*LETTER FROM MR. C. A. COATES*, TEIGNMOUTH, OCTOBER 13TH, 1916

LETTER FROM MR. C. A. COATES, TEIGNMOUTH, OCTOBER 13TH, 1916

Mr. James Taylor.

My Dear Brother, — I have been very unwell during the last two months or more, and so tried in my head that I have had to refrain from all writing that could be deferred. Otherwise you would have had a line of reply to your last welcome letter long before now.

I was most thankful to have your letter and to know of the satisfactory nature of your interview with Mr. Giles. I have been anxious about it, lest there might be something at work which would not be helpful to the saints, but your letter was a great comfort to me.

Very soon after I received it Mr. Giles came down to Paignton on account of Mrs. G.’s health, and Dr. Wells and he came over to see me one day and we had about three hours’ conversation. I think we were quite free together and in a happy spirit, and I do not think that as to substance there was much difference between us at the end. The point that I was anxious about was that the grace and work of God should be recognised as giving character to the responsible life and service of the saint, and in so far as it does there is not failure but the fruit of righteousness by Jesus Christ to God’s glory and praise. I would go fully with Mr. Giles that practically all have failed in responsibility save One, but I would not wish to insist upon this to the point of obscuring what the saint is as viewed in responsibility according to God — i.e. as in Romans. So far as I could judge there was no desire to do the latter, so that one would leave the adjustment of expressions to the Lord.

Mr. Giles has written a paper entitled ‘Responsibility, Obligation, and Faithfulness’, which I have had opportunity of seeing in MSS. It did not appear to me that there was anything in this paper to which one would take exception, so that I hope the exercise will yield profit and instruction and not become any further cause of difference.

We have had Miss Elwood staying in the house with Mrs. Pilkington for three weeks. It has been good to see something of the dear old sister again. She is wonderfully vigorous in every way considering her age.

Mrs. Ramsden from Bath has also been staying here and left today. The loss of her son Amherst is a very heavy blow to her, but the Lord sustains her, and her one desire is to get spiritual gain through sorrow.

We have had an unusual influx of visitors all this summer, partly occasioned by the perils on the east coast which have inclined many to come westward for their holiday.

There has been much happy intercourse and fellowship, and I am thankful to have been able to get to all the local meetings even though often under pressure of bodily weakness. Timothy’s “frequent illnesses” often comfort me.

With very much love in the Lord to Mrs. Taylor and yourself,

Yours very affectionately,

Charles A. Coates.