I desire to call attention to a matter as to which I have long been exercised, and which I feel is of considerable importance to those known as "Brethren."

When we come together on the first day of the week to remember the Lord, how very common it is to hear ministry before the bread and wine are passed round. This is something which, it appears to me, ought to give rise to earnest consideration before the Lord.

Perhaps it would be well to ponder afresh these words:

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread:and when He had given thanks, He brake it and said, Take, eat:this is my body, which is broken for you:this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament (covenant) in my blood:this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come" (1 Cor. 11:23-26).

We come together on the first day of the week to remember the Lord Jesus in the travail of His soul, when He was forsaken of His God, and that for our sakes. Holy mystery! Unfathomable wonder! As we meditate upon the Person and sufferings of our adorable Lord and Saviour, our hearts are drawn out in worship and praise to Him and to His God and Father, whom we now through grace know as our God and Father. Worship is the fruit of a heart divinely pressed. It is the overflowing of the heart in the contemplation of that which speaks of love beyond all measure. Like the queen of Sheba, there is no more spirit within us. How zealously we should guard against anything of the nature of intrusion on so holy an occasion.

It seems to me that ministry before the actual breaking of the bread is, in the main, out of place. If given, it should be so distinct in character as to deepen worship.

I fear that the liberty of the Spirit, in which we rightly rejoice, is often taken advantage of to air "thoughts." Tn this connection it is well to bear in mind that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (1 Cor. 14:32).

It seems to me that the force of this scripture is not generally grasped. I understand it to mean that the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets themselves. Ofttimes a brother gets a "thought" from a line of a hymn which has been given out, or, perhaps, a scripture read, and he considers he must give expression to it. But, surely, there ought to be exercise before the Lord as to whether the "thought" is in the line of the Spirit's leading, and we ought to have our own spirits in subjection.

I would add that the holy character of the supper cannot be too much before us; and if we cultivate the habit of judging ourselves before we go there, the Holy Spirit, will be unhindered in His gracious activities in our hearts, and in our midst, and worship will be the happy outcome.

Soon our Lord Jesus Christ will call His waiting people to Himself, and the privilege we have of remembering Him down here will be ours no longer. Then fitting worship and praise will arise from unhindered hearts. May we be more and more a worshiping people now. James R. Elliot

How important it is for us to keep in mind that our bodies are "the members of Christ" and "temples of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:15,19). If our daily life accords with this, and what is inconsistent with this has been confessed to God , our gathering together before the Lord will be real, unpretentious, and happy.

Then the Spirit, who dwells in His temple (1 Cor. 3:17) will have liberty to guide the members of Christ in their function and place according to His holy will. The liberty of the Spirit must be maintained. Human rules as to when and how to act will not be necessary-nay, they may, and have, led into strange notions as to the breaking of bread. The Holy Spirit has not given rules. And why? God's people must be dependent upon Him even after they have been instructed in His word; and if they walk or act in the flesh, it is best to be made manifest, and thus put to shame.-[Ed.