BROOKLYN, N.Y., JANUARY 4TH, 1921
BROOKLYN, N.Y., JANUARY 4TH, 1921
Mr. C. A. Coates.
Beloved Brother, — Having just returned from the Indianapolis meetings, I take the first opportunity to send you a line as to them. There had been much prayer as to these meetings and you will be glad to know that the Lord answered the [p. 188] exercises and desires of many in graciously helping us as we came together. Our brothers R.S.S., F.L., H.G., J.D., W.H.F., and several others whose names you would know, were present, besides a representative number of saints from different parts.
There was a private meeting to consider matters of difference that had arisen in connection with certain statements made by J.D., especially at the meetings in Winnipeg of 1918, in the book entitled ‘Life’, and in the meetings at Chicago in 1920. Attention was called to a statement in the former that Christ could hardly be said to be eternal life as a Babe. J.D. said he had in his mind that He was not the expression of it and remarked that he had understood that when the apostles referred to Christ they referred to Him as they knew Him, and that this was not till after the Holy Spirit came upon Him. It was pointed out, however, that John in his gospel says, “The Word became flesh ..”. and that this covered His incarnation from the outset. This was admitted to be the truth, and J.D. said that he would not make such a remark again. It was pointed out that the Lord spoke about being cast upon God from the outset. I would have been glad if D. had more readily acknowledged the truth as to the Lord’s Person in this respect, as I strongly fear there had been a defect in his mind as to it. The Notes referred to were largely based on the assumption that Christ was presented as eternal life only after the Spirit came upon Him, and that the Holy Spirit in Him was the spring of eternal life as He is in us. In this line of thought I consider there is a grave defect. Although Christ is not said formally to be eternal life as a Babe, He is spoken of as “Saviour which is Christ the Lord”, however, as a Babe. Besides, John states that “in Him was life” and we cannot limit this to any particular part of His incarnation. Negatives in this respect are the dangerous features.
As to the Notes of last year in which it was stated that the ‘position’ is ‘intensely individual’, and that no company can be said to be following righteousness, and that “faithful men” are the temple, J.D. and H.G. did not fully recognise the need of balancing these one-sided statements with the collective side of the truth. They did, however, admit the latter, to some extent, and as the Notes are not to be published, the matter was left, with the hope that things would not be again presented in this extreme way.
[p. 189] At the readings we looked at Acts 11 - Acts 15 inclusive. There was marked interest and general unity. The object in the readings was to show how the parts of the tabernacle, so to speak, were linked up at the beginning. We were helped in seeing that divine wisdom and grace in the apostles and others overcame sectional and personal feeling, so that the work in various localities was linked together and co-ordinated, so that God had His portion and general unity was maintained. The correlation between authority, as presented in the apostles, and the free action of the Spirit in the saints generally came helpfully before us. The bearing of all this, as you can understand, was that the movements of the Spirit, at the present time, in different parts of the world, should not be isolated or sectional, but should be linked up and all set up in relation to Christ who rules over the whole house of God.
HG gave an interesting address and F.L. was distinctly helped in a gospel address. J.D. gave an address in which certain statements were made which caused additional anxiety, but the address was otherwise good. He seemed open to reconsider the objectionable statements. In private conversation one had much liberty with J.D. and H.G., and there can be no doubt that the Lord’s hand was over us in this respect. If each one can move on in his path and service with the Lord and not rely on special friends and supporters, there can be no doubt that there will be help from the Lord in every way.
I will not write more now. I trust that through mercy you keep fairly well.
Affectionately yours in Christ,
James Taylor.