A Letter To Mr Taigel – May 25th, 1864
Dear Mr. G. F. Taigel,
I owe you an apology for my delay in replying to your letter; but various circumstances have concurred to prevent my answering it. And now that I have undertaken to send you a few lines in reply, I must fairly confess I hardly know what answer to give.
When we are in trouble and perplexity about divine matters, we often desire the counsel and advice of friends, especially of those whom we think to be established in the ways of truth. But we find after a time, that to lean upon them is like leaning upon a broken reed, which only runs into the hand and pierces it. Every part and particle of divine truth we have to learn for ourselves experimentally, in order that we may really know it. This is particularly the case in sitting under the ministry of the Word. Every child of God has to prove for himself the ground on which he stands; and generally speaking, he must be deeply and for a long time tried before he can come to a right judgment. He will have to compare the ministry which he hears with the work of God upon his soul, as well as with the Word of truth. He will also have to watch and see what power and savour, unction or dew, rest upon the word which he hears. If his soul be alive and lively in the things of God, he will soon find what the ministry is; and though for a time he may think the fault is all in himself, yet when he finds no power or unction under the ministry, and that it rather starves his soul than feeds it, rather draws up and dries the dew upon his soul than communicates it, he gradually learns that, whatever that ministry may be in itself, or whatever it may be to others, it is but a dry breast to him.
I do not wish, considering my position, to express any opinion about Mr. Wells or his ministry. Yet I cannot but think that there is a great deal of truth in what you say; that there is no separation or discrimination in his ministry, and that it is more like ‘head notions’ than an ‘experimental knowledge’ of the truth. What the man is in himself I must leave. One thing however I do know, which is, that he holds very serious error upon the subject of the eternal Sonship of Christ, and has used, what I may call, some awful expressions about it; for instance, such as saying that the doctrine of eternal generation was from beneath. Mr. Gunner, under whom you now sit, is a man sound in the truth, and has been taught it experimentally, so that I hope his word may be blessed to your soul.
Yours sincerely for the truth’s sake,
J. C. P.
Jesus is LORD! 
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