Beloved Brother: —Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied unto you. I received with joy the first two volumes of the Herald, and the May number of the third volume, a few days before the date of this letter. I commenced at once with this number, and read it all with the deepest interest; and on doing so remarked to several, that your translation of the prophecy contained in Isaiah 17: 12, to the end of chapter 18, was worth more to me than all I had paid for the volumes. I cannot now express my sense of the value of a right understanding of so precious a portion of the prophecies. After reading this, I began upon the second volume, for I had read the first nine numbers of the first volume before. I read it through with much delight. I have also read with the deepest interest your "Elpis Israel;" and I can truly say, that your writings are like living waters in a dry and barren land. I obtained the loan of it, and the nine numbers, from a brother, George Paterson from Scotland. He wishes to do good. Mr. Allan from Linlithgow has lately arrived out here, with whom I was well acquainted at home. But at present, I know of no others in this country even inquiring after the truth. I have lent the first four numbers of the first volume of the Herald to a well-disposed man to read; and I hope he will be benefited by them.

This is a wonderful country. Very many have been attracted to it in the last two years by its reputation for gold. Naturally, I regard it as one of the finest countries in the world; but the minds of its people are nearly all intoxicated with "the gold that perisheth." Many thousands here do nothing else but hang about the diggings searching for gold, marring the face of the land with pits and mounds, so that none can pass in the night, and in the day the diggings are disgusting to behold. Instead of cultivating the fields for the production of food for man and beast, the generality allow the shrub and wattle to grow with the gum tree, under whose branches the natives have reclined for ages before us. There are, however, a few attending to the cultivation of the soil. In short, in a country where there is so much gold, we cannot expect that there will be much inquiry after the things relating to the Kingdom of God; gold and worldly possessions being the things lusted after by the carnal mind.

With respect to myself, I can say, that for the last twenty years I have been inquiring after truth. I was for many years a Seceder; then an Independent; after that a Morrisonian; and then a Campbellite. I was immersed in the name of Jesus early in 1848. In that year, I emigrated to this country. Throughout all these phases of opinion, I held to a sky-kingdom; the immediate ascent into it of all righteous souls at death; and the descent of the souls of the wicked into everlasting torments at the same crisis. I continued a strong Campbellite till I read the first nine numbers of the Herald and Elpis Israel. The first thing that my attention was directed to by brother Paterson, was the promise made, or covenanted, to Abraham. I had never turned my attention particularly to this before. I soon perceived that the promise had as yet never been enjoyed by Abraham or his seed, hereditary or adopted. The promise of the land by Moses was conditional and temporal. I was then led to see that Jesus, "the Lord our righteousness," is not now upon the throne of his father David; but sits on the right hand of the throne of the Father in the heavens; and that we are nowhere taught in the word, that the Saints will sit with him on the Father’s throne of the universe. On the contrary, I perceived that it teaches, that when our Lord returns to sit upon the throne of his father David, which he shall have re-established consequent upon his having overcome the enemy, he will grant to sit with him on that throne which is His, as well as David’s and Jehovah’s. So I learned that our blessed Lord will return again in person, and "reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously." I was then led to see that it is all delusion, the notions that our Lord will reign "spiritually," that is, personally and visibly absent from earth, a thousand years; that "the soul" lives in a state of consciousness in heaven or hell, between the death of the body and its resurrection; and that the souls and bodies of the wicked shall be reunited after disembodied torment, to be cast bodily into subterranean fire and brimstone, there to remain for ever. I now believe these things to be altogether the delusions of priestcraft. I may mention here, that shortly before I read Elpis Israel, I found that, through the loving-kindness of our heavenly Father, I could afford to lay out a little money in books, which, not being available in Melbourne, I sent for, to a beloved brother in Linlithgow. I requested him to send me all the writings of Mr. Alexander Campbell he could find. Shortly after remitting this order, brother Paterson, as I have said, lent me your writings; so that my attention was soon turned to the gospel of God’s kingdom and glory to be manifested ere long in the land promised to Abraham and his seed. My mind being thus enlightened, I wrote to my friend in Linlithgow that if any balance remained in his hand, he should procure for me as many of your works as he could. In this way, I came to receive the Heralds before mentioned; besides which, Elpis Israel is on its voyage hither. I have now a great many of Alexander Campbell’s writings, and more on the way. Besides these, I have a good many more belonging to other schools of divinity. But I cannot read them now; and to put them into the hands of others is out of the question; and to circulate them by sale would be equally objectionable. What do you think should be done with them? They are now mere lumber. I think they will all be destroyed with other rubbish when the Kingdom comes, and "the Gentiles come to the Lord from the ends of the earth, and shall say, ‘Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit’"—Jeremiah 16: 19.

Dear brother, I sympathise with you, not only because of the opposition you meet with in the world, but for what is often worst of all, the indifference and lukewarmness of those who profess to be "the children of the Kingdom." But we need not wonder at this; for even in the days of Paul himself, he testifies that "all sought their own, and not the things that were Jesus Christ’s." But cheer up, my brother: "It is through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God." But soon now will our glorious Lord appear, and break in pieces the oppressor; and then shall the joyful welcome sound upon our ears, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Enclosed you will find an order for £2 on Dennistoun, Wood & Co., of New York, for which send me four copies of the Herald for 1854. I hope I shall fall in with some well-disposed persons who will read them. The person above referred to says he will become a subscriber; for he never heard the scriptures explained in such sort before.

I see that some are very anxious for you to come over to Britain on a visit, and others want you to labour among them. I should be glad, indeed, for such to be the case, had you a fellow-labourer to carry on the Herald. But I have not heard of your having one as yet. I think, therefore, there is a little selfishness in those who would draw you away from the great work you are engaged in. Those who wish you, can purchase some volumes of the Herald, and diligently seek to obtain for it all the readers they can. Those who will not take the trouble to read, will do very little good, although they heard your living voice. I hope, dear brother, you will go on. Your work is great, but our Lord is greater still. My fervent prayer is, that his grace may be sufficient for you; and that he may perfect strength in your weakness; and when He, our glorious Lord, shall return, may he give you a crown that shall never fade away! I intend to keep in mind that you need your family wants supplied. I hope I shall be enabled to communicate with you again; and that the Mighty God of Jacob may be your strength.

I remain your brother, in the hope of a joyous meeting in the Paradise of God.

DAVID LEISHMAN.

October 18, 1853—Received February 28, 1854.

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