same maxims for the
preservation of his honor and of his spiritual life and usefulness. The
firm and practical manner in which the subject is treated render his
remarks of permanent value.

Bentham, 8 mo. 7, 1820,

MY DEAR BROTHER,

Thy affectionate letter of the 24th I have received, and need not tell
thee how sensibly I am concerned for thy present situation.

I do hope thou wilt not lose sight of the object thou hast now in view, to
get relieved in some way from the excessive load of business which presses
upon thee, for we can none of us carry fire in our bosoms too long without
being burnt. We shall not be justified in the sight of Him with whom we
have to do, if we do not endeavor to place ourselves in such a situation
as will best answer the end for which he has designed us. It would convict
us of a very weak and erroneous idea of a Supreme Being, to suppose that
he could not or would not prosper our endeavors with equal success in a
more restricted way of trade, when our motives are purely to serve him
faithfully. Surely, He who cares for the sparrows will not suffer
_us_ to fall to the ground without his notice.

Thou wilt be ready to say it is an easy matter to speak of these things on
paper; but believe me, my dear brother, I know a little of what I say.
There was a time when I was as extensively engaged in business,
_according to my means_, as you are now. I have had large sums of
acceptances to provide for, with nothing towards them but what was in the
uncertainty of the drapers' hands. When I have set out on a journey I have
had to take the distressing fear along with me, that if I failed of
getting in almost every shilling that was due to me, I failed in paying my
acceptances. Add to this, the painful prospect of losing my property until
I could not pay my just debts, and then mention a situation which would
place an honest mind in a greater degree of perplexity. O! had it not been
for the preserving hand of my gracious Redeemer, I had never lifted up my
head above the waters which were ready to overwhelm me. In the midst of
all this I received a firm conviction, that if I wound up as speedily as
circumstances would admit, I should measurably be safe; but if I suffered
the impression to pass away disregarded, I might be hurled along with the
stream and never more be able to recover myself. It seemed as if my eye
was fixed on a star which shone quite on the other side of the [waters];
and I was thu