Job 34:4

"Handfuls of Purpose"

For All Gleaners

"Let us know among ourselves what is good." Job 34:4

The Church should be united in its testimony. Before going forth to the world the Church should agree upon what is eternal and what is temporal; in other words, between what is fundamental and what is changeable. The Church suffers for want of self-consultation; each man seems to run at his own bidding, and to go a warfare at his own charges. This is the exaggeration of individualism. Man belongs to man, and should consult man, especially when the purpose is to represent a common message from heaven. It is perfectly possible to be substantially one, and yet individually varied, so that there shall be a great element of permanence, and also a fascinating element of variety in the testimony and teaching of the Church. They that love the Lord should speak often one to another, and their object should be to say, with a loud and unanimous voice, that in which they are agreed with regard to the kingdom of heaven. How is it today? do we not hear more about controversies than about points of union? is not he the clever man who can create a new contention? and is not he considered as commonplace and wanting in originality who calls the Church to obedience, to duty, and to sacrifice? Conference amongst Christians is a sure way to union. When they cannot agree in speech to one another, they can agree in speech to God. By praying much to God they may learn the art of speaking concedingly and fraternally to one another. The action towards union which is to end aright must begin at the divine end; that is to say, it must begin by increasing our communion with God and out love to God, and when we are right with the Father we shall soon be right with one another. If thou hast aught against thy brother, go and speak to him. Instead of representing in our own language what other men are supposed to think, we should go to those men and ask them what their real meaning is, and should endeavour to find their standpoint, and to enter sympathetically into their whole mental action. There might be more outward union if there were really a deeper desire in the hearts of men to be one in Christ and in love of truth.