THE ASSEMBLY (2)

^[p. 99] THE ASSEMBLY (2)

Acts 15:36 - 41; Acts 16:6 - 15; Acts 18:1 - 11

JT The inquiry alluded to already began with Acts 2 and continued to chapter 14, taking account of certain parts of the history of the assembly, showing at the outset its metropolitan character and bearing, but that under Paul, through him and through his ministry, Barnabas included, the assembly attained its universal character, and with the addition of appointed eldership, as chapter 14 relates, that Paul and Barnabas “having chosen them elders in each assembly, having prayed with fastings, they committed them to the Lord, on whom they had believed”. Acts 14:23. This is the first reference to the appointment of elders. There had been deacons appointed, but now elders, involving rule in each assembly. It is said, “having chosen them elders in each assembly”, Acts 14:23, that is, each assembly being set up with ability to rule itself, to take care of itself to a certain limit, under the Lord, but having relation to all other assemblies, as indeed there is only one in the general sense. And so along with government, there is to be catholicity, as is taught in 1 Corinthians, Paul saying “thus I ordain in all the assemblies”. 1 Corinthians 7:17. They were all to be governed by the same principles.

Well, that runs on, according to the facts, to the end of chapter 14, and then there is a break; not a complete break, but a breakaway from the metropolitan thought, the assembly no longer being wholly regarded as in Jerusalem, as it used to be; the metropolitan was recognised so far, in that certain doctrines having been promulgated by Jews in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, the saints in Antioch decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem in view of the bad doctrine being taught. This really created an epoch in the history of the assembly; it ^[p. 100] is, we might say, the first and last general assembly. The idea of a general assembly is never recognised after Acts 15. It has been followed by christendom, of course, but not recognised in the Scriptures, nor in the teaching of the apostles and certainly not in the teaching which the Holy Spirit has recovered for us in recent times; that is to say, a century or so ago; so that the idea of a general assembly is never thought of now by those who walk in the truth; it is a question of what is in each assembly, all governed by the same principles, maintaining unity.

It is thought that, having these remarks before us, we might pursue the history of the assembly, in the Acts, after chapter 15; that is, after a certain breakdown at Jerusalem, and bad doctrine, and metropolitanism too, and especially the breaking away of Barnabas on account of John Mark. All these have a bearing on the metropolitan thought, whereas Paul, we are told in Acts 15:40, “having chosen Silas went forth, committed by the brethren to the grace of God”. So the history runs through, recognising, in a large measure, geographical circumstances which have not to be ignored, and involving that the course of the truth of the assembly bore toward the West instead of toward the East, or instead of generally. The Spirit of God, as recorded in chapter 16, restricted the movements except toward the West. The Spirit had forbidden the speaking of the word of God in Asia, and following on that, it is said, that “they attempted to go to Bithynia and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; and having passed by Mysia they descended to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a certain Macedonian man, standing and beseeching him, and saying, Pass over into Macedonia and help us. And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go forth to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings”. Acts 16:7 - 10.

There is something for us to learn in all that and to ^[p. 101] more fully understand too, the bearing of the truth since the Pauline time and ministry.

WSS Is it in your mind that we always tend towards metropolitanism and need to be preserved from it?

JT Well, that is true, and it is seen in proportion to the numerical importance of certain localities, or the political importance, it may be. Whatever may give importance according to man tends in that direction; especially now, since the principle has been set aside by God. The metropolitan idea was transferred to heaven, really, for “Jerusalem above” is said to be “our mother”; Jerusalem above, not Jerusalem on earth, but Jerusalem above, and that holds now, that all control is from that centre.

WSS What found expression in Jerusalem on earth, as a metropolitan centre, is really in all our hearts, and we would tend in that direction unless we are preserved from it by the ministry and by the Holy Spirit.

JT Hence the great importance of the Holy Spirit as we arrive at this section. When Paul went to Ephesus, chapter 19, he found certain disciples, twelve men, and he inquired of them as to the Holy Spirit. Verse 1 says, “Paul, having passed through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples, he said to them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye had believed”?, Acts 19:1,2. It was on Paul’s heart, clearly, especially in view of the number of the persons, namely twelve, an administrative number, that the Holy Spirit should be recognised. The number would really take the place of metropolitanism; that is, the number of brethren being figurative of administrative power and authority.

ACSP In chapter 15, when Paul and Silas go out again, they are committed to the grace of God by the brethren, and not by the apostles.

JT Well, that is good. It seems as if the position at Jerusalem was somewhat discredited by what had happened and Barnabas added to that, which was, perhaps,

quite unexpected, in view of Barnabas’ earlier character. Galatians 2 refers to Paul and Barnabas at this juncture. Paul says, “after a lapse of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me; and I went up according to revelation, and I laid before them the glad tidings which I preach among the nations”. Acts 2:1,2. This bears on Acts 15, showing what was going on in Paul’s heart and mind at the time, when he took Titus, who was a gentile, with him. “I went up according to revelation, and I laid before them the glad tidings which I preach among the nations, but privately to those conspicuous among them, lest in any way I run or had run in vain; but neither was Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, compelled to be circumcised”. Galatians 2:2,3.

Paul is showing that at this juncture he was holding for the truth that governed the general position; that is, the general Pauline position of the assembly, so that, the Greek, Titus, was not compelled to be circumcised, and then he says that his going up to Jerusalem was because or on account of “the false brethren brought in surreptitiously, who came in surreptitiously to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage”. Galatians 2:4. The enemy was out to destroy the work of Paul and Barnabas among the gentiles, “to whom we yielded in subjection not even for an hour, that the truth of the glad tidings might remain with you”. Galatians 2:5. There was some competition as to who was who at Jerusalem, “whatsoever they were” (Paul said), “it makes no difference to me: God does not accept man’s person; for to me those who were conspicuous communicated nothing; but, on the contrary, seeing that the glad tidings of the uncircumcision were confided to me”; Galatians 2:6,7; notice here that “the glad tidings of the uncircumcision”, Galatians 2:7, is formally recognised, “even as to Peter that of the circumcision (for he that wrought in Peter for the apostleship of the circumcision wrought also in me towards the gentiles) and recognising the grace given to ^[p. 103] me, James and Cephas and John, who were conspicuous as being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go to the nations, and they to the circumcision”. Galatians 2:7 - 9. We may see there what was going on in Paul’s mind at this juncture, and it was that the truth of the general position should be maintained, the truth of the universal character of the assembly and of the gospel should be maintained.

COB Did John Mark bring the feature of metropolitanism with him?

JT Well, I think he would lean in that direction. He was governed, I would say, by Jewish influences at the time. He left the work, you know, at a critical time, according to chapter 15. The general position of the assembly reaches up to Corinth in this section. It presents to us the assembly as it has come to us, centring in the Lord’s supper. Up till this time the Lord’s supper was not very prominent; it was there, it is alluded to in chapter 2, but there was very little made of it, but very much is made of it by Paul.

WSS It all emphasises the absolute necessity of being governed by Paul’s ministry in connection with all assembly truth.

JT Hence you get so much in the epistle to the Corinthians by Paul of his authority and his instructions, and that whatever was left uninstructed would be attended to later. Everything must be attended to and done properly. The working out of the truth locally is in mind; bearing on this town and throughout the coast here, a very important section of the assembly, so to speak; how important it is that all should be governed by the same principles, and that these should be Paul’s principles; right principles according to God.

Rem That would be a preservative for each local company, and would help to preserve us in our universal bearings, moving together thus rather than on metropolitan lines.

^[p. 104] JT Well, that is the thought, exactly, and therefore I believe the Lord is greatly helping the brethren in ministry through one and another; that ministry being, as you might say, controlled in right hands, not simply left to anyone to say what he likes; but that there is the principle of control; that is, the Spirit of God has scope In those who are serving or ministering. It is no matter of human control, but the control of the Spirit of God through the scriptures.

ECL Would you tell us what is the point of the word “Pass over”, “and help us”. Acts 16:9.

JT Well, that raises another point; that is, that geography has something to do with this matter of the truth. The Spirit of God was moving in that direction; He forbade the word being spoken in Asia, which is remarkable; the word there refers to the province of Asia, not to the Continent, but to the province. “Having come down to Mysia, they attempted to go to Bithynia”, Acts 16:7, which would be another section of western Asia, “and the Spirit of Jesus”, that too has to be noted; it is “the Spirit of Jesus”, meaning that the manhood of Christ is to be observed in the truth. The Spirit “did not allow them”, and then “having passed by Mysia they descended to Troas”, Acts 16:8, and here “a vision appeared to Paul in the night”; Acts 16:9; we shall see he had another vision in chapter 18, another kind of vision, having another relation, but here it is a vision appeared to Paul in the night. “There was a certain Macedonian man, standing and beseeching him, and saying, Pass over into Macedonia and help us. And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go forth to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings”. Acts 16:9 Now Macedonia was Europe, of course, and it was particularly the Greek world, we might say; not the Roman world but the Greek world as over against the Eastern world, and ever since that time the truth has ^[p. 105] moved in this direction, even although it may not always be in Greece, or even in Europe; it has moved in Europeans, persons who have migrated to the West and the South; the Spirit of God has followed them with the truth, the truth of the gospel and the truth of the assembly, this is to be observed. It is believed that the brethren should all understand this and move accordingly in their prayers and their general exercises.

PAR Is that why Luke comes in here? He had the nations in view.

JT Just so. He was possibly a Greek, a gentile himself. The movement was in accordance, I would say, with what was in mind in the distribution of the nations after the flood; Japheth refers to the West, the name Japheth means “spreading”; he was spread abroad; and so you can see how that tribe or branch of the human race has spread abroad, not only in Europe but in continents beyond.

RB You would think of Australia and America as being in this?

JT Very much so. The Lord referred to the Queen of the South; I think He had more in mind simply than the position that the Queen of Sheba actually occupied. I suppose He would have thought of what the South might be in the ways of God, and what it has come to be, a very important matter in the testimony now.

WSS The continents of America and Australia are really extensions of Europe.

JT Well, that is the idea exactly, and I think the brethren might as well know that. There is no question of geography by itself, but as to how God works. “The earth is the Lord’s” 1 Corinthians 10:26, we are told, and He can use it as He pleases, and if He uses it in this sense we may as well bow to it.

WSS Is your thought that we should be exercised and alert to recognise the spheres in which the Spirit of God is specially working at any given ^[p. 106] time?

JT That is what I was thinking. As we think of the East the greater part of the human race there is not touched by the doctrine of christianity, and God must be reserving that for some other testimony; anyway, He is not doing it now; He is working, in view of the assembly, in the West.

WSS In the light of that, many might say, Why do we not go abroad to such places?

JT Well, Paul was not allowed to go there at the time of which we are speaking. The Spirit of Jesus suffered him not. Modern missionary effort is directed toward the East, but is what God has said about it, or what the Spirit of God says about it being observed?

AMh Would Naphtali’s blessing bear on what you are saying? “Naphtali, satisfied with favour, And full of the blessing of Jehovah, Possess thou the west and the south”, Deuteronomy 33:23.

JT That is good. Certainly we cannot say anything against that; the West and the South.

APA Is the South illustrated in the eunuch? It says, He saw Philip no longer, for he went on his way rejoicing.

JT Just so; he was from Africa, of course; and we shall see presently in chapter 18, the brother Apollos, who came from Alexandria, from Africa too. It was an independent movement, I should say, of the Spirit.

APA I was thinking of him as over against the thought of what was metropolitan in Jerusalem. He had Jesus before him, had he not, as preached to him; “he went on his way rejoicing”. Acts 8:39. Is there sufficient in that?

JT Yes, but he needed to be adjusted, which is important. Paul’s converts did not need to be adjusted. Even Philip’s converts needed to be adjusted. I do not mean Philip, the apostle, but Philip the evangelist. His converts did not get the Spirit at once. There is something there to note, and to show the importance of Paul’s ^[p. 107] ministry. It is in that where you get the real current, the reliable current of the Spirit of God.

AB Matthew’s gospel says “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”. Matthew 28:19. Is not that interpreted to include the East? Missionary enthusiasm fixed upon that verse.

JT Well, but that is not all. The principle of levitical service comes in after that; that is, you have to go where you are told. The missionary has to go where he is told to go, and so it is that Paul was controlled. He did not go where he wished to go; he had to go where he was sent.

So in Luke 24:47, they are told “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations beginning at Jerusalem”. But that is subject to development, and therefore Paul has to be awaited. The ministry went on under the twelve, of course, and they were blessed, but it all awaited Paul, and so the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Why persecutest thou me”? Acts 22:7. He disclosed to Paul in those words the idea of the assembly. “Why dost thou persecute me”? Acts 9:4 As to fact the assembly was being persecuted. Later the Lord says of Paul, he “is an elect vessel to me, to bear my name before both nations and kings and the sons of Israel”. Acts 9:15. We are told where he was sent.

Ques Is not Matthew 28:19 yet future?

JT Well, possibly; I believe it will be. The Lord, for instance, in Matthew, directs the disciples not to go in the way of the gentiles at all. That is a principle that probably will be fulfilled later on.

WSS Paul was sent to the nations, and he said he preached “among the nations”, and yet his service was, as shown in Acts 16, definitely limited and directed. There was a general commission to preach, but there were certain limitations in fulfilling it.

JT Yes. Therefore, what are we to do, but to abide by the written page, and be instructed? This man of Macedonia is beckoning to Paul, “Pass over into Macedonia and help us”, Acts 16:9. That call was not from Asia, but from Europe. From this Paul concluded, which is the right thing for us too; to conclude, and to decide on certain conduct or practice from certain commandments or facts. “Concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings. Having sailed therefore away from Troas, we went in a straight course to Samothracia, and on the morrow to Neapolis, and thence to Philippi, which is the first city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city certain days. And on the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where it was the custom for prayer to be, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled. And a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul”. Acts 16:9 - 14. This raises a very interesting inquiry as to why the apostle should come to Philippi and find only women, and one of them from the East, too, from Thyatira. The suggestion, I think, is that the Spirit of God intended to bring out the thought of the assembly in these movements, because Lydia is an apt representation of the assembly in its feminine character. She is there, characteristically, of the assembly.

ECL Are you referring to the fact that her heart was opened to hear the word of Paul?

JT Quite so; it is remarkable that it was opened to the truth of what Paul had to give, which is another confirmation of our thought as to Paul, “to attend to the things spoken by Paul”. Acts 16:14.

WSS Which is all the more significant if we think of Lydia as characteristic of the assembly.

JT That is what I was thinking, exactly; it is very much like Phoebe, another sister, further ^[p. 109] to the West.

APA Does she correspond with Rebecca, receiving the ministry?

JT That is the idea, I would say. There are certain persons found throughout Scripture to represent or be exemplary of the truth in each particular section. Rebecca was there to represent the truth in that section of scripture, and Lydia, I believe, is at Philippi, to exemplify the truth there. That was a great thing for Paul; here is a sister ready for him, and she opens her house to him too, which is another matter. She was very like Rebecca.

JD It says of Lydia, “whose heart the Lord opened”, Acts 16:14, and she speaks of being “faithful to the Lord”. Acts 16:15. Paul had previously concluded “that the Lord had called us” Acts 16:10, to announce the glad tidings.

JT Well, I think it represents the principle of the Lord’s authority as expressed in the baptism that comes in. Peter in chapter 10 commands that they should be “baptised in the name of the Lord”. Acts 10:48, I think it is just to bring out the authority of the Lord in baptism, because the Lord, as we shall see in chapter 18, appeared to Paul and said that he was not to be afraid, that no one would injure him; meaning that he was under the Lord’s protection. Baptism brings us under the Lord’s protection. “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe”, Proverbs 18:10. I believe that is what is in mind in this section, that we are branching out among the gentiles, but that the Lord is saying, I will protect you. He is saying that to Paul. “No one shall set upon thee to injure thee”, Acts 18:10, He says.

The truth is developed at Corinth. We have to pass over Thessalonica, and what is said about the jailor, the earthquake and so forth. All these enter into our subject, also Paul’s speech at Athens. This is to show how the Athenian idea is exposed; how the gospel prevails over it. Whatever the Greek idea of speech and the like, as found in the classics, may be, it amounts to very little; the ^[p. 110] gospel prevails over all. I believe that is what comes out in these chapters. The Roman system, I suppose, is typically overthrown in the earthquake at Philippi.

Luke says, “after these things, having left Athens, he came to Corinth; and finding a certain Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus by race, just come from Italy, and Priscilla his wife, (because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome,) came to them, and because they were of the same trade abode with them, and wrought. For they were tent-makers by trade”. Acts 18:1 - 3. Paul is not aspiring to anything distinguished or great, anything that would lead up to Rome or its pretensions, but the very opposite. He is a tent-maker, and he is dwelling in the same house as two other trades-people, and that is to bring out, I am sure, the littleness, the humility and the unpretentiousness that is proper to christians.

WSS These are foundational matters in relation to the assembly.

JT That is what I would say, in relation to the Pauline assembly; first, how it reached Corinth and then how it reached Ephesus. We will have to look into Ephesus perhaps somewhere else, but the point today is Corinth, representing the public assembly into which the order of God enters. The address to Corinth is to “the assembly of God which is in Corinth”, “with all that in every place call on the name of our Lord”, “both theirs and ours”. 1 Corinthians 1:2. The Lord is theirs and ours, it is the universal thought. To the assembly in London, or in New York, or Sydney, there is the same Lord; one Lord; and Paul says as to his directions, “thus I ordain in all the assemblies”. 1 Corinthians 7:17.

APA Is there some significance in the fact that a man and his wife are introduced at the beginning of this subject?

JT There is; a man and his wife who have to be considered later on. Paul never lost sight of them; they were a remarkable pair. Priscilla is mentioned first three ^[p. 111] times, and Aquila is mentioned first three times, six times they are mentioned together, showing that, of the man and his wife, one is as important as the other, you might say. It shows us what can be; how that sisters need not complain because they are sisters and they have not the same means of serving as men, but Aquila and Priscilla served one as well as the other. They “staked their own neck”, Romans 16:4, we are told.

Ques Would you say that the sisters could take part in levitical service?

JT Well, I think so; and we might remark here as to the word Levite, that it is somewhat unduly used in its typical character. I believe it is wiser to get to the anti-typical name or thing that is meant, the anti-typical meaning of the word Levite. A Levite is a person who works hard, has hard work to do, and it might be a woman or a man: the word applies to both of us. To each one of us has been given grace “according to the measure of the gift of the Christ”. Ephesians 4:7. Every one of us has some grace to serve. Then there are special gifts, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers; these are all specific, and they do not include sisters, although we are told also that sisters prophesy. There were four daughters of Philip the evangelist who prophesied, and that is a matter for sisters to think of at the present time; and why there is no such thing now. There must be something wrong, I would say.

Rem They are not allowed to speak in the assembly.

JT Well, that is right, but they can say much that is good without speaking in the assembly; Lydia did.

We ought now to look at what is said in chapter 18, after Paul left Ephesus. It says “and finding a certain Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus”, Acts 18:2, and then of the Jews at Corinth verse 6 says: “But as they opposed and spoke injuriously, he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: I am pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations”. Acts 18:6. Notice this, he is definitely going to the nations now. The brethren might compare this verse 6 with the last chapter of the book of Acts, where Paul is in Rome. The Jews disagreed, as to his testimony, “went away”, Paul having said “Be it known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations; they also will hear it”. Acts 28:28. Here in Acts 18:6, he just says, “I will go to the nations. And departing thence he came to the house of a certain man, by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue”.

Now there is a word in Acts 18:5 we must go back to. Luke says, “when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word”. Why is he pressed about it? Because Timotheus and Silas have come down; that is, the men who were specially fitted of the Lord to be associated with Paul in this great work. Paul is now free because they have come, showing that persons are important in the service of God. If they are absent there is not liberty, and if they are present you have liberty. Certain persons have liberty granted them of God, and they are not only able to speak themselves but they afford liberty to others. The presence of spiritual brethren affords liberty to all that are present.

WSS It is wonderful what additional wealth becomes available as the brethren come together in this way, and there are spiritual persons present. The result is that those who are serving are greatly supported.

JT What has been remarked I am sure is right, as to the presence of certain brethren, not to speak of places. If you get all the saints in a representative way together in certain places you have something that affords liberty for the bringing out of the truth. Not that I would say anything particular of any set of brethren, but there are places where the Spirit has wrought in a peculiar way, and we ^[p. 113] must observe that.

COB That would bring in an atmosphere.

JT It always does. You can bring out things much more under those circumstances than you can ordinarily; the best things come out because of the presence of certain brothers.

WSS It may be helpful in this connection to recall a remark of yours in conversation in regard to the answering of questions, which you said could be more easily done as we are together in this way, than when we are in our houses.

JT Quite so; I have often thought of that in your house and other houses. If a brother asks a question, I often say I would rather you asked that question in the assembly, because there is more power, where the assembly is characteristically.

RB Is that illustrated in Acts 13 where you have certain persons of quality named and when the Spirit is free to speak Himself?

JT Very good. In Acts 13 you say; and also in Acts 20; that is where Paul comes down to Troas, and in Acts 20:7 we are told, that Paul “prolonged the discourse till midnight”; he spoke at length, and then we are told that “there were many lights in the upper room where we were assembled”. Acts 20:8 We have to keep our eyes open for metaphors in the scriptures as elsewhere: lights here would mean the presence of certain persons who have light, like the sun and the moon and the stars. That is the idea of lights; “the Father of lights”, James 1:17, we read of. These would refer to spiritual lights.

Well then, in order to make all that clear, in verse 4, referring to Paul himself, “there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater son of Pyrrhus, a Berean” (this is the first brother from Berea); “and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus” (these are two other brothers), “and Gaius and Timotheus of Derbe” (two others); “and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus”. Acts 20:4. Well now, these are the lights that were there, and they ^[p. 114] accompanied Paul in truth; they were the fruit of his ministry; the towns mentioned show that; and they were themselves in the system of ministry. Even if they did not minister, their presence gave liberty to the minister, and hence the long discourse would be greatly augmented by the presence of these lights. You may say, Well, why did Eutychus fall down? That is another matter; that is to his discredit. In the presence of such a light a young brother falling asleep is serious: it shows he is in a poor state, because we should be ready and on the alert with such great lights as these in our presence.

Ques Does the presence of such persons have a specific bearing on the testimony on the one hand, and the opposition becomes clearer on the other?

JT Very good; you are referring to the Opposition in chapter 18, verses 5 and 6? There is opportunity for us to think more, and get more light as to the whole position of the assembly and where we are now as to it.

APA What you have been saying as to all this that helps the ministry forward is to be found in each one of our localities, however small.

JT Just so; if it is not, there is no assembly there at all, because if the assembly is there these things are there, and the warrant for that is that Paul says to the Corinthians, “Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened”, 1 Corinthians 5:7. Now that is remarkable; the basic thought is there in the abstract sense; and if it is not there, there is no assembly at all.

WBT Does liberty when we are together, flow from the recognition of the temple of God?

JT Well, that was really what was in mind; it is what Corinthians teaches: “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you”? 1 Corinthians 3:16.

Rem The saints gathering together locally is important,

^[p. 115] and that they should all find an interest in these local gatherings.

JT Make the most of them, I would say. Make the most of the gifts, too, even if they are not there, but also make the most of what is local.