The letter continues:"The Bible Church is more scriptural here (in having a constitution) for in
Acts 16:4 ‘they delivered them the decrees for to keep.’ This could be similar to a constitution."

Can any "constitution" or "decrees" written since the days of the apostles claim what was written
of the decrees in Acts 16:4? "for it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us" (the apostles). The
"decrees" of Acts 16 formed only a part of the ministry of Paul to the churches, for in Acts 20:27
he says, "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God".

It is asserted:"That is why some of the brethren of various assemblies do not see eye to eye on all
interpretations."

Alas, we must own our failure here, we do not all speak the same things, there have been
divisions among us; we have not been perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same
judgment (I Cor.1:10). Is this because we have no humanly written constitution as this writer
contends? No, that would be to put the blame for our failure on God – to imply that His provision
in His Word was not adequate – that man could do with a constitution what God could not
accomplish by His Word. What does the scripture say? "If any man will do His will, he shall
know of the doctrine" (John 7:17). Let us place the failure where it belongs, not in God’s
provision by His Word, but rather upon ourselves. "We have sinned, and have committed
iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled even by departing from Thy precepts and
from Thy judgments….. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but unto us confusion of
faces, as at this day" (Dan. 9:5,7).

There is divine light in the Word of God for every possible exigency, and if we have not that
light, we had better wait on the Lord, and see whether the precious fullness of scripture will not
be rendered without doubt applicable to the difficulty, by the power of the Spirit, without
presuming to add anything like a rale (or constitution) to meet the case. It is not meant that there
will never be perplexity, nor that we may not feel our weakness and lack of wisdom. Humility,
patience, and faith will ere long prove better solvents than all the appliances of human art. God
has undertaken to provide for us in His word; and spiritual power consists in bringing that word,
by the Spirit, to bear practically upon every case that comes before us. (To be continued.)

FRAGMENT
Thy Word, 0 Lord, Thy precious Word alone,
Can lead me on;
By this until the darksome night be gone,
Lead Thou me on!
Thy Word is light, Thy Word is life and power;
By it, O guide me in each trying hour!

Whate’er my path, led by the Word ’tis good:
Oh, lead me on
Be my poor heart Thy blessed Word’s abode_
Lead Thou me on!
Thy Holy Spirit gives the light to see,
And leads me by Thy Word, close following Thee.

Led by aught else, I tread a devious way,
Oh, lead me on!
Speak, Lord, and help me ever to obey,
Lead Thou me on!
My every step shall then be well defined,
And all I do according to Thy mind.