I Cannot But Rejoice

A portion of a letter from missionary William Carey, to his pastor-friend in England, Andrew Fuller. Carey had received letters from Fuller and was thankful. He said, "Few things afford me more pleasure than your letters do." In his reply, Carey gave a report of baptisms for the year 1809. It took seven years before the mission work saw its first baptism but he was able this particular year to report that there had been many. The letter was written December, 1809.

I believe the number baptised within the last year, in all the Churches of Bengal, is sixty seven. Two or three of them have been excluded or suspended, but a greater number of those who had been formally excluded, have given satisfactory proof of repentance, and have been re-admitted to the Lord's table. All the churches are supplied with pastors and have the Word regularly dispensed among them, and some new stations have been attempted, and old ones strengthened. Upon the whole, I cannot but rejoice in what the Lord has done and is now doing among us.

The Journal and Selected Letters of William Carey, collected and edited by Terry G. Carter, Smyth & Helwys, 2000, pp. 202-03.

To A Friend in Trouble

A selection from a letter by John Newton (1725-1807) to a friend who was experiencing tough times. The letter was later published in the Gospel Magazine under the pseudonym, Omicron. Readers didn’t know who wrote the letter or to whom it was written. A series of letters were published under this pen name that was helpful to numerous hurting and struggling Christians. When published, this letter was entitled, “A Letter to a Friend in Trouble.”

... Read the inscription, "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" [2 Cor. 6:10]. No wonder that we are often sorrowing in such a world as this; but to be always rejoicing, though in the midst of tribulation, this may seem strange, but it is no more strange than true. When I want witness to this truth in open court, I may confidently subpoena you to confirm it.

They who would always rejoice, must derive their joy from a source which is invariably the same; in other words, from Jesus. Oh, that name! What a person, what an office, what a love, what a life, what a death, does it recall to our minds! Come, madam, let us leave our troubles to themselves for a while, and let us walk to Golgotha, and there take a view of his…

The Works of John Newton, vol. 6, first published in 1820, reprinted by the Banner of Truth Trust, 1985, pp. 377-78.

We Want Joy Very Badly

A selection from a letter by Dietrich Bonhoeffer to his parents. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian who joined a conspiracy against Hitler's life. He was arrested in April 1943 and died on a Nazi gallows in April 1945. This letter was written early in his imprisonment, June 4, 1943. It reveals how much he appreciated receiving letters during his incarceration.

Thank you very much for your letters. They are always too short for me, but of course I understand! It is as though the prison gates were opened for a moment, and I could share a little of your life outside. Joy is a thing that we want very badly in this solemn building, where one never hears a laugh—it seems to get even the warders down—and we exhaust all our reserves of it from within and without.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Letters and Papers from Prison, edited by Eberhard Bethge, The Macmillan Company, New York, 1971, p. 49.

Born Again!

A letter from C. H. Spurgeon to T. W. Medhurst written after Medhurst had become a believer. The last two letters that I have posted were from Medhurst to Spurgeon asking if there was any hope for him, to which Spurgeon responded with the glorious affirmation of hope in Christ. It wasn't long afterwards when salvation came and a dead sinner was raised to life. Medhurst wrote Spurgeon, telling him that he had been converted upon hearing his sermon on John 6:37. He also told him of his desire to be baptized and join the church. Spurgeon replied to Medhurst in this letter written August 7, 1854.

My Dear Sir,

Your letters have given me great joy. I trust I see in you the marks of a son of God, and I earnestly pray that you may have the evidence within that you are born of God.

There is no reason why you should not be baptized. "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest" [Acts 8:37]. Think very seriously of it, for it is a solemn matter. Count the cost. You are now about to be buried to the world, and you may well say, "What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness" [2 Peter 3:11]. The friends who were with you in the days of your carnal pleasure will strive to entice you from Christ; but I pray that the grace of God may be mightily manifest in you, keeping you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

I should like to see you on Thursday evening, after six o’clock, in the vestry.

I am,
Yours faithfully,
C. H. SPURGEON

C. H. Spurgeon's Autobiography, Compiled from his diary, letters, and records, by his wife and his private secretary, Volume 2, 1854-1860, p. 141f, from the electronic edition by Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009. The Banner of Truth Trust have these excellent volumes in print form.

Seeing the World Right-Side-Up

A selection from a letter by Jack Miller, a church planter and seminary professor with the PCA, to a couple (Peter and Shelly) whose child had just been diagnosed with a progressive disease. Mr. Miller and his wife, Rose Marie, had been praying for them during this difficult trial. His letter is filled with encouragement more than counsel, with what the Lord had taught him, not advice on how to handle the situation. The letter was written in December, 1993.

Jesus, you turn my world upside down! When I submit to You, Lord, it suddenly occurs to me that I am seeing the world right-side-up. And somehow mysteriously the pain of not knowing what to do becomes the joy of the child of God. And I say, 'Ah Lord, if I don't have to be in charge anymore, then I can drop a lot of burdens. I don't need to worry, or plan, where planning makes no sense. I am free to sit at Your feet and to listen and be taught, and learn about Your plans.' At such times I often see new ways of doing things. The various things that Satan meant to use to destroy me become opportunities for serving Christ joyfully, boldly, and freely. Then my heart knows a peace and quietness. I find myself saying in spite myself, 'Your will, not mine, be done.' In your will I find perfect peace. What a mystery of grace!

The Heart of a Servant Leader: Letters from Jack Miller, C. John Miller, edited by Barbara Miller Juliani, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2004, pp. 304-05.

True Marriage Multiplies Joy

A selection from a letter by Rev. Benjamin Morgan Palmer to Anna, a young girl who had become like a daughter to him. She was engaged to be married and asked Rev. Palmer to perform the wedding ceremony. He agreed to leave New Orleans and make his way to New York for the wedding. But he gave her some marital counsel in his letter of acceptance and promised to give her more advice upon his arrival. The letter was written August 2, 1866.

I am not sorry that you are to marry. With such a wealth of love as your broad, warm heart contains, it would be an injury and a wrong to you not to fill all the relations which call for love. I accept all you tell me of Mr. Carter—and from other sources I hear that he is all the word gentleman implies. Knit to the man who is worthy of you, and with a true love between you, life will be brighter and happier to the end. I say it deliberately and upon knowledge, that a true marriage multiplies the joys of a life a thousand fold—and that despite all the sacrifices and sorrows that may be incident thereto. Take the joy with a grateful heart, renewing the consecration of yourself to our loving Redeemer, and trust Him for grace to bear every bitterness which His holy will may hereafter allot for your discipline.

The Life and Letters of Benjamin Morgan Palmer, by Thomas Cary Johnson, first published in 1906, published by The Banner of Truth, 1987, pp. 374-75.

He Reigns Over All

A selection from a letter by Samuel Pearce, pastor of the Cannon Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, England, to Mr. Matthias, a friend he met while preaching in Ireland. The General Evangelical Society in Dublin invited him to come to Ireland to preach the gospel. He made several friends on his mission there from the University of Dublin, Mr. Matthias being one of them. Pearce wrote of how much he valued his new friends. He also shared with him the joy in the Lord that he was experiencing at that time. The letter was written in September or October, 1776.

I thank God, I never, I think, rejoiced habitually so much in him as I have done of late. "God is love." That makes me happy. I rejoice that God reigns; that he reigns over all; that he reigns over me; over my crosses, my comforts, my family, my friends, my senses, my mental powers, my designs, my words, my preaching, my conduct; that he is God over all, blessed for ever. I am willing to live, yet I long to die, to be freed from all error and all sin. I have nothing else to trouble me; no other cross to carry. The sun shines without all day long; but I am sensible of internal darkness. Well, through grace it shall be all light by and by. Yes, you and I shall be angels of light; all Mercuries then; all near the Sun; always in motion; always glowing with zeal, and flaming with love. Oh for the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness!

A Heart for Missions: The Classic Memoir of Samuel Pearce, by Andrew Fuller, with an introduction by Michael Haykin, reprinted by Solid Ground Christian Books, 2006, p. 88.

My Deep and Affectionate Sympathy

A portion of a letter from Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate army, to his daughter-in-law, Charlotte Wickham Lee. Dorie McCullough Lawson writes, “He had [recently] suffered the loss of his beloved twenty-three-year-old daughter to typhoid fever. Lee wrote the following letter to his daughter-in-law upon learning of the death of his only living grandchild, a baby girl.” The letter was written December 10, 1862, three days prior to the Battle of Fredericksburg.

I heard yesterday, my dear daughter, with the deepest sorrow, of the death of your infant. I was so grateful at her birth. I felt that she would be such a comfort to you, such a pleasure to my dear Fitzhugh, and would fill so full the void still aching in your hearts. But you have now two sweet angels in heaven. What joy there is in the thought! I can say nothing to soften the anguish you must feel, and I know you are assured of my deep and affectionate sympathy. May God give you strength to bear the affliction He has imposed, and produce future joy out of your present misery, is my earnest prayer.

Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children, Dorie McCullough Lawson, Doubleday, 2004, p. 230.

Tears of Joy

A letter written by Ann Judson, wife of missionary to Burma, Adoniram Judson. She wrote to Sarah Boardman, whose missionary husband had just died. Mr. Judson regarded George Boardman as “one of the brightest luminaries of Burma.” Mrs. Judson wrote to encourage her friend in the loss of her dear husband. The letter was written March 6, 1831.

While, therefore, your tears flow, let a due proportion be tears of joy. You take the bitter cup with both hands, and sit down to the repast. You will soon learn a secret, that there is sweetness at the bottom. You will find it the sweetest cup that you ever tasted in all your life. You will find heaven coming near to you; and familiarity with your husband’s voice will be a connecting link, drawing you almost with the sphere of celestial music.

The Three Mrs. Judsons, by Arabella W. Stuart, first published in 1851, reprinted by Particular Baptist Press, 1999, p. 188.