At the beginning of another year, and coming before our readers in an altered shape, it seems to us in place to bring freshly before their minds the aim that we have in view.
" SOUND WORDS " announces itself as " A Monthly Periodical for the spread of the gospel and feeding the Church of God." It desires thus, on the one hand, to be the bearer of a message of peace to any poor anxious sinner that may come in its way, and on the other, to be the carrier of food in season to any who have " tasted that the Lord is gracious." Our aim, under the 'Lord, is to make it serve both these ends, and at the same time we greatly desire to be the means of uniting the hearts and energies of the children of God in seeking to " edify one another in love " as " called in one body " to glorify the Lord Jesus.
A brother writes us the following seasonable words with reference to this last. "Sound Words " should have its columns open and free for Brethren who love to open their hearts to each other and to lost sinners. Such should be encouraged to semi in their communications, and thus we should see the impress upon it of more than one living soul who has caught the fire from heaven, and is scattering-burning words every where amongst souls. We want a Magazine that will show out the breathings and throb bings of the whole family of God." To make it such. while carefully watching that nothing not for edification shall enter its pages, will be our aim. And we count upon the hearty sympathy and co-operation of our brethren in pushing the circulation of such a Magazine, as well as very earnestly invite them to contribute articles and send in interesting notices of the Lord's work of grace on the earth, that all our hearts may he together comforted and encouraged.
One happy means of edifying one another in love " has been found under "Answers to Correspondents," and we can only express our desire, that our readers will avail themselves freely of this means of intercommunication, assuring them. at the same time that special grace and wisdom from the Lord will be sought for this part of our service. The price of " Sound Words," as will be observed, has been considerably reduced, in the hope that those who know and value the truth they have, may be the more induced and enabled to spread it amongst others. And we mention here, as matter of encouragement and interest to all, that the names of over five thousand of God's dear children have been supplied to us, to whom this January number will be sent, and we ask the earnest prayers of our brethren, that this effort to spread His truth may be signally blessed of the Lord, in leading those to whom we send it, not only to take our magazine for themselves, but to push its circulation amongst their fellow believers. No pecuniary profit is derived by any from its 'publication, and the cost is put as low as possible, so as to enable it to be given freely away by those Who have means, while to those who are not able to procure it otherwise; it will be supplied free by Him from whom all goodness flows.
" By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body," and that one Spirit is very remarkably moving the hearts of believers to seek fellowship one with another. The throbbings of divine life are being more distinctly felt and acknowledged, while in the search after holiness, which has been so manifest during the last few years, the rejection of "a form of godliness but denying the power thereof" is at least very decidedly marked.
The divisions and strifes of Christendom are growingly felt to be cause for alarm and shame. The restraints of human dogmas are becoming increasingly irksome to many, while a sense of insecurity presses upon the hearts of a vast number-of God's dear children, leading them to seek some refuge from the inroads of error. As another has observed, "The need of union is felt now by every right minded christian. The power of evil is felt by all. Its pressure.-comes too near home,. its rapid and gigantic, strides are too evident, and effect too nearly the particular feelings which characterize distinctively every-class of christians, to allow them to be blind to it, however little they may appreciate its true bearing and character. Better and holier feelings, too, arouse them to the sense of common danger, and (as far as it is entrusted to man's responsibility) the danger in which the cause of God is from those who never did, and never would spare it. And wherever the Spirit of God acts, so as to make the saints value grace and truth, it tends to union, because there is but one Spirit, one truth, and one body.
The feelings which the sense of the progress of evil produces may be different. Some, (though they are but few) may yet trust to the bulwarks they have long looked to, but which had their force only in a respect for them which exists no longer. Others may trust to a fancied force of truth, which it has never exerted but in a little flock, because God and the work of His Spirit were there. Others, to a union which never yet was the instrument of power on the side of good, (that is a union by concord and agreement;) while others may feel bound to abstain from such an agreed union by reason of previously subsisting obligation or prepossessions, so that the union tends to form only a party. But the sense of danger is universal, and this state of things produces difficulties and dangers of a peculiar kind to the saints, and leads to the inquiry, where the path of the saint is, and where truth is to be found."
These remarks, though made a good many years ago, we believe are to the point, and many we doubt not will feel them to be so. With the growing sense of need for union felt by true christians, and it cannot be denied, comes the question necessarily " what is true union, and how is it to be expressed outwardly?" True union is to be found in God and what He has formed. " There is one body and one spirit." Union exists in the blessed abiding reality of what believers are as having the life of Christ, and being indwelt by the Spirit-"ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." The outward ruin of Christendom, and the development of evil within the house of God, mournful as it is, blessed be God, touches nothing of this. Christ is head of His body still, and all true believers are His body' which He nourishes and cherishes as His own flesh, " for we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." We have not then to make a union, it exists and nothing can destroy it. Thus union is found in the discovery of its actual existence, and it is to be expressed outwardly, not by a change of church position, nor by the adoption of a new set of views, but by the acknowledgment of the mighty and abiding truth, that " there is one body and one Spirit." God has made a unity, all believers in whom His Spirit dwells are in it, and all we have to do is to endeavor practically to " keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." This will lead into all that holy, gracious walk that makes Christ and His members the consideration before our hearts. We shall be "holding the Head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God," and thus be enabled to "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love."
The apostle Paul finds his heart greatly drawn out towards the Ephesian christians, because he had heard of their "faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints." He prays for them, that beside knowing and enjoying for themselves all the blessing into which divine grace had brought them, they might "be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God." He exhorts them to be found "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all supplication for all saints," and bids their elders to take heed unto themselves and, says he, " to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood."
Our 'desire is to be found in the current of the apostle's prayer and exhortation, and that "SOUND WORDS" may have that true catholicity, which while it disallows all evil, whether of doctrine or practice, sees Christ in all that are Christ's, and acknowledges all that is of Christ in all that are of Christ. In short, that our pages may be the expression of the love of God to sinners, and of the love of Christ to the church for which He gave Himself, and at the same time a means of inter-communication between the members of that " one body " of which He is " the' Head" in Heaven, while waiting for Him to come and present us all " faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy," will be OUR AIM.
Lord Jesus, are we one with Thee?
O height! O depth of love!
With Thee who diedst upon the tree,
We're one in heaven above.
Such was thy Grace, that for our sake
Thou didst from heaven come down;
With us of flesh and blood partake,
And make our guilt Thine own.
Our sins, our guilt, in love divine
Confessed and borne by Thee;
The gall, the curse, the wrath were Thine,
To set Thy ransomed free.
Ascended now, in glory bright,
Life-giving Head Thou art;
Nor life, nor death, nor depth, nor height,
Thy saints and Thee can part.
Then teach us Lord, to know and own
Thy wondrous mystery;
That Thou in heaven with us art one,
And we are one with Thee.
And soon shall come that glorious day,
When seated on Thy throne,
Thou shalt to wondering worlds display
That Thou with us art one!