27. “J. Β.,” Toronto. It is your happy privilege to rest in the assurance that God will hear and answer the prayer of faith. May He comfort and sustain your heart by His own most blessed ministry! To Him we commend you, in much brotherly love and sympathy.
28. “A. & J. W.,” London. You must look to the Lord to guide you as to details. “We can merely speak of the great general principle. A true spiritual instinct would guide in a thousand things. One should be able to judge by the practical effect of such and such a style of reading, as to whether it ought to be indulged in. No one can attempt to lay down rules for another. Circumstances alter cases
29. “J. T. S.,” Hackney. “Fellowship in the gospel” is a very wide and very blessed expression. It is very much more than “taking a seat when a brother is preaching.” Many might do this and not have a single atom of fellowship in the gospel; and, on the other hand, many might have the fullest fellowship in the gospel and yet not be able to attend the public preaching at all. We should judge that where the heart is really in the work—really bent on the salvation of souls—there will be unmistakable fellowship in every way. There will be earnest prayer for the progress of the gospel. There will be a readiness to help on the work by all means within our reach, whether it be by giving of our substance, or receiving to our hearts and to our homes those who “Go forth taking nothing of the Gentiles.” As to your second query, we have only to reply that it is wholly out of our power to say why “ Scores of evangelists in London cannot find any place where they can speak for the Lord?” We are amazed at such a question. We believe that when God sends forth an evangelist, He will find him a place to preach in. But let men take heed how they run unsent. Your third query is, to some extent, anticipated in our answer to your first.
30. “Mary.” We assuredly judge that the “oil” in the parable of the ten virgins refers to the Holy Spirit, which all true believers possess. The foolish virgins “took no oil with them.” This is emphatic. They had the lamp of profession, but no oil. Wick without oil must soon go out, and so it was with the foolish virgins. It is a most solemn word for all mere professors.
31. “W.M,” Peterhead. 1 Pet. 3:19, 2019By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:19‑20) teaches that the Spirit of Christ, in Noah, preached to those whose spirits are now in prison because they did not hearken to the preaching and believe it. A deeply solemn word, surely, for Christendom with its millions of hardened professors! There is no foundation in the above scripture for the monstrous notion that our Lord went to preach to spirits in hell. What could be the object of preaching to such?
32. “ Τ. M. J.,” Boston. 1 Cor. 3:10-1510According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10‑15), refers to the various workmen who should build upon the foundation which had been laid. Some of these might build badly, and some might build well. The wood, hay, and stubble shall all be burnt up. The gold, silver and precious stones shall abide. You must distinguish between what Christ builds, and what man builds. In Matt. 16 Christ says, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” But it would be a very serious mistake to apply this passage to what man builds; for, most assuredly, the gates of hell shall prevail against “wood, hay, and stubble”—all the spurious materials which men have built upon the original foundation. This is precisely what the Church of Borne has done; and where, we may ask, have the gates of hell more signally prevailed than in the case of that awful apostasy? It is well to see, distinctly, the terrible consequences of applying Matt. 16:1818And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) to man’s building. It is the germ of popery. Your second question is answered in No. 31. As to your third question, we have only to say that the New Testament teacheth us, in manifold places, that the Christian is dead to the world; not merely to certain gross things in the world—specially bad parts of the world—but to the world, in all its aspects. What then has a dead man to do with the world’s politics? As Christians, we are sent into this world, even as Jesus was sent into it._ What had He to do with the world’s politics? He paid tribute; so should we. He obeyed the powers that be; we should do the same. He suffered under this world’s powers; and we may be called to the same. We are instructed to pray for the powers; and we are to do so quite irrespective of the nature or character of the power. In fact, when the apostle penned that precept, the imperial scepter was wielded by one of the worst men that ever lived. The Christian is taught to be subject to the powers that be, he is never taught to wield that power—never once, but the very reverse. “Our citizenship is in heaven.” We are only pilgrims and strangers in the world. The cross of our Lord has broken every link between us and this world. The resurrection has introduced us into a new world altogether. In the death of Christ, we cleared the shores of the old world. In His resurrection, we have landed on the shores of the new. “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Therefore, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Col. 3) Oh! to know the formative, sanctifying power of this precious line of truth!
33. “J.D.,” Westerham. We most fully agree with all you say as to the need of separation from the world. Would that our separation, in every way, were more intense! But we judge it would have been more courteous in you to have closed your shop on the occasion to which you refer. We do not think it would have been conformity to the world, but a simple mark of respect to the memory of the departed, and to his mourning family. At the same time, we must bear in mind that each one has to act before the Lord. To your own Master you stand or fall. God forbid that we should attempt to lay down rules for any one; we merely give our judgment as you have asked it.
34. “G. Τ. H.,” Brighton. The whole subject is gone into in a little volume entitled “ Notes on Exodus,” to be had of the publisher, Mr. Morrish, 24, Warwick Lane, Paternoster Row, London, e.c.
35. “Q. R.” We know many very true hearted christians who seem to have no difficulty as to the employment you name; but this, of course, is no guide for you. We must, therefore, simply repeat our former answer. It is entirely a question for your own conscience before the Lord. Come what may, you must keep a good conscience. You have our hearty sympathy in your present exercise; but you must beware of attaching too much weight to the opinions of men.
Communications have come to hand from “W. W.,” Colchester; “An Anxious Sister,” Oswestry; “A. B. C.,” Maidstone; “J. B.,” Kingstown; “C. Μ. H.,” West Green; “II. R. W.;” “J. W.,” Woodside; “A Believer in Jesus;” “G. S. M.,” London; “H. J. E.”Î London;” “W. B.,” London; A package of leaflets by “C. F. G.;” “C. Α.,” Woodbury; “R. S., Swansea; “M. J. S.,” St. Leonards on Sea; “A. D. M.,” Birmingham. “A Constant Header,” Torquay.