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moment, was final. God broke off the conversation. How

Abraham would have cherished it—

how he would have valued it; but the time came when God

broke it off. It has been said that this is somewhat like our

experience at the Supper, although it is here in an individual

setting.

But there is a time when the meeting ends, and in truth, dear

brethren, the Lord ends it. Mr.

Taylor said, I think, that the meeting may go on, but power

wanes, and those who are spiritual realize that the great

occasion is over. There is some suggestion of that here—“And

he left off talking with him”.

I sometimes think this might apply to a reading too. We come

together and we normally set ourselves that we will have an

hour for the reading of the Scriptures and conversation on it,

but we may reach a point when it is enough, and we do not

have to go on for sixty minutes; you can have a very fine

reading in forty minutes, or, if you are able for it, two hours; it

is really a question of when God

leaves off talking. I just feel that we have to be careful that we

are not too formal in our gatherings. If the Lord imparts a

peculiar touch in a meeting—and sometimes we experience

that—it may be that is enough; it may be. I am not telling the

brethren when they should shut their books, that is a matter for

their spiritual discernment and their awareness, but there is

not really any point in going on after the Lord has left the

occasion. Oh to be more spiritual so as to be aware of it!

A meeting may go on unduly and the sweetness and the

power and the penetrating character of what has been arrived

at may be somewhat weakened, by prolonged going on. The

Lord would help us in these things. Let us remember that we

are in His presence and, speaking reverently, He is the Master