my memory, never to be erased. While I write them on this paper they are sweet and refreshing to my spirit. I never received them from any man, but I hope the Lord has taught me by His spirit what to write. I will now relate a peculiar trial and circumstance, which may appear to some very strange. I was taken ill with a fever, which continued for some weeks, during which time I had a burning heat at my chest, and although I had the Doctor, his medicine did not do me much good. I quite thought at that time I should die, but was very comfortable in my mind. Nevertheless this burning heat continued, until I was brought very weak, when one morning as soon as I awoke; for I had been many nights before without sleep; but as soon as I had opened my eyes, these words were suddenly spoken to me as with a voice, not outwardly but inwardly, "He hath torn and He will heal us. He hath smitten and He will bind us up." Previous to these words I felt as if I was both torn and smitten in my body, and to my astonishment, all that burning heat went away from my chest in a moment, the words were like a healing plaster, and from that time I began to recover, but I knew not where to find the words, but in searching the scriptures I found them in Hosea vi. 1. O how true is that scripture where it is written, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions," Well might the Psalmist break forth and say, "O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men." That was an Ebenezer with many others where the Lord appeared for my help. and for several days I lived in the sweet enjoyment of God's manifest mercy and goodness to one so undeserving. The Name and Person of Jesus Christ to me at that time were more precious than thousands of gold and silver. The savour of which was as ointment poured forth. O how Blessed to enjoy something of the favour and consolation of heaven in one's soul, especially when in a state of weakness and suffering. I remember repeating this line of the poet, "Sweet affliction that brings Jesus to my soul," and also this, "Did Jesus once upon me shine, But alas, times of weeping and trial soon followed. As I attended to my daily employment things began to wear a different aspect. My joy and peace of mind began to decrease, and I remember being at work with three or four men one afternoon, and as the conversation began about something I know not what, but this I know, there was some disagreement amongst us, and in haste I spoke unadvisedly with my tongue. The tongue is said to be an unruly member, and so I found it. I know not the words I made use of, but I remember the guilt and condemnation they left upon my conscience. I went home burdened and dejected, and I knew not what to do. I sighed and groaned, and tried to pray to be forgiven, wretch that I was. I thought there could be no mercy for me, my load seemed intolerable. In the morning I got up with the same load pressing me down. O how I hated myself and confessed my transgressions, but got no relief. Truly it is said, "Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop, but a good word maketh it glad," and so I found it to be. But here I was in heaviness, in bonds, and in fetters, which seemed impossible to be broken, and so they were by any effort of mine, but when I think about these things my soul is humbled within me, and I see here the matchless power and Grace of God in Christ Jesus to a poor, hell deserving sinner; for although my guilt seemed intolerable, yet in an instant, just as I was about to turn into the field the same morning, with my heart full of grief, these blessed words were spoken to me with healing and delivering power which I shall never forget. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' This was indeed a healing balm to a guilty conscience, or as I have sometimes said, it was like a broad plaster to sooth and heal a deep wound; and O what peace, liberty, and freedom I felt in my poor soul, or in other words I was like a prisoner set free, or like one who had been condemned to die, but now pardoned and forgiven. Previous to some of these things which I have related, I well remember going about feeling that I was exposed to the "all seeing eye of Him, whose eyes run too and fro through the earth." Zech 4. 10.; and I felt myself to be naked and bare before His heart searching eye, and that I couid not hide a thought from Him, and the thoughts and imaginations of my heart were evil, and that continually, and here I was naked and had nothing to cover my nakedness, and I felt sure if I died in that state, where God is I could not go, but should be like the man without the wedding garment. I continued in this state until these words arrested my mind, "who told thee that thou wast naked," and I was amazed and surprised at the words, for they were repeated again and again, who told thee that thou wast naked," and I began to think these were the words spoken to Adam in the garden after he had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and when he went to hide himself, and it was suggested to my mind that no man knows he is a naked sinner before God, until the Spirit of truth convinces him of his sins, and gives him a sense of his fallen state. This brought me to feel my need of the righteousness of Christ; for I felt sure if I was not covered with His spotless righteousness, I should be undone for ever. This caused me to long for, and to hunger and thirst after this righteousness and to such the Saviour Himself says, 'they shall be filled," and the Apostle says also, "that this righteousness is unto and upon all them that believe." 66 ABRAHAM BUTCHER'S LETTERS ΤΟ HIS RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. LETTERS TO HIS BROTHER. 10, OXFORD TERRACE, MY VERY DEAR BROTHER, SIDDAL, HALIFAX, Nov. 12TH, 1877. Your letter came safely to hand, and it gave me much pleasure to find you and yours were so well, and more so to find that there is a union of spirit existing between us, which is, I trust, of a spiritual nature that can never be dissolved, being made partakers of God's grace that binds our souls to a precious Christ, and sometimes we feel Him to be precious, far more precious than rubies. This creates a persuasion that we shall one day "see Him as He is," and as our souls long, as you say, for Him to come and dwell with us and never part again; and the feeling of my heart is, and has been many times for that blest hour. I sigh for it and pant, with wishes warm and strong. Oh what a blessing it is in any small measure to taste of the streams of life and salvation which flow from the sacred, bruised body of Immanuel, the Friend of sinners. I sometimes feel the names that this wonderful person bears towards His poor and needy people, they so endear Him to my poor heart. It encourages me. helps me, and emboldens me to plead with Him as a man does with his friend. It is then I can submit to losses, crosses and disappointments, 'tis then I can endure persecutions, afflictions, believing that all these things are ordered by Infinite wisdom. Who cannot do anything but what is right, and Whose promise never can fail, for having of His own free will begun a work of Grace in our hearts, He will assuredly accomplish and perfect that which concerns us. What an unspeakable mercy it is that salvation is all of grace, independently of either good men or bad men, Or even of ourselves, but upon God only. He is able to accomplish all His own will in us, and Who hath said my council shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. I have felt some little sweetness in reading the former part of the 16th chapter of Ezekiel; Oh the blessedness that the Lord should ever pass by and bid us live, when we were polluted in our blood, and to do such wonderful things as are therein described; and all of His own Sovereign goodness, mercy and grace. He says of His people who are thus made alive, and who are said to be naked. That was a time of love when He spread His skirt over them and covered their nakedness, entered into covenant with them, washed them, yea, thoroughly washed away their blood from them, yes, and anointed them with oil, and much more is said to be done in and for this people. In the 14th verse it is said, "It was perfect through His comeliness which He had put upon them." Love does it all my dear brother, and do we not something read our own features in these things? I think I have been led to look back during the last few weeks to see the way, and remember the dealings of the Lord with me during the last forty years, and when I think that the Lord should pass by, as it were, and bid me live and bear with all my sins, rebellions, hardness, unbelief, and abominations which I have felt to work in my wretched heart, and Who has not left me to be swamped, overcome and utterly destroyed, I am constrained to say who is a God like unto 'l hee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of His heritage. He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. Oh what wondrous grace is this? we sinned and Jesus died. He wrought the righteousness, and we were justified. We ran the score to lengths extreme, And all the debt was charged on Him. Thus I feel my hope to abound through the power of the Holy Ghost the comforter, the remembrancer and witness bearer; the Lord says, He shall testify of me, for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. May you and I with all the saints of the most High enjoy more of the rich communications of Heaven upon our spirits, that His name may be glorified in us, both in life and in death, for His name's sake; I am sorry you are so low in your chapel and school affairs, things appear very strange to me. I often wonder what will be the end. There are things in many places that stumble me, My cry is, "Hold up my goings in Thy paths that my footsteps slip not." Yours truly, ABRAHAM BUTCHER. 10, OXFORD TERRACE, MY VERY DEAR BROTHER, SIDDAL, HALIFAX, DEC. 20TH, 1878. In the bonds of love, and in the truth as it is in Jesus, grace and peace be with you, and with all them that are of the household of faith, who are called not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake, I sometimes feel it an unspeakable mercy that notwithstanding all our ins and outs, ups and downs, trials, sorrows and disappointments, bereavements, temptations, afflictions, cares and fears, and a thousand things beside which have filled my soul with dismay when my poor mind has sunk beneath the load of my nature's evil, which is too base and filthy and too black to name, or even think of when Satan has thrust sore at me, and when conscience has accused me and my own sins have witnessed against me, and with a hard impenitent spirit, shut up as it were in unbelief, bound in affliction and with no heart to pray or to seek the Lord; but full of rebellion, |