Brooklyn, N. Y., June 14, 1876

BELOVED BROTHER-The pressure upon me has pushed the reply to your letter on a few days, and I fear now I shall not have time to give you what is in my heart on the matter you ask about, as I must gather out a few moments, here and there only, for correspondents. But it is a great joy to me that you have been thus far led of the Holy Spirit into His mind concerning the evils of this day, and the evils of man's system.
The meetings of which you speak, of the children of God in various places through the land, are the result of having learned the sad departure from that which was set up in the beginning, when the Holy Spirit came, upon Christ's ascension to the Father. Those composing them have, in most cases, come out of that which was seen as dishonoring the Head, and denying the Holy Spirit His place in gathering the saints and distributing the gifts as He wills, by the presidency of man. This is felt to be " iniquity," from which we are told in 2 Tim. 2:19, to "depart." Obeying this, they have been told further, to follow righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those "who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart,” that is, having only the Lord and His word before them.'
They meet, then first of all, with the acknowledgment of the headship of Christ to His body, which is the Church, giving all diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit, and thereby confessing the unity of the body, in the midst of the divisions of this day. Confessing this unity, they meet on God's ground, the ground on which every member of the body is before God, and, of course, where all the members of Christ, as such, are welcome.
As to "exercises," the whole is under the presidency of the Holy Spirit, Christ Himself being present according to His word: "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am in the midst" (Matt. 18;20). All is left to him, therefore. The meeting is distinctly to Christ, as our Lord and Head. On His resurrection, He met His own on the first day of the week, the meeting being distinctly for them, the doors being shut (John xx, 19-23). It is for worship, and we find in 1 Cor., 11:18-34, that the coming together is for breaking bread, and though they abused it, so as to have it denied that it was the Lord's Supper, this only shows us what the Lord's Supper is. " The loaf we break (1 Cor. 10:16-17) is the communion of the body of Christ, and we, being many members, are all one loaf, one body, and are all partakers of that one loaf." The one loaf shows this, instead of the many loaves (the Cephas loaf, the Paul loaf, Apollos loaf, &c). Here is the scene, then, of the gathering for breaking the loaf, itself showing the Lord's death until He come, showing to God that we enter into His mind on that matter, that the death of Christ is all. It is a scene of praise and thanksgiving, on the ground of what is already done, by which we are brought into the holiest, perfected forever. The Holy Spirit known as presiding leads as He will, one to give out a hymn of praise, or to express thanksgiving, and another to give thanks over the bread and cup. Each one is before the Lord, for Him to use whom He will. The freedom is the freedom of the Holy Spirit, not man's. Sometimes many may be used, sometimes few men- just as He will. Singing, and sometimes reading portions of the Scriptures, and whatever is according to His purpose in gathering, are the exercises. We find in Acts, 20:7, that Paul being present at the breaking of bread, discoursed also (not "preached" the gospel as there would be no occasion). He simply told out the truth pertaining to the saints, and of the Lord Jesus risen. The object of gathering was not to hear Paul, but to break bread. So now, if the Lord lead any one to speak, it is accepted as from Him, though in 1 Cor. 14:29 the rest are to judge whether it is according to the Spirit.
The whole must be according to the real place we are in, as dear to God and standing in Christ, in the holiest, worshipers. It will be solemn and yet joyous, the heart occupied with Him who loves us and gave Himself for us.
In receiving others who come as children of God, the word is, " receive one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God (Rom. 15:7). They must, first, be His, and second, it must be to the glory of God. This would bear upon evil either doctrinal or moral. The word judges both, as contrary to Christ, and His own must not allow what denies Him. Hence, if one holds doctrine denying His work or person, such an one could not be received, and if one were breaking bread holding such things, he must be judged and put away. This is discipline-a receiving and putting away and restoring simply according to directions in the Word. So under the guidance alone of the Holy Spirit can any be kept from running into system. Man's tendencies are that way; he likes to be active, to make his own things. It is only as there is subjection to Him, therefore, that any can be guarded against making a sect: meeting alone to the person of Christ keeps from this.
There are other meetings for reading and study of the Word, and others for prayer-a constant dependence on Him for everything. The word alone is allowed, nothing of man, or there will be an end of testimony; the word is allowed its full force, no system of man binding it.
There are little meetings of this kind in various parts of the country-eight in and around New York, in Boston, Cleveland (O.), Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Springfield and Greenville ( Ill.), Philadelphia, Baltimore, and others. I know of none in Indiana. There will be a meeting for the study of the word of God on the 22nd of this month, at Vinton, Is., at which many from different parts of the country will be. This you will find profitable and cheering, I doubt not, and if you can go, I strongly advise it. All will be provided for together during the meeting. I am very happy you have written. I send you a few pamphlets on the matter you ask about and others, and I shall be most glad to hear from you again, and often. Rejoicing in the grace of God that has made you His, I. am yours in the Lord Jesus Christ, M. T.