The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J., 1834-1851: Edited, with Extracts from the Diary of the LatterWellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
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The Letters of the Duke of Wellington to Miss J., 1834-1851: Edited, with Extracts from the Diary of the Latter
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852 -- Correspondence
"After I had written this letter and was meditating, these precious
words came 'FEAR NOT, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am
thy God, I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, yea, I will
uphold thee with the Right Arm of My Righteousness'--and _thus_
upheld who can faint? _thus_ upheld who can despair? O my Heavenly
Father, strengthen me in the 'inner man' more and more, I beseech
Thee, to endure this and any other trial Thou in Thine unerring
wisdom mayest see fit; anxious for nothing but to fulfil Thy will
in all things, knowing that the path of duty is the path of peace:
also that it is through 'much tribulation we must enter the
Kingdom' that glorious Kingdom where 'the wicked cease from
troubling and the weary are at rest.' Sharp as this trial is, I
have to repeat my frequently acknowledged experience of finding my
strength equal to my day--or in other words the fulfilment of this
Scripture 'Thy strength is made perfect in weakness.'
"_Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1835._ Last night after experiencing and
penning the feelings herein described, I retired to rest and slept
sweetly and peacefully until about three o'clock--when I awoke with
a disinclination to sleep again--consequently adverted in thought
to my late distressing trials and whilst thus occupied felt assured
what I had suggested must have been _that_ to which the Duke
alludes with such daring effrontery! I then rose, put on my
dressing gown and wrote the language of my indignant soul as far as
such could be painted! but a faint picture at best! Alas! that one
so esteemed should give such cause to show his unworthiness. But it
is doubtlessly permitted for some end which poor blind mortals
cannot penetrate, therefore let me not murmur, but bless God who
has thought me worthy whilst so _un_worthy to rank among that
blessed number described by the angel to Saint John as having 'come
out of much tribulation and washed their robes and made them white
in the Blood of The Lamb.' This may stand as the greatest trial I
ever had! Yet I am so wonderfully upheld, agreeably to the gracious
promise previously given, that I can hardly believe such degrading
circumstances exist! Oh! What an awful thing that one so high in
power is afraid to do that which can call forth the gaze and
disapprobation of a sinful, dying, misjudging world, yet fearless
of committing the most dreadful crime before Him 'Who is of purer
eyes than to behold iniquity.' O may the letter just about to be
sent be permitted to sink deep into his rebellious soul calling it
from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God. Then
indeed we shall have cause to declare the goodness of God in thus
permitting (however revolting and distressing,) late occurrences to
take place! And since He can bring good out of evil, I submit all
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