Comfort in Affliction.

“I feel strongly, with you, that our temporal as well as our spiritual affairs are in the hands of a kind and over-ruling Providence; and that if we seek first—before all other things—the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,” we have His promise, (and that cannot fail) that all things necessary for our best welfare shall be added to us. And never page 377 have I felt the comfort of this promise more strongly than now; for, to the eye of man, our prospect as to the future with regard to—does appear, at seasons, dim and uncertain. But I feel a strong confidence that (ourselves using every means) light will at some time spring up. The entire resignation of ourselves in temporal as well as spiritual things, to the will of a Heavenly Father is not, and never was intended to supersede the necessity of exertion. It is by means and instruments that He works. And if we make not full use of these, we cannot expect to prosper. The Duty is our's: the Event His.”—From an original letter by the Rector of Cricke in 1825.

P.S.—I need hardly add, that “Light did spring up,” soon after it was thus faithfully expected and prayed for.