BROOKLYN, N.Y., MARCH 16TH, 1906
BROOKLYN, N.Y., MARCH 16TH, 1906
Mr. J. Henderson.
Beloved Brother, — You need not have any fear of wearying me with any questions that you may feel necessary to ask. I have some idea of the exercises many of you must be going through at the present time; and as I fear I am far from considering myself as exempt from responsibility in the matter, I feel bound to do all I can to relieve the situation. As to my thought of the Christian circle (I hardly ever use the expression; I usually use ‘church’ or ‘assembly’ ) being the meeting at Brooklyn, I would say that this is not so, and if Mr. Boyd asserts that I hold such a miserable thought, he should produce evidence of it; but the necessity of substantiating reports by adequate proofs does not appear to be felt by Mr. Boyd ... [J.T. here quotes proof from the ‘Notes’ Ans. J.T. ‘Yes, I think it is our privilege to be in the light of it but you can never be it’. — Ed] ... . In the Woodstock Readings there is an expression like this, ‘You hear the expression’ assembly ‘here and there, but God never intended to restore any church position’, so that the charge that I reduce the church to a visible company now is unfounded and absolutely false. What I see is that the incoming of the Holy Spirit formed an entirely new order of things, a sphere was formed in which the blessed activities of the Spirit were known. This was the assembly which for a time appeared intact in the world, but the ruin has intervened and now the church cannot be seen in any concrete [p. 45] form. Its existence, however, continues, but it must always include every person who has the Holy Spirit; hence it would be ignorance and presumption for any company of believers (as manifestly not including all) to assume to be the church. But notwithstanding the prevailing condition of things saints may more or less enjoy the privilege of the assembly even now: but this will depend on their being separate from evil and following righteousness, etc. If any given company of believers are walking in the light of the assembly, the Spirit being thus ungrieved, they realise in some measure the blessings peculiar to it, and the effect of this in them will be apparent, and such persons will be a means of blessing to those around them. This is undeniable. Whatever I may have said of visible companies, this is what I had in my mind. But I never said nor meant to say that any visible company now could be regarded as the assembly. Indeed, as I have said before, the opposite is what I have said and insisted upon. Mr. Boyd is pursuing an extraordinary course, a course which will not bear the light of day. The reports and insinuations as to Mr. Pellatt are cruel. I should think those responsible for them will reap the bitter but certain results. No man walking in the fear of God would circulate such things unless he had absolute certainty that they were true, neither would any man walking in the fear of God believe them unless sure of their truthfulness.
Affectionately yours in Christ,
James Taylor.