BROOKLYN, N.Y., JUNE 29TH, 1941
[p. 231] BROOKLYN, N.Y., JUNE 29TH, 1941
Mr. A. Helen.
Beloved Brother, — Your two letters were much valued by ourselves and by the brethren. I wrote Mr. Ide since and requested him to tell you that I hoped to write you.
That Mr. Ide recovered so steadily after such an attack as you described was a cause of great thankfulness to God by us all here. Mr. Elliott mentioned in a letter received today that Mr. Ide was in Glasgow and he hoped he would not undertake too much there. The Glasgow brethren are usually hungry for the truth and there are a large number of them to be fed.
All the items of news you sent were valued and drew out our hearts afresh to our dear brethren in your parts. We are thanking God continually for the measure of relief from the cruel bombs which He has granted in recent weeks. It is wise and right to take everything from His hand instead of attributing them to human causes. We steadily pray that the relief will continue, but even if severe bombing is resumed, we have the comfort of knowing by experience that our God can again check it, and finally cause it to cease. In such an extensive scourge as the present it is wise to consider that God is allowing some feature of sin to be worked out and this may — from His point of view — require time; for instance, time was needed for the iniquity of the Amorites to become full. Besides, God would judge the nation that afflicted Israel and Israel would come out “with great property”. I am assured that the Israel of today will come out of this present sorrow with great property.
The recent extraordinary turn that the conflict has taken has surely a divine mark. At any rate, we may attribute to it, under God, the respite that has been noted during some weeks past. Besides, it affords great advantage to Great Britain and the United States in their efforts. They, we must consider, are departmental elements in the government of God in relation to the dreadful evil and scourge that have arisen, and thus should come within the range of our prayers in a special way. Christians belong to a kingdom which cannot be moved, and it is exercised for the salvation of men and not for their destruction, but we see that God is also maintaining a providential government for the restraint of evil, His ministers bearing not the sword in vain, and we are with Him in all this. It is God’s minister to us for good.
Many special meetings have been held in this country and [p. 232] Canada during recent weeks and months. Knoxville, London, Ontario, Winnipeg, Rochester and Calgary. The Lord graciously opened His hand liberally to His people as together and a wide range of truth was covered. During the next ten days four extended meetings are in prospect: Montreal, A.E.M. ; Minneapolis, J.T. Jr. ; Regina, J.D. ; and Berkeley, S.McC. It is a holiday season in Canada and the U.S. Besides those mentioned there are some smaller ones — one here — in view. We are encouraged in all this for the comings together of the saints in this extensive way afford the Spirit of God opportunity to feed and refresh His people. The advantage is indeed immense as checking the steady efforts of the enemy through worldliness and looseness.
Auckland cabled me lately as to the purposed meetings there and I replied ‘sailing doubtful’. For the sake of the brethren and their arrangements, I must make up my mind soon. I am, however, rather confirmed not to undertake such a long sea journey in such troublous times, especially as P.L. and others able to serve at such meetings are in New Zealand.
My wife unites in love in Christ to Mary and the children, Mr. and Mrs. Ide and all.
Affectionately in Him,
James Taylor.