ing love in the Lord's
everlasting truth reaches to thee, with whom is my
fellowship in the gospel of peace, that is more dear and
precious to my soul than all the treasures and pleasures of
this world; for when a few years are past, we shall all go
the way whence we shall never return: and that we may
unweariedly serve the Lord in our day and place, and in the
end enjoy a portion with the blessed that are at rest, is
the breathing of my soul!

"Stephen! we know one another, and I need not say much to
thee; but this I will say, thy parting dwells with me, or
rather thy love at my parting. How innocent, how tender, how
like the little child that has no guile! The Lord will bless
that ground. I have also a letter from thee which comforted
me; for many are my trials, yet not more than my supplies
from my Heavenly Father, whose glory I seek, and the renown
of his blessed name. And truly, Stephen, there is work
enough, and here is room to work in. Surely God will come in
for a share in this planting work, and that leaven shall
leaven the whole lump in time. I do not believe the Lord's
providence had run this way towards me, but that he has an
heavenly end and service in it. So with Him I leave all, and
myself and thee, and his dear people, and blessed name on
earth.

"God Almighty, immortal and eternal, be with us, that in the
body and out of the body we may be his forever!"

Amid his preparations for the voyage, he addressed to his wife and
children, who were to be left behind, a letter fraught with the most
earnest solicitude for their well-being every way, and full of the most
tender and judicious counsel. It thus concludes: "So, my God, that hath
blessed me with His abundant mercies, both of this and the other and
blessed life, be with you all, guide you by His counsel, bless you, and
bring you to his eternal glory, that you may shine, my dear children,
in the firmament of God's power, with the blessed spirits of the just,
that celestial family, praising and admiring Him, the God and Father of
it, forever. For there is no God like unto Him; the God of Isaac and of
Jacob, the God of the prophets, the apostles, and martyrs of Jesus, in
whom I live forever.

"So farewell to my thrice dearly beloved wife and children!

"Yours, as God pleaseth, in that which no waters can quench, no time
forget,