RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSEMBLY AS TO THE MEETING-ROOMS
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASSEMBLY AS TO THE MEETING-ROOMS
The only way to settle or determine the questions which have been raised as to the responsibility of the assembly in connection with lectures or preaching the gospel, is to insist on and maintain the constitution of the assembly. The room belongs to the assembly, they are responsible for the purposes for which they lend their room. They arrogate to themselves a power which they do not possess, when they attach to their room, by board or otherwise, that the gospel will be preached here, or lectures delivered here on certain evenings of the week.
When they meet as the assembly, all the gifts are theirs, and subject one to another for the profit of all. But the gift has his own responsibilities, and when he acts on them, he is at liberty to announce, according to his faith and purpose, that he will, the Lord willing, do so and so.
[p. 63] The assembly may refuse him the room, or not, as they think proper, or they may offer it to him. They are really responsible, or those who act for them, as to the soundness in the faith and morals of the one to whom they lend their room.
I consider that the brothers who meet together weekly for oversight ought in some degree to be entitled to the office of either bishop or deacon. I cannot see what business any brother has at the brother’s meeting, as it is called, who does not oversee or look after either the souls or the bodies of the saints. In the present broken state, the officials are not easily or openly marked out. It is not expected that an army will go through proper evolutions without officers; the officers have really according to God disappeared from before men, and the wonder is, how the Lord can, without visibly responsible officers, carry on His people in godly order, and yet in mercy He does, as we wait on Him. The gifts continue because He remaineth. The assembly is really represented by those who, without titles, do the duty of officials, and they certainly would fail in their duty, were they not careful as to the character, etc., of the gifted man to whom they would lend the room.
On the other hand, I do not think they ought to undertake to provide for the preaching of the gospel or for lectures. It is, in my judgment, beyond their province, though they should be ready to promote it by duly qualified persons.