JULY 8TH, 1896

JULY 8TH, 1896

... ^[p. 5] I am sure that you will be glad to have news of beloved J.B.S. I found him sitting up in his chair near to the window, and with the exception that he is a little thinner than he was and has a white beard there is no change in his appearance. His colour is as fresh as ever, and his eye as bright as in other days. He seemed pleased to see me, and spoke with great animation — so much so that I felt I must make my visit short lest he should exhaust himself. He asked after many brethren in the West Riding by name, and said: “Tell me now, who is there who is really set to go on with the Lord?” He said it was his great joy when he was awake at nights to think of those in the different meetings who were “going on”, and to pray for them. He had just been writing a message to the — meeting, and what he said to me was very much on the same line, so I send you an extract from the message that you may have it in his own words:

“I have only one suggestion to make to you, and that is, that you not only follow Him in heart adoringly for His wonderful service and interest in you down here, but that each of you study to know something of beholding His glory. Not so much what you say to Him as what He is to you. Not so much your prayers, as the sense of being lost in the blessedness of being near Him outside this world, and this you will find will have a greater effect on you than even His hearing your prayers”.

This gives the substance of what was on his mind in speaking to me, and I was most thankful to have such a word from him probably the last I shall ever hear from his lips.

He seemed very glad to hear that his present papers were being so widely read. He seems to have really left everything behind but the interests of Christ, and to be living entirely in that blessed circle to which he has so often directed the thoughts of our hearts. He spoke most affectionately of the brethren, and his last words to me were: “Give my love to all the brethren”, and then with much emotion he added “The Lord knows how I love them”.