The
following was written by brother Sparks in the
January-February, 1964, edition of the magazine "A
Witness And A Testimony," shortly before he and his
wife left for Manila.
Dear
fellow-travelers,
With
this issue of this little paper we have entered upon one
more year of its ministry - the forty-second. Let us
immediately express our very sincere wish that this year
will be one of great blessing to every one of our
readers. May it be a year in which our beloved Lord has a
great increase in the possession of His inheritance, and
one in which His people come into a great enlargement of
theirs in Him.
We shall
count upon the continuous prayer-fellowship of each one
of you that we shall be enabled to help in both of these
directions by the medium of these pages. Need is
undoubted: Christ is all-sufficient; but our capacity is
so small. In a new way, or with a new emphasis, we have
been burdened with the need of so many scattered and
hungry sheep. We do need to know the mighty
resurrection-life which can make the small handful of
'loaves and fishes' expand to the multitude for whom the
Great Shepherd has compassion.
I
personally take this opportunity of once again sharing
with you, and asking you to share with me, this very
practical concern. Does the Lord really want me to spend
this year in 'journeys oft'? The calls are many; some
quite pressing, and these would lead me practically right
round the world. But the physical condition of the
increased years [he was 77 years old] make it
necessary to be very sure of the Lord's will and to know
His enablement in a fuller way than ever.
At the
time of writing I am having to face a very urgent and
pressing 'Macedonian cry' from the Far East again, immediately.
It may be that a note will be added in this
connection before this issue is mailed.
The
sense of urgency and shortening time is making us press
on with more literature. Some twelve books and booklets
(including reprints of those not available for some time)
are now with the printer, and three new books are ready
to go to press. One of the books most called for - What
Is Man? - is now at the binders.... Announcement will be
made as the books are on hand. This is a ministry which
can go on when we have gone to the Lord, and it can go
where we are unable to go personally.
When you
think of the Editor and pray for him remember also his
three helpers; our faithful brother, Clifford Ogden, who
has printed A Witness And A Testimony singlehanded
for a long time, and who printed many of the books. Also
my two devoted secretaries - Miss Guy and Miss Read. We
four carry the full weight of all that is entailed in
getting this ministry out over the world.
There
are many fierce battles related to it all, but 'He Who
hath delivered, doth deliver, and we trust will still
deliver.' What a glorious thing it would be if, this
should be the year of His appearing! Let us walk with our
faces toward the light and our hearts inspired by
"that blessed hope" to pour ourselves out for
Him, "till the day breaks, and the shadows flee
away."
Yours in
His grace,
T. AUSTIN-SPARKS
P.S. to the Editors Letter.
Further to the note in the above letter, it is now
possible to say that provisional arrangements have
been made to leave for the Far East toward the end of
this month, January. We, my wife and I, will, the Lord
willing, fly direct to Manila.
P.S.
2002: And, dear ones, these two volumes entitled,
"That They May All Be One, Even As We Are One,"
are the results of that journey taken in 1964, as our
brethren gathered together before the Lord.