SCARBOROUGH, AUGUST 25TH, 1902
SCARBOROUGH, AUGUST 25TH, 1902
Dr. van Someren.
My Dear Brother, — I had your letter of June 30th, and take the opportunity of being here to send you a few lines in answer. We are again in Mrs. Chimes’ house by her kindness, and she is staying next door in the house that the Stoneys occupied, but which Miss Stoney has given up. Miss Stoney, is however, staying with her. I am purposing to start on the 18th of next month for America in company with Mr. Allen of Birkenhead, and Mr. I. Allen from Croydon. Mr. Pellatt returns with us. It may be said that if I can go again to America, why cannot I come to Australia. But the cases are in fact very different, the one entails an absence of two months and the other an absence of eight months, and it is this question of time that makes all the difference. My wife will consent to spare me for the smaller time, but is not at present prepared to be without me for the longer period, and I fear too prolonged a strain might be prejudicial to her. Things may change and the way may clear, but I feel that I have to wait the Lord’s time for this, as one cannot afford to do things so as to make a sore. I am glad to hear what you say as to Stewart, and I hope that he may have the grace to go on wisely. I think that I know certain links that he has in this country, and if my surmise is correct he is not likely to be helped by them. There is an effort to reconcile [p. 191] what has come into view, with that which has been customarily held, and this temper is not one conducive to the apprehension of truth. The habit of mind to be desired is that of readiness to surrender anything that does not help, so that the truth may be held in divinely-given form. The truth has to be got hold of as that which is part of oneself. And no one has rightly hold of any truth until he sees how he is affected by it. As regards the thought of eternal life, I have no doubt that the idea of it in Scripture is objective, just as all the conditions of life are objective to a newly-born child, and yet the child cannot live without them, and when the child is living all these conditions may be said to be abiding in the child. What I refer to are the conditions of natural law (rule), atmosphere and light. These are the necessary conditions of life, and they are all objective, but when the child is living in them, they may be said to be abiding in the child. The child requires to be nourished with good food that it may live in these conditions, but however well it may be nourished it is never independent of these conditions, they are its life. So it is spiritually, we may be well nourished by the suitable food of grace, but are dependent on Christ in whom are found all the necessary conditions of life. He is life to us. We find in Him the principle of rule, so that we are kept in the orbit of God’s will, we abide in Him and do not sin; in Him is the love which forms the atmosphere of the christian circle, and which the lungs of the believer must breathe, and in Him is the light of God in all His mind toward us in our pathway here, and by which our hearts are gladdened. Thus we have in Christ all the conditions of life, He is the eternal life. And if we are abiding in these conditions, they abide in us, but they do not abide in a murderer, because the murderer does not abide in Him. People need to get hold of things intelligently and not like parrots. I am glad to hear what you say of Giles, I trust that he may be kept.
[p. 192] There is a brother going out from Croydon named McBride, a devoted man, and I should think will be a help. I hope that he may be happily received. I trust that you are all well, and with our love in the Lord remain,
Your affectionate brother,
F. E. Raven.