The laborers in the fields of Central and South America, the West Indies, Mexico, etc., interest me as never before, and I follow them more closely. Marks of spiritual power or of weakness in those who labor there touch one more vitally therefore. We have now visiting us, for a season of recuperation and fellowship, a brother from the West Indies, after three and a half years of patient labor there. During that time the Lord has given him, as fruit of his labor, a devoted fellow-laborer, and together they sow the seed in patience and perseverance. And through their work, the word of God is made known, the gospel proclaimed, and Rome is losing some of her devotees.

I am persuaded that the more the Lord's servants give themselves (like our Lord, our apostle Paul, and all the apostles) simply to "preach the word"-to be at that exclusively day in and day out, through need or abundance, unconcerned about the approval or disapproval of any one save the Lord-the more absolutely and devotedly they do that, the sooner they will see the walls of darkness fall and the truth triumph-not by any great or natural triumph, but by one soul after another being transferred from the kingdom of darkness into that of God's dear Son.

At the time of the great revival, in the first days of Methodism, the Moravians (whom no modern missionaries have surpassed in missionary work) went among the heathen :they began by raising schools and trying to educate the people in the civilized arts, and they saw no conversions; they realized they had made a mistake; and, leaving all else, like the apostle," they went everywhere preaching the Word." Soon the savages caught the sweet music of the gospel of God's grace and they bowed under it and surrendered to it.

We need not concern ourselves any more than did the Lord or His apostles about buildings for the Lord's people to meet in. or with schools, or with institutions of benevolence. These matters, if left to the believers to look after, will exercise them and bring out self-denial in them -all good things. For my own part, led by the Word of God from the very first, about 50 years ago, I concerned myself about nothing save this, to preach the Word faithfully and in love wherever men would let me and leave my conscience free while doing it. After the Word was received, and the souls thus set free gathered to the name of the Lord, what gifts developed in the saints had freedom for exercise and increase. At the start of Christianity in Jerusalem, various needs developed various ministries, but the apostles refused to mar their ministry in the Word of God by taking up with other service. This brought others forward while the word of God went on.

In following what I have said above, it allows every kind of ministry and gift to develop naturally, according to the measure of faith given. If means or money are required for what is developing, they will be found in the circle of the development itself, so that no appeals will need to be made outside that local circle if they abide within the measure of God's purpose toward them. Individual faith for any task put upon one by God is another thing, of course; but that never appeals to anyone but God Himself-not to His people, though He may use His people in His answer, or even ravens, as in Elijah's case. Faith does not concern itself how God's answer will come. That belongs to God alone.

And, beloved brother, God is as near to us in one place as in the other. An incident related a while ago searched my own soul. It was concerning a Roman Catholic girl who carried a glass crucifix about her neck. By some means it came loose, and fell on stone steps. As it flew to pieces, the poor girl cried out, " Oh, my! oh, my! I have now only the great God to look to!" I thought to myself:I wonder if I have no glass crucifix about me!

But I close, with earnest love and sincere sympathy in your trials, and prayer that you may be guided in all by the Spirit of God.

Yours affectionately in Christ our Lord, whose soon coming we expect, when all our toils and sorrows will have an end forever.