p272 Dearest R T Grant, - Your letter reached me in Elberfeld. I have been in Italy, Switzerland; in both through mercy the work goes on well; small in Italy. … In Switzerland there is blessing. But I was there almost entirely occupied with two months reading with labourers, as two years ago in France, which was blessed, as was this. Here there is a good deal of blessing, in some places remarkably so, but they are strong baptists, but simple hearted. All things are so breaking up everywhere, so much infidelity, materialism, and church dissolution, that service here in Europe has a peculiar and urgent character. … But I await God's time for any service I can hope to do in it. He alone does the work - that I know, and He will watch over His own. Indeed He is working in a remarkable way. … I expect, the Lord willing, to be in America; my place even is taken, somewhat later than I thought, but I have work in England, so it is all right. The States are my object.

As to New Zealand, I wait to see the Lord's hand; were I young, I should think pretty surely of going there, but I shall be half way between seventy and eighty before I start for that country, and a year then is a long while, specially if I have anything to finish before I depart home to be no more seen, and the Lord be not come. But I find going home a sweet and happy thought, and the Lord is there. And what more can one ask save to occupy till He come, if that is to be the yet brighter way? Find out His will and do it, and all is bright. I find His word, I mean the account of Him, just now (though all is blessed and daily clearer, and Himself daily more precious) food till we get to Him. What a smash for poor -, I do not know how to think of it, but we must expect nothing in this world, and all these things pass for others, and the stream flows on, and God's work goes on, and then we shall see what is "the first born among many brethren." Peace be with you. …

A dear sister, a faithful labourer in Syria among the women and who helped to open the door to -, has just died, but was faithful and blessed to the end.

Affectionately yours in the Lord.

Siegen, Prussia, June, 1874.

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