A difficulty sometimes arises from confounding two things which differ essentially, namely, meetings of the assembly, as such, and meetings convened and conducted on the principle of individual responsibility. If this distinction be thoroughly understood, all difficulty vanishes. The public preaching of the gospel, and specific lectures and expositions are carried out upon the latter principle, and are quite independent of the assembly. The members of the assembly may be present or not, as they feel disposed. Moreover the assembly may kindly lend their room or hall for such individual services, or the evangelist or teacher may hire a public hall for himself, or have it hired for him. It is his own individual work for which he alone is responsible. He may associate others with him in his work, but we must never confound such work with the meetings of the assembly for communion and worship. If I am expected to meet a public congregation, either with the gospel or an exposition, I am bound to be there myself or to provide a substitute. We understand a man's being responsible to preach if Christ has given him the gift to do it, but we do not understand "the responsibility of the preaching" resting on the shoulders of an ungifted person. We only speak of the general principle, but, in times like the present, we must seek to do the best we can to reach precious souls, whether it be the unconverted, or the dear lambs and sheep of the flock of Christ.
C.H. Mackintosh