The writer takes up his pen to give a few lines on what he considers godly order among the people of God, who are professedly gathered to the Name to the Lord Jesus, which we verily believe are at this time "the things that are wanting." Who can fail to see the evil tendency to looseness and lawlessness of a grave character almost everywhere ? In political circles it is felt keenly, "who despise government," (the outbreak of man's will against authority and government as ordained of God). The cry of democracy (man's rule) is to be heard everywhere. Almost all nations under heaven are battling with this state of things, from favored England on to heathen China and the tyrant Turk; and the same spirit of democracy has entered church circles also. Whether it may be in the most popular denominations of Christendom down to the comparatively little flock of God's people professedly gathered to the Lord Jesus, and in professed subjection to the word of God. To these last we pen our lines, for with doctrines such as Higher Criticism and other evils which sap the foundation of our most holy faith, we have nothing whatever to do, save to testify against and seek in love to get earnest and honest hearts delivered from such. Our path is truly in separation from all such persons, and systems, and gathered out to the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in true hearty subjection to the word of God. This we accept without a reserve, as a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path. This is our profession, as it was also that of the early Christians in the apostle's day; yet he left a Titus at Crete to set in order things that were wanting. The word of God alone can meet this need, and establish one or more in the matter of godly order.

We verily believe the great lack among many at this present time is not rightly distinguishing between privilege and responsibility, and the difference is immense and important, and the calm, sober, and godly heart will always seek to give each its due proportion. Yet we plainly see the tendency with many, and the snare into which some have fallen, is accepting all the gracious privileges of Christianity, and at the same time shirking the many responsibilities. These we insist never can be divorced without great loss to those who do so, and great dishonor to the Lord. Yea, more, each one of us can but own how that the tendency of his own heart, considering the character of the times, is to fall into line with such, and the path for nature will appear easier. But then what are the holy claims of our Lord Jesus upon us ? and what is the very word of God left us for ? Surely to guide us in these as every other form of our path in this world; and true subjection to God, and the word of His grace, alone will preserve us from such godly order; or, disaster. Men to-day want broader principles, they tell us, more liberal thought, broader lines to work upon, and hence by some we learn of a "larger Christ," and a "larger hope," etc., etc.; and in a day like this, when everything almost everywhere is enlarging its stakes, and in the world we get among professing Christians a much larger scope than the word of God will permit, then I put it to the reader, Is our remedy to change our position, our principles, to suit the breadth of man's thought to-day ? Surely, surely not, will, we are sure, be the answer of every upright mind and loyal heart taught of God. To do so would be to drop into the down grade movement and surrender part of that most holy faith delivered to the saints. We believe from the very depths of our heart we need nothing more than the word of God, and the same breadth of principles there taught by the great Head of the Church, and left to guide us in an evil day, amid all the dangers of a, hostile world, and an adversary such as the devil, ever on the watch to destroy any testimony on earth for God and His beloved Son. Let us now look for a brief space at some of the privileges and responsibilities in connection with the Church of God.

To those for whom I write the broad truth as to the Church will be clear. Yet its divine unity needs again and again to be emphasized. If we look at the Church as a pearl, to adorn the person of the Lord Jesus forever and ever, yet it is but one pearl; if as a flock, with its many sheep and lambs for His care, the good Shepherd, yet it is but one flock; if as an epistle, with its many pages, yet it is but one epistle; if as a body, and there are various members, yet but one body; if as a bride, yet but one bride, a chaste virgin ; and if as a house, for God Himself to dwell in, yet one house. These are a few of the blessings and privileges of the large wealthy place into which we the people of God are brought, in this highly favored dispensation. Great is the grace that has enriched us, and great the riches we have been enriched with, yet in receiving those blessings and riches from His hand, still marked with all the solemn memories of the cross, we need to ponder well, what claims has our ever blessed Lord upon us ? what are our responsibilities ? Some of them it will be our task to point out to the reader.

The Church is one, as we have before said, and comprises all God's people through the wide world (Matt. 16:; i Cor. xii), and although (as in the apostle's day) many local representations of that Church were to be found in various places here and there, yet all were subject to one Head, taught by one Spirit and guided by the same Word. This, to commence with, will be an immense help if rightly understood. To that Church left here to represent the Head while He personally is in the glory, a close tie existed, her relationship very near; yet while all this was true, grave and solemn responsibilities remained with her, and only as she rightly fulfilled these, would she be preserved as a vessel from wreck and disaster. Did that Church, so fair and beautiful as she was, and careful in practice, fulfil her responsibilities and keep her first estate, is a question which scarce needs an answer. Failure is stamped on everything left to man to fulfil. While she walked in a path of separation, a path of holiness, a path of faith, watchful and careful, all went well; when, instead of keeping true to her post, as a faithful watchman, as the night grew on, she grew careless about the interests of Him to whom she owed her all. Soon, like Sampson, she fell asleep in the arms of this evil world. Need we wonder if her strength is shorn as his ? and to find even now her very enemies using her to furnish them sport and entertainment, as did Sampson ? Very humiliating are these lessons for us, and we need to lay them more to heart.

Now we will commence at the door, for here we believe responsibility commences, and this in connection with whom she receives among her number.

Reception. The Lord Himself, ere He left, gave part of the instructions to guide her, and those instructions are completed in the Acts and Epistles. May we glean in this field what God has for us in this respect. If the reader carefully reads Matt. 18:18; John 20:23, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven ; " and again, "Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained,"- in this we get some of the responsibilities resting upon the Church of God as the House of God; for in a house we expect to find rule, order, good government. This has been sadly overlooked by some, and hence confusion has been the result. Some that we have met of late boldly affirm we have no responsibility here at all, but it remains solely with the one who comes, and we are simply to trust the Lord. But Scripture teaches far differently, and we purpose to abide by Scripture precept and example. " Whoso-soever sins ye remit," and " whatsoever ye shall loose" we verily believe furnish us with instruction in the reception of individuals into the fellowship which belongs to such a place as Christians occupy according to the Word. The Church as a whole, we grant, has failed; but has God's word failed ? Is not God's order ever the same ? and does not the foundation of God stand sure ? Surely, surely it does ! If the persons coming are received, all that might have been against them in their past life, be it a Paul a persecutor, yet they are forgiven, between men and men ; all that was righteously against them is now no more so. We believe God has forgiven them, and hence all being now right with the Lord, we forgive (upon the same principle as 2 Cor. 2:7 and Eph. 4:32). This applies to one upon his first reception, or after, if ever excommunicated, as 2 Cor. 2:applies. How wise our God is, thus ever providing for His poor weak people in an evil day !

Now as we enter the doors of the house of God upon earth (for such is every rightly gathered company of saints), we ought to have the humility to inquire diligently from the word of God, what is the order and government of such a holy place, for "Holiness be-cometh Thine house, O Lord, forever." (Ps. 93:5.) And '' God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him." (Ps. 89:7.) And again, to a Timothy, " That thou mayest know how thou ought-est to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (i Tim. 3:15; Ps. 131:) All these passages herein quoted have by many of us not been seriously thought of. We know there have been other extremes, rigid rules have been by some laid down, and wherever this is true, such a fellowship would be legal and sectarian bondage; and we are aware of late years Matt. 18:18 has been abused, used even to sanction subjection to unholy and unrighteous acts, and yet bound in heaven; and the righteous Lord, who loveth righteousness, is made to sanction unrighteous actions. Far be the thought. This we believe worse than Rome. She says her actions are infallible, and must be submitted to. The others say, they may fail and be wrong, yet all must submit. We are indeed thankful to be outside of both systems, Rome and the other, although we feel deeply sorry for God's dear people in either. But because this extreme is taken by some, are we to allow the pendulum to swing and carry us to the opposite ? Surely, surely not ! See the care exercised in the apostle's case (Acts 9:26, 28). They knew what his past life had been. Now he professed conversion. But more than profession was required, and so Barnabas came forward, and declared not only the truth of Paul's conversion, but also gave them positive marks which verified the truth, "how he preached boldly," etc, and hence to their satisfaction, he was received. They did not fold their arms and say, This is his responsibility, and we will just trust the Lord, as to whether it is right or wrong; and so, in such a free and easy way, permit him to come among them, and partake of that sacred institution given by the Lord Himself. (Luke 22:) Surely, Abraham's care in watching the sacrifices of old would have put them to shame. The Church as yet had not got so far down the stream of time as Matt. 13:25, Rev. 2:13; but understood too well the need, as the Levites, who as porters guarded the doors and gates of the Lord's house of old. (i Chron. 26:and Ps. 84:) The holiness of God's house they understood too well and holy government of such a place to be guilty of such grave neglect.

The things we believe essential to all coming, are, 1st.That they are known to be believers.

2nd.That they are known to be sound in Christian doctrine, and godly in life.

3rd.That they are known to be free from evil associations, which would defile a gathering.

The importance of this we believe we cannot too earnestly press, and this responsibility rests not upon one or two merely, but we believe with the whole gathering as such, every one ought to be exercised about a question which concerns the glory of the Lord Jesus. Matt. xviii and Jno. 20:were given to all, not one or two leaders to legislate for all. We are quite aware some have the place of rule or government, and "the elders which rule well are counted worthy of double honor," and "he that ruleth, with diligence," is enjoined, Rom. 12:8:1 Cor. 12:28; i Tim. 5:17.God forbid we should pen one word to weaken the force of such passages, and God be praised in an unruly age as this is, to find faithful men who have this place and amid the many difficulties, "rule with diligence," "rule well."They will meet the Lord's approval in that day we are sure, if not always from their brethren now. Yet their place and importance need a word. Amid difficult times such men understand the Word, and point out to the gathering what is proper and in accord with the holiness and government of God's House, from the Word, and when this is done, the rest ought to thank God for such ;and if it is otherwise, we may rest assured self-will is at. work, and i Thess. 5:14 may be a word at such a time, "warn the unruly." But when godly order is thus made known, and the holiness of such a place pointed out, every conscience ought to be in exercise, and not one godly exercised conscience overlooked. We believe in this as all else it should be true, "He that believeth shall not make haste,"ought to characterize one taking such a step, and as to the gathering itself in receiving, the principle also true "lay hands suddenly upon no man." This we believe is of paramount importance, if we are to '' keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" as we are enjoined in Eph. 4:If even one sister has a serious doubt in her mind as to the one coming, and the person coming would press his reception, his spirit would be far from what the Scriptures enjoins, and if the gathering would receive among them people to the disregard of any exercised one among them, they override the conscience, and commit we believe a grave sin. What fellowship in the Spirit could such an one coming, or such a gathering receiving, enjoy at such a time when they knew they had by such an act already crushed and wounded some hearts, and broken the unity of the Spirit of Eph. 4:? Would such be in accord with ver. 2, "with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love?" A. E. B.

(To be continued.)