It has become our privilege, through mercy, to "know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich." We have been begotten by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to our heavenly inheritance with Himself. This leaves us with a conclusion well-defined, that our earthly position and path are marked for us, as members of the One Body, the Church, the home of His presence here, the one green spot in all this desert world.

The Assembly is privileged to be a volume of homage to the Lord, in all its ways; as is said of the temple of old, "Every whit of it uttereth His glory " (Ps. 29:9). Every living stone in His Church is to the praise of His glory. May the longing be,

" E'en now let our ways, Lord,
Be bright with Thy praise, Lord."

If this be the heart's longing, we may be sure the royal road to it is the path of humility. "Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit " (Is. 57:15).

This may well beget in us reverence and teach us to tread softly, yet with holy liberty, where all that is thought or done should be in His name, for His glory and His people's help.

A correct answer to the question, What should an assembly be, is found in seeing what manner of persons compose it. They are those who have been brought out of darkness into light, made members of Christ's body, and are waiting for Him from heaven. How wonderful the thought! What may an assembly not be, composed as it is of such, those who have life in Christ, and the Spirit of God to indwell. Such an assembly might be described "as a fruitful tree by a spring; the branches run over the wall." So Joseph was described, and so the Apostle sees the fruitfulness of the assembly at Philippi. " Even at Thessalonica, ye sent once and again to my necessity." A gift indeed it was, but the enjoyment of it lay in the fact that it was fruit to their account. So everything done to the Lord, and in a way pleasing to Him, is fruit running over the wall, which His eye always sees.

The apparently casual greetings and salutations of the apostle, the high and spiritual tone of all that he says as characteristic of assemblies, might well knock at the door of our assemblies to see how we do in these matters.

We sing at times,

"No more to view Thy chosen few,
In selfish strife divided."

as a word that tells of the future relief from the confusion of the present. But this confusion testifies against us, if not in open division, yet perhaps in the separation of heart, the evil speaking, the fleshly thoughts and conclusions concerning one another, instead of the sigh and the priestly intercession if there is carelessness or weakness among us.
The death of Christ may well speak afresh to us, if that awful self of ours be found parading in the midst of those who have put it to death. There is no allowance for anything of the old man, who is
accounted for in the cross. There the flesh received its sentence, and its exhibit of wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking is no more to be heard from; the corrupt thing is put away. We are born again, to live as those who remember their death. We are trees of His own planting, that in subjection to the Spirit and Word the fruitfulness and energy of our new life be manifest. Let us talk and walk so that the fact of our being in Christ may be emphasized, and the sweet savor of His name in our actions as an assembly show that the Spirit is enriching and giving tone to that which His power has formed.

May Daniel's purpose of heart, Caleb's wholly following the Lord, stir us up to emulation. Truth not only saves, but holds for God, and has ever been too strong a light for tradition or formality. There are some who traffic in truth without any thought of allowing it to show them a position which would judge their own. Others, with loyalty for a doctrine, have made it a center of gathering instead of Christ. While others, with zeal and numbers before them, have allowed the line of separation to become a faded thing.

We speak of this not to enlarge upon what is so well known, but to suggest the wisdom of avoiding the mere strife of tongues. Let us leave others with the Lord, and ourselves seek to be held by that which is unique of itself-the principle of assembly position and assembly order, with all that accompanies it.

Is it not time that we awake as individuals, that assemblies awake as one man-as assemblies with assemblies-to what is due to our glorious, life giving Head, ere He comes? There must be an uprising from the existing condition of things in our midst. Does not our Lord's honor in His assembly require it? Are we answering to His interest in us, to the love of His heart so free toward us? May the remembrance of what it cost Him to seat us at His table stir all our hearts. Shall it not be the individual purpose of heart that out of the individual we may have the collective, with Daniel, Caleb and others? It was their adherence to principle and their acting upon it that is given for our example.

Thus through us our Lord will be honored, and find a place for His own who sigh over the confusion of the day. Truth has been scattered broadcast, prized by the few and enjoyed in a measure by the many. Where are the persons who are being controlled by the truth? Let us get right in our assemblies, and the Lord will add others who are true-hearted for Himself. Have we not the sweet precious things that will feed the multitude? " Give them to eat," was the Master's word to His disciples. Are we His disciples, in the sense of being in the path for Him? If in this practical way our state commend itself to Him, it will be, " Feed My sheep."

The Lord give us grace to submit ourselves to the happy path of obedience, and to see that a chastened spirit keep us from allowing ourselves to be moved by feelings or prejudice, and thus hinder divine order and quench the Spirit in the Assembly. By Him actions are weighed, and though we have reason to be thankful for recovered truth, yet nothing less than embracing it as a fact, together with a whole-hearted embracing of the position it puts us in, will fit us for the need of the day. What is needed is loyalty from us as those upon whom the truth has a special claim. Let the bright rays of what an assembly should be according to scripture, wither up formality amongst us. Is there not a guard needed lest familiarity with divine things cause them for us to lose their lustre? There is need of a ray of His glory in the midst of His assembly to wither up that which is not of Himself. Surely we will be thankful for the withering up which leaves us a consciousness of His own blessed face of radiant grace shining upon us.

You silent one, will you not render to Him the audible homage, which the fear of man hinders? Is
it in your heart for Him? Then see no man save Jesus only (Matt. 17:8), and let the incense ascend. Your heart through grace has been fitted for this very thing, and our hearts to enjoy it with you as we offer it to Him.

If we seem earnest about this, it is because one longs for reality, not mere activity. We long that the adoration, the praise that is hid in the heart that belongs to Christ may be told out to Him. It is part of the incense, as it were of the assembly. It is a spiritual sacrifice through Jesus Christ, the worship of a people marked for redemption glories. It is true all must flow out of a right state. Let us, therefore, as they of old, exhort one another that with purpose of heart we cleave unto the Lord (Acts 11:23). Surely as we are destined for the brightness of glory, we are also by grace fully provided for the path here, and the darker the night, the more brightly should we shine. But we must be in His presence to do this. he has given us a seat at His table, a wondrous seat, at such a cost. Let us account to Him if absent, and if present, have all flow out of the remembrance of Himself.

What is sweeter than communion? what is richer than praise? Occupation with Him in either holds the heart, and keeps from all restless activity or slothful silence. There will be no turning of leaves of our books while at His table, unless it be to seek a hymn wherewith to make melody in the heart, or a word under the guidance of the Spirit to shed forth His glory.

The knowledge of what lukewarmness is to our Lord should beget in us purpose of heart. The rebuke to Israel, "Ye dwell in ceiled houses, and My house lies waste" (Hag. 1:4), might serve in the way of showing that our Lord expects wholeheartedness in that which concerns Him, and in that with which He has connected us. It has been commended all along the stream of time.

This devotion and purpose of heart is seen in all that concerns our Lord, even the simple matter of giving of one's means; "As each one purposeth in his heart, so let him give " (2 Cor. 9:7). What a sweet thought; the open heart and the open hand, the savor of it borne witness to by Him who saw the widow's mite, and by Paul who speaks of it as to the Philippians as fruit to their account (Phil. 4:17), with a desire that all might abound in that grace also (2 Cor. 8:7).

This is but one of the fruits of the many which belong to an assembly, which, together with all else will be forthcoming if self is brought into captivity:"Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price."

"Naught that I have my own I call,
I hold it for the Giver;
For I am His and He is mine,
Forever and forever."

Another first day of the week, and afresh His word calls us into His presence. What is it then, beloved? We leave our homes, each step bringing us, like the cleansed leper of old, nearer His presence in the place where He is to be, in the midst of His own, there to occupy the place none other can occupy for us.

Let us remember that while the Lord enjoyed the homage of the one, He asked, Where are the nine. Let His precious love lead us where He is wont to be with His own at His table; that, shut up with Him, in the remembrance of Himself, as those whose hearts have been won, we may render Him the homage of His redeemed.

We are needy and ever will be; prayer becomes us. But let us dwell on our needs at a more seasonable time than this. To pray for my personal needs or in a general way at this time is to leave, as it were, the golden altar, to cause the burning of the incense to cease, to stop the spiritual sacrifice. It is remembering myself at a time when every heart should be held by the remembrance of Him.

Shall these several things exercise us? If so, shall we not speak to the Lord about them? Does our dimness call forth a sigh, a confession? He hears the sigh. Shall it not spring from us as a people who are in a special way responsible, because they are in a unique position? Can it not be a collective thing throughout the assemblies, understood by all, a state arrived at, of which He only knows the result?

Lord, may we hear Thy voice through some way of Thy ordering. A. McC.