EXTRACTS

J.T.

There are certain conditions upon which the enjoyment of Christian privilege depend. As I was remarking, in natural things you would always enjoy the fact that you have a home and a family; but you have to come back to the family to actually enjoy it. This holds good in regard to divine things—one may always enjoy the knowledge of the fact that he has a place in the counsels of God, but he has to come to the assembly to have the enjoyment of the things themselves. The manna supports one individually; but when you come to the collective sphere, which necessarily depends upon the saints, you have another order of things, a sphere of affections and all that. I believe that is what the Lord has sought to make very plain in recent years. These things were made to be available to the individual, without the conditions; whereas it was insisted upon, by the Spirit of God, I believe, that the enjoyment of divine blessings and privileges are dependent upon those conditions.

J. Taylor (Vol. 77, p.108)

What is a Philadelphian? One who does not fail in the day of adversity; he has a little power.

It is a solemn thing, though. There are five or six companies now claiming to have the Lord’s presence—there can be only one right. If I were to come as a stranger to Manchester and ask to be guided to the company where God is, where would I find myself? Where is the company that is known and characterised by God

dwelling among them of a truth? It is not what we say but what we are that carries weight.

We have in these verses what the Lord is, what He has, what He does, and the great point for us is that we should be in correspondence to Him. He is the Holy and true One; holiness and truth should mark us. He has the keys of the King; we should seek His kingdom. He opens the door and none can shut it; we are to use the privileges that are ours. There will be imitation, opposition, difficulty; we are to overcome, and hold fast.

J. B. Stoney (Vol. 6, p.140)