"Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5).

" By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is. the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb 13:15).

One of the most precious truths recovered to us in these last days is, as it seems to me, the priesthood of all believers; a truth which alas! seems practically unknown amongst the mass of Christians around us. And while I trust not a single saint could be found among those gathered to the name of Christ, ready to give up that truth-and God be thanked for this-yet is it not slipping from us, or are we not slipping from it, viewing the matter from a practical standpoint? I believe it is so, and for this reason I write to my beloved brethren on the subject.

There were certain central truths recovered to God's people by the Reformation ; there were others, likewise central, recovered to the Church about sixty years ago; and, as I view it, the priesthood of all believers is one of these latter. This truth, in company with that of the oneness of the body of Christ, and other truths which might be mentioned, would stand, as it were, for the mass of precious truth given afresh to us; and if we are practically, even if not theoretically, resigning it, how serious a sign it becomes; for truth is one, and it is doubtful if a single truth only is ever given up:certainly, one scripture-doctrine which has lost its preciousness for the soul, or amongst a body of believers, is a sure indication of other doctrines being in danger for the individual or the company.

And, beloved brethren, I ask in all earnestness, can there be a question about the freshness and power of the wondrous truth of our common priesthood in its broadest meaning, privileges and responsibilities, having been lost amongst us? A visit to almost any meeting anywhere, or better still, a month's sojourn in any meeting you choose, will, I think, justify but one answer to the question. If the meeting is small, there may be say two or three brethren out of half a dozen, who are ever heard; if the meeting be larger, perhaps out of a dozen or more brethren, three or four may be heard from time to time. I believe the average would not be above what I have indicated. Can there be any doubt about the story this thermometer tells?-that there is a drifting away from maintaining our priesthood, and toward clerisy? Do not misunderstand me as saying that we are only priests when we give audible expression in praise or prayer or reading of Scripture or the like, in and for the assembly; I would convey no such meaning. We may be truly exercising our functions as such in silence as truly as in speech. The sister's place of silence in the assembly surely does not, therefore, rob her in any way of the priest's place. All this I fully recognize; and I trust it would be as far from my thought as that of any one to make little of the praise, thanksgiving and worship which may, and surely does, go up to God in silence. But, owning all this, still the fact that it falls to a certain few brethren in almost every meeting to be the vehicle of expression for the assembly, instead of each brother realizing that he has responsibilities of this character in connection with his priesthood ("the fruit of the lips") can, I believe, admit of but one interpretation,-that there is in fact a great lack and a dangerous tendency amongst us along this line. I appeal to my dear brethren if this is not so?-I write not to criticize, but to appeal. Where are we, brethren? A large part of us settled down to let brother A and B and C offer praise, lead in prayer, give thanks at the table, or give a word from Scripture, without a thought as to the responsibilities we are shirking on the one hand, or the privileges we are forfeiting on the other?

Let us look a little more closely at the prevailing conditions in connection with our subject:-

1. Are we not confronted with unmistakable evidence that many of the special important truths,
long since recovered to us, are not laid hold of as generally and firmly by the saints gathering to the Lord's name, as they once were?

2. And is it not so that there is a smaller measure of apprehension amongst us of the happifying and soul-uplifting truth of the universal priesthood of believers, than was to be found when the doctrine was first recovered, or even a few years back?

3.And thus it surely follows that God the Father and Christ the Lord are robbed of praise. When our souls are robbed, especially of the practical enjoyment of a truth bearing directly on praise and i worship, God is necessarily robbed of His portion from us.

4. Again, if some brethren hold back and fail in their priestly privileges and responsibilities in the assembly, does it not, of necessity, force others forward?-each being unnatural, (unnatural spiritually, I mean) and one as unnatural as the other?-neither according to the Spirit of God. I believe I but speak the experience of many when I say that brethren often feel burdened and constrained on account of this very thing-an undue sense of responsibility in connection with being a voice in and for the assembly.

5. This condition must inevitably lead to clericalism in principle, even though we may be unconscious of it. What is clericalism but an exaggeration of this-all the priests abrogating their office and electing one to fill it for them? And if half, or two-thirds, or three-fourths of the brethren regularly by silence consent to a few taking all the active parts in the assembly meetings, yea, by their silence, forcing them to do so, how much short (in principle, and the soul-condition which it bespeaks,) is it of electing them to fill their offices for them? Here we have then, surely, the root of clerisy. And as to a corresponding clerical position, can it be wondered that some naturally, and perhaps unconsciously, drift into it? Others perhaps against their will, as already suggested, are almost forced into it; while others again, alas! may rather covet such place and find a ready opportunity to assume it.

O brethren, "suffer the word of exhortation." If the word of God is our food; if Christian doctrines, liberating and giving wings to the soul, are more and more apprehended, if nearness to God is enjoyed in our hearts, if the Sanctuary is our abiding place,-can we assemble together and not by audible expression reflect these conditions of soul and share with each other the Christ, and the things of Christ we are enjoying? " Fellowship with us"-Christian fellowship (and what is sweeter) is based upon:'' Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (i Jno. 1:3).

May the Lord revive His truth and grace among His people. Is it not a real spiritual revival that is needed, that we lay hold afresh of this precious doctrine and that it may lay hold of many who, it would seem, have never practically apprehended it?

Before closing, I advert to one reason often given by brethren as to their slowness, and that is that they have no gift for anything in public. Let it be remembered that gift is a different line of things entirely, it being from Christ to the Church; whereas priestly functions, which we have been considering, are from the Church to Christ. Gift, properly so-called, therefore, is not in question. It is not a matter of edifying the saints, but of offering praise to the Lord Jesus Christ; and while there will always be differences as to the extent of liberty that brethren feel in giving audible expression of any kind in the assembly, yet it is not conceivable that anyone can be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, realizing in his soul his happy place and privilege as priest, and not have somewhat to offer – yes, and to offer audibly. The vessel filled to overflowing must certainly overflow. It may be in a stammering way, and it may be only in Paul's five words; – how much is said, is not the point. Let the heart go out without constraint and without any thought as to eloquence, or time occupied, or any such considerations, which would only hinder the natural and simple overflow of the heart's praise. F. G. P.