November, 1869.
Dearest A—, I have, in some of the earlier letters of this series, dwelt upon the unspeakable importance of keeping up, with zeal and constancy, a faithful preaching of the gospel—a distinct work of evangelization, carried on hi the energy of love to precious souls, and with direct reference to the glory of Christ—a work bearing entirely upon the unconverted, and therefore quite distinct from the work of teaching, lecturing, or exhorting, hi the bosom of the assembly, which latter is, I need not say, of equal importance in the mind of our Lord Christ.
My object in referring again to this subject is to call your attention to a point in connection with it respecting which, it seems to me, there is a great want of clearness amongst some of our friends. I question if we are, as a rule, thoroughly clear as to the question of individual responsibility in the work of the gospel. I admit, of course, that the teacher or lecturer is called to exercise his gift, to a very great extent, on the same principle, as the evangelist, that is, on his own personal responsibility to Christ; and that the assembly is in no wise identified with, or responsible for, his individual services, unless indeed he teach unsound doctrine, in which case the assembly is bound to take it up.
But my business is with the work of the evangelist; and I maintain that he is to carry on his work entirely outside of the assembly. His sphere of action is the wide, wide world. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Here is the sphere and here the object of the evangelist—“All the world”—“Every creature.” He may go forth from the bosom of the assembly, and return thither again laden with his golden sheaves; nevertheless, he goes forth in the energy of personal faith in the living God, and on the ground of personal responsibility to Christ, nor is the assembly identified with, or responsible for, the peculiar mode in which he may carry on his work. No doubt, the assembly is called into action when the evangelist introduces the fruit of his work in the shape of souls professing to be converted, and desiring to be received into fellowship at the Lord’s table. But this is another thing altogether, and must be kept distinct. The evangelist must be left free: this is what I contend for. He must not be tied down to certain rules or regulations, or cramped by special conventionalities. There are many things which a large-hearted evangelist will feel perfectly free to do which might not commend themselves to the spiritual judgment and feelings of some in the assembly; but provided he does not traverse any vital or fundamental principle, such persons have no right to interfere with him.
And be it remembered, dearest A —, that when I use the expression, “ spiritual judgment and feelings,” I am taking the very highest possible view of the case, and treating the objector with the highest respect. I feel this is but right and proper. Every true man has a right to have his feelings and judgment—not to speak of conscience—treated with all due respect. There are, alas! everywhere, men of narrow mind, who object to everything that does not square with their own notions—men who would fain tie the evangelist down to the exact line of things and mode of acting which, according to their thinking, would suit the assembly of God’s people when gathered for worship at the table of the Lord.
All this is a thorough mistake. The evangelist must not listen to it or be influenced by it. He should pursue the even tenor of his way, regardless of all such narrowness and meddling. He may feel perfectly free to adopt a style of speaking and a mode of working which would be entirely out of place in the assembly. Take, for example, the matter of singing hymns. The evangelist may feel perfectly free to use a class of hymns or gospel songs which would be wholly unsuitable for the assembly. The fact is, he sings the gospel for the same object that he preaches it, namely, to reach the sinner’s heart. He is just as ready to sing “come” as to preach it.
But, it will be said, “Is there not a danger of leading people into a false position by calling upon them to sing hymns?” No doubt; there is danger in this as in everything else. But then the intelligent evangelist does not call upon the unconverted to sing—nay, on the contrary, he warns them against it; and very often it happens that solid work is done by God’s Spirit in the conscience, in connection with these words of warning uttered during the singing; for—blessed be His Name!—the Eternal Spirit is wider in His range than we are; His thoughts are not as ours, nor His ways either.
Such, dearest A —, is the judgment which I have had on this subject for many years, though I am not quite sure if it will fully commend itself to your spiritual mind. It strikes me we are in danger of slipping into Christendom’s false notion of “establishing a cause,” and “organizing a body.” Hence it is that the four walls in the which the assembly meets are regarded by many as “a chapel,” and the evangelist who happens to preach there is looked upon as “the minister of the chapel.”
All this has to be carefully guarded against; but my object in referring to it now is to clear up the point with respect to the gospel preaching. The true evangelist is not the minister of any chapel—or the organ of any congregation—or the representative of any body—or the paid agent of any society. No; he is the ambassador of Christ—the messenger of a God of love—the herald of glad tidings. His heart is filled with love to souls—his lips anointed by the Holy Ghost—his words clothed with heavenly power. Let Him alone! Fetter him not by your rules and regulations! Leave Him to his work and to his Master! And further, bear in mind that the Church of God can afford a platform broad enough for all sorts of workmen and every possible style of work, provided only that foundation truth be not touched. It is a fatal mistake to seek to reduce everyone and everything to a dead level. Christianity is a living, a divine reality. Christ’s servants are sent by Him, and to Him they are responsible. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth.” Rom. 14
We may depend upon it, dearest A —, these things demand our serious consideration, if we do not want to have the blessed work of evangelization marred in our hands.
I have just one other point that I would refer to before closing my letter, as it has been rather a vexed question in certain places—I allude to what has been termed “the responsibility of the preaching.” How many of our friends have been and are harassed about tins question. And why? I am persuaded that it is from not understanding the true nature, character, and sphere of the work of evangelization. Hence we have had some persons contending for it that the Sunday evening preaching should be left open. “Open to what?” That is the question. In too many cases it has proved to be “open” to a character of speaking altogether unsuited to many who had come there, or who had been brought by friends, expecting to hear a full, clear, earnest gospel. On such occasions, our friends have been disappointed, and the unconverted perfectly unable to understand the meaning of the service. Surely such things ought not to be; nor would they be if men would only discern the simplest thing possible, namely, the distinction between all meetings in which Christ’s servants exercise their ministry on their own personal responsibility, and all meetings which are purely reunions of the assembly, whether for the Lord’s supper, for prayer, or for any other purpose whatsoever.
Your deeply affectionate