20 INDIA STREET, 1st Decr.1885.
MY DEAR MR. ARMSTRONG,
— It was very kind in
Mrs. Armstrong to write to me, letting me know that you are making some
progress. I wonder what your meditations have been. Did you ever see the little
book I enclose (Thoughts in Prospect of Death, by D.Rintoul)— the
observations of one (I remember him in my college days in Edinburgh) who
thought himself drawing nearer and nearer Eternity, like one in a boat gliding
down the river to the sea? Perhaps you will have some 'thoughts' to give
us. You may have got some fresh and suggestive views of the ministry—
'thoughts by a minister laid aside for some months.' You no doubt get special
visits of the Master, for He says, 'In the time of trouble I will hide I him
in My pavilion, in the secret of My Tabernacle (far, far in!) will I
hide him.
With kindest thanks to Mrs. Armstrong and brotherly sympathy for
you, dear Trophimus,—
Believe me, yours in the Lord,
ANDREW A. BONAR.
GLASGOW, 1886.
MY
DEAR MR. ARMSTRONG,
—It is very kind in you to write me. At our
last prayer-meeting (it was in my house), we all remembered you and offered
special prayer for you. But you must not be at all cast down (Mrs.
Armstrong : 'Easy to say this, but he is not laid aside yet himself! ').
You are like Samuel Rutherford feeling so keenly his 'dumb Sabbaths,' and yet
these days became vocal with strains of heavenly poetry, as he got time to muse
upon the love of Him who had loved His servant 'out of the pit of corruption'
(see Isa. 38:17; margin, Hebrew). Who knoweth but you have been drawn aside in
order to bring down showers by your strong cries and intercession for the Land;
the Church, your Congregation, your Brethren, etc. Do you know I almost envied
you when I read your letter, for often I get scarcely an hour free from
interruption through the week, and it seems so desirable to have every day many
hours for meditation and prayer.
Kindest sympathy as well as kindest
regards to Mrs. Armstrong. Sing Psalm 42:11 and 43:5, and when praying for the
brethren remember me also—Yours truly, dear brother,
ANDREW A. BONAR.
Transcribed from Reminiscences of Andrew A.Bonar D.D.
first published
LONDON, HODDER AND STOUGHTON,
27 Paternoster
Row
1895
HTML transcription files copyright © 2001-2006.
Jane Newble
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August 2001