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p422 [G J Stewart] MY DEAR BROTHER, - I am always glad to hear from you, and of Australia, even if I do not answer at once, which excessive occupation sometimes hinders my doing. I am very thankful that they are happier at - . The Lord is sufficient for all things; that we must carefully remember. It is the great thing. I am the more thankful, as it would seem to be a real work of grace, not merely what is called settling things. I think we have to remember that our part is to go in the strait and narrow path, to follow the word, and let all move on around us under God's hand. It is quite possible there may have been faults in the path of exclusives: I think there were - fruits of weakness - myself the first. I do not doubt of our path, and that we have to follow the word in peacefulness and grace - as I have often said - the feet in the narrow path, the heart as large as we can, by grace. I dread narrowness excessively - what does not embrace the interests of all that are Christ's. We have not to promote 'brethrenism,' but the interest of every soul we meet with, just where its need is. I can honestly say I never thought of 'brethren' with a single soul I ever met with - never - but what that soul wanted from God, as far as I was able.

I have the fullest persuasion that the testimony we have is God's testimony for the last days - the gospel Paul preached, brought out to light - what I never suspected when I began in this city, just fifty years ago now. I sought to walk for my own conscience as the word taught me. The loose brethren are just gone back, with some bad ecclesiastical habits changed, to the camp and its principles. I do not think we should be occupied with them as such. If they had the truth brethren are built upon, they have given it up to get on with the church-world. I admit the difficulty of combining Joshua, who did not leave Moses' tabernacle outside, and Moses, who, having established it outside, went back into the camp in testimony but this is a question of spiritual capacity, in grace. Jeremiah 15:19 laid hold of me in starting as a guiding verse, reading the chapter as shewing the working of his soul. We have only to go on right, firm in the exclusion of evil and bad doctrine but seeking the good of all souls, separating the precious from the vile, and being as God's mouth, according to what is given to us. Brethren are in a new position; attention is universally drawn to them. The Spirit of God is working, the emptiness of what is had in churches is felt: it is commonly owned that they have more of scripture. This is a new, and in some respects, a dangerous position, but I pray the Lord may keep them. It is a call for faithfulness and lowliness, not to lose their nothingness - to be an afflicted and poor people, calling on the name of the Lord. This is what I earnestly pray for. What I dread is the world slipping in. What use are they if it does? Very full truth compatible with worldliness - that is a poor testimony, and cannot last. God will not allow it. The Lord keep us little in our own eyes!

As to -, dear brother, let patience have its perfect work. It is the secret of triumph according to God: "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." The signs of an apostle were wrought in all patience. I admit in the fullest way, the ruin of the church in the world, but this is no reason for continuing in the evil that brought it in, and into which it has led. "From such turn away" is the word. And then "follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart." Such are the plain directions of scripture - and to put away from among ourselves the wicked person: no question of elders nor anything else: nor of the apostles' authority to act (save to deliver to Satan), nor to make them act - which we have in his words, namely, the commandments of the Lord: and the promise, where two or three are gathered together in His name there is He in their midst. All these screenings and favourings of evil fail in spiritual honesty.

My post is regularly in London; for these countries I have a good deal to do to combat the tide of infidelity. When this reaches you, all may be changed in the state of things.

Affectionately yours in the Lord.

Dublin, December 19th.

[52288E]

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