The writer's own state of childlike resignation.

The Sixty-fifth Letter.

The writer's own state of childlike resignation.

Beloved sister!

Both your former and your latest kind little letter I have duly received; the latter, however, was handed to me too late to answer at the time.

You ask: how it goes with me, and what I am doing? In answer I say that, in God's will, it still goes ever well with me. Outwardly I am and remain weak, more than usual too; the head and the vital spirits sink much away, so that I am scarcely fit for anything the Providence requires of me. Yet I believe the weakness will be of no consequence. Inwardly I am, God be praised, quiet and resigned, so far as I know myself, and more than usually inclined to inner and outer work-lessness and detachment. That one, simple, sweet, innocent child-being becomes and remains to me ever new and truly desirable; but I will have it only so far as God gives me of it. And though I know well enough that I have but barely a small measure of it, and must yet become quite another little child; still I do not regard it as a state that is yet far off and distant; rather I seek to embrace my present state, my miseries and all outward circumstances that I cannot better, in God's good pleasure, as though I said always: "Lord! so will I be, as I am, my sins excepted." In this way the most hindering hindrances often become fine helps to me, and I find already near, and without seeking, what one's own thinking would suppose was to be fetched from beyond the mountain.

In short! I see it ever more, that nothing avails that I do — but that all goes well when I let God do it. By doing one becomes no child, but by resting, suffering, yielding, and loving. O how good is God! how good is His will! how good are all His ways! So ought we to say, even when we do not see it, and when the heart is not willing for it. As for our corruptions, they are to be handed over to Him who is called Saviour; may His court of grace destroy them all. Amen!

This I write thus, without deliberation, in answer to your question: how it goes with me? Perhaps you will find yourself in it, or at least something for your strengthening and instruction. You do well to pray for me; I have great need of it: I hope not to forget you before the Lord, and trust it firmly, that the Lord will never let us lack the daily bread on our pilgrim-way; if only we could let it depend on Him, like a little bird in a cage.

The new trial newly sent with N., the dear Father will surely help to bear; do you too bear this creature of God in compassion, long-suffering, and friendliness, whether she may yet be won. ——

Mülheim, 2 June 1734.

German

Der 65te Brief.

Des Schreibers Stand der kindlichen Gelassenheit.

Geliebte Schwester!

Sowohl dein voriges, als auch letztes angenehme Briefgen habe ich wohl erhalten; das letztere aber wurde mir zu spät überreichet, daß es damals nicht beantworten konnte.

— Opening lines of the original German. The complete transcription of all 605 letters appears in the forthcoming Encounter Press critical edition; Brief 1 is shown in full as a sample.

German text: public domain (1773–75 first edition / 1845 Gesammelte Schriften).