"It is not that Christians chance to meet together, but they 'are gathered'-apart-and unto His name. The accidental meeting of any number of godly Christians, then, for a benevolent purpose would not have the blessing promised." ("The Steward.")
"The Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Person are distinguished in His word. Where people are gathered in His name He will be personally present. We must not assume we have Himself visibly to gather to. For sight He is not here, but to faith He is. The condition of His Personal presence in our assemblies is that we are gathered to His name. His name is the expression of what He Himself is.
“‘It is gathered unto my name' and not 'in' it. The difference is obvious. To be gathered in His name means no more than by His authority. To be gathered unto His name, means that His name constitutes the Center of union. What unites us is the truth of what He is; and where He finds a people for whom this bond suffices, there He promises the blessing of His personal presence in the midst.
"This presence must be distinguished from the presence of the Holy Spirit in the saints or in the assembly as the house of God at large. The Holy Spirit is always in the saints and in the assembly of God at large, unconditionally as to any principle of gathering whatever; and His presence therefore does not sanction the gathering as such. This should be as plain as it is important, for it shows how God can work in His grace amid all the confusion of Christendom, without sanctioning the discordant and sectarian principles which prevail, in the least. Christ's presence in the midst, on the other hand is sanction (not, of course of the state of the assembly otherwise) 'Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven' is connected with it.
"If then, we are gathered to His name, nothing less is implied than the absence of all sectarian terms of fellowship; what unites is the true confession of a true Christ, and this involves the exercise of effective discipline, for that would be no true confession of His name (who is Holy and True) which allowed His dishonor. With this proviso it is the common ground of all though there be only 'two or three' on it. And the 'two or three' there, however few, have the assurance of the Lord's presence with them, and of His sanction of the place they are taking. For binding or loosing, the exercise of discipline, or as one near in divine power for all they call upon Him for, they have Christ with them, and that is the force of this precious Scripture." ("H & F.")