By Joseph Charles Philpot.
Through Baca’s Vale; or, daily words for Zion;s Wayfarers.
By Joseph Charles Philpot.
Selected from the Works of J. C. Philpot by His Daughters.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.—
Psalm 84:5, 6, 7
About the Book: Through Baca’s Vale:
“Through Baca’s Vale; or, Daily Words for Zion’s Wayfarers” is a devotional book compiled by Joseph Charles Philpot’s daughters, Mary and Jane Philpot. The book was first published in 1866, six years after Philpot’s death.
The book takes its title from Psalm 84:6, which speaks of passing through the “Valley of Baca” and finding strength in God. The devotional consists of a series of daily readings, each accompanied by a short meditation or reflection by Philpot. The readings cover a wide range of topics, including faith, prayer, temptation, and spiritual growth.
Philpot’s writing style in “Through Baca’s Vale” is personal and intimate, reflecting his own experiences as a wayfarer on the Christian journey. His meditations are designed to encourage and uplift readers, and to help them find strength in God in times of trial and difficulty. The book is filled with biblical references and allusions, and Philpot’s deep knowledge of Scripture is evident throughout.
Overall, “Through Baca’s Vale” is a valuable resource for those seeking to deepen their relationship with God and to grow in their faith. The devotional provides a rich and insightful commentary on the Christian life, and demonstrates Philpot’s deep spiritual insights and his ability to apply biblical truth to everyday life.
PREFACE OF THE BOOK: THROUGH BACA VALE:
Some years ago, as is well known to most of our readers, we published a series of extracts in the form of Daily Portions from the works of our late dear Father, J. C. Philpot, which received a welcome far, far more cordial than we had ventured to hope or expect. Indeed, the numerous testimonies that have reached us again and again, from various quarters, of the blessing of God richly attending the perusal of these Portions have made our hearts burn within us, and the thought that He should condescend to put His seal of approbation upon our labours may well excite the deepest humility and gratitude.
Now, with mixed feelings of pleasure and regret, we find the edition is rapidly coming to an end, and as several friends have expressed a wish for another series of Portions culled from the same source, we thought, as there still remained sufficient material to draw upon, that we should prefer to bring out another book rather than merely reprint the former. That the present volume is larger and contains more matter will be seen at a glance: the fact is, all the suitable short pieces were selected for the earlier one, consequently, these in most cases are longer, which, under the circumstances, was unavoidable, but we trust that even the busiest may be able to spare a few minutes to read the portion for the day: if it is a little long, may it be found proportionately seasonable and weighty, refreshing to a weary spirit— a word of encouragement or exhortation to pilgrims journeying Zionwards.
It may be observed in this as in the former volume that some of the pieces begin and end rather abruptly, but it must be remembered that they were not written for the purpose to which they are now applied, as was the case with Mason’s and Hawker’s Portions, but are merely extracts gathered, as the title of the earlier work suggested, from those sheaves which have been garnered for the use and edification of the Household of Faith.
In conclusion, we can only express our earnest desire and prayer that th Lord God of Sabaoth may again be graciously pleased to smile upon our efforts, and continue to bless the words of His late dear servant, who “being dead, yet speaketh,” to the souls of His living family, and His name shall have all the praise.
S. & D. M. Philpot
Croydon, 1893