“Thank you so much for bringing all us girls together. The dear old ‘G. O. P.’ deserves our gratitude for many things, but never so much as for this.” During our former “open evening,” I quoted from a letter signed “Une de vos filles,” and now it makes me happy and will do you good to share part of a second from the same writer. She is quite a stranger to me, in one sense, for I do not know her personally—I wish I did—and am equally ignorant as to her home and surroundings. She has had a serious illness since she wrote to—shall I not say “us”?—before, and now her second letter will do us good again, though it is too long to be quoted in its entirety. Alluding to my quotation from her former letter, she writes, “I wonder if you can imagine my mingled feelings when your words caught my eye. There was gratitude to God, love to you, astonishment, gladness, and yet shame. It is quite true that I am happy and thankful for all God’s discipline, but I am often impatient, cross, and rebellious. Though the impatience may not reach the length of words, it ought not to be in the heart. It grieves me to find how much evil there is yet to be subdued. Still, I could not help feeling glad when I read what you said, for it made me happy to know that my letter had given you pleasure; and when you called it ‘a little bit of work done for Christ,’ that gave me more joy—it was so unexpected to find it used as a message to others.”
Here I must miss words I would fain give for all to read did space allow, and take another passage. “I liked very much what you said about not being in a hurry to speak about Christ to others, but to live as a Christian and wait an opportunity to speak for Him. When in doubt as to the wisdom of speaking, I’ve asked Him to give me three things, the words, the opportunity, and the courage, and He always does, or makes me content to wait longer. It needs all three from Him, and if the first two are given, (and don’t you believe we can feel when they are?) the third is sure to come too. Sometimes the words are ready weeks and months, and then, if I’m watching, the opportunity comes. It is grand to know that Nehemiah’s God is as ready to hear and help now. There is time for the needed courage and wisdom to be sent even between the question and the answer. You don’t mind my writing again, do you? When the heart is full it must overflow, and mine was so full of love and thanks, yet of that feeling of unworthiness, that I had to tell you. You seemed a dear and well-known friend before, now you are more so than ever. By-and-by, when we remember all the way which the Lord our God has led us, it will be nice to look back to our words, one to another, as to something that helped us heavenward and made the ‘way’ a little easier, and to know that it was part of His leading all the time.”
Are not you, the dear friends with whom I am sharing my precious letters, glad of the privilege of looking over my shoulder or of listening whilst I read them? Do we not owe much gratitude to those of our circle who allow us the privilege of learning from their experience, especially when it gives us new and sweet proofs of God’s faithfulness and love in leading His children?
As I finished this letter from “Une de mes filles,” I felt such a longing to bring her into communication with some of my other correspondents who seem to be groping blindly and helplessly after God. They want to know Him, serve Him, love Him, yet are wandering in all directions save the right one, and are cherishing doubts, brooding over isolated passages in God’s Word, and entertaining hard thoughts of Him Who “is love,” because of occasional texts which they cannot fully understand.
I want very much to write to some of these correspondents, who seem to me all the dearer because of their troubled minds and the eager questionings which prove that they are in earnest in their search after truth. But I cannot answer them here and now. I have so many pressing duties which cannot be put aside, and which make additional correspondence most difficult. Dear troubled ones, you are not forgotten. I ask always that a better help than mine may be given you, and I want you to look round amongst your friends and think whether there may not be quite near at hand, some kindly earnest Christian who will delight in being a comfort and help to you. In one of our old talks on “confidences,” I gave you some examples of those who went far afield to find what was really close at hand. In any case, I hope to write to several of you whose real names and addresses I have, or through the Correspondence page, with the Editor’s permission.
I must give one or two brief extracts which prove how greatly many of the members of our “Twilight circle” value such religious communion. “A periodical is so vastly improved when the spiritual side of one’s nature is looked after and fed.” “It is most encouraging and cheering to know that God’s name is upheld in the magazine read by so many girls as well as those more advanced in life. I get such blessing out of our little ‘Talks in the Twilight.’ So many would not buy what they call a ‘religious book,’ and these talks give them the opportunity of seeing a few words from the ‘Book of books’ when they otherwise would not.”
This sweet message came on Christmas morning. “Another year has passed and we have still been meeting in spirit; and, in the enjoyment of our ‘Twilight Talks,’ I am sure we must all feel very thankful that we have been permitted to see another year. I am certain most of us, if not all, have derived still further good from the loving, spiritual instruction. E—— is, I am pleased to say, quite a different girl, and, with God’s help, is continuing to overcome her besetting sins. She still enjoys the talks, and the first thing each month is to look what subject has been chosen, so interested is she.” You will all rejoice with me in knowing that this dear girl’s life has been marvellously influenced for good by our meetings, and her mother adds, “I, as one amongst many, thank you for the benefit that has been wrought in our home. I too have learned many useful things on the duty of a mother to her children. The work is influencing the older as well as the younger classes, so there is no limit to the good effected, under God’s blessing.” I have only touched my pile of letters, and there are such delightful ones unquoted from—piles of them. What can I do but just add how truly they are appreciated, and thank all the writers for them, and God for having stirred them to open their hearts so fully so me?
Who, after reading what I have quoted here and there, will say that religious teaching is deemed superfluous by, or is other than welcome to, the dear girls and friends of all ages who meet with me in the twilight?
I hope to take “Sunday” and “Rest” at one of our meetings, in compliance with many requests.
To all dear correspondents I send loving thanks, sympathy, and the assurance that I long to be of use to them. Also the prayer, “May God bless and help each and all according to their needs.”