*LETTER FROM MR. C. A. COATES*, TEIGNMOUTH, MARCH 8TH, 1917

LETTER FROM MR. C. A. COATES, TEIGNMOUTH, MARCH 8TH, 1917

Mr. James Taylor.

My Dear Brother, — I was very glad to have your letter of January 24th, and to hear of the good season in Indianapolis, and of your visits to Chicago and Detroit. I saw a letter from Mr. Geo. Ware the other day in which he spoke very happily of the time at Indianapolis.

On -this side 1 think matters are, on the whole, a little more encouraging as to things that have been in controversy. I must say that I began to be apprehensive as to the course which some of our dear brethren were pursuing. But there seems to be a general impression that at the last meeting at Kennington there was a different tone, and a certain degree of modification of the positions taken up. Mr. E. J. McBride, and others, have written encouragingly as to it, so that I trust the strong ^[p. 135] line of agitation may be dropped and there may be a greater disposition to learn how Scripture puts things.

I heard of the letter which J.S.G. wrote to you. He sent copies of it to several brethren, some of whom wrote him plainly as to the spirit of it.

You are quite right in concluding that J.S.G., J.H. and Miss E. are very much in touch with each other. Miss Elwood has been strong on certain remarks of F.E.R.’s in Volume 14 as to “in Christ” being outside responsibility. But since I called her attention to what F.E.R. says in Volume 18, where he plainly distinguishes between the two distinct usages of the term which are obvious in Scripture, she has not said any more on that line.

I think the root of the trouble is that certain expressions of J.N.D.’s and F.E.R.’s have been taken up without sufficient exercise, and without weighing spiritually what was in the minds of these beloved and honoured servants. J.N.D. habitually uses the term ‘the responsible man’ as synonymous with ‘man in the flesh’, and speaks of the cross as the end of responsibility. But one would have thought that it was obvious what he meant. How could the cross be the end of Christian responsibility?

I think the Lord has put His finger on a weak spot, but we may be sure that He intends to bring in strength at that very point. Sober and exercised brethren generally (so far as I hear) are getting help, and I judge the result will be better establishment in a sense of the truth and the kingdom of God.

I suppose the conditions which obtain just now will make your next visit to this side somewhat uncertain?

With much love in the Lord to Mrs. Taylor and yourself and Stella.

Yours affectionately in Him,

Charles A. Coates.