THE CHURCH :MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES. (Continued from page 20.)

Having now, through the mercy of God, examined the teaching of Scripture upon the fundamental principles which underlie the Church of God, it only remains for us to note some of the applications of these principles to various questions which arise in their carrying out.

CHURCH MEETINGS.

The keynote of the Church is unity,- gathering together to the Lord. The disciples "were all, with one accord, in one place," on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:i), just prior to the formation of the Church. The three thousand new converts that were added to them on that day continued daily, with one accord, in the temple. In the joy of that first love it seemed to be one long meeting, scarcely discontinued at all. And yet, even at that time (exceptional as to many things – the immense number of visitors at Jerusalem, the great temple still open to them, the need of further leading, etc.) there were certain characteristics which serve as a guide in settling the nature of Church meetings. "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers." (Acts 2:42.) We have here indicated, besides fellowship, which would apply to all meetings and the whole life, three features which marked the Church life of these saints:Teaching, Breaking of Bread, and Prayer. We do not mean that at once separate meetings were devoted to each of these,- rather that all their gatherings were so marked. But as the Church emerged from what must of necessity have been but temporary, as the link with Judaism was severed, we find regular meetings for a special purpose. "Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread." (Acts 20:7.) Here at a specified time (the Lord's day), at a specified place, together, for a specified purpose (to break bread), the disciples met. That this was their regular weekly custom is manifest from the form of expression. They did not come together to meet the Apostle, but to break bread. That this custom was universal is seen from i Cor. 11:20:"When ye come together, therefore, into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper." (Because of their abuses. See verses 21-34.) That what he wrote for the Corinthians was for the entire Church is seen from chapter 11:16; chapter 14:33.

We have already dwelt somewhat upon the nature of this holy feast in the paper on Worship. It is only necessary to note the prominent place it occupies. Not even an apostle's presence could set it aside. No frequency could mar its freshness, when partaken of in the proper spirit. It exhibited before the saints that great foundation-fact upon which their own life and the structure of the Church rested. Christ's body and blood, His death, His love unto death, the solemn and touching circumstances of that death, the blessed and eternal fruits of that death, the adorable Person who thus loved His Church,-were and are presented before the eye of faith, to awaken the affections, arouse the conscience, renew the strength, and call forth the worship of His people. At the same time, in the one loaf was presented, ever before the saints, the one body of the Church of Christ, (i Cor. 10:16, 17.)

The Lord's Supper, then, is the chief meeting of the Church. It is the only one distinctly specified, and it occurred weekly. It naturally follows that it gives character to the whole meeting. Teaching there may be, prayer, and exhortation; but the breaking of bread should ever be the prominent feature, and all else subordinated to and influenced by that. But if the Lord Himself is before us, and our state is right, praise and worship will predominate. Each meeting will be a foretaste of that endless praise of heaven, when, gathered about Him, the whole company of the redeemed will burst forth in one eternal anthem of praise. "Till He come" may we anticipate that blessed time every Lord's day.

We must add a word as to the awful desecration of the Lord's Supper. To say nothing of the multitudes who partake of it avowedly as a mere form, how many are there who come in a careless unjudged way to the Lord's Supper. It was so in a gross way at Corinth, where gluttony, pride, and drunkenness were indulged in. It is none the less so now, where multitudes in full fellowship with the world and its ways, with no knowledge of a full salvation, nor desire for that knowledge, with sins unconfessed and unforsaken, sit down at the table of the Lord. "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." How can God's children sit down with those who they know are walking in an ungodly way ? Do they not, by this very looseness, show an indifference to God's holiness which must sorely grieve the holy Spirit of God ? It is no question of salvation, but of honoring God,-a question which should be as important to us as that of our salvation. But we leave this to the exercised conscience of the reader.

But the Church requires instruction, and has its needs. It is therefore most fitting that there should be special meetings for these purposes, that the meeting for the breaking of bread may be left free for its own peculiar purpose. Love attracts us to the Lord, and therefore to one another. Meetings for prayer, and holy, happy conference, will be as frequent as circumstances and the duties of daily life will permit. We need hardly say that daily work is not to be neglected for the sake of multiplied meetings, nor the duties each one owes to his own family. This would be the disorderly walking which the apostle rebuked. (2 Thess. 3:6-12.) Still when every duty has been met, there remains for all the opportunity of attending meetings, and the exhortation "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is." (Heb. 10:25.)

A regular meeting for prayer and exhortation during the week is not only suggested by the constantly recurring needs of the Lord's people, but by Scripture as well. How many and varied are the needs of the Church, and how blessed it is to come together for this purpose,- the saints pouring out their hearts to God, interceding for one another, remembering the sick and afflicted, and pleading for blessing on the Lord's work! Ah, beloved brethren, let us never neglect the prayer-meeting:we grow cold when we fail to avail ourselves of its privileges.* * For an excellent practical paper upon this subject the reader is referred to "Prayer and the Prayer-Meeting," by C. H. M.*

One of the characteristic features of the day is shallowness,- ignorance of and distaste for the word of God. Private and prayerful study of the Scripture is the great remedy for this, and it is also a most helpful exercise for the Lord's people to come together during the week for this purpose. The reading meeting not being provided for in Scripture (though most scriptural in its spirit) is necessarily an informal gathering. It is in this meeting that the gift of the teacher is most enjoyed. Without definitely presiding, the one instructed in the Word imparts to his brethren, answering questions and unfolding Scripture. It will be found most helpful to take up and go regularly through different books of the Bible, the New Testament, and particularly the Epistles, as presenting the full light of God's truth. This meeting should be guarded from useless speculations and mere vapid commonplaces. When there are none of experience and knowledge of the Word, it will often be found best for the Lord's people to come together and read some profitable work, with their Bibles in their hands, reading the references, and turning to passages suggested. Such a practice will be found most helpful, and open the way to much profitable conference. We would not have it understood that one must be thoroughly taught in the Word to conduct a reading meeting, still a measure of familiarity with Scripture and some ability for communicating it are essential. We need hardly add that God meets and blesses His hungry people when they are looking to Him, no matter how little gift there may be among them.

In addition to this, the saints may come together to hear whatever a servant of the Lord may have to impart to them in the way of addresses on Scripture; but such meetings being entirely on the responsibility of the individual teacher do not properly come under our subject. The same may be said of the evangelist's meeting for preaching the gospel. But of that later.

Before leaving the subject of Church meetings we must look at one most important feature; and to do so we will recall the great characteristic fact of Christianity- the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Church. We have already seen, in the paper on Ministry, that Scripture does not recognize official position in the Church. If this is true as to ministry, much more is it so in worship. To have one man preside over a company of Christians and assume all the functions of worship and ministry is not only a practical denial of their priesthood, but a usurpation of the place of the Holy Ghost. This may be done ignorantly, and with the best of motives; but it is none the less an ignoring of the sovereign power of the Spirit to guide and control every man severally as He will. The fourteenth chapter of First Corinthians is the simple directory for worship, as the twelfth chapter gives the constitution of the Church. "How is it, then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (i Cor. 14:26.)While the apostle here may be pruning off the exuberance of licence, the great principle of liberty for the Spirit of God to use whom He will is established. The only check is "Let all things be done unto edifying.""For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." (5:33.) The women were to keep silence in the churches. But of this we will say a few words later.

We have then a most simple and effectual guide in our worship. We are in the Lord's presence, and the Holy Ghost is there to guide. There is no need to have a man to preside. That would only interfere with the liberty of the Spirit. It may be asked, Will not disorder come in ? And our reply must be that the Spirit of God is more able than man to control disorder. God never intended that we should get on without faith or dependence upon Him. Where there is subjection to the Lord, and a godly consideration of one another, there will be the sweetest liberty and real divine power. Let the attempt be made in the fear of God, and the blessed results will be manifest.

(To be continued.)