"We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth." (3 John 8.)

Twice in the short epistle from which the above quotation is taken, is the truth personified:in the above quoted passage and in verse 12 where it is stated that "Demetrius hath good report . . . of the truth itself." The truth is looked at as a person in the world for God, doing God's work. We are invited to be fellow-helpers with the truth, to identify ourselves with it. We can do this in various ways. One way, spoken of in this verse, is to receive those who are engaged in the cause of truth.

The truth made the children of God what they are; they are "of the truth;" they owe their existence as the children of God to the precious truth. It has wrought in them; it has begotten them. "Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth" (James 1:18). It is the instrument that the Spirit uses in their sanctification ; "Sanctify them through Thy truth:Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). It frees them from bondage. "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

There is a natural object-light-which the word of God constantly employs as a symbol of truth. How precious light is! It is the purest of all natural elements and a great purifier. Solomon says, "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Who would like to be without sunlight? It is one of God's sweetest natural gifts to man. Truth is spiritual light. How grateful should those be whom God has made the recipients of it. The children of God are the "children of light." It is not merely that they have light, which a sinner may have, but they are the children of light, have been fashioned and molded by it.

This great spiritual blessing has come to us largely through human instruments whom God employs to convey it to others. Christ is the fountain of light; He is the truth; but it comes to us through human channels. The moon reflects nightly the glorious light of the sun which otherwise we would not then have. It is the same light as the sun gives us directly during the day. During the night the sun gives us his light instrumentally through the moon. On account of the physical condition of the moon light comes to us somewhat dimmed, yet what a blessing it is to receive it though it has lost a little of its brilliancy because of the imperfect object that reflects it. So those who bring the spiritual light to us may darken it somewhat because they are imperfect. I have no reference here to inspired men- God communicated through them His precious truth in the very words of the Holy Ghost,-but to instruments that God now employs to spread His truth. We often express imperfectly what in itself is so perfect and pure. And as it is with our words so it is with our ways. The truth we livingly express is dimmed because of our imperfect ways.

Who should not be most eager to help on that which has proved such an inestimable blessing to us? Who that has tasted the sweetness of spiritual light could not desire to share it with others ? Who that has experienced its power to free the soul from corruption and vanity could not wish that others might likewise have the freedom that it has effected for them ?

Now God, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, raises up instruments to make it known. It is God's will that those only who have experienced its saving and transforming power should carry it and help it on its way to other hearts. It is through those who have left house and home perhaps that the truth has come to us. How much self-denial there may have been on the part of those who have made us partakers of this eternal wisdom. To propagate God's truth involves suffering, for it comes in conflict with that which is its opposite-darkness. But as in nature, the light drives away darkness, so error has to flee before truth, for God is with His truth.

It should be surely considered a precious privilege to receive those who are in deed and in truth God's messengers. Yea, it is more than a privilege:it is a solemn obligation binding on those who have received truth savingly-"We ought to receive such."

"For His Name's sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles." This passage makes it very clear whom we are to receive. They went forth for His Name's sake. They had no other motives than that the Name of Christ might be magnified and honored; there was no self-seeking, no covetous aims. The Name of Christ, Christ Himself, filled their hearts; they loved it and knew there was virtue in it because to it they owed their all. Some went forth who were deniers of His Name. His Name expresses Himself. Such deceivers were not to be recognized. There was to be no identification with them. Anything that could be construed as meaning fellowship was to be avoided, such as lodging and greeting them, – nothing which in the least would sanction their teaching or help it on in the world. The truth as to this dear Name must be preserved and defended. Any teaching that affects it injuriously must be condemned and discountenanced. To be for the truth of His Name one must be against all that militates against it.

The truth is fighting its way in the world; it goes forth conquering and to conquer; it conquers human hearts and brings them into happy submission to God and into unison with His blessed mind. We can do nothing against the truth. It is like a great rock against which the waves of human passion dash in vain. God Himself is on the side of truth, therefore it will prevail. If God be for it who can be against it? If we can therefore do nothing against the truth, it is not said that we can do nothing for it. It is distinctly stated we can do something for it. Who would not like to identify himself with this giant-conqueror ? Who would not like to be a fellow-helper with it? O beloved brethren, the day is coming when the truth shall have prevailed over all. We will surely not regret then that we have been on its side. What a satisfaction will it be to us to be able to look back to the time when truth was on the battlefield and we, by grace, were for it and not against it.

Truth has come to abide, yea, to abide with us forever (2 John 2). Whatever else shall pass away, truth never shall. Our supreme wish should be so to behave ourselves that the truth can commend us. " Demetrius has good report … of the truth itself." The truth commends those who walk in it and help it on-those who are for it in a time when it is attacked and despised.

3 John was addressed to Gaius who for the truth's sake had become noted for his hospitality. His soul was prosperous,-the truth was in him and he walked in the power of it. In Romans 16:23 we see Gaius as Paul's host. I presume it is the same person that John addresses, only there the Word states nothing respecting his spiritual state. John shows us it is the one whose inner and outer life was governed by the truth, that by his temporal goods furthered the cause of truth in the world. What a pleasure it must have been to him to have those under his roof who propagated the truth he so much loved, the truth to which he owed his spiritual life, his sanctification and freedom from what had formerly enslaved him. It is in proportion as people get away from God and become worldly that they hesitate to identify themselves in this manner with the truth. They may minister to a servant of their means, but their houses will be closed to him. Perhaps those that carry the truth are beneath them socially:perhaps they lack refinement and polished manners which now they increasingly value. As Christ is more and more lost sight of, what is of man acquires more importance. Or if the house is still open to receive the messengers it is only so to a certain class, to those who are in the same place with themselves socially and morally. If one comes along who is worldly, who does not make too much of Christ but a great deal of himself, he is still received; others are excluded however much the truth may commend them.

The house of Gaius was open to all who went forth for the sake of Christ's Name. His wish was that the truth of that glorious Name might spread, that what was so dear to his heart might become dear to other hearts. He knew his Lord, he tasted His grace and the sweetness of His truth, and longed that others might know it. All that were engaged in the furtherance of Christ's cause, were welcomed by him. Christ's interests were his interests, and apart from these he had none.

May God raise up many a Gaius who by grace shall find his delight in serving his Master in the way Gaius of 3 John did. His reward will be great in that day when God will recompense His own.* J. B. G. *[ The writer has purposely dwelt upon but one feature of fellowship in the Lord's work, and we would therefore only remind the reader that there are other ways in which that fellowship may be shown. Many may not have the ability, nor the opportunity to receive into the house, whose heart is in fullest accord with the Lord's work. We need only remind such that a cup of cold water will not fail to catch the Master's eye. A true sympathy will show itself in prayer, in loving interest, it may be even in an encouraging word or affectionate greeting. Then, too, perhaps a word need be said as to beloved saints burdening themselves beyond their ability:this surely is not required; where health, means, or the crowded state of the household would prevent reception into the house, "it is accepted according to that a man hath." On the other hand we are sure our brother will agree with us in saying that hospitality should never be demanded as a right, nor accepted as a matter of course, but in grateful and loving appreciation. How beautifully does the apostle appreciate and commend the hospitality of Onesiphorus (2 Tim. 1:6). Ed.]*