I was greatly pained by the tidings of your letter received this morning. It reminds us that we but sojourn here, and that, under a Father's wisdom, many things are to be borne that they may produce in us what is for our eternal blessing. David, when under God's hand, learned to say "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." We thus learn not only to trust Him, but to praise Him.

I often think of Epaphroditus. Paul says that "God had mercy on him." We might think mercy would have been shown in a different way, and that the Lord would have taken him to be with Himself, but no-God raised him up. And the apostle adds, "and on me also." What an encouragement this is that we might ask mercy in this direction. I shall join with you in this. The Lord comfort you and the children. All this is His tender mercy -precious Lord!-to take such an interest in us and ours. E. H.