Dear Bro. Webb:--Though the weather has been gloomy, and I have been cumbered with earthly cares and darkness of mind, I have often thought of you and all the dear brethren. This is a dark day spiritually, but let us not be dis­couraged. Let us condemn ourselves, look away from all creature help, and turn again to the Lord, and He will save us.

As the new year begins, I rejoice to see additional improvement in the Baptist Trumpet. My dear brother, while your obligations are great, I trust that God may so bless you and all its contributors and readers with humble spirit­ual love, that in every page and column of the Trumpet, the pure gospel of Christ may be published and received with all meekness and loving kindness. Especially I desire to commend Bro. W. H. Richards' letter in the issue of January the fifteenth, and also that of Sister Cora Pierce of Riverside, Cal. Let us read these letters again.

While clearing away briers and thorns that the land may yield fruit, the thought has come, Lord cut down our pride, and break or humble our hearts, that we may enjoy a full crop of re­joicing and devotion to thee.

Dear brethren everywhere, when our hearts are broken or humbled of the Lord, though pain­ful to our pride, then there is true SELF-ABASE-MENT CONTRITION OF HEART. Then follows the sweet subdued confession of our faults, and forgiveness of others. Oh, brethren, it is good for us to have thorns of suffering or shame for Christ's name for this brings us into a more tender sympathy and fellowship with His great love and suffering for us. If we obey our Lord or live Godly, we shall suffer with Him, though in a less degree. Jesus who was rejected and suffered for us, did nothing amiss, but we suffer less than we deserve. Moreover, in our trials of suffering, we receive increased love for Jesus and for our brethren.

Lord, increase and bless our service to thee, and "keep us from evil that it may not grieve" us. Dear Saviour, deepen our humility and consecration to Thee, even if it must be by in­creased suffering.

Oh, contrite suffering believer, my heart goes out in your behalf to speak kind words of comfort to you. Remember our Saviour was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Be of good cheer, Jesus is your Friend and has all power. He will stand by you to sweeten your griefs and to wipe away your tears. So let us not murmur, but be ashamed of our lack of love. May we with confidence look away from our sins and griefs, to the remedy of the cross. Jesus says, "look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved for I am God and there is none else." Then let us look unto Jesus who suffered for us so willingly, and be willing to suffer with Him. "If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him." If we de­pend or believe on Jesus, we have assurance that He is our "special" Saviour. Then, as sure as Jesus wept and wore a crown of thorns for us, we too with weeping shall be led to obey our Lord, wear thorns of suffering with Him here, and then be crowned with Him in glory. In view of this, oh, my brethren, be always kind, tender and true. Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, yet count it not severe, but light affliction. Amid your griefs and humble tears, be comforted by the precious words of Jesus as now spoken to you, "let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God believe also in Me.” Jno. xiv. 1. Trust not in men. Trust in Jesus and obey Him, Who died that you shall live. Praise the Lord for salvation from sin and suffering, through the blood of Jesus.

Yours in bonds of love,

Sparta, Tex.

M.D. DENMAN.