The Lord has indeed opened a wide door for us in this place; the dear people follow us from meeting to meeting, entreating us for an opportunity of the like kind in their own houses; but we must be watchful to see our own way. However, if the oil is staid, it is not for want of vessels, for what we have to communicate seems like seed cast into the prepared ground. May the Lord himself be their teacher, and carry on his own work; for it is most assuredly his. To those who are spiritually minded, to hear of a society holding spiritual views, is like marrow to their bones. It is not so much what we are able to say to them, but our being as living witnesses to the truth which these awakened people feel in their own hearts.
21st.--Attended a meeting of Van Maasdyk's in the poorer district of Brussels; about seventy to eighty persons present, consisting of converted Romanists, seeking Protestants, and two awakened Jews. Two of the company were blind men, very pious, who gain their living by selling matches. Our friend read, explained, and applied the tenth chapter of John, in Flemish; he also interpreted for me a few words, which I spoke in German.
On their way to Charleroi, after passing through Mons, they traversed the great Belgium iron and coal country, where the people speak a patois but understand French. Here they made a free distribution of the religious tracts they had taken with them, and found an able co-adjutor in their postillion. When he understood what their object was, he allowed few opportunities to pass by without putting these little messengers into the hands of his fellow-countrymen.
At Charleroi, where they arrived on the 22d, they enjoyed Christian association of the most interesting kind, especially with Pastors Poinsot and Jaccard, and with Marzial, who followed them from Brussels. They seem to have found much more of the life of religion among the newly-awakened in Belgium than they had expected.
We have, says J.Y., good reason to believe that the burden we have so long felt for the inhabitants in some parts of Belgium was laid upon us by our Divine Master, who is now pleased to make way for us to throw it off; thanks be to his great name.
From Charleroi they went by Liège to Spa, where they procured a lodging in order to enjoy a period of needful rest. The tracts they gave away on the road were received with eagerness. Adolphe handed them out freely right and left, and when any one hesitated to take them, a significant nod from the postillion never failed to secure a ready reception.
The country from Namur to Liège, writes John Yeardley, and particularly from Liège to Spa, is beautiful, the road running along the banks of the Meuse, amid wooded rocks. These are the works of my Heavenly Father, but I sigh after the workmanship of his hands, created after his own image.
Passing over several incidents of religious intercourse and labor, we select a circumstance which illustrates the state of the country, and of their own feelings in relation to it.
Under date of Spa, the 2nd of the Eighth Month, John Yeardley says:--
My M.Y. made acquaintance with an interesting young woman in a shop, and gave her some of the Scripture Extracts. She came to us last evening, and remained some time conversing on the Romish religion. She had never seen the Bible. When we asked her what was the nature of the mass, she said she did not understand it, but she attended it because others did. We gave her the Bible used by ourselves, having no other at our disposal. Her eyes sparkled with joy at the newly-acquired treasure. Her heart is touched by the Spirit of God, and I humbly hope her eyes will be enlightened to seek for strength independently of her blind guides. I never saw and felt more sensibly the awful account the priests will have to give for thus deceiving the people in the things which belong to their salvation.