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How then is this, His order and government to be maintained? And who are the responsible "overseers," made such by the Holy Ghost, according to Acts 20:28?-overseers to shepherd the flock of God. This is a wonderful thought, and it is a wonderful work beautifully illustrated in the apostle Paul himself. "And who is sufficient for these things"? Paul could say, and so can we; yet Paul was responsible according to the measure of the gift of Christ, and so are we; each in his, and her place.

We cannot recognize any one man, nor any body of men, as the head of authority and power to govern the Church. But we can recognize our own need, and our individuality, and responsibility to maintain God's government, and have a proper respect for God's holiness in ourselves. And if we maintain this in ourselves, we shall recognize God's true headship of the Church, His blessed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is vested all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Thus we shall maintain in our own souls, and in the assembly of His saints, a proper regard for the holiness which becomes His presence, and "the joy of the Lord will be our strength." We shall sit down in the shadow of His presence with great delight. And then we shall be able to discern through the Spirit's guidance the "overseers," or "elders," whom God would have us respect as such.

And now let us bring this matter home practically, to our own hearts. Do we know what this guidance is? We may be able to say that such and such things are not the Spirit's guidance, but can we be as sure what is of the Spirit's guidance? If I am not sure that God has given me spiritual intelligence and discernment to detect what is, and what is not, of the Spirit's guidance, I should be very careful not to express my judgment. I should conclude, and rightly so, that I am not one of those made overseers by the Holy Ghost.

If we had always been careful as to this we should have escaped very much sorrow to ourselves, and dishonor to the Lord. For it is too often the case that it is those who have not this spiritual discernment who are foremost in seeking to rule. Have we not all seen this to our sorrow and shame? God has given us as we have seen in the Scriptures quoted His perfect standard. He could give nothing short of a perfect standard. But what does His perfect standard do for me?

It shows me just where I come short:which is a most wholesome lesson for me. If I heed it, I shall not be putting myself forward and meddling with things which I ought not to touch, neither shall I be dictating to others as to their path:but seek humbly to walk in my own. I shall not be hasty in judging others as to their path, for when it is a question of service, every one is individually responsible before God, and to God; not to men, not to elders, nor overseers, nor to bishops, (and these three words imply the same thing, so that the elder of i Tim. 3:covers the whole responsibility).

Is there then 110 such thing now as eldership in the gatherings of God's saints? Not of the apostolic pattern, surely. What then? Is there no provision for this need? We can hardly say that; for God
knew all about this as well as every other need, before He gave us His word, and we should not allow the thought that He has not provided for this also. But we must not forget that everything is in ruin and confusion, and that we ourselves are a part of that ruin:and what is more, God has provided for this very need in this state of ruin. Blessed be His name.

Let us then turn to the epistle of Paul to the Galatians, the sixth chapter. "Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." And now the question is, who is the spiritual man? The Word answers that question in the closing of the foregoing chapter:'' Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. . . The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Here we have the fruits by which every one can see who is the spiritual man, and such ones we should regard according to Heb. 13:7. " Remember them which have the rule over you, and have spoken to you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Christ Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forever."

And respect their judgment according to Heb. 13:17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief:for that is unprofitable for you."

I venture to anticipate, and answer a few questions, as to the Spirit's guidance in meetings. And first of all, you may be sure of this, that it is not the Spirit's guiding when anything is brought in to cause distraction, contention or strife. Nothing should be allowed which does not savor of Christ, since the Holy Ghost cannot be the author of anything which dishonors Him, neither can we say that the Spirit is leading in anything which is not to His glory. For Jesus said of the Spirit," He shall glorify Me " (John 16:14).

And in view of this divine fact, we may always test ourselves by asking, What is my motive in doing or saying this? And if I cannot say honestly before God, that I am sure I have no other motive apart from seeking to honor and glorify Him, let it not be done or said. And mark this beloved, there can be no such thing as it being my duty to act, or to speak, anything which is not to glorify Him. If we can ever be mindful of this, there would be far less of fleshly and dishonoring exhibitions of merely human energy.

Further, it is never right to take up to criticize, or to correct what another has said, unless he has repeated it to the disturbing of the meeting. I should go to him privately about it.

If two brethren should give out a hymn at the same time, both should be silent, and leave the saints to judge which to sing, or to leave both, and wait on the Lord for another hymn, or for whatever He may lead to. Sometimes too many hymns are given out, and if this is the spiritual judgment of the saints, let them be silent, and wait on the Lord for the Spirit's leading. Hymns should never be given out because they are our favorites.

If a brother is addicted to giving out too many hymns, or because he wants to keep the meeting going, saints should simply wait on the Lord in silence:and if a brother is in the habit of occupying the time, but not to the edification of the saints, let them all as one, wait on the Lord in prayer, until he ceases. Many wrong things may be corrected in this way, without grieving the Spirit or disturbing the meeting, if saints are before the Lord, and cherish a proper regard for the holiness which becometh His presence. For all who are really in His presence; a few moments of profound silence is never lost time, but may, and often does, add to the power and joy of the meeting.

Just a word as to receiving persons to the Lord's table. No one should be received while there is one dissenting voice, if the person dissenting can give a good reason for his or her objection. Persons should be well-known, or commended by those who are well-known, and in whom the saints have confidence, before being received, if we would properly regard the holiness, order and government of God's assembly. " Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ hath received us to the glory of God." To the glory of God! Not to disturbing the peace of the saints.

The fact that a man claims to be a Christian is not a guarantee against evil doctrines, evil association and unholy walk. We are responsible to know where he is as to these things, before receiving him to the Lord's table. There is no half fellowship. If a person breaks bread with us, he should understand that he is in fellowship with us, in all that God has given to us:and that we are not in fellowship with what he has left behind. C. E. H.