Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844 edition. Excerpt: ... PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE. TO HEV. R. MACDONALD, BLAIKOOWBIE. Written when first laid aside by that illness which afterwards led to the Jewish Mission. Edinburgh, January l: .'//i, 1839. My Dear Friend, --The very day I received your kind letter, I intended to have written you that you might provide some one to stand in my place on Monday evening next. I am ashamed at not having answered your kind inquiries sooner, but am not very good at the use of the pen, and I have had some necessary letters to write. However, now I come to you. This is Saturday, when you will be busy preparing to feed the flock of God with food convenient. Happy man! It is a glorious thing to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. We do not value it aright till we are deprived of it; and then Philip Henry's saying is felt to be true--that he would beg all the week in order to be allowed to preach on the Sabbath-day. I have been far from alarmingly ill--my complaint is all unseen, and sometimes unfelt. My heart beats by night and day; but especially by night, too loud and too strong. My medical friends have tried several ways of removing it--hitherto without complete success. As long as it lasts, I fear I shall be unfit for the work of the ministry; but I do hope that God has something more for me to do in the vineyard, and that a little patient rest, accompanied by his blessing, may quiet and restore me. O! my dear friend, I need it all to keep this proud spirit under. Andrew Bonar was noticing the providence of " Elijah in the wilderness" being "my allotted part at our next meet 207 ing. I read it in the congregation the Sabbath after, with an envious feeling in my own heart, though I did not like to express it, that I would now be sent a like day's journey to learn...