by T. Austin-Sparks
Dear Friends,
This is a brief word of explanation and appreciation.
In our last issue we included a slip asking our readers to let us
know whether they desired us to continue mailing the paper to them.
It would involve a great deal of extra work for the secretary to
extract from a fairly large mailing list the names of those who have
more recently asked for the paper, or about whom we have no doubt in
this matter. There is a large enough margin of people to justify our
enquiry because of the considerable lapse of time in their writing
to us.
We have to run the risk of being misunderstood, or even offending
our assured friends, and just send the slip to everybody.
Our sole object is to keep the ministry of this little paper
in immediate touch with need, and so to see to it that the mailing
list is alive. We have no concern to keep the paper going
one issue beyond the time when its living value ceases, and only the
readers can apprise us of this.
So, will those friends who may have felt our enquiry to be
unnecessary or unkind please accept this explanation.
But having said that, I am more than glad that we sent out that
enquiry. It has brought such a volume of appreciative letters and
tokens of evaluation - although it was not meant to be a quest for
such - that has greatly encouraged and inspired us to pursue this
ministry.
The reading of these many letters has strengthened and enlivened a personal
touch with those who have written, and this is itself of real value.
So, again, we thank you, and take courage.
This present issue is, if anything, more solid (I trust not 'heavy')
than many, and it may call for more than a superficial reading, but
we pray that it may prove to be of that kind referred to by the
Apostle - "Solid food is for fullgrown men".
This is a superficial age when cheapness, lightness, and
'something-for-nothing' are all too characteristic. We may reduce
numbers, but if, as in the case of Gideon's army, reduction is unto
calibre and effectiveness, that will be worth while.
Pray for us, as we do for you,
Yours in the Grace of our Lord Jesus,
T. AUSTIN-SPARKS
In keeping with T. Austin-Sparks' wishes that what was freely received should be freely given and not sold for profit, and that his messages be reproduced word for word, we ask if you choose to share these messages with others, to please respect his wishes and offer them freely - free of any changes, free of any charge (except necessary distribution costs) and with this statement included.