A Letter To Sister Ann – April 19th, 1865
My dear Ann,
I fear you will begin to think that I have quite forgotten my promise to write to you; but you know how much my time is engaged, and even were it not so, that to will is often present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.
What a mercy it is for us that, if indeed we belong to the Lord, nothing can ever separate us from His love, so that neither time, nor distance, nor circumstances can cut the bond of union. Though we feel so often at a distance from Him, He is never at a distance from us; and as a proof of this, there are from time to time revivals of faith, and hope, and love. And what a mercy too that the whole work of grace, from first to last, does not depend upon ourselves or upon anybody else, but depends altogether upon His faithfulness who cannot lie. But why do I say all this? To encourage you and all my dear friends from whom I have been separated in body, but not in spirit, to trust more in the Lord’s goodness and mercy, and less in themselves or in one another.
I was glad to find that you and my dear friends at B. still cleave close to one another in love and union. Next to enjoying the Lord’s presence, and having union and communion with Him, the greatest favour is to have union and communion with the dear family of God. And how painful it is, instead of finding this sweet union, to find little else but strife and division. But even this sometimes, though so painful and wounding to the feelings, works together for good; for it drives the soul from looking to and resting upon man, to look more to the Lord and to rest more upon Him. Thus when the spirit is wounded and distressed with what is seen of strife and division, if it make one look more to the Lord and seek more after a feeling sense of His goodness and mercy to the soul, it works for good, though so trying and painful. I have always found that the worst effect of strife and division is to ruffle one’s own spirit, and communicate that very spirit of strife to one’s own mind which we so lament to see in others. It is in this way that strife leads to strife, and one evil begets another, until every gracious and godly feeling seems withered and gone, and nothing to remain but guilt and confusion.
It seems to me a great mercy that the Lord should have raised up Mr.______ to go in and out before you, as I hardly know what would have been the consequence had you been left without a man of God to keep you together and feed you with the bread of life. He is a man who has gone through much conflict and deep exercise in his own soul, and enjoyed also blessed seasons of deliverance, so that he is able to speak a word in season to those who are weary. Those who receive benefit from his ministry, and esteem him as the servant of God, should seek to hold up his hands, not only by prayer and supplication on his behalf, but by maintaining, as far as they can, a spirit of love and union towards him. I know from painful experience how the hands of a minister are weakened when, instead of pulling with him, the people pull against him. But this union of love and affection requires much self-denial and mastery over one’s own spirit; for it is only by pride that comes contention, and if the soul were well humbled in the very dust, then there would be a spirit of sweet humility, and with that humility, there would be forbearance and love.
I truly desire that every blessing may rest upon all who fear God and love the Lord Jesus Christ, not only at — but everywhere. And my advice to all my dear friends is to live and walk, as far as they can, in the fear of God, looking unto and hanging upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and living in a spirit of love and union with His dear people. Give my love to all who remember me in the love of the Gospel.
Yours affectionately in the Lord,
J. C. P.
Jesus is LORD! 
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