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A LETTER FROM MR STONEY

"Holding the Head" must be practically lost when the unity of the Spirit is overlooked, because it is from Him all the body, by joints and bands having nourishment ministered and united together, maketh increase unto God. What grieves me is that you should appear to disregard or ignore divine principles, in order to effect what you deem a good service to the flock, as if it were not possible to effect this in any other way. Could anything be urged more condemnatory of the principles we have been advocating at all costs for so many years than that such as you should openly and persistently avow that in order to provide relief for the Lord's people in circumstances of great difficulty you must abandon principles? This is as much as saying your principles will do very well for a prosperous day but in a day of difficulty they are specious and impracticable. I should have thought that the principles of God were the very reverse; that man's contrivance might do in prosperous times but that God's principles alone could meet the day of trial. Surely God can defend His own. My conviction, thank the Lord, is that the more disorganised everything is the more strictly must adhere to principle. "God hath given thee all them that sail with thee". I am safe if I sail with Paul. I only use this as an illustration to show that if I adhere to God's principles, I must through this be safe. Surely under no circumstances would you approve the act of King Saul? When, disappointed that Samuel had not come at the time appointed, he overlooked all principle and precept in order to secure the countenance of Jehovah, Samuel says, "Thou hast done foolishly" – he should have waited for Samuel. We must wait for the Lord, He has His own time and manner of deliverance. Like the disciples, we may be toiling in rowing, and Jesus had not come to them, though it was already dark.

I have still to say to my soul, "He that believeth shall not make haste". My distress is that you should give countenance by your act to the leaven which is everywhere working - even that the end justifies the means, and that the unity of the Spirit cannot be kept that there is not as much unity between the members of Christ's body as there is between the members of our natural body, but that any one or more of the members of Christ's body may act independently of the rest when there is any project they think right to accomplish. No one should act independently unless his brethren were committed to independent principles. No slowness, no timidity, no ignorance, warrants one to act independently.

Beloved brother, do comfort us by retracing your steps ... You have transgressed against the church of God - the dearest object of the heart of Christ - you have touched grievously the apple of His eye. Thank God, there is a way for you to retrieve yourself, one both honourable to you and for the glory of Christ. I beseech you, for the Lord's sake, to accept truly and graciously the rebuke you deserve. Defeat the enemy, and delight your brethren ... by repudiating the step you have taken, and the Lord will help you.

1881

(Letters. J. B. Stoney, Vol 1. New Edition pp 28-29)