It is written that, "he that soweth discord among brethren is an abomination unto the

Lord", and we may well shrink back from any participation in that which is so grievous.

To the Corinthians, the apostle speaks with equal intensity when he would show them the

fleshy character of a party spirit. "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or

were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

We must not think of unity as though it were a synonym for uniformity. The spirit that

prompts the language, "Master, we saw one casting out demons in Thy Name, and he

followeth not us; and we forbade him, because he followeth not us", must be repudiated,

for it savours not of Christ, but of the flesh. Among those who seek the truth of the

Word, there is not one that can lay claim to all the truth, and while the diligence and

usefulness of others should provoke us to emulation, we must encourage continually the

spirit that can say, "Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord's people

were prophets, and that the Lord would put His spirit upon them".

While we must ever watch our hearts and words lest Faction should be encouraged,

we must equally weigh over the teaching of the Word as to Fellowship. Many who have

sought to avoid the evil of a party spirit, have however overstepped the scriptural bounds

of Fellowship. We are urged to "put up no bar", and not to sit in judgment upon

fellow-believers. Much as we appreciate the spirit that often prompts those who thus

speak, and while we have endeavoured to allow in others the liberty we ourselves enjoy,

we see too plainly the teaching of the Word to allow ourselves to become entangled in a

fellowship that is contrary to the Word, merely for sentimental or other feelings. While

we are enjoined to "receive him that is weak in the faith", and not to despise the one

whose weakness causes him to act very differently to ourselves, there are occasions when

continued fellowship becomes a betrayal of our trust.

Here is scriptural ground for a cleavage. No plea of fellowship, or love, or our own

liability to err, or the sadness our attitude may cause, or the fact that most probably our

motives will be misunderstood, or that we shall lose the support of many a dear child of

God, or that ties of sweetest friendship may be severed, none of these things can alter the

plain teaching of the Word. The forerunners of the apostacy are everywhere busy.

Earnest students of the Word are sowing seeds the harvest of which would horrify them

could they but foresee it.

The Person of Christ, His nature and offices, are prominent in the list of doctrines

marked down for attack. Sin, too, by the fact that its absolute origin is not a subject of

revelation, affords scope for much teaching that either reduces sin from a crime to a