Beirut, Syria, April 4th, 1888.
I returned from Egypt a good deal run down in strength, but, thank God, my health remained very good. Often my voice was well-nigh gone, from having to speak constantly and often when the fine dust was blowing about and filling the throat and lungs. But the work goes on very quietly, and the brethren there hold all their meetings, even where the Table has not been set up, in connection with the one body and the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Their custom is to meet every night; and this is adapted to the habits of the people. And whether they be few or many in a place they come together every evening to worship, as they say; although they clearly recognize the special character of the meeting to break bread on Lord’s Day, or a meeting for discipline. So the first thing in all hearts in every meeting is to wait on the Lord in recognition of His presence, and the presence and guidance of the Holy Ghost. And generally half an hour, at least, is spent in prayer and praise, as those present are guided and enabled. Then comes the ministry of the word according to the present need and the ability given. And after that, all join again in prayer and praise. This is generally the course the meetings take without any human attempt to order them.
Three or four years ago, after the awakening had been going on for a little, some laborers were inclined to conduct preaching meetings on individual responsibility but it was not viewed favorably by the brethren, who said it reminded them of system. Hence it was not insisted on. I said at the time, that a laborer might if so inclined, conduct a teaching or preaching on his own responsibility; but for my own part I had always preferred to have every meeting in the unity of the body where there were as many as two or three present to take part, as enabled by the Holy Spirit. When this is possible even in meetings, where the gospel is primarily needed, I have invariably found it for the greater edification of all present. I am aware that this same question was raised years ago in the West, and some laborers preferred to have meetings for the exercise of gift, on their own responsibility; and perhaps rightly enough in the circumstances where they were called to labor. But, as I said, the brethren in Egypt viewed this with disfavor, and I think all the laborers are fully convinced that the present course is fully in the current of the Spirit’s guidance for them. They never fail to find plenty of time to exercise whatever gift they may have. So, too, I have always found it for myself. In fact, if it was necessary, I would prefer to sit silent during the entire meeting, rather than to have it all thrown on me. In opening up new places where as yet not one is known to have been converted, a laborer is generally accompanied by a companion in labor, or by some brethren, one or more, and as soon as the Lord begins to open some hearts to the word, they are instructed as to the presence and guidance of the Spirit in prayer, and it is remarkable how soon their mouths are opened in prayer. But converts are generally brought right into the unity of the body, as to the spirit of it. Hence when the Lord begins to bless in a place, a meeting is set up at once; but not the Table, that is the breaking of bread. Those blessed are gathered at once, and continue to meet even when the laborer goes on to another field, and these are known and cared for as brethren gathered, and so recognize themselves. Hence when there, you will hear of many such meetings. They are visited and helped with a view to setting up the Table among them. And they do so understand it. Then when some of them have become established in grace and walk, some laborers or brethren in the neighborhood go and help them to set up the Table, and that is generally a day of power and joy. I must say that I never have seen such care in setting up the Table and in receiving into fellowship generally, as is there exercised. There is usually an immense concourse of people when the Table is set up in a place. Nearly all the Christians in the neighborhood come, and experienced brethren have told me that the ever-faithful Lord never fails to render a most manifest testimony to His own Table. Often the vast congregation will be bathed in tears. Whatever may be the habitual state of the on-lookers, they are made to feel that God is there in their midst, and their hearts are humbled and bowed as they hear the name of the Lord Jesus, the ever blessed Son of God, exalted.
You are aware that the Copts have been long distinguished for their tenacious clinging to the truth that Jesus Christ is God. When the whole weight of the empire was against Athanasius, in his testimony against Arius and his deadly heresies, the Egyptian Christians on the whole firmly stood with him. Afterward came the scourge of Islam; and the Copts who maintained their integrity, became despised and downtrodden, and so remained till the present day. We know that a dark night of ignorance settled down over them, but they held on to the foundation truth that Jesus is God. And to this day if you exalt that blessed One, you scarcely ever fail to meet a response in the heart of a Copt. I have no doubt that God has remembered their sorrows during ages of oppression, and has not forgotten that they held on through it all to the confession of His Son. He has visited them in these last days in His grace, and they feel it. You feel when laboring among them that it is a distinct visitation of grace. I may remark that all the old brethren had been well grounded in grace, and in a measure in the whole range of truth, before separation began. They have progressed immensely since; but there had been a good foundation. And hence one has the feeling that the work is solid. And so they also feel; although we all know well, that the Lord alone can keep them or any of us walking in His path a single day. And their confidence in Him and in His grace is simple and fresh. There is much brotherly love and care for one another. Many not devoted wholly to ministry find time to visit assemblies, and such visits are much owned of the Lord for mutual joy and comfort. And generally in places where an unusual work is going on, you will constantly see brethren from assemblies elsewhere coming and going, and thus help in the work without any human arrangement. This also reflects on their own assemblies, for they carry back with them the cheering news of the Lord’s work. I was present when the Table was set up at three new places last winter. A great revival had been going on there for four or five months, and many souls had been blessed. Those laboring there had felt the need of much help at the setting up of the Table, and it came at the right time, without any attempt to arrange for it. In the first of the places, I think there were about fourteen of us, laborers and other brethren, who were present on that occasion from other places. And they were days and nights of unusual power; and especially on Lord’s day, there was not an available spot inside the building (without any roof) or outside in the street and on the walls and roofs of adjoining houses that was not occupied, wherever there was a prospect of seeing or hearing. We all felt the exceeding pressure of the occasion, but looked to the Lord for help and He did help us. All hearts were bowed and a deep solemnity was manifested in all countenances. Such a great concourse of people was not new, for crowds had been coming nightly for weeks and months; but the presence of so many in suspense and expectation, was not, as we know, suited to the exercise of worship in those gathered around the Table. Some twenty-five new ones had been received into fellowship. And we began in the early morning and did not get through with the Table until about noon. But the Lord helped us in a marked manner. And the prayers and praises showed that hearts were more occupied with the Lord than with the sight of so many people. I was led to speak at some length on Isa. 53 and later on was helped in giving thanks at the Table. We all came together again at 3 p.m. and one of the laborers and I were helped in the ministry of the word. It is remarkable the new character the ministry of the word takes as soon as the Table is set up. We observed it on that occasion; the gospel continues to go out as sweetly and fully as ever to the impenitent; but we address the saints differently. The following week most of the laborers went elsewhere, some of us to two places about an hour’s distance, where the Table was also set up with much blessing. Fifteen were received at one place, and forty-one at the other. Some of the laborers were led to a new place distant about three hours’ southwards, where a marked awakening began, as we afterward heard, and was going on when I last heard; and some others of us came a short distance to the north, and the awakening began in another place, where there were already a few souls that had got blessing, but had not yet begun to meet in separation. But they got a room ready and invited us to come to them at once, and the very first night the place was filled, with perhaps as many more outside. By last accounts there were about five hundred coming every night to hear the word. There is of course blessing in many villages where no such marked awakenings have occurred. It often occurs that a man gets blessing when present at a meeting in a place where he has come on business; and on his return home communicates his new found joy to his neighbors, and thus a work begins. Simple brethren also often take the light to new villages where darkness has reigned for ages.
I have not spoken of the difficulties and the opposition which is often encountered. There is and has been plenty of all that, as must be the case when God is working. But opposition from without is easily met, when God is working, and the saints themselves are walking together in unity and love.
Love to all saints with you.
Your brother in Christ, B. F. PINKERTON.
Beloved Brethren, is not the above letter a direct word from the Lord to us all? Are we not in danger of falling into the groove of human arrangement? Let us not forget those words, “Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” Oh, let us prove the faithfulness of our God and Father. We would ask all who profess to be gathered to the Lord, to come together, for prayer, at least half an hour before the usual time of preaching the word on a Lord’s day evening. Both brethren and sisters. Let every heart be lifted up to the Lord for His blessing, whomsoever Pie may use to preach the gospel. Let it be felt that the absence of every one able to be there, is an evidence of indifference as to the Lord’s honor, and the conversion of precious souls. We feel led to make this solemn call, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the fullest assurance that if we thus honor the Lord, and look to Him, the “pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb,” shall flow forth with life-giving power.
C. S.