BROOKLYN, N.Y., FEBRUARY 6TH, 1907

BROOKLYN, N.Y., FEBRUARY 6TH, 1907

Mr. John Lightburn.

My Dear Brother, — I was very pleased to receive yours of January 21st, which came in due time.

The questions you put to me with a view to helping others ^[p. 61] only indicate how far the spirit of misrepresentation has gone on your side of the water.

As to the first, ‘Would you point a poor lost sinner to the church for salvation of the soul, or to the Lord Jesus Christ’ — I would say in the most absolute way that I would not direct a sinner to the church for salvation, I would point him to Christ and to Christ alone, according to Acts 16: 31.

As to the second, ‘Would you tell him to go to the assembly for living water, or to Christ’. I would say most positively that I would tell him to go to Christ for it. It is one side of the ministry of the truth to present Christ as the One from whom certain things are to be obtained and another to instruct souls as to what the things are that are to be obtained and how and where enjoyed. The Lord was in heaven some days before the Holy Spirit came; as there He was an Object for faith, but the living water could not be received until the Spirit came; although Christ, from His own words, could be said to be the Giver of it. He was the Giver then as much as He is now, only that the person who believes now receives that living water because it is here to be received. The same holds good as to salvation. Salvation from the power of Satan through the world, is not possible apart from the presence of the Holy Spirit here at the present time. The presence of the Holy Spirit here of necessity involves the church for He is not here apart from a vessel. But all this is instruction for the believer.

I trust the foregoing may be satisfactory to you, otherwise I shall be glad to hear from you again.

With love in the Lord, I am,

Affectionately in Him,

James Taylor.