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.

Sweet Rod

A portion of a letter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne to W. C. Burns, a Scottish Presbyterian minister that went to China in 1848 as a missionary. He was recovering from sickness when M’Cheyne wrote this letter of thanks and encouragement. The letter was written June 10, 1840.

I am truly thankful that you have been raised up again—renewed, I trust, both in the inner and outer man. “I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant” [Ezk. 20:37]. Sweet rod that drives the soul into such a precious resting place! “I will visit their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless, my loving–kindness I will not take from him” [Psa. 89:32-33]. This has been the experience of the greater part of my life, at least of my spiritual life. Remember Edwards’ magnificent resolution: “Resolved to improve afflictions to the uttermost.” Spread the sail when the breeze of adversity blows, and let it drive your vessel onwards on its course.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, p. 94.

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.

Lay Hold On Jesus Christ

A selection from a letter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne to someone whom he did not know. He knew her cousin, who asked him to write her a letter encouraging her to believe in Christ. Andrew Bonar, who included several of M’Cheyne’s letters in his Memoir and Remains of M’Cheyne, wrote this heading: “To a Stranger. Intended to lead on one whose face was Zionward, but who was not fully decided.” What evangelistic zeal M’Cheyne possessed! This wasn’t a form letter; it was a person letter to someone he didn’t know yet desired to see them converted. The letter was written in July of 1840.

My dear friend, I do not even know your name; but your cousin has been telling me about your case, and wishes me to write you a line inviting you to lay hold on Jesus Christ, the only refuge for a perishing soul. You seem to have been thinking seriously of your soul for some time. Do remember the words of Peter (2 Pet. 1:10): ‘Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.’ Never rest till you can say what John says (1 John 5:19): ‘We know that we are of God.’ The world always loves to believe that it is impossible to know that we are converted. If you ask them, they will say, ‘I am not sure—I cannot tell;’ but the whole Bible declares we may receive, and know we have received, the forgiveness of sins (see Ps. 32:1; 1 John 2:12). Seek this blessedness—the joy of having forgiveness; it is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. But where shall I seek it? In Jesus Christ. ‘God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life’ (1 John 5:11-12)…

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, pp. 283-84.

Prophecy

A portion of a letter written by Robert Murray M’Cheyne to Mr. George Shaw of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Mr. Shaw had written M’Cheyne about a number of subjects, the understanding of prophecy being one of them. M’Cheyne’s letter was written on September 16, 1840:

As to the mode of studying prophecy, dear friend, I am far from being a capable adviser. My advice, however, is that you begin with the simple and more unquestioned parts, and then advance to the more difficult ground. Begin with fulfilled prophecy; you will thus gain an intimate acquaintance with the language and manner of the prophetic writings. Then advance to the marks of unfulfilled prophecy, and cautiously and prayerfully to those parts that are obviously unfulfilled. This would be a most interesting course, and if humbly followed out, cannot but give you great light and interest in the cause of Israel, and the world’s conversion.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, p. 292.

The Lord Make You a Boanerges and a Barnabas

A selection from a letter by Robert Murray M'Cheyne, to Rev. Patrick L. Miller, who had just been called to be the minister of the church in Wallacetown, located in south west Scotland. The letter was written on September 18, 1840:

I cannot tell you how sincerely I thank God for the event of this evening. You are unanimously chosen minister of Wallacetown. I have already been on my knees to praise God for it, and to pray that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit for this glorious work… The Lord humble, empty, satisfy, and fill you – make you a Boanerges and a Barnabas all in one. May the Lord arise, and His enemies be scattered; and may poor parched Angus become like the garden of the Lord.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, p. 190.

Great Likeness to Jesus

A portion of a letter written by Robert Murray McCheyne to Rev. Dan Edwards, who was on his way to Germany as a missionary. The letter was written on October 2, 1840:

I trust you will have a pleasant and profitable time in Germany. I know you will apply hard to German; but do not forget the culture of the inner man—I mean of the heart. How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his saber clean and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. Remember you are God’s sword, His instrument—I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, p. 282.

A Calm Hour With God

A selection from a letter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne to his congregation, St. Peter’s Church, in Dundee, Scotland. He had been laid aside with sickness for awhile and wrote to exhort them and encourage them to be faithful in his absence. This letter was written on January 30, 1839:

It does not become me here to show what benefit it may be to me. Suffice it to say that it has been a precious opportunity in which to reflect on the sins and imperfections of my ministry among you. A calm hour with God is worth a whole lifetime with man. Let it be your prayer that I may come out like gold, that the tin may be taken away, and that I may come back to you, if that be the will of God, a better man, and a more devoted minister. I have much to learn, and these words of David have been often in my heart and on my lips: “I know that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me” (Ps. cxix. 75). Ministers are God’s tools for building up the gospel temple. Now you know well that every wise workman takes his tools away from the work from time to time, that they may be ground and sharpened; so does the only-wise Jehovah take His ministers oftentimes away into darkness and loneliness and trouble, that He may sharpen and prepare them for harder work in His service. Pray that it may be so with your own pastor.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, pp. 218-219.

Preaching Christ

A selection from a letter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne to his friend, Rev. R. MacDonald, January 12, 1839, written after having been laid aside for awhile by illness:

It is a glorious thing to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ! We do not value it aright till we are deprived of it; and then Philip Henry’s saying is felt to be true – that he would beg all the week in order to be allowed to preach on the Sabbath day.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, p. 209.

Foremost Desire

From a pastoral letter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne, to his congregation, February 13, 1839:

Believe me, it is the foremost desire of my heart that Christ may be glorified in you, both now and at His coming—that you may be a happy and a holy people blessed and made a blessing.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne: Memoir and Remains, Andrew A. Bonar, first published in 1884, reprinted by the Banner of Truth, 1966, p. 224.