Brooklyn, N. Y., Sept. 6, 1876

BELOVED BROTHER-Your letter has given me great joy in seeing the way the Lord, in grace, is leading you as His own. I am quite sure He will guide you, step by step, to His own glory. So unused have we been to look first at His things, that now, in these last hours, as He calls our attention to these, we find that what ought to be most easy to us is hardest. We need to be more simple all the time, having nothing but His word before us. It is a blessed thing that He has recovered the ground and the truth so long lost, though given into the hands of those who are nothing in themselves. Our confession is of ruin and weakness, keeping His word and not denying His name.
It would be a joy to us all could you be with us here, that we might show that fellowship which the Lord gives us with Himself at His table. I quite understand the practical nature of your questions, from never having seen the breaking of bread. You will notice that it was " after supper" that it was instituted by Christ, and that Paul, in 1 Cor. 11, rebukes the thought of satisfying hunger there; so the amount would be but a little piece broken by -the one who partakes, for we are all members of the one body-one loaf- and are all partakers of that one loaf. So also with the wine-a single sip may be the expression of our individual association with Christ.
Whatever bread or wine can be procured, that which is used in common, is quite suitable. To be occupied with the character or quality of either, would savor of ritualism, and the form, that which in Colos. 2:16-23, is rebuked as of flesh, the " touch not, taste not, handle not" character, which is done away with in the cross.
Of course we try to get the juice of the grape, as being really wine, rather than the drugged material so commonly sold, though not with any legal feeling about it. The Lord will keep His own who are walking in fellowship with Him from thinking of the taste of the wine by occupying them with Himself.
I enter less into these particulars on this matter, since I mean to introduce you to a very dear brother, R. S. S., who has but lately gone out to Indianapolis from among us, whom you may see, or to whom you can write, and appoint a meeting with him, though I judge he will be most glad to seek you out when he is informed by me or others of you. I commend him to you and rejoice that he is so near you. I hope to hear that you have broken bread together. I think, too, he would gladly run over and have a reading meeting, or preaching, if there were an opening.
As to baptism, the word is very simple and clear, that believers were immersed in water. In Rom. 6, this is referred to, as expressive of their death unto Christ, the fundamental fact of Christianity, that Christ died for us, and we have died with Him. Thus our burial in water has meaning as setting forth that we are done with the old ground, as sinners, and are introduced into the new " in Christ." I think you will see that Christ, after He had risen, sent out his apostles to preach and baptize those who believed; that, at Pentecost, the thousands were baptized ' that those who believed at Samaria (Acts 8) were baptized- and so the Eunuch from Ethiopia-in water. So, also, Paul, in Acts 9, and then he baptized the twelve at Ephesus who had been baptized by John-in water, for he baptized in Salem near Elim, because there was much water there. In I Pet. 3:20, you will find baptism is the answer or demand of a good conscience, made good by the resurrection of Christ. It sets forth death and burial, thus telling of Christ's own death. We get to Christ, not by nature, as in Adam, but through death, and here we show it. He instituted baptism and gave it to His apostles to observe. Membership of the body of Christ is by the baptism of the Spirit, which is another thing.
I am glad you are exercised as to the question of the practical unity of the assemblies in discipline. It is in cases of discipline that we learn practically the value and meaning of the truth of the Church. In cases of separation of a brother from fellowship, in one place, all judge the case, the world over. He is separated from all till be shall be restored. In the midst of great weakness, faithfulness has been manifested in this respect. Those who are led to see the ruin of the professing thing in the world, and have been gathered to Christ alone, have found Him a resource and the Holy Spirit a reality, and evil has been judged by Him, and by them, for His sake. Meeting alone to- Him is the only condition in which true discipline can be maintained, and is possible, indeed. What standard is there for discipline in the systems of men except their own system, which is their own, and not God's-else why leave them? All they can say is, I am not a good Methodist, or Friend, or Presbyterian, etc., besides not being a good Christian, according to their standard, which is often quite low and worldly.
I know you will be brought into a place of rejection. In recovering the truth of the place, we recover all the circumstances, the persecution, the grief, the trial, the rejection. These are sweet tokens of sonship, and the realty of all. But you are cast into precious company, with Himself. Now, are we sons of God; "Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not."
I can understand your desire to be posted, as you say, to meet objectors, etc. But do not forget that you are with a living Lord, who can teach you moment by moment. Meeting the objections of others is not of us, or our wisdom, but wholly of Him, and it magnifies Him to confess our ignorance and nothingness, and we are safest cast entirely upon Him. What you need is His own truth, bringing you more and more closely into, fellowship with Himself, and let Him answer for you in all the freshness of His word. What you find clearly in His word is the thing to do. These brethren you ask about ought to do what is there, and I believe they do generally. The presence of the Lord Himself saves everything from form or custom or plan. There is always a freshness in His presence.
I can easily see how you will withdraw from affiliation with the Committee with which you have been acting. The Lord will direct it all. Do not delay when conscience says do, and do not go on the faith of others. Trade on your own, enlightened by the word, and it will be more clear on every use of it. I commend you to God and the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up. Many are being stirred up all around. I shall be glad to hear often from you.
Yours in the Risen Lord Jesus,
M. T.