A Letter To Mr Whitteridge – November 11th, 1864
Dear Friend, Mr. Whitteridge,
There is much in your letter which I like, and it seems commended to my conscience as written by an honest man. You speak of yourself as one who has not had much education; and yet your letter evidences that you must have taken much pains with yourself, and after all even where, as in my case, a good foundation has been laid by early and long instruction, a man, to know anything aright, must very much educate himself. I speak of this, of course, only in reference to natural education; for, as you well know, we must be taught of God if we are to know anything as we ought to know. Any knowledge which I may have of the only true God and of Jesus Christ, whom He has sent, must have come from the anointing which teaches of all things, and is truth, and no lie, if indeed it save or sanctify my soul. But I have had to learn for the most part what I know, and what I teach by tongue and pen, through trial and temptation; for it is through much tribulation that we must enter the Kingdom.
But I now come to the main subject of your letter—the wish expressed in it that I could render some help in the way of counsel to plain, uneducated men. In the first place, I hardly know whether I am competent to give it, or whether, if given, any one would be willing to take it. I find for the most part that men ask for advice when they mean approbation. But, apart from this, neither time nor health would allow me to undertake such a task. My health is of late weakened, mainly with hard labour and exercise, and employment of mind. I need rest both of body and soul—for thought, tongue, and pen. My medical attendant told me a day or two ago he would like, if he could, to cast me into a six months’ trance, meaning, I suppose, that I needed perfect rest for that period of time. I could not, therefore, in addition to all my present work with the Standard, and much correspondence, put a fresh burden upon my back. I consider that in writing for the Standard, I communicate for the most part what I am taught and know.
I thank you, however, for your kind and friendly letter, and wish it were in my power to give you or any other sincere, simple man any such counsel as might be offered and received in the fear of the Lord.
Yours very sincerely for truth’s sake,
J. C. P.
Jesus is LORD! 
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