Were all my acquaintance such friends As Miss S— and her parents so kind, My spirits much higher would tend, While gratitude fir’d my mind. _Ruhamah_. LETTER XLI. _Valley of Achor_, _February_ 2_nd_. 1818. Mr. & Mrs. MARTIN. MY VERY DEAR, FAITHFUL, and TRIED FRIENDS, Grace and peace be to you both. I would have wrote before now, but not knowing your direction, I waited till I had the pleasure of hearing of you, which I did this day, from my much esteemed Friend Mrs. Brown. I have no news to relate, I only write to assure you the Lord is very gracious to me; and by his word, and by his spirit, he bears up my sinking mind like pillars of marble. I am a monument of mercy indeed, and so you would say, if you knew my broken heart and afflicted mind. I am at times brought very low, but then I get lifted up from the dunghill, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. I trust you will not be moved by the things which have happened to me. There is now and ever will in this world be a peculiar mystery in divine providence; but God is his own interpreter—the dear Saviour is the great Head of the Church, and as he loves us, desires our company, and wants to give some particular expression of his love; so he brings low, empties us, chastens, tries, and alarms us. The cup of salvation being allotted us, we must meet with alarming providences, which are not explained to us, till he reveals himself, as our brother, gives us a double mess, and an exchange of raiment. The things that have befallen me, I trust are in covenant love; the Lord is only putting on his yoke, and opening a way to manifest his grace the clearer, and to prove the riches of his mercy. O that we may yet praise him who is our helper, and in due time will be our deliverer. My sun is gone ten degrees back, like Hezekiah’s, but the Lord will bring it up. My master has given orders, and I, for shame, have taken the lowest seat. I feel convictions of sin sharper, but I find Christ more than ever blessed. O could every brick and book in my room speak, they would tell what passes between God and my soul. I am grieved to be here, on account of my friends, my family, and the cause of God, and my poor heart is at times completely melted. I am in real sorrow, yet I have now, and shall ever have cause to bless God for what I am learning in this painful school.