p368 [B F Pinkerton] DEAREST BROTHER, - Very glad to hear from you, and to get your account of the work. Fruits you assuredly have, perhaps apparently greater than we at home. Still it is conflict everywhere, and must be till He comes, when power will put an end to it. Our part is to overcome, and that very much by patience - "strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience." So it is "let patience have her perfect work." The first sign of an apostle was "in all patience." It is very striking the place it holds in scripture. What grief of spirit if the saints are not going on well, when in conflict with such as -, or false doctrine rising up! These things are all in our path here, more perhaps than with you even. Infidelity too is sweeping over the profession amazingly. But Christians are getting forced to be such. Then the mixture of doctrine even, when men are earnest, all exercises our patience. It must have its perfect work. Still we have much to be thankful for.

Poor P.S. broke down in his perfection personally. I do not doubt his being a saint, but he got mixed up with spiritualists, and there were charges as to morality; and his teaching that there could be a gross carnal state and a high spiritual state at the same time shocked his friends, and they broke with him. Yet I doubt not there was rousing both through him and M. in different ways. He never knew himself; and M., who has greatly got on in truth, mixed his activities with what was of the flesh, so as to injure Christians, and mix up the saint and the world: their songs are everywhere in the mouth of the drunkard. Still God has been working in His great and gracious patience.

These - troubles I suppose may be, if the Lord permit, a hindrance to you, but He holds us in the hollow of His hand, and will turn all to His glory. There is One who opens and no man shuts, and in these last days, gloomy as circumstances may seem, He opens a door and carries on His work by, or in spite of, man. He will never leave us nor forsake us; and keeping close to Him, we can reckon on His guidance and the help of divine wisdom. … The Lord be with you and keep you, dear brother.

Affectionately yours in the Lord.

Chicago, June 23rd, 1876.

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