Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

Writings by J. G. Bellett

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither. (Psalm 1:1-3)

https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/384

Writings by J. G. Bellett

Notes of an Address on the First Epistle of Peter

By J. G. B. Aug., 1851.

(extracted from The Northern Witness, 1880)

There are three things in this epistle: 1st, the apostle contemplates the saint in times of various troubles; 2ndly, the mind with which the trouble should be passed through; and 3rdly, the consolations which God provides for such a time. There is nothing very remarkable in the bearing of it; but so much the more needed by the soul very often; — it is homely, practical. Godly power marks the whole of the epistle.

https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/679

We had our first Scripture Reading Meeting Monday, November 7th. The reading and subject was Romans Chapter 1

David is the principal object before the mind of the Spirit of God in both the 1st and the 2nd books of Samuel. In the 1st book we see him brought from obscurity into honour and praise, and there standing, by the good hand of God, in full righteousness amid the persecutions of the wicked. In the 2nd we see him descending from honour, through sin, into degradation and ruin, but there learning the rich and marvellous ways of the grace of God. It is thus the sorrow of righteousness, or "David the martyr," that we first see; and the shame of sin, or "David the penitent," that we next see.

https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/678

by J. G. Bellett

Short paper.

https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/689

by J. G. Bellett

(The date of this letter is not known — probably it was 1865: it was found among the papers of the brother who received it after his departure to be with Christ. The annexed lines were written by the bereaved parent.)

https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/684

To more than one friend he said that he had had “two surprises”: “If my body has been surprised into sickness, my spirit has been surprised into liberty.”

“Speaking of our blessed Lord’s humiliation, he said: ‘I worship Him as the Carpenter’s Son as thoroughly as I shall do as King of Kings by-and-bye.’ He uttered fervent words of adoration, praising the Lord for what He had given him in Himself, and for the title he had sealed to him in His unutterably terrible death.

https://plymouthbrethren.org/series/6219

I cannot tell exactly when it was that our kind friend, Dr. Walter, began to feel my dear father’s illness was becoming serious. In its early stages it took the form of pneumonia; and he was never quite free from cough; but there was more general weakness than any distinct disease.

From the beginning of the summer, Dr. W. was in constant attendance, and full of the kindest consideration. Dr. Law also showed much kindness in his occasional visits.

The weakness at last became too great to allow of his attending the Sunday morning meetings. This was a trial to him; and I remember his once saying that he almost thought he should get some of the young men to carry him, that he might again partake of the Supper of the Lord with his brethren. This, however, was never done.

The last passage on which he gave a short lecture was 2 Corinthians 12.

https://plymouthbrethren.org/series/6219

My father wrote a short pamphlet at this time, entitled, “A few words on the Present Revival” some paragraphs of which I quote here. In it he refers to the “physical effects” which in some cases attended this remarkable movement.

“That sudden or strong affections of the mind have had wonderful effects on the body must have been the observation of every age, so that we need not speak of it.

“But that Scripture both recognises and. illustrates this fact when the affection of the mind is conviction of sin, we may profitably consider for a little.”

(There is here a reference to Psalm 32. To Daniel 10, where “the prophet tells us that when the glory appeared to him his ‘comeliness was turned into corruption,’ and this was conscience, not disease. The glory, or the divine presence, let Daniel know that he was a sinner; and the sense of that was intolerable.)

“A sinner comes short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23.)

https://plymouthbrethren.org/series/6219

The following letter is addressed to this niece:

“My dear Annie,—Some few nights before you left us I had a dream. I thought that I was living in the day when the incarnation was expected, and one day, as I walked in the village where I was living, the report reached us that it had taken place. I then thought that another report reached us, that the Lord was coming into our village. Accordingly I set myself in a place which I thought would give me a sight of Him, and shortly afterwards two youths approached the place where I was. A crowd was around them, the smaller of the two was held by the hand of the other. They walked very leisurely towards me. I said to myself that the smaller of them was John the Baptist. The Lord looked very serious, somewhat sad; I could sketch His features, I think, if I had any capacity that way, for He looked at me, and I said to myself, I wonder if He is thinking of Gethsemane and Calvary. He held the smaller youth all the time by the hand, and I awoke, just seeing Him, after looking at me, beginning to move onward again.

“My dear Annie,

“Ever your affectionate uncle,

“J. G. Bellett

“November 3rd, 1858.

https://plymouthbrethren.org/series/6219