On the Begging List

My dear child, I was very glad to find by your last letter, that you were on the begging list. God never had, nor ever will have, one soul on His begging list but will overcome all his enemies and shout, “Victory at last.”

Poor Jacob, when Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men, came to his God as a beggar, and what a wonderful victory he obtained. Israel stood fast at the Red Sea and could see nothing but death; Moses set to begging the Lord—He heard and answered, bringing them through the Red Sea with wonder and joy, and destroyed all their enemies. Amalek threatened the destruction of Israel; the poor beggars with their cry went to their never-failing God, and they prevailed—God said, “I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” Poor Elijah, who was attacked with a captain and his fifty, and ordered to come from the top of the hill, that he might deliver him to the king, cried out unto his God—and fire came down from heaven and destroyed him and his fifty. Poor Elisha, who was surrounded by the Syrian army, cried unto his God that He would smite them with blindness and lead the whole army into the midst of Samaria—and He delivered them up to the king of Israel. Ahithophel planned David’s destruction; poor David’s cry was unto his God, “O LORD, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness”—and God overthrew his counsel, and he went and hanged himself. Hezekiah was surrounded with a terrible army, that with open mouth was ready to swallow him and Jerusalem up at a mouthful, and he cried unto his God— and the Lord arose and went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, one-hundred-and-fourscore-and-fivethousand, and when they arose early in the morning, behold! they were all dead corpses.

Oh, my dear child, what a mercy! what an honor! to be on this begging list. Not one soul that has entered on this begging list shall perish but shall stand every storm and live at last. Thou hast no cause to be ashamed of having thy name upon this list. I know the flesh does not like it, but what of all the flesh; it is no friend to thee nor me. We have proved, again and again, that it is the sworn enemy of God and of the soul and is ever lusting against the Spirit so that we cannot do the things that we would. I have been upon the begging list hard upon fifty years and am more employed in the trade of begging now than ever. Oh, bless the dear Lord, that He does keep me sensibly begging for Him to teach me, to keep me, to help me, to defend me, to supply me, to support me, and never leave me nor forsake me, for my very soul knows I can do nothing without Him. I have been hundreds of times afraid that I had quite wearied Him and that He would never appear again. Bless His dear name. “Charity never faileth,” and I think He is more kind, tender, and compassionate, towards me now than ever. I am so helpless, so ignorant, and such a little that I need His tender compassion every moment. What a mercy to sit at the feet of Jesus, to learn of Him, who is meek and lowly of heart; no wrath, anger, prejudice, evil speaking, nor evil experiences here but humility, rest, and peace.

Oh, my dear child, may God grant thy soul, and mine, to be much here. This is the place to overcome evil with good, to bless when we are cursed, to pray for them that abuse us, and reward good for evil. What is the use of talking if there is no humble walking; the talk of the lips only tendeth to penury. I understand by your letter that you have met with some that had such an appearance of love that, had it been possible, they would have pulled out their eyes and given them to you but now cry out, “Away with Him.” Ah, my child, thou wilt see more of this if thou art spared, supported, and enabled to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear or forbear, but what hast thou to do with that? The wrath of men shall praise Him, and the remainder He will restrain. Take no notice of all the rage of man; God can and will manage them a great deal better than we can, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” I have proved this hundreds of times in my pilgrimage.

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