1 Cor. 12:27 presents to us the local assembly, though not to the exclusion of the assembly at large.

There is no definite doctrine in Scripture of a local assembly. There is only what concerns the body as a whole. The practice of the local assembly is spoken of in 1 Cor. 14, but as has often been said, there is no membership of a local assembly. There is membership of the body of Christ.

There cannot be a local assembly without assembling, but though there is nothing of doctrine about it, it is assumed to be the whole body of Christ in a place. If we could not get the assembly together it never could act. Each assembly is therefore the mouthpiece of the assembly at large, and the only way this can express itself. The principles that apply are therefore the principles of the body of Christ, assuming, as Scripture does, an unbroken condition of things. So that even now, in the presence of so much confusion, the principles remain the same for the two or three gathered to the name of the Lord. The local assembly represents and acts for the whole:it is its re presentation in every place. A combination of assemblies in a city has no real ground in Scripture. "If the whole assembly be come together into one place," that is the whole assembly in that place. To take away the power of a local assembly and place it in the hands of delegates, who may have leisure, gathered together from many places, must involve serious results. When this combination acts in any question, it has an influence with people who say, Such a place has acted, and it goes far in carrying others. But if a country gathering acted, it will be asked, in comparison, Who are they?

The local assembly is the practical mouthpiece of the assembly at large. There is nothing more than this, and nothing less. Of the two or three whom the Lord directs -who truly act in His Name-He says, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth is bound in heaven," etc. Binding and loosing thus were done even by two or three. They had the fullest authority. Matt. 18:20 is for any number of believers-for prayer, reading, worship, discipline, or whatever else. Confining it to prayer would be to abandon the preciousness of the Lord's presence among us, specifically when gathered to His name, and all authority to act for Him in discipline.

Here is a question of discipline:the whole assembly is interested, and all, women as well as men, should be exercised, and should judge as part of the assembly. If there are those who will absent themselves, their staying away should not hinder the assembly acting.

There may be questions which do not come within the province of the local assembly. The assembly cannot decide what is false doctrine and what is not. Scripture alone must decide that. If it be a question of doctrine, there may be a question of what is really taught. If he be a crooked man he may dissemble; such men mostly do; therefore there needs competent testimony; and while the local assembly would have the responsibility of dealing with it, it would be a help, and possibly a necessity, to have those present who can lay open the whole matter plainly.

Authority in an assembly is not merely a question of unanimity, but of the Lord's mind. Of course no violence should be done to any exercised conscience, and we should be clear that it is really the mind of God which we have reached. "The many" in 2 Cor. 2:6 would show that the action at Corinth was not absolutely unanimous. Not that there was any division, but that some were probably unexercised and indifferent. In most cases the evil is clearly manifest to those of a single eye.
There is a clear distinction to be made between reception and putting away. It is the wicked person who is to be put away (1 Cor. 5:13). There is no need to stigmatize as "wicked" every one whom we could not receive. There must be positive reasons for reception. It is sometimes said, How can we take the responsibility of refusing such and such persons? Our reply must be How can we take the responsibility of receiving them? Reception is into the circle of that which we believe to be of God, to the enjoyment of all the privileges and acceptance of all the responsibilities connected with it. It implies therefore confidence in the character and obedience of the person, and corresponding assurance of our love, intercourse, and care. In a very real sense we assume the responsibility of that person's walk. While a matter of most blessed privilege it entails grave responsibilities. Were there more exercise and care in reception, there would be less subsequent failure. When a person is desirous of reception, he is especially open to the careful examination that should be made at that time. Hence his conscience can be put under exercise as to both principles and practices, and he be thus delivered from much which he might resent being reminded of after being received.

We should also guard carefully against receiving casual visitors, as an act of courtesy, merely because they are professing Christians, or even known by some to be really such. While no rigid rule can be laid down, persons should know that the assembly is not a place where every one who desires breaks bread as a matter of course, but that we feel our responsibility to guard the holiness of the table of our Lord. If our position is carefully and kindly explained, no godly conscience will take offense, but be rather truly awakened and exercised. In this connection we might suggest that seats be provided for visitors and those not in fellowship, apart from those who break bread -not in the pharisaic spirit of "Stand by thyself, I am holier than thou," but marking the separation between those who bow to Christ and those not ready to take that position. 2 Tim. 2:22 shows we are to receive those who purge themselves from evil. Those purged from vessels of dishonor are the only vessels to honor. We are far, however, from laying down a rule, which would indiscriminately exclude simple and unintelligent saints, who have never had occasion to be exercised on matters relating to the Church.

As to secret societies, surely not much spirituality should be required to separate the Christian from them. Many of them are avowedly un-christian-Christ's name being rigidly excluded. All of them are avowedly mixed associations of believers and unbelievers. God's command is, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor. 6:14,18). One is in no condition for fellowship who prefers such brotherhood to that of Christians. The whole character of secret societies is contrary to the nature of Christianity, of which we read "This thing was not done in a corner."

There are three main conditions of fellowship:-

First:Being born of God.

Second:A consistent walk.

Third:Clean associations, which involve holding no un-scriptural principles.

Careless reception brings in disorder. All scriptural discipline begins with reception; and if there were care in this, the need for much subsequent discipline would be avoided.

Reception is the door into the house:then we are subject to the discipline that governs it. There are grades of discipline:-

First:Personal trespass (Matt. 18:15-17).

Second:One overtaken in a fault (Gal. 6:1).

Third:Those that are unruly (1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6,11).

Fourth:The shutting up where the condition is uncertain (Lev. 13:4,5).

Fifth:Putting away the wicked person.

Some of these points need no enlarging upon. There is an evident distinction between being overtaken in a fault and going on in a course of sin. A boil is different from leprosy. For instance, one under sudden provocation might lose his temper and say a bitter thing. This while inexcusable, is clearly different from deliberate malice, which may keep its temper while poisoning the minds of many by its evil surmisings. Wickedness is evidenced by a persistent course in which the will is engaged. It answers to leprosy in the Old Testament, where the characteristics were quick raw flesh, "deeper than the skin." this is no mere ebullition of nature, but the deep-seated disease, which shuts out from God's presence and the company of His people, lest they be defiled. Godly discrimination is needed to judge aright, answering to the priestly discrimination in the Old Testament. The Lord's people are earnestly requested to read prayerfully and carefully Lev. 13 and 14, where we have divine directions both for detecting and dealing with failure and evil in God's people. Let it always be remembered, too, that it is in priestly communion alone that we are fitted to .act toward our brethren. This is implied in "Ye who are spiritual" (Gal. 6:1). The priest is the one who has discernment as to the true nature of the disease-of the evil-and is able to weigh aright symptoms which might be overlooked, and which would decide as to the gravity of the case or otherwise. "Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment." The priest, too, is one not held down to the mere cold letter of the word, which may be mere pharisaism, and easily wrongly applied, but in the love which would cover all things is too sincere to allow evil unjudged in God's house.

As to admonishing and warning but little need be said, save to press its importance, and to lament that there is so little of it amongst us. The Lord in His mercy raise up among us men of godly character and moral weight, who shall be "able to admonish others also." How many cases, if thus early dealt with might be recovered, which afterward have to be dealt with in the extremest way, to the shame and sorrow of the whole assembly.

Withdrawing from the disorderly walker would naturally follow disregarded admonition. The person might still be in fellowship, his course not warranting final dealing, though it might end in that. The faithful avoidance of such an one, in love to his soul, would often be blessed of God to his recovery. Just here the Lord's people need to be warned against a most dangerous fault, of meddling or sympathizing with persons under censure, and thus taking off the edge of the wholesome chastening, which would have been blessed to their souls. This is the very opposite of showing love, and is the beginning of what may even lead to division among the people of God.
In 2 John 10, we have both the man who brings not the doctrine of Christ, and also the partaker of his deeds. Not only heart contact is here contemplated, but association of any kind. The word "God speed" implies a mere greeting. It is painful to think that the people of God should need to be warned against association with a wicked person.

It affects both the one greeting, by lowering in his mind the sense of sin, and the one greeted, by hardening his conscience still more, confirming him in his way.

In contrast with greeting, we see in 1 Cor. 5 how God would have come in had they mourned. By being humbled they would have called in God's help even if they knew not what to do. Our responsibility is even greater than theirs, as having the complete Word of God and fullest light upon this very subject.

When all else fails, putting away is absolutely necessary. First, to clear the Lord's name of dishonor. Second,, to preserve the rest of the assembly from defilement. Third, for the welfare or recovery of the person dealt with,

"A little leaven leaventh the whole lump" does not mean, of course, that the whole assembly will fall into the same kind of sin, but by allowing evil among them they are defiled by it in God's sight. Moral indifference to evil is what the Word of God calls leaven.

Extract from "Conferences as to the Assembly."