A Letter To John Grace – January 2nd, 1861

My dear friend, John Grace,

The Address (Gospel Standard) too requires some thought and labor, as not only must it be in great degree original, that is to say, not a repetition of former addresses, but in some way adapted to the readers of the work. It is more easy to see how such things should be done, or to criticize them after they are done, than to do them. The difficulty is, to write with some sweet savor upon the spirit, and while all appearance of teaching is laid aside, yet to speak with that degree of authority and power, which becomes those who stand forward to instruct or admonish others. I have no doubt you understand my meaning, as it is so analogous to preaching. If a man cannot preach with some authority and savor, he seems little qualified for such an office; and yet the assumption of any undue authority would be felt by the people as unbecoming his position. But it is the Lord, and the Lord alone, who can commend, both what we speak and what we write, to the consciences of His people; and there is in truth, as applied to the heart by the power of God, a weight and an authority, which is not to be found in any assumption of the priestly office.

I am more and more convinced what error there is in the professing church, and how we seem fallen on those evil days when perilous times were to come. I used some years ago, in reading Mr. Huntington’s writings, to wonder at two things—(1) The erroneous men that he had to deal with; (2) His severe language against them. But I can now see that we have just the same men in our day, and just the same errors; and though I would not use Mr. Huntington’s language, because I have not his experience, his discernment, or his authority, yet I can see that such language was in a measure deserved, and that it was zeal for his Master and for the truth that made him so denounce error and erroneous men.

I preached here on Christmas day and did not suffer any injury, though the thermometer was lower than it has been for many years. I feel it to be a mercy not to be wholly laid aside, as it keeps the people together, and I trust is sometimes made profitable to their souls, as well as giving me the opportunity to preach what extends to a wider circle than my own congregation. How very differently the Lord, for He is the author of all good, deals with different instruments; and yet how His wisdom is displayed in the various circumstances of His all-wise arrangement. You, for instance, are favored with a good measure of health and strength, and have a regular and large congregation; while I am for the most part but a poor invalid shut up in a narrow corner of the land. And yet we hope we are both filling up the exact position which the Lord has designed; and so far as He is making use of us, are qualified to do the work which He has appointed us to do. It is a blessed thing when we can feel nothing in ourselves, but all in Him, and are blessed with a single eye to His glory, and His people’s good.

We have just entered upon a new year, and who can tell whether we shall see its close? I wish for myself that I may live more to the Lord’s praise during the year now present, if my life be spared, than I did through the year just passed. And yet I am very sure, if I am left to myself, I shall spend a worse year as regards living to the Lord, than I did during that now forever gone. We have seen in one sense the best of our days, for youth is departed from us; and though you enjoy a larger measure of health and strength than myself, yet every coming year will rob you more and more of both. I do earnestly desire for myself that my last days may be my best days, and that when my sun sets, it may not go down in a cloud, but shine the brighter before it passes altogether out of sight. But this, like every other gift, must be all of superabounding grace, for indeed nothing short of that can bless us in life or death.

I have read the sermon which Mr. — lately preached at your chapel. It is not marked by any great depth of experience, nor does it bear the stamp of great ability of mind; but there is something very sound, savory, and sweet in it, and in many points I could see with it very nicely eye to eye, and feel with it, I trust, heart to heart. Among the men of experimental truth, how few we have who are gifted with any great ability to set it forth. Sermons sometimes come across me which are preached by men ignorant experimentally of the truth, and scarcely sound indeed even in the letter; but as regards clearness and force of language, and ability in putting forth their views, they seem to me far to outshine the experimental ministers of our day. This cannot be because the subject of experience is not calculated for clear and vigorous expression, for where do we find more beautiful writing than in the works of Mr. Huntington and the poetry of Joseph Hart, not to mention The Pilgrim of the immortal tinker? With what power too our esteemed friend Mr. W. Gadsby used to preach! So that there is nothing in experimental preaching which is unsuitable to clearness of thought, vigor of language, and force of expression. Besides which, there is in it a sweet savor and a blessed unction, when God speaks through the lips, which is true eloquence; for it reaches the heart and produces an abiding effect upon the soul. It is true that God by the “foolishness of preaching saves those who believe”—but the Apostle does not mean that the preaching itself is foolish, but that the effect is so far beyond the cause, that it may be considered in that sense a foolish, because in itself a weak, instrument. Please excuse my running on at this rate, but very often in dictating letters I think aloud instead of writing, and thus sometimes may burden my friends with unprofitable thoughts.

Yours very affectionately,
J. C. P.