The Source of Comfort

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 10, 1857

The Source of Comfort.

The well-known missionary, Campbell, for many years after his conversion had neither peace nor joy in believing. His faith was rather subjective than objective. Doubts, fears, and actual backslidings had often shaken his hope and driven him almost to despair, even at the time he was regarded by other Christians as a pattern. At last, as he said in a letter to the venerable John Newton,

"The cloud which covered the mercy-seat fled away, and Jesus appeared as he is! my eyes were not turned inward, but outward. The gospel was the glass in which I beheld him. I now stand upon a shore of comparative rest. When in search of comfort, I resort to the testimony of God; this is, the field which contains the pearl of great price. Frames and feelings, are like other created comforts, passing away. What unutterable source of consolation is it that the foundation of our faith and hope is immutably the same, the sacrifice of Jesus as acceptable to the Father as ever it was! . . . Formerly the major part of my thoughts centered either upon the darkness I felt or the light I enjoyed. Now they are mainly directed to Jesus, what he hath done, suffered, and promised."