HOURS OF COMMUNION IN A SEASON OF AFFLICTION: BEING MEDITATIONS ON SCRIPTURE SUBJECTS. BY NEIL SMITH, JUN., ABERDEEN. LONDON: MORGAN & SCOTT; EDINBURGH: OLIVER & BOYD; MENZIES & CO. ; 1871. 101. f. 345.. TO THE PASTOR AND OFFICE-BEARERS OF The High Free Church. DEAR BRETHREN, In dedicating my little book to you, I believe you will give me credit for the act, not as a begging of patronage, but as affording me an opportunity of expressing my sincere respect for you all. And at the same time it affords me the opportunity of acknowledging with much gratitude to God, that our intercourse in connection with the affairs of the Congregation has been of the kindest and most Christian character. It must be to us all, and specially to our true and common friend the Pastor, a matter for real gratitude to God, that the affairs of the Congregation are of so truly a satisfactory character, as in the kindness of God is the real state of matters among us. We are not insensible to the fact of the many shortcomings of all, and that the pure eye which cannot look upon sin, must see much unobserved by us to vex His Holy Spirit; and thus, while we are truly called to humiliation and contrition before God, we must not overlook, or lightly esteem the tokens of His grace and favour which we do enjoy. I am, DEAR BRETHREN, Your sincere friend and brother in the Lord, ABERDEEN, September, 1871. A FELLOW-ELDER. |