Prayer for Russia
Christians in all parts of the world are agreeing together to make special supplication to God during this month on behalf of this distracted land. There is a danger in these days of getting into a routine in prayer, tabulating certain subjects for each day, but Acts 12:55Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. (Acts 12:5) clearly encourages us to agree to cry to God for a definite matter of special and urgent importance. We may well, both in public and private, make mention of Russia in our prayers. The Lord has many of His own in that dark and desperate country; they are exposed to hourly danger of death; the country, too, is opening for the gospel. We have much to pray for, and can mingle praise with prayer.
The Jews and Palestine
Owing to the awful persecutions and massacres of the Jews in Russia, large numbers of these are returning to Palestine. We are informed that from Odessa alone about ten thousand have gone back during this year.
“O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
A return to Palestine is one thing, but a return unto the Lord is quite another. Scripture shows that first of all there will be a return in unbelief, and this it is which seems now to be taking place.
Unrest in Egypt
A correspondent suggests prayer for Christians in Egypt, owing to the increasing ferment amongst the Mohammedan population.
“I think the position of our dear brethren in Egypt is very serious; so much so, that I think a notification in Christian’s Library for prayer on their behalf would be well. But no doubt you have similar thoughts.”
A Free Action of the Spirit
A correspondent inquires whether in pages 4 and 5 of our pamphlet entitled “The Free Action of the Spirit,” we intend to teach the doctrine of independency or congregationalism.
By no means. No one who recognizes the teaching of Scripture with reference to the Church of God as the one body could maintain such an attitude as that of independent gatherings. What we deprecate is the spirit of ecclesiasticism, which is in danger of interposing itself between the soul and Christ. Where saints have already been gathered and are breaking bread together simply as members of the body of Christ, it is right and proper and scriptural that this gracious work of God should be recognized by those who would seek to walk in a similar path. It would be independency to refuse so to do.
On the other hand, we have known, in more cases than one, of saints residing where no such gathering is found, but who nevertheless desire to break bread in accordance with their Lord’s will that they should “do this” in remembrance of Him; who desire, moreover, to do it, not in independency, but in fellowship with those elsewhere similarly gathered. We have known such threatened with non-recognition unless they came and presented themselves at an already formed assembly. This is ecclesiasticism unknown in apostolic days, and still more out of place in days of ruin and confusion such as these. It hinders the blessed work of gathering the distracted saints of God, and makes the confusion still more confounded. What we sought to advocate in the afore-mentioned pamphlet was that readiness of mind to recognize what the Spirit of God may have done here and there in His own sovereign way. “Receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Rom. 15:77Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)).
ED.