“It is said that man is prone to jest in the depth of misery; and the bon-mots of the scaffold have been collected; you may add the above specimen to the list if you like. I feel as if I was on the scaffold, and signing, as it were, my own death warrant. However, two years will pass away at last. Time and tide wait for no man, heedless alike of our joys and sorrows. “When I last wrote, I was in the latter part of Acts; since that time, I have done nothing at all. For ten days or a fortnight we were laid by with fever, unable to help one another; and since we became convalescent, I have been occupied in making up my mind to have my right arm amputated, and my right eye extracted, which the doctors say are necessary in order to prevent a decay and mortification of the whole body conjugal.” His letters written to his wife during her absence betray here and there a sinking even of his buoyant spirits: “_September 5, 1821._ I hope you enjoy more religion than I do. This heavy affliction does not have that salutary effect on my heart which I anticipated. Mercies and judgments seem to be thrown away on me, and I am afraid that I shall never make much advance in the divine life. I had such a view and sense of my depravity this morning as made me ready to give up all for lost—not, I mean, as it regards my interest in Christ—_there_ I feel strong—but as it regards any attainments in holiness, while remaining in this state of sin. “Oh! how consoling it is to give up myself, and you, and the interests of the mission, into the faithful hands of Jesus, and to look forward to that blessed state, where we are sure of meeting, though we should meet no more on earth. The Lord reigns, and I feel, at times, that I can safely trust all in His hands, and rejoice in whatever may betide. If we suffer with Christ we shall also be glorified with Him. “_September 12._ Company continued with me until after three o’clock; and then I found myself alone, and, for a few hours, was very desolate and unhappy. “But about sunset, the time mentioned in your last letter for mutual prayer, I felt more comfortable.”