My dear Brothers and Sisters,
All your letters were very welcome and was glad to hear from you all and trust you will all strive to be worthy of the Name you bear, so that His Name will be glorified and magnified among men. It’s a daily battle and means beginning the day well with a sterling purpose and a definite aim in view and so something will be accomplished. You notice how the little ants keep in the same direction, no matter how often you would try and hinder them, or whatever obstruction is in the way, they head in the one direction. Perhaps that is one reason why they are mentioned in the Bible as being exceeding wise, preparing their food in the summer. May we seek to have the same definite purpose to head on in the one direction, the goal, no matter what lies across our path, or what there may be to hinder, to go on by His grace and do our best every day. Am sure as we let God work in our hearts that nothing outwardly will ever hinder or mar our progress heavenwards, for any hindrance will but prove that His power is almighty and that we can do all things through Him.
There are many ways of knowing that we are treading the path, or taking a byway. One is our attitude to one another; no person can be right with God that is not as right with any one in the family. It’s little odds what the reason or cause is, the fact remains our attitude to one another is our attitude towards God. So when you see any one undervaluing their relationship to any one in the home or Church or testimony, you may be sure that person is not right with God. It is a sad thing to see one in the home not value their privilege of doing their best there; you can be sure there is some undercurrent at work and one day it will carry them downwards unless remedied. We cannot do as we like and not suffer. We can’t please God without being a gainer. The cause of most trouble is lack of that true love of God, letting something else creep in and steal away the affections that God should get. Any service done without being animated by the love of God is only a dreary miserable burden, and only a disgust in the eyes of God. This is why Cain’s offering was not accepted. His heart was not moved by the love of God, and so it was his own ideas and thoughts. Abel, on the other hand, allowed God to work in his heart, and was moved to give his first and his best and his all every day, and he being dead yet speaketh, for those who truly give God their all every day will be owned and sealed of God, and their testimony will yet live and speak long after they have gone on to their reward.
So we can see what an essential thing it is to have the love of God burning strong. All fires require to be fed, and it is those who will feed the love they have got by doing their best for one and all, and loving one another, as they should, will have that love burning bright, and which will burn up and burn out every other mean, selfish, fleshly aim. The Ephesian Church were very true souls and had done a lot, but God said unless they repented He would remove their candlestick – cease to use them. They had lost their first love, or as one reading puts it, “You have given up loving one another as you did at the first.” A very small and unimportant thing in some eyes, but very important in God’s eyes.
One sure mark of a faithful soul is they work towards the centre (Christ) and seek to draw others closer to Him. They seek to bind and blend and harmonise, all one in Him. One mark of a person not going on with God is they seek to go just the opposite way, further away, less like Him, further towards the world and have a few that they prefer, and despise others, have a little clique or party of their own like the Nicolaitanes which God says He hates. It’s easy to have a little sideshow of our own, and make a little name for our selves and work out our own ideas, but all will go to the wall. It’s those who will do their part to be a faithful soul in the home and Church and fill their place like a stone in the building, and be a pillar in the Church, one that will stand erect and bear up others, who will lose their own name to make a name for Him, who will have a heart to see others go on as themselves, and do as much for others as for themselves. Am sure as we keep the fire burning bright, His love, His service, will ever be the delight of our souls.
So trust the Lord will bless you all and preserve you from all evil and keep you in the middle of the King’s Highway. I value all your fellowship and prayers and trust we shall ever value our place and fulfil our obligations. Paul said he was a debtor to God and a perishing world, and like an honest soul sought to fulfil his obligations by lip and life till the very last. May we see our privileges and value them and God will be sure to give us all needed grace to do our part and glorify His Name. The further we go on, we see how perfect is the Way of God, and how God has made it only too possible for us all to be overcomers and conquerors, so that there is no fear, but that He will lead us and preserve us all along until the goal is reached, as we truly obey Him. The way we are all found out is what we sacrifice for God. God said every sacrifice was to be without blemish and as we do, so shall we ever be accepted in the beloved, and a sweet smelling savour to God.
Well, am still plodding on, on my own. Am at Bangalore now, been here a month, and have had a number of meetings, but the Pharisees are quite satisfied with their profession. Lots of sham here and work of a kind done in God’s name, but it’s a matter of the blind leading the blind. The missionaries have good times here, servants to do every thing for them. Was told some of their converts are bigger thieves after they are converted than they were before. Well, am just moving on quietly and seeking to let God lead so that He can lead me to the honest soul, but like in many places, there are not many have a heart for God’s lowly Way. Yet we know there are honest souls here and there and so we press on. We can see how God guided in the early days and how He opened up the way, in spite of all that the Pharisees did, and so we look to Him who is still the same.
I expect Colin to cross from Africa to join me in a few months, so it will be nice when I have a mate to talk to.
Well, you can let all along the Range and Woodside see this, also Kitty Pearson and E. Thring and Florrie and Daisy, Ern Punke, Al Haensch, Horace Collins, Mrs. Watt, M. Hillman, Frieda Schmidt, Daisy Wilson, Olga and Rhoda Schilling, Marjory Wilson. This will do for you all that have written. Forest Range has done the best in writing letters. Got yours Stella and yours Annie and Alf, also Mrs. Vickers, and all from Lauderhill and of course Nellie’s.
Your brother in His name,
Adam Hutschinson