Articles by Hannah Withall Smith
( Hannah Tatum Whitall Smith 1832-1911)
Discouragement
The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. The Church of Christ abounds in people who are discouraged because of the way. Either inwardly or outwardly, and often both, things look all wrong, and there seems no hope of escape. Their souls faint in them, and their religious lives are full of discomfort and misery.
Discovering Victory
When reduced to its final analysis, the discovery I had made was simply this, that there was stored up for me in Christ a perfect supply for all my needs, and that faith only was the channel through which this supply could flow; that struggling, and wrestling, and worrying, and agonizing, cannot bring this supply, but that faith always will and always does.
Divine Union
All the dealings of God with the soul of the believer are in order to bring it into oneness with Himself, that the prayer of our Lord may be fulfilled: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us... I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
God Is Enough
"My soul wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation, and my glory: the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God." The last and greatest lesson that the soul has to learn is the fact that God, and God alone, is enough for all its needs.
Her Daughters Transformation
These paragraphs are taken from a chapter of Hannah's book The Unselfishness of God, where she describes how her daughter overcame a willful attitude. I include this in the thought that many children have willful attitudes and might need the kind of help Hanah's daughter obtained.
Oneness With Christ
All the dealings of God with the soul of the believer are in order to bring him into oneness with Himself, that the prayer of our Lord may be fulfilled: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." ... "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me."
Thanksgiving versus Complaining
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Thanksgiving or complaining -- these words express two contrastive attitudes of the souls of God's children in regard to His dealings with them; and they are more powerful than we are inclined to believe in furthering or frustrating His purposes of comfort and peace toward us.
The Lovely Will of God
This chapter is taken from The Unselfishness of God. With my eyes thus opened to see the absolute goodness and unselfishness of God, I experienced a complete change of mind in regard to His will. In the past I had looked upon Gods will as being against me, now I had found out that it was for me.
The Life on Wings
This life hid with Christ in God has many aspects, and can be considered under a great many different figures. There is one aspect which has been a great help and inspiration to me, and I think maybe also to some other longing and hungry souls. It is what I call the life on wings.
The Transient Nature of Our Feelings
The paragraphs point out the grave dangers and frustrations that come when we examine our feelings to see how we are doing spiritually.