Blackheath, January, 1875.
My Beloved Brother,
You will scarcely be surprised to hear that when I had reached the conclusions indicated in my previous letters, I began to feel that if I would be consistent, honest before the Lord, I must take my place with “Brethren.” But I did not find it so easy to act out my convictions. I shrunk, I confess it, from surrendering my position; I shrunk still more from sundering the ties which had bound me up for many years in loving association with many dear Christian friends. I could not bear the thought of grieving the hearts of some, like yourself, with whom I had enjoyed most intimate fellowship. I sometimes was appalled at the prospect of the storm which I knew the step would evoke in certain quarters; and, moreover, when I remembered the strong antagonism which I had cherished towards “Brethren” in past days, it was no easy thing to avow to all the world the mistake into which I had fallen. Add to this, that I received letter after letter full of kind but most urgent entreaties, some too which contained the most solemn warnings against the delusion which it was supposed had possessed my mind; and others, telling me plainly that if I once united with “Brethren,” I should soon lose all independence both of thought and action, as well as become a partaker of the evil deeds of those, whose teachings were subverting the very foundations of the gospel—and you will understand somewhat of the difficulties which beset the final step. But by the grace of our God, I was enabled to look away from surrounding difficulties; and under His constraining love, I at length went and asked to be permitted to break bread with the saints at Blackheath. That permission was at once accorded, and as a believer, a member of the body of Christ, on this ground alone, and not on the ground of any doctrine or doctrines whatsoever, I took my place at the Lord’s table with the believers who are gathered on that ground in obedience to their Lord.
I have no desire to dwell upon, or to complain of, the misrepresentations (not to use a stronger word) which have followed upon the step I have taken; for, to tell the truth, I expected all this. Indeed they have helped me to understand many passages of Scripture—those which speak of bearing our cross after Christ, meeting with tribulation, and so on—as I could not have done before, when my position and profession of faith in Christ met with favor rather than opposition. Besides, I remember the ground I took myself in former days, and thus I am quieted, in the hope that my adversaries may perhaps ere long have their eyes opened, and be found sitting with me around the table of our Lord.
I may, however, be permitted, before I close, to say a word or two upon results. On the very first Lord’s day I found to my joy that there is a reality in the distinction for which “Brethren” have ever contended—between worship and the meetings which are so common to hear sermons, It was a blessed experience to apprehend that the Lord was in our midst, according to His promise, revealed to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a new-found joy to enter into this truth, as we communed together in the broken body (as shown forth in the broken bread) and in the precious blood (as displayed in the wine) of our blessed Lord; for our hearts were of necessity occupied with Him, with what He was down here, with what He was on the cross, with what He is now at the right hand of God, with all that He was and is to God the Father, and thus, as we bowed in adoration within the veil, truly our fellowship was with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
In saying this much, as I do avowedly in contrast with past experiences, I by no means deny that individuals may apprehend the Lord’s presence, even in a marked way, in mixed assemblies; for the Lord is ever present to faith. But what I contend for is, that unless we are gathered unto His name, we have no title to expect the Lord’s presence in the midst of the assembly; for His own words are: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)). So that the condition of His presence in the midst of the gathering is, that they should be gathered together in or unto His name, a thing possible only for believers. Oh, my brother, I could wish that not only you, but also all the saints, could see this blessed privilege of gathering thus together, and know the happy liberty of soul which the assurance of the Lord’s presence in our midst inspires, as well as the joy of heart which is wrought in us by the Holy Spirit as we joy together in God through Christ Jesus; for I am convinced that if you were once to enter upon this experience, your only wonder would be that you had been satisfied so long with mixed assemblies.
Another thing that soon attracted my attention was the fact, that the proper place was conceded to the word of God, that its authority was gladly maintained as supreme. One of our great difficulties in Dissent had ever been to obtain any real and practical recognition of this principle; and the reason was, that lax views were so prevalent upon the question of inspiration. Indeed, besides yourself, I never met with a Dissenting minister who held the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures; and the consequence is, that every one feels himself, more or less, at liberty to sit in judgment upon the revelation which God has made to man. He, in fact, judges the Word, instead of allowing it to judge him and his ways. There can be no fixity, no certainty of mind, therefore, concerning any special truth or truths; and hence congregations will receive, without hesitation or doubt, ministers with diverse and opposed “views” in succession. Thus I could point to one chapel in which, during the last twelve years, there have been three ministers. The first taught that the death of Christ was nothing but an exhibition of self-sacrifice (in a word, the doctrine of sacrifice according to F. Denison Maurice); the second taught the orthodox view of the atonement, but denied the total depravity of man; the third taught, to some extent, dispensational truth. And yet, with all these diversities, the people have never thought of saying that any one of these three was in error. They would tell you which they, liked best, and that is all. A sadder state of things can scarcely be imagined, and it all springs from a defective knowledge of the true character of the word of God. It was, therefore, with no little pleasure that I found the authority of the word of God continually enforced, and that the duty of complete subjection to it was commonly recognized.
“But what of the doctrines?” is a question that I know you will ask. Without, however, seeking to answer fully now (I may do this, if the Lord permit, on another occasion, and in another form), I may say that I have already learned one lesson; and that is, not to take the statements of enemies, or detached sentences (as I, to my sorrow, was betrayed into doing) as correctly representing the teachings of “Brethren.” The common view of the doctrines of “Brethren” entirely fails (through misconception, no doubt) in the truth. The fact is, the mind of the writer ought to govern the interpretation of a passage, even though a faulty style or laxity of expression might seem to admit of another meaning. But theological controversy proceeds upon an exactly converse principle; viz., that the mind of the writer is just what his words may be made to express; and hence the general misconception and misrepresentation of “Brethren’s” teaching. Do not mistake me. I am far from contending that “Brethren” have taught no error; for they are as liable to mistakes as others. But I do maintain that even if error is taught, I am in no way responsible for it, excepting it is of such a nature as to call for discipline. For, as I have said before, we are not gathered on the ground of doctrines at all, but as members of the body of Christ—unto His name, and in obedience to Him as Lord—as those who have been perfected forever by the one offering which He made on the cross (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)).
Need I say more? And yet there is one question I would like to ask. Are there, or are there not, any definite directions in the Scriptures as to the assembly of God? Are we, or are we not, taught His mind and will concerning the ground on which the members of the body of Christ ought to be gathered for worship, the maintenance of the unity of the Spirit, ministry, and so forth.? If we are not, then surely it is left to all to do what is right in their own eyes. But if we are, then it is incumbent upon every believer to be obedient to God’s Word. “If ye love me, keep My commandments” (John 14:1515If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)) is a word still applicable to all, and no amount of confusion and ruin in things about us excuses the feeblest believer from seeking to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. I readily grant that the path is narrow and difficult; but if every one who is anxious for the glory of God, and to bear a faithful testimony in these days of darkness, would but commence to lay aside or to separate himself from everything which either is not sanctioned or is condemned by the Word, he would soon find that “unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness” (Psa. 112:44Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. (Psalm 112:4)), and that, seeking to do His will, he would know of the doctrine whether it is of God, and be guided in the power of the Spirit into all truth. And, dear brother, who knows better than yourself the need of taking our stand entirely and wholly upon the word of God? Why is it then, when evil increases on every side, and assaults upon the very citadel of our faith are ever waxing bolder and bolder—when infidelity and skepticism are permeating all classes of society, and poisoning the literature of the day, that even godly men hesitate to be wholly separate from evil, and to commit themselves entirely, in their church associations, as well as for individual walk, to the guidance of the infallible word of God? Believe me that that is merely a spurious holiness which deals only with the experiences of the heart, and abandons the Church of God to the will and ways of men. The Church is the Body of Christ, and as such our Lord “loved it, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-2725Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25‑27)). Shall we not, then, seek to have fellowship with the mind and heart of our blessed Lord in regard to His own body, the Church, of which we through grace are members? My prayer is, that He may so open the eyes of His people that, coming out and being separate from all that is contrary to His will, they may be found with the few who are, in the face of much difficulty and opposition, upholding His honor by bearing testimony to the authority of His Word in this evil day.
Believe me, beloved brother,
Yours affectionately in Christ,
E. D.
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