EXTRACTS

Since I wrote to you I have been at, what is called, death’s door—told that if I attempted to go upstairs I might die on them. The action of my heart failed, and often at night it felt as if it would cease entirely. The first feeling of the break up of the vessel was a solemn one. It was not doubt of the Lord’s love, or of the perfectness of His work, but the fact of the breaking up of the status of my existence; but it has left, through grace, the profoundest consciousness of association with Him, and of His love, and of the Father’s too, and as if I had left the world behind me—and this sense of His love is very sweet and of association with Himself. I am much better, though a really good night’s rest is unknown to me, but study work I can do as ever through mercy; but am, for my thoughts so to speak, a dead man, for the other world—we all ought to be so, and I had long so held the truth, but it is another thing to be there. All I have taught has come back to me as divine truth from God, and that is a great comfort, have nothing to regret but my own poor walk, though I had no object but Christ. But of Jacob and Israel it shall be said, “according to this time” the end of the wilderness—“What hath God wrought”. My mind is as fresh as ever—so there is your poor old friend, John Darby, looking for Christ in you and nothing else, and knowing He is there. (10 July 1881) J. N. Darby (‘Letters’, Vol. III, p.191)

“Using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace”, is seeking to carry out, in spirit and gracious manner and ways, that unity of saints externally in this world, which is essentially and always true in the unity of the Body in Christ, and thus to manifest it.

J. N. Darby (‘Notes & Comments on Scripture’, Vol. 2, p.161) Published by F. C. Mutton, 22 Christchurch Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4QY, England Printed by C. Ellis, Billericay, Essex, England