NOTES OF AN ADDRESS. (2 Thess. 2:1; Matt, 18:19, 20; 1 These, 4:15-18.)

For our reading the other day we came upon the subject of gathering together unto the Lord. What was asked for then might be appropriately given now. Notice these words in 2 Thess. 1:i, "Our gathering together unto Him," and put them in the light of Matt, 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."It might help us, to look at gathering in this simple and important way. It is always best to look at that which is perfect, that we may have a proper standard. If a person had never seen a butterfly would he not have a better idea by looking at the butterfly in its perfection than by examining it in any of the stages of its development from the ovum ? Surely, it would be best to look at the perfect insect. Then in thinking of gathering, in what we have read, we have that which is perfect brought before us in " our gathering unto Him," By looking at the features of gathering in perfection, we may learn much to instruct us now in seeking to gather unto His name. To me it puts some points in such a distinct and important way that one would think if they were once seen there would be more reality when we gather together from time to time.

For instance, think of that time when we shall be with the Lord in the air. When the sleeping saints arise, and the living believers are changed, and all are caught up together, it is to meet the Lord. See with what distinctness we have our center brought before us. " The Lord Himself shall descend." His blessed Person is before every eye, and adored by every heart, in that gathering. There is nothing vague, no such thought as 'His being present by His Spirit-He is there Himself. It is "gathering together unto Him." Is this not what we need to apprehend when we gather together now ? Where gathering is real, the presence of the spirit is one thing, and the presence of the Lord is another. How often are they vaguely confused together ? The haze and mists might be scattered like clouds before the rising sun with many a saint, if he just keep the perfect gathering before his mind. Then the Lord Himself would be seen to be the center. With intelligence and joy he would see more of what it is to " gather together unto Him." Reason may cavil, unbelief may doubt; but faith, love, and hope are in their proper element when we have the Lord Himself gathering together unto him before us, and gather together and announce His death till He come.

Then who should so gather to remember Him ? If we only look at the perfect gathering, the question is settled without gainsaying. His saints alone will be gathered up around Him in the air. In Jno. 13:we read of " His own which were in the world." Further on in the same gospel, after His resurrection, we see Him m their midst We have then a real Savior, real saints, real gathering unto Him. Should not this be always so where two or three profess to gather unto His name ? A glance at what is perfect solves and settles endless questions as to who should compose the assembly of those gathering unto the Lord's name. All thought of mixed companies of saved and unsaved being together for worship is thus completely set aside when you think of those who will meet the Lord in the air. A believer speaks, and speaks only of believers like himself, when he says, "Our gathering together unto Him."

Then see the power implied in the perfect gathering. It is the same power which raised Him from the dead and set Him at God's right hand. That power will raise His sleeping saints and change living believers. Even then you might think of them as still on earth. But they are to be caught up, rapt away from earth, to meet the Lord in the air. What a display of divine power ! Does this not give us the thought of the power that gathers now ? Are any really gathered who are not the subjects of such divine power. It is no mere agreement among those who are believers, nor any such company simply bringing other saints among themselves. Real gathering is divine power at work, through grace, to so attract the heart of the saint that he is constrained to gather unto the Lord. The same Spirit by whom he was born again now works as distinctly in a new way, according to divine power, to gather the saint unto the Lord as his proper center. Should our hearts and consciences not be exercised that our gathering together may be the direct result of this grace and gathering power on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ ?

Yet again look at the perfect picture as the saints are gathered up to meet the Lord. You must of necessity think of "all saints." As to those who have fallen asleep, from Adam onward, we have that word, "they that are Christ's at His coming." (i Cor. 15:23.) Then with regard to living believers, " We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." (i Cor. 15:51, 52.) All shall be "caught up together." If we think of the Church, the Lord shall " present it to Himself, a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." The unity will find perfect expression then. Ought faith ever to forget this in gathering now ? Certainly not, if " our gathering together unto Him" is to be the standard. Some may object to what is put as "the ground of the one body." Faith will hold fast the thing itself. To faith there is "the revelation of the mystery," and there is the "fellowship of the mystery," and those who gather should be exercised that they may own the oneness of the body, and answer to it, in "the obedience of faith." (Rom. 16:25, 26.) How real would gathering be if we were thus " endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." We should then indeed gather, as it is expressed, "on the ground of the one body." To those objecting to the expression, doubtless because the truth in it judges the principles on which they profess to gather, I reply, let us drop the expression, but let us hold fast the thing it is meant to express. We can then find it in Scripture language, if we think of "the mystery," the " one body," and keep our eyes, our hearts, on the perfect gathering when we shall meet the Lord in the air, and so gathering together unto him."
we may answer to these principles now, as we gather in " the obedience of faith."

But there was one part of the verse as to presenting the Church to the Lord which I did not quote. In that perfect gathering it shall be "holy, and without blemish." Separation from evil, and separation to the Lord, alike will find their perfect exemplification. The Lord is "He that is holy, he that is true," so there will not be any thing unsuitable to Him in that day. If " our gathering together unto Him" when He descends into the air is kept before us now, we cannot help being impressed with the fact that holiness should characterize the assembly of His saints. Then if the former thought of unity is borne in mind, it is not merely the individual believer being separate, nor a particular gathering of believers being careful as to the holiness which becomes God's house forever. The associations of all gathered every where have to be tested by that standard, "holy and without blemish." True, we know that in practice there is such unholiness, but are we to accept unholy principles, and give up the standard ? If so, will not the Lord give us up, as He says, " I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." To know of evil in doctrine, in morals, or in connection with assembly judgments, and refuse to purge it out, is to give up holiness, and lose the claim to be owned as an assembly of God. If evil is connected with honored names and sanctioned at high places, it does not make it less, but greater evil in the Lord. All the pretension and boasting about having the truth in such circumstances will not add the weight of a feather, when things are weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. We must judge things in the brightness of that light into which we shall be caught up when we meet the Lord; and we ought to gather unto His name now, realizing that we have to do with him whose eyes are "as a flame of fire." Thus we shall find the true, principle of separation unto the Lord.

Finally, when that glorified company is gathered up around the Lord in the air, will it not be such a worship meeting as never before was assembled ? Do we not look on to it when in the Spirit we sometimes sing-

"What rich, eternal bursts of praise
Shall fill yon courts through endless days,
When time shall cease to be! "

See in Rev. 1:when there is the mention of "Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the first-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth." There you have the bursting forth of what will prove an eternal song,- " Unto Him that loved us, and washed in His own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." So yet again in Rev. 5:where we get that great multitude, "the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Surely, when we gather around the Lord now there should be some anticipation, according to our present capacity, of that praise and worship to be rendered .when we are forever with the Lord.

May the Lord make these principles of gathering to have life, spirit, and power in our souls, and the souls of His saints, that we even now, indeed and in truth, may gather together unto His name. W.C.J.