BROOKLYN, N.Y., JULY 26TH, 1924

BROOKLYN, N.Y., JULY 26TH, 1924

Mr. H. Hardwick.

Beloved Brother, — I duly received yours of the 10th inst. and enclosure, notes of a Belfast reading. I return the latter; they were very poorly taken. Still you can gather from them what passed.

The thought was that as elders were appointed in cities (”established elders in each city, as I had ordered thee”) any so appointed would have jurisdiction in the entire city in which he was, however many meetings there may have been in it; all the saints would thus come under his (or their) rule and get the benefit of his wisdom and experience. Hence in matters pertaining to the government of the assembly in a city, all the elders there should be taken into account. This was to correct ^[p. 198] a custom which made each local company judge its own affairs and notify the other meetings of their decisions, so as to maintain unity of action in the city. It was pointed out that this custom shut out from each meeting the help the brothers of experience in the other meetings afforded and which indeed God had graciously provided for all in the city.

Matthew 18 shows that the Lord is with brethren as they come together in this way to ‘consider the matter’, and that He would give effect to their decisions in the assembly; ratification must be there (Acts 15). The act of discipline is there according to 1 Corinthians 5. I believe discipline is much more effective when all the saints come together to administer it.

London presents a great difficulty on account of the unusual number of meetings (thank God for them); but at the same time I firmly believe what I have said above conveys the principle which Scripture indicates should govern saints in cities where several meetings exist. We have acted on it in New York for twenty-five years, or more, and we have found the Lord’s help continually.

I am,

Yours affectionately in Him,

James Taylor.