DECEMBER 1ST, 1938

DECEMBER 1ST, 1938

BELOVED BROTHER, — ... I am prayerfully interested in what the dear brethren come to in their exercises in regard to the fellowship readings which have been held in different parts of Devon for some years past. I am quite sure that the Lord has taken account of what was in the minds of His people in having these meetings, and He has graciously supported them and used them to help His saints and to promote fellowship. For all this we thankfully give Him praise.

But from time to time He is pleased to call our attention ^[p. 259] more particularly to how things stand in Scripture, and in the light of this He expects us to adjust our practices so that they more and more bear the impress of what is in accord with the mind of God. And for two or three years past it has been brought before us that the local assembly is the administrative unit, and that there is no scripture for a certain number of meetings agreeing to work together in a systematic way. A fellowship meeting is, of course, entirely the responsibility of those in the place where it is held. It gives opportunity for the ministry of those gifts whom God has set in the assembly to become available to many brethren, and the only limit to this is the number that can be practically provided for. But even for fellowship meetings it seems to be desirable that invitations should not always be sent to exactly the same places. We want to reach out as far as is practicable to all that are within our reach, so that it might sometimes be well to leave out one or two meetings so that we might take in one or two others. So that our area does not become too sharply defined.

In the light of current exercises we have felt it happy to give up the united readings of the three meetings — Newton Abbot, Dawlish and Teignmouth — as savouring of a kind of special fellowship. But the brethren are, of course, free to go to the local readings, and always have done more or less, so that the giving up of the special readings does not really diminish the opportunities for fellowship. But it removes what might grow into what is not in accord with assembly principles.

I am convinced that the increased number of fellowship meetings amongst us is evidence of a distinct work of God, and it is ministering to spiritual increase and prosperity. So that anything that is being given up, as being not exactly in line with divine principles, is being very largely compensated for by an increased wealth of spiritual ministry becoming available in this way for saints generally.

I have been thankful to be here for a little time, and I feel encouraged to see the local interest and the exercises of the dear brethren. We had a special reading last night to consider the subject of local meetings for edification. This exercise has been before the brethren here for a considerable time, and I think it is now coming to maturity....

Yours affectionately in Him,

December 1st, 1938.