Common Humiliation

I thank you for your kind attention in sending me the paper. The form of it would induce me to decline any attention to it - an anonymous circular on such a subject seems to me an anomaly, and of very evil example in the church of God. But I feel bound further to say, that I feel obliged to decline any participation in it (I speak individually, I dare say many may join in it with a true heart) whatever.
You must be fully aware that the things you would confess, and others with whom you think it right to associate, would be entirely contrary to what I could judge right before God; the things that I may judge evil and the root of all this, you probably (indeed, there can be little doubt) would not confess at all; nor can I think there is in the actual state of things, any confession of what I judge to be evil before God, but quite the contrary. Thence I judge that to pretend to join in any common confession - and you must think the same - would be hypocrisy, and really awfully mocking God. I decline it therefore altogether; indeed, I think the whole thing an evil, though I am in full charity towards you, and I do not doubt many in many places will join in it sincerely, and be blessed. I have felt it more honest, and indeed bound to say to you openly what the Lord I believe leads me to by His grace. The plainer the better, I think, in the present state of things; but I remain Yours in sincere affection in Christ.
[About 1845]
Common Humiliation
I must, of course, expect every one to take his own view of the meeting, and rely only on my hope that God will take His; but there seems to me to be some haste in your correspondent, as there has been, I think, in much that has been done. Where did he find "any allusion to the sin and separation existing to be excluded?" It is as new to me as to you. How could I pretend to dictate the prayers and confessions each should make? It was a point on which I had pre-eminently to trust God. I desire none to be there but those thoroughly humbled. If they are, God will surely guide in the confessions they are to make. I am sure if any one in his prayer - which I have no right or reason to suppose - prayed against me as a maker of schism and the like, it would be to have himself judged as to the doing it on such an occasion. It would work together for good. I have stated as distinctly as possible in every invitation, that those who have been, as I think, justly decided, are to be understood as implying no change whatever by coming.- wanted to have a vague invitation, leaving this out, but I did not comply. I did not bind the others who came to any approval of the acts of the former by coming, leaving all changes in this to God's working in individuals. If there are among them any disposed to join us in humiliation and nothing else, without our giving up our judgment, I would not refuse them; what I sought was this one point, because I saw some did desire it. I think if any one went there to accuse B. (and my own judgment is more than confirmed as to its evil) instead of confessing his-own part in the evil, and humbling himself because of the dishonor done to the Lord, as a great public fact among us, he had much better stay away; for the object of the meeting is to humble ourselves because we have failed, not to accuse any, however evil they may have been. This is my whole object in the meeting, to take for myself the place of humiliation, and I am content to see those who take this ground with me, that is, that the Lord has been dishonored, though they condemn me in some of my acts. I have not for that given up my judgment as to the given case of evil at B. or elsewhere. The truth is, I think I see it more clearly, feel it more strongly, and have increased vantage ground against it of a holy kind by this humiliation. A rigid pride of righteousness as to it I believe does not become us; if any feel it their place to take this ground I am sure I do not take it with them, yet I think I am as decided, and I hope I shall be as firm in the long run as they. I think I have sometimes seen something of this spirit; I do not sympathize with it.
Now my desire (led, I believe, of God) in the meeting was to separate this humiliation from everything else. I know of no social meeting together. This introduces the meals. I felt many might be disposed to fast: such was the case at Kingston. I further felt that in a meeting, professedly and solely for humiliation, dining socially together was much less in place than just taking what was needed in the way of food. Every family mourning apart [Zech. 12:12] shows not the letter but the spirit in which such an act may be looked at; and I decided to have no regular common meals, but let every one eat as his nature needed it before God; of course, several could together, if they were led to do it. The effect of this met at the same time a scruple which might be in many minds, and to avoid -what might trouble them - any recognition in worship, for so thanksgiving might be termed, of those who were walking, as they judged, disorderly. It would leave every one free to join where his own conscience was at ease; in a word, while I felt it in itself suitable, this arrangement left every conscience perfectly before God to do what it thought right. The eating makes no part of the meeting whatever; I have for the convenience of all provided for every one something to eat, that they may not have to go away to inns, or be hindered coming. I judge it will make the humiliation more solemn, and that I am very glad of. The humiliation is the sole object of the meeting. Of course, one who could not let into the humiliation he was engaged in, as regards the dishonor done to the Lord, another who desired it who was not decided as ourselves on what has occurred, could not join with comfort in the meeting. This leads me to the invitations. Unless in the case of known false doctrine, or such conduct morally as stopped my hand, I did not positively exclude individuals, or by any negative course which amounted to leaving them out. Their writing the bitterest things, possible against myself would never have been a reason with me for excluding them, rather the contrary, that they might know personal injury did not weaken my charity...
In fine, the meeting is neither social nor ecclesiastical, but of individuals who desire to humble themselves because we have not maintained the Lord's glory in what was committed to us, and nothing else. It is not about B., nor about those who have separated themselves from it. I judge that great dishonor has been done to Christ, and a stumbling-block put in the way of souls finding their way out of surrounding evil. I put myself in the first place of guilt as to this. I meet those who desire to own we have not maintained God's glory in the exceedingly precious things committed to us. I have found some who have not been as decided about a certain evil as they ought to be, desirous of humbling themselves for what we are all concerned in. I take care they shall understand that there is no kind of compromise as to our decision as to this evil, and I am then willing they should humble themselves with us also. I have sought, not exactly to choose the individuals myself, but to take the best moral care I could that those should come who really joined in spirit in the humiliation.
B. is not the subject of the meeting, but our having dishonored God: such is the meeting. I understand that with some this sense of humiliation has not the place it has in my mind. Of course, they would not see the character of the meeting as I do; they may be more occupied merely with their own righteous ground as to B.: I do not sympathize with them. I think even great mistakes were committed by those who were right in the main, and that humiliation is the principal thing that becomes us; yet I think I see the evil of B. more clearly and more decidedly than ever: I am not going to make acting against it the spring of my action, but Christ. I think, as I have said, I get moral vantage ground as to it by the humiliation. I trust I have made clear to you the ground I have gone on as to the meeting. Of course, I may have made mistakes in the execution, but I feel assured God approves the object of it, and that He will guard it from any hindrance in the main to its object, which I believe to be dear to Him. It has this character of light at any rate, that it has brought out in a wonderful way the thoughts and state of everybody's heart. I shall lose the post if I add any more.
Ever affectionately yours.
July 16th, 1852.
Common Humiliation
If such a measure should come before you, I beg to call your attention and the attention of the saints to what follows. I have felt pressed in spirit before the Lord to do it since I heard of it; I have no object but that the saints should be free from taking any step till they take it by the guidance of the Spirit, knowing what it is they are doing.
Beloved Brethren, - I have learned by a providential circumstance that it is the purpose of our dear brother-to propose a common day of fasting and humiliation as to the state of the saints. I feel deeply, indeed, I have in my little manner acted on it when I could, that the very thing that is called for, and urgently called for, is fasting and humiliation, and deep, deep humiliation before God, as I know the beloved saints have already done so in several places. Hence on the mere point of so fasting I say nothing, believing that it muse be left to the Holy Ghost to guide the saints, as He sees good, to such a service. But what I feel bound to lay before them is this. When a common fast is proposed, it supposes of course a common object. All I think the saints would be wise to learn before undertaking to join in such a thing, is, what the common thing they join in is. Further, when we join in a common thing, we more or less identify ourselves with those with whom we join. In the present state of things, I would only suggest to the brethren not to commit themselves to anything they are unacquainted with. My own judgment is that some of the fasts at Plymouth (and I was at one of them myself, so that it is not to blame individuals) were by very far the worst things which have been done there before God - very, very far. This judgment of course I do not press on the brethren; I only suggest to them that, if a common fast is proposed, they should at least learn what the common thing is. I have no doubt what is done truly before the Lord, even in ignorance, will be blessed to those who do it in the end; but we act with power when we act with the knowledge of His mind.
Ever, in true affection in the Lord,
Your brother in Christ.