BROOKLYN, N.Y., SEPTEMBER 27TH, 1924

BROOKLYN, N.Y., SEPTEMBER 27TH, 1924

Beloved Brother, — Please pardon delay in answering your letter of July 29th, I have been unduly pressed for time.

The thought before us at the reading you refer to was that, as Scripture recognises only one assembly in a city the saints in a given city or town should not only assent to this, but should act together in a most practical way. As elders are said to be ordained for cities, an elder’s jurisdiction would extend to the whole city in which he lived, although there might have been several meetings in it. Thus his wisdom and experience would be available to all the saints in the place. This would work out to the advantage particularly in cases of discipline, which might be difficult otherwise. As regards all the saints coming together in one place, I do not at all see that this (”one place”) refers to the locality; the saints were addressed as at Corinth and if they came together it would, of course, be there. The form of expression and context precludes entirely it seems to me, that the city merely is referred to. In 1 Corinthians 14: 23 the “whole assembly” is contemplated as coming together in one place, and a simple person entering in — surely this does not refer to him entering into the city. I note your remarks as to the unlikelihood of rooms or halls sufficiently large to accommodate all being available, which are interesting; but I do not see that we should assume that there was not such accommodation ^[p. 200] Paul used the school of Tyrannus for two years; a school would be commodious, and doubtless there were many of them in the Greek world.

Romans 16 shows that there may be several meetings in a city, but 1 Corinthians and Acts 15 indicate that under certain circumstances all would come together in one place. In general, matters relative to each meeting are wisely left with it — whatever is thought wise there is accepted without question as a matter of confidence in the care meeting and by all, but matters involving mature judgment should be dealt with by all the brethren in the city if discipline is to be administered, I believe. 1 Corinthians 5 indicates that all the saints should come together for this. All Israel were to stone Achan. Of course, I am only seeking to show the scriptural principles governing the saints who reside in cities; I am aware that in the working out of these, advantages may be taken by brothers who might seek to dominate; but if we act on the principles because they are of God, trusting in Him, He will not fail us.

I am very interested in what you wrote as to the “wood” in Genesis 22. No doubt it refers to Christ’s manhood — the condition to which, as He took our place, judgment could apply. He was made in the likeness of “flesh of sin”.

Affectionately yours in Christ,

James Taylor.