FEBRUARY 25TH, 1939

FEBRUARY 25TH, 1939

BELOVED BROTHER, — ... I am sorry that I have never been able to visit Ireland, though I once got as far as Chester on my way to Dublin, but was hindered by illness from going beyond that point. This was about 45 years ago. The greater part of the time since then my health has been such as to put a good deal of limitation on my movements, but I am comforted by the assurance that this has been under the gracious ordering of the Lord, and that it has been His way for me. He has permitted to me a little service amongst His people by means of what has been printed, and I am thankful for this, but it would have rejoiced me much if I could have seen more of the dear brethren in their own localities.

I am interested in your remarks on “the love of the Spirit”. I do not think we can have any doubt that the service of the Spirit is a service of love. All that He does for us, as brought out in Romans 8, is surely in love; and as shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts I believe He has the delight of love in doing it. “Another Comforter” would suggest that He would take the place of Christ in undertaking all needed service for the loved company — the assembly — during the absence of Christ as having gone to the Father. The Spirit clearly has His own place in the great economy of divine love. And, as indwelling the saints, He forms in them a love which is after His own kind of love, if we may so say, as embracing ^[p. 267] all that is dear to Christ, and essential to His service. It is from this point of view that the expression “the love of the Spirit” is used in Romans 15: 30. It is in relation to the immediate needs of the service which was filling the heart and the prayers of the beloved apostle. It was to be prayerfully supported by the saints at Rome in an affectionate way in keeping with the love of the Spirit. It is a beautiful expression and might well appeal to our hearts....

With much love in the Lord,

Yours affectionately in Him,

February 25th, 1939.