Des Moines, Iowa, June 7, 1897.
Dear Brother
Your letter of the 30th ult. reached me today, and I will try to send you a reply at once. I am exceedingly sorry that such a state should exist in the assembly as things have gone pretty far, when the breaking of bread has to be suspended, and this of itself ought to put every face in the dust. How it ought to humble us all to think that brethren who are members of the same body, children of the same Father, subjects of the same grace, and partakers of the same hope, yea, all indwelt by the Holy Ghost, should be so antagonistic to each other that they cannot carry out the blessed Lord’s dying request, “This do in remembrance of Me.”
I have already had two other letters in relation to this trouble, but I have obtained a fuller and clearer understanding of the case from reading yours than I had before. And perhaps you will not be surprised, if I tell you I believe there is failure on both sides. It seems to me there are both wrong thoughts and wrong actions. I will take up the different points as you give them.
1. “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit.” This is a simple exhortation — a thing to be carried out in connection with a state of “all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” To keep the unity of the Spirit is not an impossibility. It is possible by the grace of God. We have it exemplified in the 2nd and 4th of Acts. They were of one heart and one soul, and great grace was upon them all. So then, to say we cannot keep the unity of the Spirit is simply to excuse our own sinful state. It is true we have not kept it, and it is true the Lord knew we would fail in it, and because of this danger we are exhorted to keep it. But we must not say we cannot, for it has been done, and by the grace of God may still be done. If we find ourselves failing in it, this ought to humble us, and make us cry to the Lord for more grace. Now whenever you find failure to keep this unity, you will find there is failure as to the graces in the verse before. For instance, you speak of meeting after meeting in which there is contention, “one brother after another shows his weakness in allowing the flesh to act and becoming incensed at cutting language addressed to him, and replying in sharp language, showing his anger,” etc.
Now, dear brother, is there any “meekness” or “lowliness” in addressing “cutting language” to other brothers? And is there “longsuffering” and “forbearing in love” in getting angry and replying in “sharp language”? You see it is failure on both sides. The state is wrong. The heart is not governed by the affections of Christ. Instead of the Spirit having His own way, it is the flesh, either accusing others or defending self and retaliating. Thus the Spirit is grieved, and there is no power. Now if the flesh were judged in all, Christ would have His place, and unity would be kept in the bond of peace — the unity of the Spirit.
As I have remarked above, let it not be said that this unity cannot be kept, for it can. It is a mistake to lay all the stress on the word “endeavoring,” as if we could not keep the unity, but were to try to do so. The word “endeavoring” hardly gives the right thought. It should read “giving diligence to keep,” etc. It can be kept but diligence is needed to do so, and the state already referred to.
On the other hand it is a fatal mistake to suppose that this unity can be kept in a legal way. It must be grace. It must be the fruit of communion with Christ, and living of His life. I cannot take my own yardstick and measure everybody else by that. I cannot lay down my interpretations of Scripture, and say every man must walk by this rule. That is to make a law of Scripture, and put everybody on legal ground. And this is the worst kind of legalism. It is good indeed to have the Word of God for all we do, and to have our minds and hearts formed by it, but we must allow that while the Word of God is infallible, we are very fallible in our understanding of it, and in our interpretations and applications. Hence the need of lowliness and meekness, longsuffering and forbearance. We must allow that other Christians as well as ourselves have the Spirit of God, and are taught of Him as well as we, and they may be right when we are wrong. None of us are perfect either in our spiritual state or our intelligence, and we are all liable to have, or to get, wrong thoughts. Because of this, forbearance is necessary in our present state. If Christ be the object which governs the heart, and we feel our ignorance and dependence, we will get help and guidance by the Spirit. But we must leave others to judge of whether we are spiritual or not. For me to say I am spiritual does not savor of humility. If any man will be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise.
If our minds are formed by the Word and Spirit of God, others will feel the power. If I am giving out the truth in the power of the Spirit, the Spirit in them will enable them to feel this, and they will be edified and helped. If I am handling the Word of God in a legal way, I will only provoke the flesh, and no good will result. There is such a thing as using the Word of God to lash the saints with. This is not grace, and the power of the Spirit does not accompany such ministry. I speak of all this, because I cannot but feel that grace has been wanting. It is well if I can say I have the Word of God for this or that, but if another says he too has the Word of God, and does not agree with me, it shows there is fallibility somewhere — perhaps in both — and the need of forbearance in love, and perhaps the need of our both humbling ourselves before the Lord. We must not say we have reached the point where we do not need these exhortations to forbearance, etc.
Now in saying all this, I do not question for a moment that Scripture is definite, and to be understood, and bowed to. If I am humble and broken and dependent I shall get help in the understanding of it, and may be able to help others. But it is well to know that the most intelligent among us are not one in their thoughts on certain questions. Take for example the question of baptism — not an unimportant one surely. Those whom God has used the most among us during the past 60 years did not see alike on this subject, but they bore with each other in love. Mr. Darby and Mr. Wigram did not have the same understanding of the subject, and Satan would have used this as a wedge to divide them, if he could. But in this he was foiled. How? Because love was active, and they bore with each other. It is said that on one occasion a brother asked Mr. Wigram what Mr. Darby held on that subject, and Mr. W. seeing in the question an effort of the enemy to put himself and Mr. Darby in opposition to each other, replied, “I love my brother John Darby very much.” Thus the enemy was thwarted in his purpose. Mr. Darby was asked the same question on the subject by a sister after he had patiently answered all her difficulties. But she remaining still unconvinced, as a last shot, asked, “Well, Mr. Darby, but what does Mr. Wigram hold on the subject?” The reply was, “Wigram holds his tongue.” It was true, too, for I have been told he never opened his mouth on the subject, unless someone asked something. I mention this as showing the happy effect of forbearance. We ought to be of one mind, but to our shame we often are not. What then? Love suffers long and is kind. I may know that I am right and that you are wrong; but you think you are right. Here patience is needed. I cannot teach you the Word of God with a sledge hammer. The teaching must be through the operation of the Spirit. And grace characterizes this operation. So I must be patient, gracious, loving.
Of course, there are great and fundamental questions where there must be a limit to forbearance. Faithfulness to Christ demands that we be firm when His Person or work are in question; that is, if anyone sets aside the truth as to these. But where souls are sound as to the foundations much can be borne with if Christ is the object of the heart. And if anyone insists on pressing his view on another, even if he knows that he is right, let him first faithfully apply to himself these words: “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” I have said a good deal on this point because it is far reaching in a practical way.
2. The power of the assembly to bind and loose; is it infallible? The assembly is not infallible. Its history ought to be abundant proof to all. Every intelligent Christian knows that it is very fallible, just as every Christian is. But while that is true, and must be admitted by all, the assembly has competent authority to bind and loose within its own jurisdiction. As a father, a certain authority is committed to me, and competency cannot be questioned, but I am very fallible in carrying out that authority, and may make serious mistakes. Competency is one thing and infallibility is another. The assembly must act within its own jurisdiction, and in obedience to the Lord. A person goes wrong; he is to be put away; and when this is done he is bound, and the action is sanctioned in heaven. But the assembly is not infallible, may make a mistake; I may be satisfied it has made a mistake, and remonstrate, but still it acts; that is, the body as such. What am I to do? I cannot approve the action; I have protested against it; but am I to take a position of independence? Assuredly not. I need patience and must wait on God to open their eyes, and undo the mistake made. I do not separate from the assembly, unless it has committed itself to deliberate wickedness, in which case, it loses its title to be owned as an assembly of God. But if it is only a mistake in judgment, I do not set my own judgment above it, and act as a rebel, but wait on God, at the same time not approving the act, nor allowing myself to act against my own conscience. There is such a thing as submitting without approving.
What are assembly meetings? My answer is, All meetings that are meetings of the assembly as such. The readings and prayer meetings are surely assembly meetings, as well as the meeting for the breaking of bread. I do not say they have the same character, but surely the Lord’s presence in the midst may be counted on, and the Spirit’s guidance. But the realization of the Lord’s presence, and the Spirit’s guidance, will depend on the assembly’s state.
Has the assembly power to put away an evil person at any other meeting than the meeting for the breaking of bread? I do not like to make this distinction in meetings. You might call a special meeting to take up a special case, as has often been done, and decide that a person proved wicked was to be put away; but it has been customary, and I think rightly, for the person to be read out at the Lord’s table, because it is there that we have the great central and corporate expression of our fellowship. The announcement of the putting away of the wicked person is really all that should take place at that meeting. It is no time or place for going over all the details leading up to it. A called meeting would be more suitable for that. But it is a mistake to force questions of this kind, and shows that questions have a larger place in the heart than Christ and His glory. However, I think every spiritual mind would recognize the fittingness of reading out at the Lord’s table, the name of one put away.
Now, dear brother, I do not want to write too long a letter, and I must close. Allow me to beg of all in the name of the Lord to let brotherly love abound, all bitterness being put away. Be patient one toward another, and let none seek to rule the others with a rod of iron. This I am sure of, if all humble themselves before God and seek His mercy and grace, hearts will be drawn together, and there will be peace. There is no vital question at issue. Let there be forbearance, then, and seeking the Lord’s face together, and go on with “This do in remembrance of Me,” and edifying one another in love.
I have it much on my heart to visit you all; but oh, I would like to see a happier state first, so that I might be free simply to minister Christ. I am not in good health, and my wife, too, is run-down, and we have been talking the matter over as to whether we could go and spend some time on the coast,... early in July. I would much like if we could do this, but do not know that we will be able. May the Lord guide in the matter. If I go, I should in every way desire to keep free from everything of a partisan nature, while I would be glad to help the dear brethren in every way I could. They ought to be of one mind — of one heart and one soul. And if they are full of Christ it will be so. Oh! that it might be so. Try prayer and fasting, as many as feel free to do so. Take a day for it, with special seeking of the Lord’s face, and pleading with Him to draw all hearts together in the truth. I do not suggest this as a legal thing imposed on all or any. But if any whose hearts are burdened will try this as expressing their weakness and dependence on God, they will find it not in vain. “This kind cometh not forth, but by prayer and fasting.” Try it, dear brother, if you feel free to do so, and perhaps others will do the same.
Oh! it is wonderful how God comes in to bless, when we come down to feel our littleness and seek to have in us “this mind which was also in Christ Jesus.”
But I must close. Give my love to the dear brethren, Yours affectionately in Him,