May 2nd, 1863
It seems to me unreasonable that gatherings should be called upon to give out names, with their own responsibility engaged thereby, and not have an opportunity of objecting or delaying. The Saturday meeting had for object, that those interested in the various gatherings should have an opportunity of fellowship or consultation, so as to effect concurrent action. That they bound anything is an utterly false accusation; and the way the enemy has sought to assail this meeting, through unprincipled attacks or personal feeling, is a proof to me that it is of God.
The reading out of the names even in the gatherings [the proposal] concludes nothing; for the very object is, that if there be objection it may be mentioned, and they are posted up with the request to do so to the persons whose names are attached, if there be such in any one's mind. It has happened that one in a gathering knew the previous walk of a person resident near another gathering, which the latter knew nothing of, and it was mentioned by the person who knew the circumstances, and a very ungodly person kept out. But it was long ago felt that it was desirable that a name should not be publicly given out until all practical inquiry was made; as it was very disagreeable to have a name publicly mentioned and demur made thereto on moral grounds, when it could be avoided. Hence the previous inquiry and consultation. Till they are announced to be received, nothing is officially done; but the previous inquiry is the ground on which that takes place.
Now, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the testimony of the local gatherings must be relied upon, and this is to be desired; but it would not be, if the others were precluded from saying anything where they may very possibly have something. And surely, if I am to give out people's names, I must have liberty to make a difficulty, if I have one; and I repeat the case has arisen, and the previous inquiry [is] just what gives efficiency to this process. If brethren who care for the saints were present from all the gatherings, mutual consultation and godly care could take place; and while they could not, and are not, meant to decide anything, they could bring the names, or anything else, before all the gatherings, with adequate previous inquiry, so that things should not be done rashly. Confidence would be produced in common action.
The notion of—I totally repudiate. London is not as large as Galatia. It is utterly false; and there was no agglomerated population, where a person could walk on a Sunday morning to another part of the town, perhaps when under questions of discipline where he resided. It is only a repetition of what — said, who does not practically know London and who likes local organization, which, after all, did not succeed with him. He often takes outward order and comeliness for inward power and unity according to the word. But I go on the facts: the analogy is wholly and practically false. The difficulties are practically great in London, but with cordial co-operation they disappear; and I believe in the power of the Spirit of God, to overcome the difficulties which arise from the immense size of the town, and to produce common action. If every one will go his own way, it cannot be; but you have independent churches, and members of them.
In Galatia a man was of a local church, and, if he went to another place, took a letter of commendation. Could I take one, say from the Priory, every Sunday morning I went down to Pimlico or Kennington? We are necessarily one body in London, and with grace can so walk.
I mourn these efforts to dislocate the united action hitherto carried out, but as yet will hope that we may not have the testimony that we have not enough of the power of God's Spirit to overcome the practical difficulties, but are obliged to confess that we give up the testimony to the unity of God's church in London. ——'s practical independency, or congregationalism, I repudiate with every energy I am capable of. What I earnestly desire is, the cordial co-operation of brethren to maintain common action in one body, according, to the scriptures and the unity of the Spirit of God; and I earnestly pray that the beloved brethren in London may be kept in grace seeking it, in the faithful desire of union, service in lowliness of heart; and I am sure of the faithfulness of God to help them, and carry it out in grace for them.
May the Lord bless and keep them. I have labored with them, and suffered with them, and trust the Lord that He will bless them in the unity of the Spirit of God. May they remember that there is one Spirit and one body.
2 August, 1877.
I do not think the plan mentioned in your letter, as pursued in the case there referred to, calculated to produce the co-operation desired at Bristol. The way to have things go on unitedly would be to have one (or two brethren, if preferred) from each of the four meetings, capable of adequately communicating the needed information in each case, meet in some place agreed upon outside all the gatherings, the proposed admissions and exclusions, or whatever else was the subject of interest, there communicated, and conference had upon them, and the result communicated to all the gatherings, not as a thing decided for them, but as the conclusion which those who had conferred had arrived at; and presented to each of the gatherings. Generally speaking, if the brethren who met were agreed, the matter would be concluded. If one of the gatherings disputed, there should be delay, and the Lord waited upon to make all clear. Better to wait on Him than to do things in a hurry.
3 August 15, 1877.
The local gathering would inquire locally, in some meeting of brethren for care, as to persons desiring communion, or cases of discipline; and the names and results carried to the general meeting; when, if all were clear and without further difficulty, the result would be carried to all the gatherings, and given out, not as decided, but as the result arrived at; and if the gatherings acquiesced, the matter would be closed. If there were any serious question or difficulty anywhere, the matter would have to be further gone into before the Lord.
In general the first local inquiry would settle it, but not always in places so near as those in Bristol, as more might be really known of persons in another gathering. Such has occurred in London, but here from the immense size of the town it is less frequent. No public announcement at all should be made till it went to all the gatherings from the central care-meeting.
If confidence is established, many preliminary communications may take place, even to form a local judgment of a case; as when a person has been recently living in another neighborhood, or has had transactions there. Still the local gathering, where admission was sought or question of discipline raised, would first look into the case. The motive of common action before final decision is simple. If you receive at Clifton, you receive for all; and if it is one town, their Consciences are all immediately concerned in it. They met in houses in Jerusalem; but the five, thousand were all one assembly.
4
In London we are all “in one place,” however large. I never could have said, If the papers were given up. I might have said, if they were made independent churches, I could not go with them. The papers were a real means of hindering this, and with all defects they had worked well.
If brethren who cared for the saints in each gathering really in London met to carry out that care in unity, as servants to the different gatherings, it would be a most useful meeting; while admission and exclusion I hold to be the act of the whole assembly, and not rightly done otherwise. Practically, as I said in the letter you sent me, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, it is the local gathering which has to come to the conclusion; but unity is maintained by intercommunion in it, and in such a place as London it is a great safe-guard. And in special cases all are actually concerned in it together. A person may have been teaching false doctrine in many gatherings or troubling them in other ways. A little patience and weighing the matter before God all would be straight.
J. N. D.