2. PECUNIARY SUPPORT.
Since Jan. 1st, 1865, up to the present time, Jan. 5th, 1866, I have received in aid no less than one thousand and sixty-five dollars and eighty-one cents. Thirty-seven dollars, twenty-one and a half cents have reached me since the present year commenced, though most of it was mailed sometime before. During the year my former allowance of two hundred pounds, with forty pounds for travelling expenses, has been received, and seventy-five dollars, nine cents and a half, over and above. Last spring, after listening to a charity sermon by Rev. D. Freeman of Canning, Cornwallis, I determined to lay by in store every Lord’s day, one tenth of all receipts during the previous week, to be expended in charity; to be laid up in heaven at a hundred fold interest against the time to come, and having followed up this plan, I have been enabled to devote not only the former allowance of forty dollars to charity; but more than double that sum, and have been prospered in proportion. By far the largest amount received during any period of three months, was received during the quarter just closed, the amount for the quarter being three hundred and eighty-six dollars, thirty-three and a half cents. And the most of it came in since the 26th day of October. That day must ever be a memorable one to me. In order to encourage my Christian brethren in the ministry and out of it, to pray more, and to believe more firmly, and to wait on the Lord for temporal blessings as well as spiritual, always remembering to put the spiritual far in advance of the temporal,—I will relate the events of that day.
Under ordinary circumstances, I must have been anxious and troubled. I had no money, no salary, almost no food for a large family, and winter with all its peculiar wants was at hand. Besides all this I was in debt. When I struck a balance with the society on the old plan last year, my salary was three hundred dollars in arrears, and I needed all that money to meet demands against me. It seemed a strange way to get out of debt, to forgive all one’s debtors. But so I read, as applicable to myself under the circumstances, the sweet petition taught me in my infancy, and repeated ever since; but never half believed or understood. I had determined to look to my Father in Heaven for the means of paying my honest debts, as well as for the support of my family, and to ensure his blessing I meant to do everything he required of me, to please Him in all things. By His grace I determined that no bills for 1865 should be sent in at the year’s end, and that as many as possible of the former ones should be paid. But on the day mentioned, Oct. 26th, with all our other wants, there were debts to be paid. No one was pushing us, but the honor of God was concerned and our own credit, and the people we owed ought to have their money. So I entered into my closet, and shut the door, and prayed to my Father who is in secret, and my Father who seeth in secret has according to His promise rewarded me openly. For several hours He seemed to hold me at a distance, but, as in the beautiful example held up for imitation of the Syro-Phœnician woman, I was enabled to struggle on and get nearer and nearer to His blessed feet. Then came triumph, peace, thanksgiving and joy. All the evening the language of my heart could be best expressed in Psalm 103. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” I awoke the next morning in the same tranquil thankful frame of mind. My plans for the future all opened out distinctly before me while on my knees. Then came deliverance. The mail that day brought me a letter containing twelve dollars, greatly needed that very day, and mailed to me the day before, while I was fasting and praying. In three days after that I had received money enough to meet all the pressing necessities of the family, and since that memorable day, without the slightest trouble or anxiety on my part, without having given even a hint of my necessities to any mortal, and without having asked even for a public collection, I have received—nearly all in money—no less than four hundred and three dollars and eighty-seven cents. I have not been able to pay all old bills, and meet daily wants. But the amount of debt has been greatly reduced, and all fear for the future has been removed. Thanks be to God who heareth prayer, and thanks to the friends who have been prompted to aid us.
With great reluctance I refrain at present from publishing extracts from many of the letters which I have received during the year, containing contributions to the mission, and breathing encouragement to myself, kindness to the Indians, and love to the precious Redeemer. Suffice it to say that the hand of God has been strikingly manifest in many of the contributions received throughout, and particularly during the last quarter. I cannot withhold the following letter received from a poor orphan girl, a school-teacher in New Brunswick, enclosing as a “birthday offering,” a piece of gold, value $2.50. “Rev. Sir, when two weeks ago the enclosed piece of gold was handed me, I was immediately impressed with a desire to send it to you for your great mission. Not knowing the best manner of doing so, I made it a subject of prayer. Your own acquaintance with the willingness of the precious Redeemer to hear and answer prayer, will reveal to you my joy at hearing you were actually in the place. I will add no more, except, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.’ Such a contribution and letter require no comment. In ways as unlooked for, have five cent pieces, five dollar pieces, five pound pieces, with sums of intermediate value, been received, and the gold and silver have seemed to sparkle with a celestial lustre as they have been dropped as if by angel fingers into my hands. Even the love of money may be lawful when it is inspired by the love of Christ, when the money is consecrated to Him, and used for His glory and the best interests of man. Surely under such circumstances it is neither filthy lucre nor the Mammon of unrighteousness.”
Another friend writes: “I am much pleased with the stand you have taken. Since I saw you I have had about eighteen hundred pounds removed from under my stewardship, making, with other losses, more than four thousand pounds. But as my Heavenly Father has done it, it is all right.” The brother goes on to speak of his tranquility of mind in submitting to privation and suffering, and sends the handsome sum of four dollars, evidently a thank-offering to the Lord.
I know not who the author of the following is: “Dear Brother, I herewith enclose to you four dollars, to be appropriated either for your own immediate requirements, or for the prosecution of the Micmac Mission as you may deem best.”
“I have every confidence in your work of faith, and would say persevere. I fully believe that the prayer of faith is answered by the Almighty. Pray, brother Rand, for my dear wife, who is yet, I fear, without Christ. My heart would rejoice in her conversion. I long for it. Yours, &c., A Sincere Friend.”