BROOKLYN, N.Y, FEBRUARY 8TH, 1937
BROOKLYN, N.Y, FEBRUARY 8TH, 1937
Beloved Brother, — I received yours of the 28th ult., this morning and would say in replying that I was about to write you when your letter came. I have been wishing for an opportunity to do so but have been greatly pressed since returning to New York, as you can understand.
As regards our correspondence regarding Deuteronomy 21, your letter to me telling of the misdirection of my previous letter to you was received in a charred condition. It had been salvaged from an airplane which was lost near Delhi. It was not readable throughout but I could read enough to show that you had not received my letter, that it had been misdirected at your private address in London to some other address where you were staying for your holidays. I had hoped, however, that the Post Office would either return it to the address from which I wrote or else would find you, so I left it at that. Besides this, I was so pressed for time I was unable to undertake to answer your original letter as I had not kept it. I do not suppose you wish me to go into that matter now.
I am very thankful to have your letter just received, especially because of the information you furnish, all of which is valued much by me and enables me to pray for my brethren more intelligently.
[p. 65] What you say as to the development of gift in London is true in a general way among the brethren. In this part of the world there are many younger men coming forward, for God is placing them in His service. As you may be aware, there has been much conflict in New York and district during the past eighteen months and I believe the Lord is using the experience to fit brethren for His service. They are learning war, which Scripture shows to be an important spiritual acquirement.
The result of all this exercise has culminated in a withdrawal from certain brethren in the meeting at Westfield. I wrote an account of this to Mr. Gardiner and if you have not seen it or heard it read, I have no doubt he will let you have it for perusal. Although great sorrow enters into all this, the Lord’s deliverance is manifest in it. For although a good deal of personal feeling still remains, the truth has been asserted and His rights, in a measure at least, maintained. As is usual in such cases, He gives result for good in a constructive way from the purification which the exercise of discipline, according to Him, produces. The action at Westfield is accepted by the gatherings, and there has been no loss of brethren outside of Westfield itself. Those who have been withdrawn from have not taken up any professed assembly status or attitude so far, and I trust they will be preserved from doing so. Indeed under the Lord’s good hand, I believe that most will be recovered.
I note your remarks as to a change in your methods of the city funds, collected, and I am thankful that all are treated as one, which I am assured, is right. I am not so sure that the deaconal work is quite in keeping with our times. It appears from what you say that there are appointed deacons, which while right at the beginning is hardly suitable in remnant times, although, of course, the work has to be done. I met with this same practice in the Antipodes and the difficulty I am expressing arose in my mind. There is no more ground for appointing deacons than there is for appointing elders. It may be, however, that the work has been done by persons who seem to be fit and who take it on by their own side with the approval of the brethren. But even so, I believe that the distribution of money is more wisely done with the detailed advice of all the brethren in each locality, all administered by the assembly as a whole. That a set of brethren should be devoted to one [p. 66] particular kind of work and take counsel together as such, does not seem to me wholesome, in assembly matters.
I am very thankful to hear of your movements in the Lord’s service and the encouragement you get from Him. I heard of your meetings at Coventry which were spoken of appreciatively. My wife unites in love in Christ.
Affectionately yours in Him,
James Taylor.