question. Here my visit is helping to gather the scattered sheep, tho’ we still lack a room. There are now some 18 who come together, but the active work is still to be done. Kindest love to the brethren. Thoses who have written against me were fully aware that I denied holding what they allege to be my views long before their pamphlet came out.

There is another source of their error – having assumed that smiting is infliction of atoning wrath from God, or, at any rate, infliction from the state or position Christ was in, they have concluded I have involved Him in this position. Now Messiah was cut off, the necessary consequence of Israel’s state. In this He did go on to accomplishing the work of atonement or wrath against sin, which He bore from God. But in Scripture it is not used for the atoning part of the work. In God’s wisdom that in which Messiah was cut off was made to be the accomplishment of atonement for Israel & for us. It is this the Jews discover in Isaiah 53. The mingling both would not stumble me, but it makes the Psalms unintelligible, & has led those, who deny Scriptural language as to it, to deny all Christ’s sufferings except atonement.

J.N.D.

* * * * *

 To G.V.W.                                                             From – F.G.Brown

Cambridge, Mass.  Jan. 4, 1867

Your very welcome letter of the 9^th Ult. reached me 2 or 3 days ago. I cannot now recall how you failed to receive from me some account of the Guelph meeting, which perhaps you were promised; unless it was that as Dr.Mackern was proceeding at once from the meeting to England, &, I relied on his making face to face a better report than you could expect from me. Perhaps I erred in supposing that when at home our dear brother is in your midst as to be able to communicate any little items of intelligence seen here respecting the Lord’s work. He has received from me brief notes at different times. The very happy acquaintance we were favored to make of that dear servant of the Lord renders correspondence with him very easy, not that it is not a pleasing task to communicate with any of the dear saints across the waters whom we have not seen in the flesh. For our hearts go out to you all in the bonds of Jesus Christ; in spirit we are often moved to weep with you when you weep & rejoice with you when you rejoice. Be assured we have not been indifferent, “the sieve” thro’ which you have been sifted, we have not failed to be with you & bear part of the grief which especially yourself & some others, now old & grey in the Lord’s service, have been called to endure. These fresh assaults of the adversaries have only drawn you