QUES. 37.-In August number your remarks on the Kingdom and the Church have been a great help to me, especially the part concerning the first seven chapters of Acts. One expression, however, I do not understand and would like an explanation of. It is where you say that in connection with the Church baptism of water was in the background.

ANS.-We mean that since the ministry of Paul began, aud on till the rapture (1 Thess. 4:14-17), baptism of water is no more the leading ordinance of Christianity, as it was under the ministry of Peter. It is not removed, of course, as some have tried to make it appear ; for though the Kingdom has, by the rejection of the King, taken a different form, as Matt. 13 shows, it is going on, and baptism of water (its own peculiar ordinance) is going on too. It is the initiation into the sphere of subjection to the King of kings.

But throughout this dispensation-the church dispensation of heavenly and eternal things-the earthly ones take a back place, and the ordinance which belongs to them takes a back place with them. When the rapture has taken place, and the church dispensation is over, the heralds of the Kingdom will again appear, proclaiming the glorious advent of the King, and demanding subjection to Him. Then, we judge, will baptism of water have again the leading, prominent place.

A gospel preached now therefore, in which baptism has a prominent place, is usually of a Jewish cast, and more or less legal-that which marks the Kingdom.

QUES. 38.-Why is it that, as a rule, the gift of the Holy Ghost in the Acts of the Apostles was accompanied with miraculous signs, and is not now ?

ANS.-Because it was then the passing out of a closing dispensation and the introduction of a new one. God therefore marked it with mighty signs. When the new-the Christian-dispensation was fully established no such signs continued. The gift oi' the Holy Spirit is the acknowledged blessing of every believer. The children of God know by the word of God that the Holy Spirit dwells in them. In 1 Cor. 1:2 the whole body of believers in Christ Jesus, not only at Corinth, but from one end of the earth to the other, is addressed; and in chapter 6:19 He says to them :" What ! know ye not that your body (the body of each individual believer) is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? "

Not a single child of God now could affirm when he received the Holy Ghost, as a matter of experience; for not one receives any miraculous gift at the time. Nor does he need to affirm it, for the Scripture itself affirms it. It is an attempt at simulating the signs of the beginning, instead of exercising faith in the revelation of God concerning the actual blessings of Christianity, which has produced such wild and Christ-dishonoring things as the "Tongues Movement."

QUES. 39.-Is it true of every child of God that he has "crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts? "

ANS.-Most assuredly. When he believed in Christ as his Saviour did he not say, "I am a poor, vile sinner, and I hate myself?" There he crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts. He goes on into this in a deeper and deeper way, no doubt, to the end of his path, if he goes on with God in it; but his first breath in the divine life was in itself that.

QUES. 40.-Kindly give us the meaning of Col. 2:9, "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

ANS.-In Him, Christ, that Man among men, seen, heard, handled by men, the Fulness (see chap.1:19, N. T.) was pleased to dwell, and to manifest itself. Father, Son, Holy Spirit, were in Him perfectly revealed and seen. He could say, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father also." None in all the glories of heaven will know God better, or differently, than as revealed in the Man Christ Jesus.

How unspeakably blessed that the three glorious Persons of the Godhead, who planned and carried out the vast system of Creation and of New Creation, should have been pleased to dwell and manifest themselves in the meek and lowly Man Christ Jesus, accessible to all, more approachable than any other being, drawing so near to us, making known to us "the true God, and eternal life !"

Thus the way to know God-to form acquaintance with Him, more and more intimate-is to keep in the company of Jesus. For this reason, no doubt, God, in His word, makes us travel four times in the four Gospels with His blessed Son.

QUES. 41.-We all own that it is the assembly as a whole which receives any one who desires fellowship ; or puts away any one who walks in evil. We also own that the government of the assembly is with the men-not with the women. Are not, however, the consciences of the sisters to be respected as well as those of the brothers ?

ANS.-Most assuredly. Nor will it be difficult to ascertain the voice of their consciences in any assembly going on with God. The fact is, in all such cases it is always a very small number of the brothers-those most interested and experienced in the matters of God's house-who investigate and report; the action of all being based on their witness. But if a sister knows something which would contradict their witness, she should certainly make it known, and it should certainly be taken into account.

QUES. 42.-Is it not a reproach on the brothers in a meeting when a sister has to be brought into prominence by leading the singing? Might not some able brother give us in help AND food plain instructions about such matters?

ANS.-It is a reproach; for if there be spiritual activity, and not singing at the meetings only, but at home and in the joy of one's own heart in private, as a happy Christian will do, there are few voices, poorly endowed as they may be, that will not become sufficiently cultivated to lead a hymn. Why should not, in all assemblies, pains be taken to learn tunes-learn to sing them correctly, so that no culpable ignorance be displayed in the meetings? Music books have been prepared to that end at great pains ; and when they are faithfully used, the singing becomes a sweet and easy channel for the utterance of our praises. In many places meetings are held to this end, either at a private house where there is an instrument of music, or at the assembly-room, a half hour or so before the meeting. It is not beautiful music God asks in our praises. To make Him a concert would be an insult. But to be indifferent in the manner of our praises is not honoring Him.

As to your second question, you will see in the "Correspondence" of the present number that some one else has been of your mind.