I have this day settled all my accounts, and find, after every thing
is paid, including the expenses of my baggage from Bushire, and of the
house for ourselves, and school for another year, that our little
stock will last us, with the Lord's blessing, two months longer, and
then we know not whence we are to be supplied, but the Lord allows us
not to be anxious; he has so wonderfully provided for us hitherto,
that it would be most ungrateful to have an anxious thought. Even for
my baggage, Major T. only allowed me to pay half the charge, and he
has moreover told me, that should I at any time want money, only to
let him know and he will lend it me. Now, really, to find here such
kind and generous friends, is more than we could have hoped, but thus
the Lord deals with us, and takes away our fears. That we may many
times be in straits I have no doubt, but the time of our necessity
will be the time for the manifestation of our Lord's providential love
and munificence.
There is one peculiar feature that runs through all education in the
eastern churches, that it professes to be religious, which gives us an
opportunity of introducing such books as may be useful, without its
exciting any surprise or suspicion, or opposition.
_Feb. 16._--The Pasha has sent Major T. word of the ravages the plague
is making in Sulemania. The government and all who have it in their
power have quitted it. This account has spread much consternation, in
addition to which two men from Sulemania arrived here ill of the
plague, one of whom has recovered. Major and Mrs. T., with their usual
generous kindness to us, have offered us an asylum with them should
the plague come here, where we should enjoy this great advantage, that
as the house stands close to the river, a supply of water can be
obtained without communication with the city. But at present we do not
clearly see our way: should our school be broken up, I see not so much
difficulty; it would be a most valuable opportunity for Mrs. G. making
progress in the language; but we wait on the Lord and he will guide
us. These do indeed seem awful times for these lands. We cannot be
too thankful for the peace and joy the Lord allows us to feel in the
assurance of his loving care.
I was much struck by a remark of our Moolah yesterday, when speaking
of the horror he felt at the prospect of the plague coming here. He
said, the sword he did not fear, but the plague he did, for one was
the work of man, the other of God. I replied to him, that feeling this
God who directs the plague, to be my father, who loved me, I knew he
would not suffer it to come nigh me unless he had no longer occasion
for me, and then it would come as a summons from a scene of labour and
many trials to one of endless joy. He said, Yes, it is very well for
you not to fear death, who believe Christ to have atoned for you; but
I fear to die.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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