Then further, reading your analysis of Peter's reactions to the vision of the sheet from heaven; his mode

of speech conveying apology, surprise, hesitation in dealing with Cornelius and the other apostles, showed

me that either we are dealing with a dull, unimaginative man, who continues to misuse his function as the

holder of the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, or one who is acting consistently with the testimony

entrusted to him up to that point and thus speaks accordingly. Seeing this to be the only sane way to view

Peter's response, made me realize that the familiar quotation of Acts 2:42 was out of place today, for these

believers being instructed by the apostles now saw Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah and their rightful King,

and consorted together in the Temple with new found joy. The place is Jerusalem, the time is Pentecost, why

should Gentiles be there? Had anything changed since Christ was crucified 50 days before?

Reverting to Acts 2:42 we read `they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine'. Now taking the

viewpoint of some that these apostles had a mistaken attitude about their heavenly calling (they were not

spiritually minded enough) why do they insist we should get back to the apostles' teaching? Of course they

make the common mistake of confusing later revelation with what has passed, reading the future into the

present and so on. How should any one today know what the apostles taught then if what they preached then

is ignored?

I had heard too, different views about `the olive tree' of Romans 11; the usual one allowing that the

believer can be lost. A true appreciation of Israel's priority during the Acts, Gentiles being added to provoke,

if possible, a response from the nation, it came as added cause for joy. Then too, I am grateful for the study

relating to the `millennium', over against the teaching that Christ will rule in the hearts of everyone on earth

for John 16:7-11 to become true, so that He will not need to be on earth! Daniel 2, relating to the destruction

of all kingdoms typified in the image, in one blow, followed immediately by Christ's reigning over all the

earth, does not allow of men bringing in universal righteousness and peace because ruled by the Holy Spirit

prior to that. Many other things of course could be said, but that I be not further tedious unto thee, speaking

of ourselves our health could be better, things are at pressure in every way, we feel our need of strength and

courage and want always to be grateful remembering that we can be strengthened with all might, according

to His Glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. Ours is a walk of faith, hence

`patience' - long-suffering with joyfulness is logical. The end is sure, intervening `curtains' of trouble and

difficulties make no real difference.

We are also glad of the tapes and so share in the spoken ministry.

Both my wife and I send you both our love and best wishes for the future.

signed (

)'

THROUGH BONDAGE TO LIBERTY

When at the invitation of the Bible Training College I became the Secretary, as already mentioned I felt that I

had found a cause to which I could well devote my life and energies. This however was not to be, but the discipline

and the contacts made were most certainly divinely ordained. Out of a series of events that were of themselves the

occasions of much sorrow and heart searching, there emerged one outstanding fellowship to which every reader of

The Berean Expositor must be for ever indebted. I refer to the loyal and gracious partnership of Mr. F. P. Brininger,

a fellowship that lasted for forty years and which ceased only with his death in November 1947.

It would be wearisome to recount the gradual change that came over the work of the Bible Training College, and

how the idea of founding a `primitive church' took the place of the `training college', which change, bred a most

censorious spirit. This primitive church was to be founded on `the Sermon on the Mount' and Acts 1 and 2, with an

obligation to attend the Lord's supper that was almost tyrannical in its insistence.

Side by side however with this undispensational attempt to form a `primitive church' there had been a series of

studies in the epistle to the Ephesians, in which I took a prominent part, and the growing conviction - that the present

dispensation was not concerned with a church built on the lines of the `Sermon on the Mount' or Acts 1 and 2 -

suddenly blossomed into full flower by an incident that marks a crisis in the testimony to the truth for which The