AUGUST 13TH, 1900

AUGUST 13TH, 1900

DEAR —, — I trust you have enjoyed your time near — . I am glad you found so much refreshment in the realisation of the Lord’s presence with the feeble few gathered there to His Name. I often feel that the saints come to the meetings in faith that the Lord will be there, without having the love that would not be satisfied with anything save the manifestation of Himself. It is love that makes things living; without it we may be very correct but very dead.

I have no doubt — referring now to the subject of your letter — that many young souls are terribly disappointed and chilled by the company they fall amongst when they come into so-called fellowship. They are not much acquainted with Christ, nor, indeed, very firmly established with grace, but they are willing to go on, and if kept under right influences their course would be very different from what it is when they fall amongst thieves at tennis and croquet parties. I have met with young souls who have heard wonderful and blessed things at the meetings, and have been terribly puzzled to find that these things were not more the theme of converse amongst some of those breaking bread.

But, as a rule, an earnest young soul has a keen scent for a saint of the right sort, and very soon finds where he can get fellowship and help. Of course, the young folks you refer to could hardly be called “earnest”, — and this is where the difficulty ^[p. 39] lies. It is a difficulty which can only be removed by the gospel coming home to their hearts with Holy Ghost power, and winning them for God and for Christ....

Mother joins me in much love to you in the Lord, Yours affectionately in Him,

August 13th, 1900.