FFF 6:9 (Sept 1960)
Editorial
In one respect it was a delight to sit in the comfort and safety of our home and converse with a friend and brother, a missionary from the Foreign Field; but in another, it was distressing. This honoured servant of Christ who had spent many years in difficult places spreading the Evangel of Heaven was quite disturbed. Two grave problems confronted him: first, the spirit of nationalism and the infiltration of Communism in the land of his service; and second, the carnal and disunited state of the assemblies at home.
Similar exercise prevails in the hearts of many throughout the United States and Canada, only the exercise is in the reverse order. With the missionary, his first anxiety is the condition in his field of labour; with the Christian at home, his first concern is the state of the assemblies in his locality.
God has ordained that the ministry of His Word be for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of His people. The preservation, as well as the progress, of the churches of the saints depends upon the spiritual administration of the Holy Scriptures.
Notes taken at the Galt, Ontario, conference held this summer encourage the heart and indicate that there remains still an exercise among the servants of the Lord to provide spiritual food that will fortify and sustain the sheep of Christ’s pasture.
According to these notes the conference was opened by James Blackwood who based his message on prayer upon the fifth chapter of the Epistle of James. It was closed by a word from George Wilson regarding the spirit of expectancy that should prevail in view of the Lord’s imminent return.
Brethren William Pell, Thomas Wilkie, William Bousfield, Joseph Darling emphasized the shepherdhood of the Lord Jesus. An expression of regret was repeated by each that the beautiful Twenty-third Psalm in metre was not included in the worship books currently used by the assemblies.
Brother Henry Fletcher spoke very plainly about church matters as he compared the seven letters to the churches of Asia (Rev. 3-4) with the sevenfold division of the narrative covering the wreck of the ship in which Paul travelled to Rome (Acts 27). He pointed out how extremes in teaching and practices have marred the expression of a united testimony before the world, but at the same time rejoiced, and caused the hearts of God’s people to rejoice, that the true Church of our Lord Jesus Christ remains inviolate for “the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.”
Brother Field from Wales gave an appreciated address on the importance of the Word of God. This address was an exposition of the references to the divinely written Word in the gospel according to Luke. Brother William Schwartz directed the attention of the Christians to their possession in Christ. He made mention of our Unchanging God, Unfailing Saviour, Untiring Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Unstinted Provision, the grace of God, and the Unfading Hope.
May the Lord preserve these brethren in their spheres of labour, and may the Holy Spirit fit them even more for a positive ministry that will bless and strengthen the people of God in a day of sad deterioration.