APRIL 25TH, 1926
APRIL 25TH, 1926
MY DEAR MRS. —, — As one who has long known and valued your dear husband, and proved his brotherly love in many ways, I desire to express to you my very true sympathy with you in the sorrow of the bereavement which you have suffered. The ways of God are often past our finding out, but faith is [p. 145] learning to be assured of the perfect wisdom of those ways, and the love which is behind them all. The departure of your dear husband leaves a gap in many hearts, and in the ranks of the service and testimony of our Lord, and to the dear brethren locally, and to us all who have known his interest, and his readiness to support by his sympathy and prayers, as well as by his active personal service, what stood connected with the Name and honour of our Lord Jesus Christ. His removal is a call to us to more personal zeal and devotedness. There is sweet comfort as thinking of him as with the Lord in the undistracted enjoyment of that which he learned of the Spirit here, the wealth and blessedness of Christ, His personal love and the love of God and the Father. And it is a precious thought, that all that he has the joy of as with Christ may be proved by you as divine solace in your present grief. I do not believe that God ever makes a breach in our natural affections without intending it to be an avenue by which new wealth may enter our spiritual affections. There is the tenderest divine sympathy with our sorrow on the part of our heavenly Priest, but His love has its own precious design to bring in more of the imperishable and eternal, in the deeper disclosure to us of all that He is Himself as the Resurrection and the Life.
Though you are personally unknown to us here, we have a link with you through knowing your husband so well, and we have prayed for you, that every needed succour and grace may be richly accorded you, and that your confidence in God and the Lord Jesus Christ may be greatly confirmed and strengthened by what you experience of unfailing divine faithfulness and love at this time....
With much love in the Lord Jesus,
Yours affectionately in Him,
April 25th, 1926.