BROOKLYN, N.Y., NOVEMBER 22ND, 1924
BROOKLYN, N.Y., NOVEMBER 22ND, 1924
Beloved Brother, — I was pleased to receive your letter of October 22nd.
I believe Numbers indicates how a Christian should take up his responsibility, first by the standard of his father’s house, and then widening out to his special group of tribes and to the whole camp. From the outset he is set in relation to the tabernacle which would be the great governing thought. But in seeking to act according to the above, the great exercise should be to do so in a spiritual way, otherwise we become geographical and parochial. Indeed I believe a danger exists in the latter connection, I mean the recent custom of grouping certain meetings together, and regarding them as ‘a district’ involving ‘district exercises’. This is just parochialism, and, in time, will work mischief. That you, as in Lewisham, should be specially concerned about meetings adjacent (north, south, east and west) is right, and the more you are with the Lord the wider your area will become, but to mark off a certain number of your neighbouring meetings, and regard them as your ‘district’ has no scriptural warrant that I can see.
Christians are characteristically children of wisdom, and much is left to us in detail; wise arrangements, may, therefore, be made for general convenience and profit. But to prevent brethren outside any given ‘district’ from attending meetings for fellowship for any other reasons than of physical convenience is not in keeping with the truth of the body of Christ.
While it is true, as you say, that districts are recognised in [p. 203] the New Testament, yet it should be observed that they are known territories as designated in the empire and not fixed by the saints. We have such as the assemblies in Asia, Judea and Galatia.
I do not see, indeed, that the saints have anything to do with fixing districts. We accept what exists under the government of God.
Deuteronomy shows that distance has to do with responsibility, and so one is obligated especially in regard of meetings in his neighbourhood, but this neighbourhood is not fixed by us, but as ordered in the government of God.
Affectionately yours in Him,
James Taylor.