sed away, there began to be a different effect
produced. The number of those who attended increased, and increased
to more than twice or thrice as many as used to come at first, and,
humanly speaking, had I seen it to be the Lord's will to remain one
month longer, the result might have been still greater. But as I saw
as clearly the time of my departure from Stuttgart as that of my
going thither, I was not influenced by any outward appearance; for I
felt certain that, for various reasons, I ought to return to my
service in Bristol.--In this circumstance also I cannot but see the
hand of God. Had the meetings all at once been much attended in the
beginning, it might have attracted the attention of the police, and
possibly a ticket of permission to reside any longer at Stuttgart
might not have been granted to me; but, as it was, there was nothing
whatever outwardly to attract the notice of the world, for we were
few in number, met in a very poor neighbourhood, and in a poor
meeting place, and I had thus opportunity to instruct the saints.

Stuttgart, Nov. 11, 1843.

To the Brethren meeting in the name of Jesus, at Salem and Bethesda
Chapels, Bristol

Dear Brethren,

I have judged that it might be profitable to you, with the Lord's
blessing, to hear again a few particulars of His work here, and I
have also thought that the love you bear me will make you desirous to
know how I am, and what the Lord is doing with me, and therefore I
again write you a little, which is no burden to me, but a sweet
pleasure. Yet I assure you, dear brethren, I need not write to you,
in order that I may be reminded of you; for I think of you daily, and
pray daily for you, as I am sure you do for us: and it will, indeed,
be a sweet pleasure to us and joy in the Lord, to behold your faces
again; but, in the meantime, we desire grace, not to feel ourselves
as in banishment, but so to realize, that this is our present place
of service, and so to walk with Jesus, that we maybe very happy, even
now, though so far, and for so long a time absent from you. It is now
thirteen weeks and three days since I left Bristol, but I have not,
during all this time, even for one single minute, been permitted to
question whether the conclusion, that I should serve the Lord for a
season in this country, was of Him or not; but during all this time,
as also many weeks before I left Bristol, my heart has had the
fullest assurance concerning this matter. It has be