Beloved: --Through Christ, or because He suffered, I am a debtor to God and to you, and though so imperfect must now speak to you.

I am sick of a dangerous disease--Flux--and know not what the result will be. Should I never recover or be permitted to meet you in this world, I want to say as my dying words, THE PERFECT WORK OF JESUS imputed to the lost helpless sinner, is the only obedience whereby any sinner is ever saved from sin and hell and seated in heaven.

My friends, look not to the preacher, nor to your own imperfect works to save you. Depend not on your own obedience, but look or trust on this perfect obedience of Jesus as the only way of salvation; and then love and obey Him be­cause He loved and died for the ungodly. Once I thought that by my obedience I was good enough for heaven. But afterwards the Lord led me to see and feel myself a most vile and ungodly sinner, justly condemned to die; and, praise the Lord, then I was enabled to see a beauty in Jesus as my Leader, and to hope, and love, and rejoice in Him as my only Saviour. Praise the Lord, "Christ died for the ungodly." My sins imputed to Jesus, condemned Him to suffering and death: Jesus' obedience imputed to me, makes me pure and holy and saves me from death. This is my only hope of heaven.

Behold the suitableness of Jesus Christ as fully satisfying the just demands of God's holy law, for the vilest of sinners. The sinner is dead in sin, and cannot see or understand his guilty, lost condition: Jesus gives the sinner life and opens his understanding. The sinner is poor; Jesus is rich. the sinner is unholy and de­serves to perish: Jesus is merciful and imputes His holiness to the sinner. The sinner is help­less or "without strength :" Jesus has all power. Oh yes, Jesus my dear Redeemer is just such a Saviour as the poor sinner needs. So

"Nothing in my hands I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling."

Because of my sins, I was lost and ruined; "but God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. v. 8. Oh, hear the word of the Lord, "To declare, I say, at this time His righteous­ness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Rom. iii. 36. "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the right­eousness of God in Him." II Cor. v. 21. Thus our sins are imputed to Jesus; and His right­eousness is imputed to us. Thus, Jesus is "The Way." "This is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jer. xxiii. 6.

Oh, poor sinner, though you feel lost and ruined by sin, and yet inclined to look away from yourself to Christ for refuge, you have passed from death to life. I John v. 1. Are you inclined to love Jesus yet feel unworthy to love Him, because you have been His enemy? Then rejoice and rest in the love and mercy of Jesus, the "Sinner's Friend." "For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Rom. v. 10. Sweet testimony and promise, "When we were enemies" we were reconciled to God by the death of Jesus; and comforting truth, the ones reconciled by His death shall be saved by His life.

Now because we are reconciled by Christ's death--saved by grace, not of works lest any man should boast--far be it from us, that we encourage or "allow" ourselves in sin; and then rest in the false hope that all is well. For if one has such conclusions, the evidence is, that he or she has not been changed or born again. The elect were chosen and are renewed by the Spirit, that they "Should be holy" and "walk in good works." Eph. i. 5; ii. 10. While all now fall short of sinless purity, those charged by God's grace are not loose, indifferent or criminal characters; but they love and obey Jesus, and so hate and turn from sin. Our Lord commands, "That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works." Titus iii. 8.

Brethren, be careful to maintain good works and so glorify God. Pray in secret and with your families--"pray without ceasing." Read and obey God's word that you may grow in grace and knowledge of the truth. Rebuke and turn from temptation. Be virtuous, or honest in thought and words. Shun all evil. I beseech you all that "ye sin not." May God bless you to ever be sound in doctrine and works. Like Mary, do what you can--go to meeting with your children and work at other times and you "shall be fed." Our God commands that we work and also pay debts. Let us do this; but as we love Jesus we must not stay long from public worship of God. When well, in view of my debts, I thought I could not spare two days from work to go to church and decided to stay at home. Neither did I find time to write to you. While to my shame I concluded to not even devote two days in the worship of Him who died for me. I have already been confined to bed nine days, justly suffering under our Lord's chastening. The day before meeting time a trivial thing made me sick, which would not have occurred had I gone to church. "Lord increase our faith," that we may obey Thee more.

To the elect lady, my dear Redeemer's bride, I must make this earnest appeal: Remember you are the betrothed of no mean personage, but you are the fair bride of Jesus Christ our pure and exalted King. And know, church of Christ, that you can soon injure and degrade yourself and your honorable character far more than all others can degrade you. Your virtue and prudence--sound doctrine and practice--is a wall of protection stronger than iron bars and walls of defense.

Oh brethren, since the "harvest is great" and true laborers are few, pray the Lord to send faithful men to "preach the word." As we love the church of Christ let us seek her good by inviting the humble beginner to exercise his gift And when the brother is proved essentially sound in faith and charity, being qualified by grace and stirred by the love of Jesus to proclaim the gospel message, I beseech you to then act in harmony with the Spirit's gift, and prayerfully separate him "for the work whereunto God has called him." Oh, do not wait till his spiritual zeal and usefulness shall decline. Be not suspicious nor "slothful in business ;" but moved by faith obey Jesus--loose him and let him go fully authorized to this responsible gospel work. For by all our wisdom and waiting, we cannot certainly avoid mistake. Then trust to God in this matter also, and if you make a mistake correct it. "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psa. xxxvii. 5.

On the other hand, do not disobey God by hastily ordaining one after only a few months exercise, because he is filled with pride and can please the proud world, and feed our carnal prejudices, as perhaps is often done. But wait until the scriptural qualifications are present or proved.

Encourage and sustain the sound and true, the humble and spiritual gospel preacher. Be not stingy, but benevolent and prudent with your gifts. Contribute to those you know: "Give to him that needeth." Like Jesus, let us encourage giving to the needy and humble. But were all gold of earth at my command, from duty to God, I would avoid giving to that preach­er or any one who wears "costly array." Be­cause, for his good, he has too much money or credit already, else he could not disobey God in wearing costly dress.

Let no one dare think to make a preacher of himself, and presume to highly enter that holy place, lest God smite him with death. Levit. x. 1; I Chron. xiii. 9, 10.

Let me now speak to you, my brother, whose heart burns as by pent up fire, to speak of Jesus and the salvation of sinners through His blood, and yet halting because so unqualified and unworthy. Are men doubtful and do not know of the lasting impressions from divine love, throbbing in your soul, and binding you to the cross and to the "afflictions of the gospel?" Oh poor trembling one, be not discouraged by this, nor feel unkind when not received. Even Jesus, the people could not know, neither could men understand His mission, but counted Him a de­ceiver. Yea, His disciples' faith in Him was shaken, though they were with Him and saw His miracles. Does satan trouble you with the suggestion that your impressions to preach Jesus are not of the Lord or He would not suffer men to hinder you? Remember Jeremiah a true servant of God was held in a pit, John was be­headed, and Paul was whipped and hindered by bonds and prisons. Therefore, listen not to satan, but heed the sweet words of Jesus, "If  you love me keep my commandments.” Then as you love Jesus, do not lightly regard what He impresses on you, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee;" but use your divinely given talents as unto the Lord and not unto men that their usefulness may increase to the glory of God. Do not go contrary to the church; neither be forward to speak every time invited. You might say something wrong in that holy place; so be courteous in preferring others that all may be edified.

Dear ministers of Christ, since the child must exercise or crawl before it can walk, I entreat you, for the good of the church, to earnestly invite or encourage younger gifts as a father. You know their trying conflicts, and how, by
many devices, satan seeks to hinder and destroy them. So "love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous,'' Leave a good example to those who may occupy your place. "Take heed to thyself" in doctrine and ways. In all things by fasting
and prayer, "keep thyself pure." Avoid jesting, pride, costly clothes, evil thoughts and words, impure hints and unchaste conduct. For such sins will quickly destroy your spirituality and usefulness, and exert a ruinous influence on the churches.

I have written these imperfect lines with bodily pain and risk of increased danger, but have enjoyed the sweet presence of Jesus and am better now than when they were begun three days ago. The Lord is so good to me, an unworthy sinner. "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Brethren, pray to the Lord for me, that I may recover and be more spiritual-minded, and more consecrated to His service.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all, and lead you to "follow His steps." Yours in bonds and much love,

Sparta, Tex.

M.D. DENMAN.