Assembly Action and Conscience

Very dear brother,-I have followed all that is going on in - with unfailing interest; but my part in this painful story has been rather to be with God than to busy myself with men.... Unless called by God, I would not directly enter into the difficulties of assemblies; I think this is done rather too much, while it is a question of arousing the conscience of the assembly which is disturbed. I grant that an assembly may avail itself with advantage of the advice of a brother more experienced in divine things, and I fully recognize that we are all one, and that if one suffers, all suffer with him. What I fear is lest individual influence should take the place of the awakening of the conscience. of the assembly. I have full confidence that this painful commotion will turn to the profit of the brethren. God's hand will be recognized, and there will be more seriousness. Truths which have been a little neglected will come to mind, worldliness will be judged-everything by which the Holy Spirit has been grieved-dependence on the grace in which we stand will be more felt. What one has to look to is that souls do not lose their way in the conflict, and leave the Lord's path.
I have heard that there has been a separation at-. Grace, patience, and firmness will be needed to meet it; firmness, especially in the walk of those who, I believe, left the meetingroom, and are not under the influence of -; firmness too with regard to those who have retained the room; but expres3ion of sorrow towards those who are led, and meekness and patience with all. It is plain that the separation is an evil, and this offense has been committed under the influence of those who were not of the assembly. Rom. 16:17 clearly shows us our path in this case, and 2 Thess. 3:10 shows the spirit in which we should act, in order that all may be brought back, and that not one may be misled altogether, and in a permanent way. But all this, in whomsoever it may be, is not of.yesterday; and there has been too much weakness, too little spirituality in general, for, it to be a matter of astonishment if God should chasten. This is why those who suffer from it ought to be before Him, owning His hand; and He who has wounded will heal. The Lord did not take the cup which He had to drink for us from man, nor from Satan, but from His Father's hand. This, in what concerns us, sweetens the bitterness and sorrow, and also makes us more humble and more serious; then we can pray for others. I have confidence in the Lord that He will restore order and peace: for some, this may not be just yet; but in order to this, those who are right must carry themselves graciously, considering that it is the hand of God, but with firmness in rejecting the schism, and making those who caused it feel that it is no light thing to have done. I have already said that this should be done with sorrow of heart, a thing far removed from haughtiness and hatred. May God Himself work by His' grace in your midst....
October, 1876.
Assembly Action and Conscience
As regards ----, I do not pretend to judge of the matter with the knowledge I have of the facts. There are many things to think of in such cases; people may be wrong, yet not wisely dealt with. Do you be calm and leave it to the Lord. He knows how to justify us where judgment is unrighteous, and show us our wrong where we have' failed; and, with Him, the rest is of very little matter. I rather object to brothers being called in to settle things. I quite recognize that we are all one, and that brethren in an assembly can seek, and have a. right to, the assistance of any brother who is a man of counsel in communion with the Lord. But it must be getting the conscience of the assembly right, not settling it for them; for if the other be not done, nothing is really settled. So Paul acted. And we must have patience to separate the precious from the vile. The great thing is to get the consciences of all fully before God. There are those who did not go with those who condemned you, but you must not lean on this, but condemn yourself wherever God, does not approve your way of acting. Never mind, if others have made mistakes. It is one of the chief sorrows of one's christian life. But God is above all, and always right, and will bring out things as they ought to be, without us, and so best. It puts us in our place of nothingness-our true place. The church of God has failed; but God only the more glorified, and the Lord, in it; and so in us. Even in details, Paul could say, "I stand in doubt of you," and then, "I have confidence in you through the Lord." We ought to be all perfect, but we are not, and if we are, the church is not, so God cannot unfold and display all His goodness and glory in it. I know nothing more sad than the end of Acts; yet Paul could say, "This shall turn to my salvation," and "the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." And I have always found reason to humble myself in these cases. Sorrow is a good thing, and makes God a more abundant source of joy. Of the present details, I am, of course, in considerable measure ignorant; but God makes everything work together for good to them who love Him.
If war comes on, I may be in England sooner than I thought. I have been a good while anxious to get there, though desirous of finishing here first and feeling it right; and though much longer in Canada than I thought, my visit, I believe, has not been without benefit. The Lord has been graciously with me from San Francisco to this place. May His savor be with His unworthy servant, whether it be an open door unfilled at Troas, or fightings and fears in Macedonia. I think I may say I never knew any-thing but sorrow as my portion, though with ceaseless mercies, but rejoice in it all, though I see, and rejoice in seeing, weakness and infirmity in myself all through, and what I now judge as fault. Take heart and be patient-" strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness."
Your affectionate brother In Christ our Lord.
We have much to be thankful for in -, though many a withered or cankered leaf of former work has fallen off.
Quebec,
November 20th.