Best of all, however, was the peculiarly blessed inward experience which he enjoyed amidst all the outward rush of the Australian tour.  It has been so often suggested by truly excellent men that the soul cannot enjoy all the fulness of fellowship with God without a great deal of retirement from men, that we should like to have The General’s inner life fairly exhibited, if it were only in order for ever to bury this monstrous and, we might also say blasphemous, superstition, which has so often been supported by one or two quotations from the Gospel, though in defiance of the whole story of Christ, and of every promise He ever made.

Of what value could a Saviour be who drew back from helping His own messengers upon the ridiculous pretence that they were too busy doing His bidding, and did not spend enough time “seeking Him for themselves”?

“Just a P.S. to say that God is wonderfully with me.  I don’t think that I ever in the midst of a great Revival had a more powerful time than last night.  It was nothing short of a miracle.  I had no definite line ready, and had no time to get one.  I preached an old sermon at Melbourne, just because I must have something straight before me that I could shout out to that immense crowd, and I had a wonderful time; but last night God helped me in every way.  The power upon the people was really wonderful at times.”

Little did most of his own Soldiers guess the extreme strain of inward weight and struggle under which The General was often labouring just when in some great assembly he appeared to every one to be overflowing with youthful gaiety and self-confidence.

The following letter to his youngest daughter, and some entries in his diary, will give some idea of the inner victory he really gained on many such occasions.

Commissioner Lawley, mentioned in this letter, was The General’s almost constant companion and helper in many years’ travel in many lands, leading the singing, soloing, managing the Prayer Meetings, and generally aiding in every arrangement, a true armour-bearer and comrade at every turn:—­

     “Fair night; might have been better.  Plenty of weakness; still,
     better than it often is.

“Lawley just been in; he is not over well; says we have got the biggest theatre (The Empire).  He is not quite sure whether its suitability for talking is beyond the Coliseum at Glasgow, but he thinks the Meetings are rather heavy for a sick man, whom four doctors have been conjuring during the week to ‘settle down’ and take things quietly, under pain and penalties of the sufferings described.

“However, I am going on with faith that God won’t forsake me.  It is very probable that Mr. MacDougal said something of the same kind when he retired to rest on his last sleep, and failing to appear in the morning was found by his son with life extinct, gone to live by sight; anyway, to have some further assistance to sight through his faith in the Better Land.

     “This has been one of the most remarkable of the many remarkable
     days of my history.