Sermon Instead of a Letter

A selection from a letter by Rev. Robert L. Dabney to his older brother, Charles William Dabney. The letter is evangelistic. He longed to see his brother, a distinguished lawyer, come to an open profession of Christ. After writing at length about depravity and the necessity of the new birth, Dabney concluded with an earnest appeal. The letter was written December 23, 1855.

You will say I send you a sermon instead of a letter. Well, I will add one more feature of resemblance; and as the preachers follow their sermons with a prayer for the divine blessing, after I have folded up this lame and halting composition, and directed it to you, I will kneel down, and pray to "the God who seeth in secret," to guide you into his truth, to show you the way of salvation, and place you in it, to bless your little ones and make them his children, and to give the sweetest and best influences of his grace to my dear sister; and may the Lord forgive me that I, so poor and beggarly a sinner, should try to unfold the riches of his grace to one less guilty than myself.

The Life and Letters of Robert Lewis Dabney, by Thomas Cary Johnson, first published in 1903, reprinted by the Banner of Truth Trust, 1977, pp. 184-85.

Truth is the Object of Your Inquiry

A selection from a letter by John Newton to Thomas Scott. Both men were neighbors and ministers in the Anglican Church but Scott was unconverted. He entered the ministry for a comfortable career, not because he knew Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and wished to proclaim the gospel. The two began a correspondence that eventually led to Scott's conversion. In this letter, Newton commented on some objections that Scott had set forth. The letter was written August 11, 1775.

Your objections neither displease nor weary me. While truth is the object of your inquiry, the more freedom you use with me the better. Nor do they surprise me; for I have formerly made the like objections myself. I have stood upon your ground, and I continue to hope you will one day stand upon mine. As I have told you more than once, I do not mean to dictate to you, or to wish you to receive anything upon my ipse dixit [because I said it]; but, in the simplicity of friendship, I will give you my thoughts from time to time upon the points you propose, and leave the event to the divine blessing.

Letters of John Newton: with Biographical Sketches and Notes by Josiah Bull, first published in 1869, republished by the Banner of Truth, 2007, p. 253.

Love Has Replaced Hate

A letter by a surviving World War II Prisoner of War of the Japanese, Louis Zamperini, to Mutsuhiro Watanabe, one of the worst guards in any POW Camp, who had a particular vendetta against him. Zamperini was an Olympic runner before the war, so was well-known and famous. He was bombardier of a B-24 in the Pacific during the war. After his plane went down, he and the pilot survived over 40 days in a raft only to be picked up by the Japanese and was thus interred as prisoner. 37% of POW's in Japan did not survive and many of the men that did were scarred physically and emotionally for the rest of their lives. Such was the case of Zamperini until he found Christ. Conversion took away his nightmares, cured him of alcoholism, and enabled him to love his former enemies, even the guard that mistreated him so badly. Zamperini returned to Japan in 1998 to carry the Olympic torch. He hoped to visit Watanabe, "the Bird," so he could tell him about Christ, but his overture was refused. This letter was sent instead.

To Mutsuhiro Watanabe,

As a result of my prisoner war experience under your unwarranted and unreasonable punishment, my post-war life became a nightmare. It was not so much due to the pain and suffering as it was the tension of stress and humiliation that caused me to hate with a vengeance.

Under your discipline, my rights, not only as a prisoner of war but also as a human being, were stripped from me. It was a struggle to maintain enough dignity and hope to live until the war's end.

The post-war nightmares caused my life to crumble, but thanks to a confrontation with God through the evangelist Billy Graham, I committed my life to Christ. Love has replaced the hate I had for you. Christ said, "Forgive your enemies and pray for them."

As you probably know, I returned to Japan in 1952 and was graciously allowed to address all the Japanese war criminals at Sugamo Prison… I asked then about you, and was told that you probably had committed Hara Kiri, which I was sad to hear. At that moment, like the others, I also forgave you and now would hope that you would also become a Christian.

Louis Zamperini

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand, Random House, 2010, pp. 396-97.

Happy in Living and Blessed in Dying

A portion of a letter from Robert Murray McCheyne to a female acquaintance about the state of her soul. Six letters that McCheyne wrote her were published. They are model evangelistic letters of a believer concerned for an unbeliever. This paragraph comes from the fourth letter and was written December 1841.

Now, will you come, for all things are ready? Are you now saying in your heart, I cannot but believe I am the chief of sinners, and Jesus offers to be my refuge, my Mediator, my all in all; I feel He is precious? Oh! dear friend, I trust you do. This only will make you happy in living, and blessed in dying. This is a poor, dying world. Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. There is no part here that death cannot take from us. But if you have Christ, you have the only imperishable portion! Oh, may the Holy Spirit give you a firm hold of Jesus! Then we shall meet in that sweet place, where there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. The Lord deal kindly and gently with you, both soul and body. Farewell, dear friend.

Memoir and Remains of R.M. McCheyne, A. A. Bonar, electronic edition, Logos, p. 118. The book is also published by Banner of Truth Trust.

Soundly Converted Under My Preaching

A selection from a letter by Rev. Daniel Baker to his wife. He had recently arrived in Galveston, Texas, on a survey trip about the possibility of doing mission work there. The city was new and growing. His church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, did not wish him to leave them but granted him permission to take the trip, along with the blessing of his local Presbytery. His letter home gave some indication of the open door for gospel work and church planting. He ended up spending the rest of his life preaching the gospel in Texas. The letter was written February 21, 1840.

I have preached some fifteen or twenty sermons already, to houses generally crowded, and we should probably have twice as many out, if we could accommodate them. Two or three persons, have, I trust, been this week soundly converted under my preaching. They are, I believe, the very first cases of conversion that ever took place on the island. Thank the Lord for this great honour conferred upon me, a poor, unworthy instrument!

One of the persons spoken of, is a lady of high respectability, who had been on the island about three years, and had never heard a single sermon before she heard me, except one from a Catholic priest some time ago. And strange to tell, this first sermon she heard me preach was blessed to her awakening. She has since obtained a hope, and is one of the most interesting and satisfactory cases of conversion I ever knew in all my life.

Making Many Glad: The Life and Labours of Daniel Baker, by William M. Baker, first published in 1858, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 2000, pp. 234-35.

Every Returning Birthday

A portion of a letter by Rev. Henry Venn, Church of England minister, to his son John on his 20th birthday. He recounted his son's birth in a depraved state, his upbringing and education, and then his conversion. He was a thankful father, happy to know that his son was a follower of Jesus Christ but also that he had given himself to the work of the ministry. His joy is expressed in this natal letter and wise counsel, peppered with hope, characterizes the last paragraph, a letter written March 9, 1779.

… With every requisite qualification as a scholar, and with a character unsullied by conformity to the world, you may, if life is spared, be admitted amongst the witnesses who testify against the evil doctrine and evil practice everywhere prevailing, and come forth engrossed by one grand purpose, from which nothing shall ever divert you—a purpose, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, to spend and be spent in His service—to follow, though with very unequal steps, yet still with all your might to follow, the example of the Apostles, in the doctrine you preach, in the self-denied life you will lead, in the longing desire of our heart to see the lost saved, and the slaves of sin and Satan returning to Zion with everlasting joy upon their heads, transformed into the Divine image, and, with all gratitude, confessing they heard from your lips what they found the means of their salvation. In this most blessed employment (if it please our adorable Saviour) may you work for many years! And every returning birthday solemnly present yourself before Him, to be endued with more wisdom, knowledge, and grace; till, in the appointed hour, you are called to give account of your ministry, and find the day of your death infinitely better than the day of your birth! This is the wish, the ardent, constant prayer, of your affectionate father…

Letters of Henry Venn, by John Venn, first published in 1835, republished by the Banner of Truth, 1993, pp. 273-74.

The Disease and the Remedy

A portion of a letter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne to a friend of a friend, a person whom he had never met. M’Cheyne bid him to look to Christ. Throughout the letter he called on him to look at particular passages from Scripture. The heart of an evangelist is evident in M’Cheyne’s correspondence. He ended the letter with an appeal; “I pray for you, that you may spiritually see Jesus and be glad—that you may go to Him and find rest.” The letter was written March 20, 1840.

I do not even know your name, but I think I know something of the state of your soul. Your friend has been with me, and told me a little of your mind; and I write a few lines just to bid you look to Jesus and live.

Look at Num. 21:9, and you will see your disease and your remedy. You have been bitten by the great serpent. The poison of sin is through and through your whole heart, but Christ as been lifted up on the cross that you may look and live [Jn 3:14-15]. Now, do not look so long and so harassingly at your own heart and feelings. What will you find there but the bite of the serpent? You were shapen in iniquity, and the whole of your natural life has been spent in sin. The more God opens your eyes, the more you will feel that you are lost in yourself. This is your disease. Now for the remedy.

Look to Christ; for the glorious Son of God so loved lost souls, that He took on Him a body and died for us—bore our curse, and obeyed the law in our place. Look to Him and live. You need no preparation, you need no endeavours, you need no duties, you need no strivings, you only need to look and live.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, pp. 278-79.

I Have A Great Concern For Your Soul's Salvation

A portion of a letter by Ruth Bryan to an unconverted friend. Three letters to this man, known as Mr. J. A., appear in the book. She told him, “I long for your salvation, and still mention you to the King to whom power belongeth.” She not only witnessed to him and urged him to believe on Christ, she prayed for his salvation. This particular letter was written in December, 1855. After telling him of all the things that Christ does for needy sinners, she wrote:

Perhaps you will say, ‘And what is all this to me?’ Why, it is this to you, beloved – without these things you must perish forever. Should you ask, ‘What have you to do with it?’ I answer, ‘I have a great concern for your soul’s salvation.’ But you may object, ‘The things you have spoken of are for God’s chosen people, and I do not know that I am one.’ You do not know that you are not one, and should rather say, ‘Why not, my soul? Why not for Thee?’ And though they are a free gift not to be obtained by any creature power, yet ask God to give them to you. Ask Him to give you the Holy Spirit to make you feel your need of them. Oh may that Holy Spirit

Convince you of your sin,
Then lead to Jesus’ blood;
And to your wondering soul reveal
The secret love of God.

That you may have an experimental knowledge and enjoyment of these things, is the earnest and affectionate desire of yours very sincerely,

R. Bryan.

Jeremiah 6:16, but I hope not the last clause.

The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ: Letters of Ruth Bryan, with a Preface by the Rev. A. Moody Stuart, Reformation Heritage Books, 2005, pp. 134-35.

Neglect Not the One Thing Needful

A selection from a letter by Rev. J. H. Thornwell to his son, Gillespie, fifteen years of age at the time. He longed for the salvation of his children and often addressed his desire when writing to them. This letter was written August 4, 1859.

My cup of earthly happiness would be full, if you, and Jimmie, and Charlie, were only true Christians. You would then be safe for time and for eternity. Depend upon it, my dear son, you will never repent of it, if you should now give your heart unto the Lord. Let me beg you to seek, this summer, the salvation of your soul. You will have time to think, and read, and pray. Write to me that you are not neglecting the one thing needful…

The Life and Letters of James Henley Thornwell, by B. H. Palmer, first published in 1875, republished by the Banner of Truth, 1974, p. 442.

A Little Girl Was Wrought Upon

A selection from a letter by Andrew Fuller to his friend in the ministry, John Ryland. Fuller wrote about the effects of a child’s death who had come to know the Lord. No date is given for the letter, but it was sometime in 1786.

Some time ago I spoke at a child’s grave, and addressed the children. It appears that a little girl was wrought upon, who is since dead. At that time her father and mother were very ignorant. She talked much to them before her death. I hope the Lord has lately wrought upon her mother. She seems very tender-hearted, and in real earnest after the salvation of her soul. Her husband has opposed her coming to meeting, but in vain. He beat her, but to no purpose. He then despaired, and began to think her right and himself wrong. ‘If it had not been of God,’ he said, ‘I had overcome it before now.’ The man invited me to visit his wife. I went, expecting him to dispute with me, as he had threatened to stop me in the street for that purpose; accordingly I gave him an opportunity; but, says the poor man, ‘I have done with that now, my chief concern is, What must I do to be saved?’ I cannot tell how it may issue as to him; he comes sometimes to meeting, and sometimes goes to hear Mr. Lydiat, at Warkton.

Last Tuesday I was visited by a lad, who has lately been observed to weep very much under the word. He appears to have every mark of true and deep contrition, and says a sermon I preached, two or three months ago, on sinners being under the curse of the Almighty, was first of use to him. The Lord carry on his work!

The Works of Andrew Fuller, edited by Andrew Gunton Fuller, first published in 1841, republished by The Banner of Truth Trust, 2007, p. li-lii.

A Serious Warning

A portion of a letter by Ruth Bryan to an unconverted friend. Three letters in her book of letters (see below) appear to this young man who had been unwell. She was frank about the consequences of remaining in an unconverted state but told him she felt constrained to write him and tell him that Jesus is “the friend of sinners” (from the first letter). She asked to be excused for writing to him about this in the third letter, but told him, “My heart is in it. I long for your salvation.” The letter was written August 1, 1856.

I was truly surprised that you should take the trouble to answer my note, and since you have thus encouraged me, I must again venture a few lines upon the same all-important subject, namely, the salvation of your never-dying soul. It is all-important; and now is the time to consider it; for though you are young, your life is not insured; and you have already had a serious warning in that affliction, which might have opened the gate into an eternal world. Oh! had it been so--where would you now have been? and what would have been your eternal portion? Would you have been "present with the Lord," beholding the beauties of Jesus, and singing in the ever-new song the praises of the Lamb which was slain? Or would you have been banished from His presence, cast into outer darkness, to receive the wages of sin--that eternal death which never, never dies?

These questions may be unpleasing; but it certainly is worth while to ask them, and to answer them, because one of these two fixed states must before long be yours as well as mine. There is no medium state; with every soul of man it must be joy inconceivable--or woe unutterable. And whichever of these be our portion, it will be forever, and ever, and ever. There will be no fear of the happiness ending. There will be no hope of the suffering terminating or even abating; for in that darksome prison, never, never will be heard those precious words, "It is finished!" Sin will never be made an end of, and therefore the consequences of sin can never cease; but while eternal ages roll--it will be "wrath to come!" "Wrath to come!"…

May you by the Spirit be wounded under a sense of sin, then will you, with like earnestness, seek to be led to Jesus, the Savior; for you must die, and, oh, what will you do if you die without finding salvation?

The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ: Letters of Ruth Bryan, with a Preface by the Rev. A. Moody Stuart, Reformation Heritage Books, 2005, pp. 138-45.

O William! Consider Your Dangerous Situation

A selection from a letter by Rev. Edmund Botsford, Baptist pastor in South Carolina and member of the Charleston Association of Churches, to William B. Johnson, an unconverted young man. This is the conclusion to a letter that was hard-hitting about the young man’s sin. Johnson was later converted and became most useful in the kingdom of Christ. The letter was written August 15, 1803.

If you do not turn to him [Christ] with your whole heart, his justice will light on you, he will execute eternal punishment upon you. When I tell you these things, you can evade the force of them, and your natural politeness prevents you from unbecoming behavior; but you go away, and sin again, and do not the things you are required. I tell you, if you continue this practice, the eternal God will be aroused to anger, and swear you shall not enter his rest. When you are summoned to his bar, you must obey; then no evasion will do; you must answer to all that is alleged against you. And how will you answer? In the name of God, how will you answer? O William! If ever grace reaches your poor, blind, hard, unbelieving heart, you will have a worse opinion of it than any other person can. I sincerely wish you may make the discovery in time, but believe me, I greatly fear for you. I consider you in a dangerous situation. I shall not think it strange to see you at the left hand of the Judge, when we shall all make our appearance at his bar. God grant it may be otherwise. If it should be, a great change must take place.

The Memoirs of Elder Edmund Botsford, originally printed by W. Riley Charleston, South Carolonia, 1832, published by Particular Baptist Press, compiled and edited by Charles D. Mallary, with additional footnotes, illustrations and an index, 2004, pp. 124-125.

Seek the Lord

A selection from letters of Rev. Charles Colcock Jones (1803-1863), affectionately known as “the apostle of the Negro slaves.” His son Joseph, a professor in the University of Georgia, professed faith in Christ in 1858. But his son, Charles, a lawyer, gave no evidence of knowing Christ, but received many letters from his father that included pleas for him to be converted. There is some evidence that he was brought to faith in Christ after his father’s death. Below are three samples of exhortations of a father to a son to be saved.

“Do not put off making your peace with God. You stand in danger of eternal ruin every hour you live without repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” (September 6, 1854).

“My dear son, I pray the Lord to open your eyes and open your heart to see and feel your need of a precious Saviour” (February 16, 1858).

“When, my son, will you seek the Lord? Why are you not a Christian?” (October 3, 1859).

Heroes, Iain H. Murray, the Banner of Truth Trust, 2009, p. 233. This is a wonderful volume, especially the chapter on Charles Colcock Jones, and his wife, Mary. He was once the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia, and was professor of Columbia Theological Seminary, but his greatest work was that of evangelizing slaves.

The Gospel Message

A selection from a letter written by William Carey to Andrew Fuller in England, one of the pastors who faithfully supported the ministry of Carey in India. It contains a sample of the way Carey preached the glorious gospel of Christ. His report to Fuller shows the great missionary in action. The letter was written in November, 1800.

You and I, and all of us are Sinners, and we are in a helpless state but I have good things to tell you. God in the riches of his Mercy became incarnate, in the form of Man. He lived more than thirty years on the earth without Sin and was employed in doing good. He gave sight to the Blind, healed the Sick, the lame, the Deaf and the Dumb – and after all died in the stead of Sinners. We deserved the wrath of God, but he endured it. We could make no sufficient atonement for our guilt but he completely made an end of Sin and now he has sent us to tell you that the Work is done and to call you to faith in, and dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, leave your vain customs, and false gods, and lay hold of eternal Life through him.

The Journal and Selected Letters of William Carey, collected and edited by Terry G. Carter, Smyth & Helwys, 2000, p. 149.

What To Believe

A selection from a letter by Thomas Chalmers to a lady that a friend asked him to write regarding the state of her soul. The letter was written February, 1826. Mr. Chalmers sought to answer objections about the gospel that this woman had raised.

But, generally, you complain that you are ignorant of how to go—how to believe. Now, this has long been a stumbling-block to many; their thoughts are how they are to believe, when their thoughts should be what they should believe. They look inwardly for the object of faith. “For every one thought,” says Richard Baxter, “that he casts downwardly upon himself, he should cast ten upwardly and outwardly upon Jesus, and upon the glorious truths of the Gospel.” You say that you have no doubts of the freeness of Christ’s salvation, and of His willingness to save you. Dwell upon this; persist in this; stand in the Gospel attitude of looking upon Jesus, and light will at length arise without you.

Letters of Thomas Chalmers, edited by William Hanna, first published 1853, reprinted by The Banner of Truth, 2007, pp. 301-02.

He Love Black Man All Same White Man

A selection from a letter by Maggie Paton, wife of missionary John Paton, to a friend back home in Stirling, Scotland, about some of their first impressions of the New Hebrides. The letter was written on October 17, 1865.

I remember seeing a number of Natives assembled on the deck-house one Sabbath for Service, which Mr. Paton conducted in what is here termed Sandalwood English—a sort of peculiar broken English, which traders use with the Natives all over the Islands. I was amazed to see how he had gained the attention of all, when not above two or three of them knew the same language. They were looking earnestly into his face, and evidently drinking in every word. I crept nearer, and, listening attentively, heard such sentences as the following: Jehovah very good. He love Black Man all same White Man. He send Son belonga Him. He die for all Man.

Letters and Sketches from the New Hebrides, by Maggie Whitecross Paton, printed by Reformation Heritage Books and Sprinkle Publications, 2003, pp. 6-7.

Where Are You Going, My Dear Child?

A letter by Rev. Daniel Baker to his daughter. He was away from home preaching meetings in North Carolina. When away from home he usually wrote his children, and when he did, he often exhorted them to think of eternity and the need for professing faith in Christ. This letter was written in 1834.

My daughter, remember your father and mother are going to heaven; where are you going, my dear child? Are you willing to be separated from your parents in that eternity which is hastening on? Take care of your soul for if you lose that, what have you got beside?

Making Many Glad: The Life and Labours of Daniel Baker, by William M. Baker, first published in 1858, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 2000, p. 194.