Letters: The Misses Leiper, Crossford (1) - Andrew Bonar

GLASGOW, 17th Feb.1886.
DEAR SISTERS ‘in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ’ !
Do you not hear the Master saying, as He points downwards to our earth and to your dwelling, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleepeth! but I am going to awaken him out of his sleep.’ Your brother shall rise again, and that day is coming nearer and nearer. Very likely you may be ready to say in your mourning, ‘Lord, if Thou hadst only shown us this or that, we might have been better prepared for the stroke!’ Martha and Mary had each of them, her ‘If Thou’ —but Jesus quietly put that ‘if ‘ aside, and turned their thoughts to their Lord’s gracious purpose in it all. Said I not unto thee that, if thou wilt believe (for I do not ask thee to feel at present that nothing could be better than what has happened, but simply to believe it is so), thou shalt see the glory of God?
What a glorious morning will the Resurrection be! Not a tear, not a regret, nothing but joy and praise and thanksgiving as we meet one risen friend after another restored to us in everlasting health and holy beauty, with our Elder Brother in the midst smiling on us with infinite affection as He reminds us, ‘Said I not unto thee that, if thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God? ‘—Yours truly, with deepest sympathy,
ANDREW A. BONAR