Grace Gems

[nChrist]

Cancer, go to that child!

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ--The
 letters of Ruth Bryan". Ruth wrote the following
 when dying of cancer.)

"I have much inward fever, making me restless
and uneasy at night, but I have been led to see
this fever as my Father's servant, obeying His
will. God says, 'Fever, go to that child, and work
in her frame, and disturb her rest;' and it comes,
but all is in covenant love. He has said also,
'Cancer, go to that child, and wound her flesh,
and sap her strength;' and it has come, and is
doing His work and His will--but all is love."

"The waters of affliction have risen higher this month,
but, safe in my living Ark, I am unhurt. It is sharp to
flesh and blood, but right to faith. I am not always
light and bright in my feelings; but oh! what blessed
security and solidity do I find in my precious Rock!
There I am, come what may! Angels might envy my
joy--joy in the flood and in the flame. Hallelujah!"

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is
 my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my
 stronghold." Psalm 18:2

 

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[nChrist]

        Sayings of William Tiptaft


        Let worldly minds the world pursue,
        It has no charms for me;
        Once I admired its trifles too,
        But grace has set me free!


        "I have no stone to cast at the vilest of the vile. It is all of grace that I am made to differ!"

        "If rich people only knew when they died--how their relations would scramble for their money, the worms for their bodies, and the devils for their souls--they would not be so anxious to save money!"

        "If you were to go about telling people that you had an inheritance worth a million worlds, and yet were out of temper for a trifle--they would not believe you."

        "We come into the world crying, we go through it complaining, and go out of it groaning!"

        "Deliver us from everything that may entangle our affections and harden our hearts."

        "Grant that we may hold the world with a loose hand."

        "If I love money more than Christ, woe is me!"

        "Grant that we may not sin cheaply."

        "Make us more dead to the world, and separate in spirit from it."

        "O Lord, keep our hearts, keep our eyes, keep our feet, and keep our tongues."

        "Look upon those who mourn in Zion--put their tears into your bottle--listen to their sighs and groans."

        "Grant Lord that we may be made right in doctrine, right in experience, and right in practice."

        "Lord, teach us more what we are by nature, and what we are by grace."

        "Look upon the unworthy worm before you. Let him be as your mouth in separating the precious from the vile. Grant that he may rightly divide the word of truth and rightly divide the hearers. Grant that he may exalt the Savior and lay the sinner low."

        "If the way to heaven is so narrow, and so few find it, what will become of those who never seek it?"

        "Are you ready to shake hands with death?"

        "Have you ever esteemed it a mercy, that you are out of hell?"

        "Have you ever stood on the same plot of ground with the publican, crying--God be merciful to me a sinner?"

        "Is Christ the one thing needful? Are you willing to pluck out right-eye sins, and cut off right-hand sins?"

        "Has your religion cost you anything? If it has cost you nothing, it is worth nothing."

        "Have you ever experienced the new birth? If not, dying in your present state--to hell you must go."

        "Six feet by two-and-a-half is all the ground that the richest man in England will shortly occupy."

        "If not washed in Christ's blood and clothed in his righteousness, no heaven for you, no heaven for me."

        "How awful to die out of Christ! How blessed to die in Christ!"

        "If I preach to please men, I am not the servant of Christ; and woe unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"

        "If you have one grain of grace, you must die to know how rich you are."

        "Sin is of a defiling nature. You cannot touch pitch and not be defiled."

        "Sinning will stop praying; or praying will stop sinning."

        "When the Lord finds his rod, his people find their knees."

        "Show me a man's books and show me a man's companions--and I will tell you what sort of a man he is."

        "Children take more notice of what their parents do, than what they say. Actions speak louder than words."

        "We are not going to jump out of Delilah's lap into Abraham's bosom."

        "I used to try to reconcile creature comforts and spiritual consolations. We cannot hold the world in one hand and Christ in the other. We cannot serve God and mammon."

        "Dead fish go with the stream, living ones against it."

        "Real religion is to be severed from the world, to be married to Christ, and to bring forth fruit unto God."

        "O what a narrow way is that which leads to life!"

        "Better to live in a hovel with a grain of grace, than to live in a palace without it; for what would the palace avail you in a thousand years?"

        "Fit or not fit--we must all die, and we know not how soon. As death leaves us, the judgment must find us."

        "What sorrow, troubles, and afflictions attend all the followers of the Lamb!"

        "The rougher the file--the less the rust."

        "No cross, no crown!"

        "We need restraining grace, as well as saving grace."

        "If you are contented with a sound creed and a little morality in your lives, you are in an awful state. I would not like to die in your state for a thousand worlds."

        "If a man preaches free will how pleased men will be; but if he preaches free grace how offended they are. It is the truth which gives offence."

        "Take heed and beware of covetousness. The Lord saw the need of doubly warning against that besetting sin."

        "If this world with its fading pleasures is so much admired, what must heaven be, which God praises?"

        "What a mercy to be made right in doctrine, right in experience, and right in practice!"

        "How many who died last century are in hell--who never committed half the sins some of you have!"

        "If you had a thousand crowns you should put them all on the head of Christ! And if you had a thousand tongues they should all sing his praise, for he is worthy!"

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[nChrist]

For His poor Rachel

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
 The letters of Ruth Bryan" 1805-1860)

Did Jacob serve seven years for his Rachel--by day in
the heat, and by night in the frost--and did they seem
but as a day unto him--for the love he had for her?

Our spiritual Jacob has far exceeded him! He left
the throne of His glory for His poor Rachel, and
took her humble flesh in the form of a servant; and
for her sake served thirty-three years under the Law!
He bore the heat of temptation, weariness, and thirst;
as well as the cold of reproach and scorn, and the
malice of sinners against Himself. This He thought
not too much; for when He had finished the work on
her behalf, for her He cheerfully entered upon the
most bitter part of His sufferings, which made even
His mighty heart to shudder with agony, while His
dear lips prayed--"O my Father, if it is possible,
(with the rescue of my Bride) let this cup of suffering
be taken away from Me; nevertheless, not as I will,
but as You will."

Behold the depth of His unflinching love! The 'cup of
curse' must be drunk, or the captive Bride must perish!
And so He takes the bitter cup, and does not turn away
until every dreg is consumed! And the same sacred lips
which emptied it could say in triumph, "It is finished!"

For the joy that was set before Him (of possessing His
beloved bride) He endured the cross, despising the shame,
and has now sat down at the right hand of God, until the
blissful consummation before assembled worlds, when it
will be joyfully proclaimed, "The marriage of the Lamb
has come, and His wife has made herself ready!"

Then shall the spiritual Jacob and His Rachel meet and
embrace, and part no more forever! She awaking up after
His likeness, shall be satisfied! And He seeing her in glory,
(the very travail of His soul,) shall be satisfied likewise!

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so
great you will never fully understand it!" Ephes. 3:19

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[nChrist]

"Thus it was with me."

(Ruth Bryan's personal testimony. From "The Marvelous
Riches of Savoring Christ--The letters of Ruth Bryan")

"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!"
    Romans 5:20

Ah, indeed! I felt there never was such a wretch,
such a living mass of putrefying sores and corruption!
Others might be worse outside--but I felt the sin was
not less polluting, because it worked chiefly within.
And I thought if the Lord ever saved me, I would be
the greatest wonder in heaven, and that there
never could be such another trophy of redeeming love!
Nothing less than sovereign power and irresistible grace
would ever be sufficient for such a hell-deserving one
as myself!

Thus it was with me. It seemed too good to be
true--that I, who deserved the lowest hell, and had
felt so long as though I were hanging over it--should
be delivered forever from it! "Deliver her from going
down to the pit--I have found a Ransom!"

The blood of Jesus is the only way by which
a poor sinner can enter into heaven itself.
Coming with that precious blood, the vilest
shall not be shut out, for it "cleanses from
all sin."

Secret sin,
open sin,
old sin,
long-continued sin,
sins against light and knowledge,
sins against judgment and mercy,
known sin,
unknown sin,
every kind and manner of sin which a poor
trembling, Spirit-convinced sinner feels--
does this powerful blood take away!

My sins were as scarlet, my guilt of crimson dye;
but blood of a richer hue which flowed out from
the veins of my precious Savior has made me
white as snow! None need despair, since He
has saved such a worthless, hell-deserving one
as myself!

"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound!"

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[nChrist]

Constant religious engagements

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" 1805-1860)

"They made me the keeper of the vineyards; but
 my own vineyard have I not kept." Canticles 1:6

We may be active in our Lord's cause--but not
spiritual in our own souls. We may be earnest
for the salvation of others--but not be living in
the joys of salvation ourselves. We may be
instrumentally distributing the bread and water
of life--but not be enjoying daily refreshment
in our own experience. I do sorrowfully think
that this is too much the case in the present day.

The reason why I thus judge, is from finding people
so lively in conversing upon what they are doing for
the Lord--yet so slow to speak of what He is doing for
them. They seem delighted to tell of the great things
which are going on all around--but immediately shrink
back if any 'heart subject' is brought home to them.

In fact, if one speaks of personal enjoyment of the love
of Jesus, there is no response from some--but they put
it down to the score of egotism. While others refer to
years past, when they did feel Him to be precious--but
they confess that they know little of it now. They are
so occupied in what they call 'working for Him,' that they
hear little from Him, say little to Him, enjoy little of Him,
and may truly say, "While I was busy here and there,
He had left."

It is most lamentable for any living soul to be in
constant religious engagements for the good of
others--while following Jesus "afar off." Very many
such I fear there are; as well as hundreds who only
know Him in the judgment--and yet are continually
reading, teaching, and conversing on His blessed
name. This is a day of great profession--but yet real
vital godliness is at a low ebb, and close walking with
God in sweet communion is too little sought after.

Solemn, indeed, are these facts!

We may well say, with David, "Search me, O God,
and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead
me along the path of everlasting life." Ps. 139:23-24

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[nChrist]

It is your Husband who hangs bleeding there!

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" October 31, 1849)

"I will make you My wife forever, showing you righteousness
 and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful
 to you and make you Mine, and you will finally know Me as
 Lord." Hosea 2:19-20

Well may it be asked, Who is this wondrous Beloved,
who would go to such depths for His spouse; and on whom
the weak one is leaning as she comes up out of the wilderness?

Ah! He is the same who, from all eternity, was the great
"I Am!" the mighty God, by whom all things were created,
who is before all things, and who holds all things together!

It is He who, in the fullness of time, scorned not the lowly
Virgin's womb, but became a babe.

It is the same glorious Person who was seen coming with
crimson-stained garments, traveling in the greatness of
His strength, who tread the winepress of Almighty wrath
alone!

It is He whose countenance is as the sun shining in his
strength, yet whose "visage was marred more than any
man's, and His form more than the sons of men."

It is the same glorious Person who is a holy One of the holy
ones; and yet "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief!"

It is the same glorious Person who is "holy, harmless,
undefiled, and separate from sinners;" and yet "numbered
with the transgressors."

Under the weight of sin and its punishment, Jesus agonized
in the sacred garden of Gethsemane, and sweat great drops
of blood falling down to the ground. Oh, those rich, rich
drops from His precious veins! They are of more value than
all the gold and gems His hands have made!

This is the matchless Bridegroom of whom we speak--who,
on Calvary, was stretched on the accursed tree, and there
finished the love-scene of His mystic sufferings!

Come, sit with me a moment beneath the shadow of His
cross! Look up, and remember it is your Husband who
hangs bleeding there!

It is the Bridegroom, in love for the Bride, enduring those
unknown pangs! See how His holy flesh is bruised with
scourging, and His precious hands and feet pierced with
rugged nails! How is His heavenly brow torn with piercing
thorns, and His dear side with the cruel spear; each gaping
wound proclaiming, "Man is guilty--God is love! But
God is justice too!" Oh, see His precious blood trickling
down. It flowed forth for sinners like me--like you!

Look and wonder!

Look and be comforted!

Look and adore!

"Here look until love dissolves your heart,
 And bids each slavish fear depart!"

O glorious Lord, we worship You!

"Your beauties we can never trace
 Until we behold You face to face!"

We love to meditate on Your sufferings, but rejoice
that they are over. You have suffered, and you die
no more! You have gone to our Father and to Your
Father; and we are expecting you to "come again"
and receive us unto Yourself, to be with You, and
behold Your glory; when, in nobler and sweeter
strains we'll sing Your never-dying love, and tell
Your power to save; while with open face and
ravished heart--we forever gaze upon Your
matchless beauty!

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so
great you will never fully understand it!" Ephesians 3:19

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[nChrist]

She is ugly!

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" October 31, 1849)

Wonder, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! that
this most glorious Immanuel, the Prince of Peace, whom
angels worship, and before whom the seraphim bow--
should from all eternity engage to come and seek His
Bride from this poor world, and claim her for His own!

Yet so it is!

But she is filthy and polluted! (Ezek. 16:6; Job 15:14-16;
Isa. 64:6) Then His own precious veins shall pour forth the
rich crimson flood to cleanse her, (Rev. 1:5) and His Spirit
shall open the fountain to wash her from her sin and
uncleanness. (Zech. 13:1)

But she is naked and bare! (Ezek. 16:22) Then He will
cast His skirt over her, (Ezek. 16:8 ) and will for her, weave
in the loom of the Law (Rom. 5:19) fine linen--clean and
white--a robe in which she shall be fit to appear at His court!
Moreover the Spirit shall bring near the righteousness of Jesus,
(Isa. 46:13) clothing her with "the garments of salvation," and
covering her with the "robe of righteousness," "as a bride
adorns herself with her jewels."

But she is diseased! (Isa. 1:5, 6) She is a leper! (Ps. 51:5)
Yet will He bring her health and cure, for He says, "I am the
Lord who heals you;" and He is actually made to be sin for
her, (2 Cor. 5:21) that she might be made "the righteousness
of God in Him."

But she has no personal charms—she is ugly! Then He
will put His loveliness upon her, and through it her beauty
shall be perfect.

But she is poor! So He bestows Himself and His fullness
upon her--and thus endows her with unsearchable riches!

But she is unwilling, and has no heart to the match, for
she obeys a hostile prince! (Eph. 2:2,3) Her delights, too,
are in the world and the flesh. A new heart will He give her,
and a right spirit will He put within her. The Holy Spirit shall
make her willing in the day of His power. "I will cause you
to forget your images of Baal; even their names will no
longer be spoken." (Hosea 2:17) So that, prostrate at His
feet, she shall say, "Lord, our God, other lords than You
have ruled over us, but we remember Your name alone!"

And now that the Spirit has touched her heart, she feels she
is diseased, and discovers her filthiness and nakedness,
knows she is ugly and poor, and cannot think the Bridegroom's
heart is towards her, or that she can find favor in His eyes. And
therefore she cries out, "I am black!" "Behold, I am vile! My
loveliness has turned into corruption!" But He overwhelms her
by responding, "You are all beautiful, my love, there is no spot
in you!"

Then she exclaims, "Place me like a seal over your heart, like
a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death!" He replies,
"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you
by name; you are Mine! When you go through deep waters
and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through
rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through
the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames
will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy
One of Israel, your Savior!"

Now she ventures, with a captivated heart, to declare, "My
Beloved is mine, and I am His! He is the chief among ten
thousand! He is altogether lovely!"

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so
great you will never fully understand it!" Ephesians 3:19

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[nChrist]

The experience of this union

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" April 30, 1857)

"And you are complete in Him." Colossians 2:10

Truly, my dear friend, we should be learning more and
more how completely He has saved us in Himself, and
how constantly He delights in us with all His heart, so
that we have no need to seek for anything in ourselves
to make us more entirely accepted or more loved.

"He cannot love us more, nor will He love us less; for
in loving her (His Church, His Bride,) He loves Himself."

Viewing us in Himself, He ever says, "You are absolutely
beautiful, my darling, with no imperfection in you!" And
the response of faith and love is, "He is altogether lovely!"
(Song of Songs 4:7, 5:16)

The experience of this union releases the soul from
a host of cares and anxious thoughts.

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What a mercy, then, to be stripped of all

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" December, 1850)

I must confess that God generally deals very contrary
to my expectations. Yet "He does all things well." It is
"Sweet to lie passive in His hands,
 And know no will but His."

I have proved . . .
  my own strength to be complete weakness,
  my own wisdom to be consummate folly,
  my own righteousness to be filthy rags.

What a mercy, then, to be stripped of all,
and have . . .
  Christ for wisdom,
  Christ for righteousness,
  Christ for strength,
  Christ for purity,
  Christ for power,
  Christ for beauty,
  Christ for holiness,
  Christ for acceptance above,
  Christ for our daily walk,
  Christ for our daily work,
  Christ for rest,
  Christ for food,
  Christ for medicine!
Yes, to know nothing among men or before
God--but Jesus crucified and glorified!

To His loving heart and powerful arm I
again commend you for all your needs.

Yours affectionately,
Ruth

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[nChrist]

The secret of peace and power

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." Hebrews 12:2

Do not be so often considering how much you love
Jesus--but how much He loves you. Your love is but
the effect; His is the cause. And the more you have
to do with the cause, the more fully will the effect
flow from it.

Just so with faith. If you would have it grow, it must
be by looking at Jesus--not by looking at your faith.

The more you "consider Him," and are continually
coming unto Him--the more lively and healthy will
be the graces of the Spirit in your soul. And you will
rejoice--not in your fruitfulness--but only in Him and
in what He has done and suffered.

If the Holy Spirit opens this to you, you will find the
secret of peace and power. It is all in Christ!
He says, "Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one,
and come away!" Away from self, away from all
besides--to be absorbed in Him!

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus." Hebrews 12:2

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Have you ever been caught in this snare?

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" May 8, 1852)

"Give us today our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

Whatever your heavenly Father calls you to, He will
support you under. But He will not give the manna
for tomorrow, or strengthen you for the next trial,
while you have it only in anticipation. "As your days,
so shall your strength be." And herein I read my own
foolishness; often wearing out present strength with
fears and forebodings of future trials; thus far
disregarding present mercies, and rebelling against
the Lord's will, because unlawfully anticipating it.

Being naturally of an anxious mind, I must say that
thus foolish and ignorant have I often been, and
surprised when brought to discover how much I was
dragging into the present hour, what did not belong
to it. Have you ever been caught in this snare?

"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
 bring its own worries. Each day has enough trouble
 of its own." Matthew 6:34

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[nChrist]

Faith's view of a crucified Redeemer

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" 1805-1860)

My beloved friend,
We want to be something--but our Father has
determined to make and keep us nothing--so
that Christ may be experimentally our all.

I hope you are a little more looking unto Jesus--
a little more leaning upon Him amid your many
weaknesses. He can bear all your weight, for He
has borne all your sins, which are the worst part
of your burden. Oh, that by the Spirit you may
get a faith's view of a crucified Redeemer--
the peerless Pearl, the matchless perfection of
beauty and love!

"Yes, He is altogether lovely!" Song of Songs 5:16

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[nChrist]

We are both in the furnace!

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" April 21, 1856)

"He will be like a Refiner and purifier of silver; He will
 purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and
 silver. Then they will present offerings to the Lord in
 righteousness." Malachi 3:3

Well, dear friend, we are both in the furnace! Much,
very much vile dross has in my case risen up--but my
blessed and patient Refiner sits watching the process.
Nor does all this dross, hateful as it is, make Him forsake
the work of His hands. He will have me know a little of
what is in my heart--that I may know more of what is
in His heart--even love, most invincible, unalterable,
unquenchable love! Love which endures to the end, amidst
all my wickedness, and wandering, and ingratitude. It is
indeed astonishing! Into the blessed depths of this love I
desire to be daily sinking, in all the fresh discoveries of
my utter worthlessness and vileness--that thus I may
praise Him more who has redeemed me from it all!

The Lord does not show us how bad we are to cause
despair--but to show forth the riches of His grace in
saving us, and to call forth new songs of praise to Him
who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own
blood!

Oh, my dear friend, Jesus is worthy to be praised in the
depths as well as in the heights. He is near, and dear,
and precious in the hour of affliction. In the path of
tribulation, He gives some of His choicest fruits and
wines--to revive those who are faint and weary in
the wilderness.

Oh! may you be helped, yes enabled, "to trust in the Lord
at all times"--not only when you feel His love and have the
shine of His countenance--but also in the dark and wintry
day when clouds veil your sky, and sorrow invades your
soul. "When I am afraid, I will trust in You."

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Not puny, sinful worms!

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" 1805-1860)

Deliverance seldom comes in the way we look for it;
for "Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who
gave Him His counsel? Who did He consult with? Who
gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of
justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him
the way of understanding?" Isaiah 40:13-14

Ah, has not the Lord frustrated our purposes over and over
again! I cannot tell you with what majesty this passage has
often come to my mind--"Who gave Him His counsel?" Not
puny, sinful worms! He will counsel for them--but not with
them. "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure."

Yet "fear not, worm Jacob, I will help you"--help you to stand
still and see My salvation; or help you to walk on in the dark
in a rough and unknown path--just as My wisdom sees fit.

Spiritual eyesight is not given to look at the outward path--
but to look at our Guide; not to look before us at the way we
are going to travel--but to look only at Him who will guide us
safely through all, who will Himself be our way. Oh, to be kept
abiding in Him, and constantly looking unto Him! It is most
safe and blessed--but very contrary to flesh and blood!

"I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide
 them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to
 light in front of them, and rough places into level ground.
 This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them."
     Isaiah 42:16

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[nChrist]

Our works are all broken and faulty

("The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ,
The letters of Ruth Bryan" 1805-1860)

As long as we look to 'our evidences' for comfort,
we shall be full of disquiet, for we discover . . .
  such weakness in our faith,
  such wavering in our hope,
  such coldness in our love,
  yes, such shortcoming in everything,
that we cannot find here any rest for the sole
of our foot, as regards spiritual confidence.

It must be all in Christ! "He is the rock, and
His work is perfect," while our works are all
broken and faulty. Oh! may the blessed Spirit
set your feet upon this Rock, and establish your
goings there. May He enable you to make the
venture of faith, just as you are, with wants
and woes, sins and fears.

The bitten Israelites were not healed by looking
at their wounds--but at the brazen serpent, which
was a type of Christ. And so while you are poring
over your sins and yourself you will only sink lower!

May the blessed Spirit enable you to look forth
with the eye of faith to the Lamb slain, and to
come away from self and all besides--to Jesus!

Oh that I could so speak of the worthy Lamb as
to set your heart on fire with love to Him and
longing after Him! Adieu, dear friend. The Lord
bless you, and in His own time strengthen,
establish, and settle you.

With kind love in our adorable Emmanuel, I remain,
though most unworthy, yours affectionately,
Ruth Bryan

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