When my father and mother were newly married they sailed for Belgium where they were to work with the Belgian Gospel Mission. They were twenty-four and twenty-three. Recently my brother Jim Howard unearthed a letter written to them by an older missionary of the China Inland Mission dated July 21, 1922. It spoke to me freshly and powerfully when I received it yesterday, so I give it to you:
“My dear Philip:
As this comes into your hands you will be aboard your steamer, and perhaps a bit of a ways on your journey towards Belgium. I do hope that both Katharine and yourself will prove to be excellent sailors, and that the journey will be a very happy and helpful time for you. See all you can, on board ship, everywhere. If conditions permit it, make the acquaintance of the Chief Engineer and see the ‘works’ of the boat! They are worth seeing! Never join the ranks of those who think sanctification means shutting your eyes to everything!!
“My love and esteem for you both says how nice it would be if I could only go with you, and be with you in your service, helping, suggesting, warning, etc. as the case might demand. But how foolish would such a procedure be, if it were possible!! We shall serve you best as we pray for you, daily asking God to do for you in His way, which will be infinitely richer and fuller and better than our best. God’s way of speaking to you, and of getting at you, will be through His Word. Dwell in it, therefore. Begin each day with a portion of it. Pray for grace to see when He is speaking to you; and for grace to adjust yourself to what He thus shows you! Do that and you will be a successful Christian and Missionary wherever you are.
“There is one thing, however, I want to mention in particular, and feel sure you won’t mind my doing so. If it has not already been done, somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, just dump overboard all the supposed superiority we Americans think we have over most other folks! Enter Belgium merely as a Sinner-Saved-by-Grace, and not as an American! Of course, in one sense, we must never forget our nationality, and must carry ourselves in a way to honor our native land—but you know what I mean. Don’t be going around with a chip on your shoulder looking for your rights. I do not say this because I have seen anything in you which leads me to think it necessary, for, so far as I have observed, you are free from it all. I do know human nature a bit, though, and you will need to keep close to your Lord to prevent this sort of thing coming into your life. Mr. Hoste (a leader of the China Inland Mission) once said to me as I was about to take up a new and responsible post, “Mr. Whittlesey, you may expect all the honor and esteem you are worthy of receiving, and no more!!” A good text is ‘Let your yieldingness be known unto all men.’ Phil 4:5 (margin).
“We shall love to hear from you from time to time, and will reply every time. We shall not forget to pray for you all the time, and feel sure you are going to be much used of your Lord in the place He has placed you. With heartiest greetings and love from us all, Roger D. Whittlesey.”
This excerpt was originally published in the May/June 1989 Elisabeth Elliot Newsletter.