BROOKLYN, N.Y., JULY 20TH, 1915

BROOKLYN, N.Y., JULY 20TH, 1915

My Dear Brother, — Please pardon my delay in answering yours of May 14th. My wife and I have been away for a visiting tour in the South and West. We had an enjoyable time — two weeks of meetings. My sister-in-law was with us. Previous to that we had the special meetings here at the end of May — so my hands have been more than full.

I am glad to have word of your time in Manchester which I am sure was helpful.

It does not seem that we have been mutually helpful in our correspondence over Matthew 13. I go with you as to the kingdom running on to the millennium; but I think you generalise too much, and overlook the ecclesiastical (or “church”) feature of Matthew. It is the most ecclesiastical of all the gospels. Chapter 13 is a new beginning by the Lord, and it is by the sea-side — it is outside the narrow limits of Judaism. It is the world-wide proclamation of the word of the kingdom, and the public results. In view of this — that it is the kingdom,

^[p. 117] as specially seen in the present dispensation — it is inconceivable to me that the Lord could have anything else than the church in His mind when He spoke of the “treasure” and the “pearl”. The idea of a remnant was not new — although ever precious to God — but the treasure and pearl suggest something unusual. The “merchant man” was seeking pearls, but he found “one pearl of great price”. It seems to me that the tenor of Scripture as to the church makes it perfectly clear that it is alluded to in the pearl. “He ... went and sold all that he had” would indicate that the Lord gave up His Jewish rights (so to speak) for the church. I fear I am not saying much more than I said in my last letter, but I have weighed the matter, and I am assured that I am not misinterpreting the chapter.

My wife joins in Christian love.

Affectionately in Him,

James Taylor.