And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
Talking with Cornelius as he crossed the threshold, Peter entered a Gentile home to find a large company already assembled. Those present were Cornelius's relatives, household and close friends whom he had called together and who waited eagerly to hear the message Peter was to bring. Their meeting had been arranged by God through angels, visions and ordered circumstances, with heaven working closely with human messengers to join them together. The gathering became the turning point where the gospel was opened to the Gentiles, showing that God accepts no distinction of nation and receives Jew and Gentile on equal terms through faith in Christ. It teaches that sincere seekers who live up to the light they have will be led to those who can teach them more fully, and that believers must unite in loving, personal effort to reach them.
Entering and Finding Many
As he talked with Cornelius, Peter went inside the house and found many people gathered together there. This meeting brought Cornelius, who had sought and obeyed the light given to him, into contact with Peter, who could teach him more about Jesus Christ. Their gathering provided the setting for Peter to speak the message God had given him and to recognize that he must not regard any person as common or unclean, overcoming his prejudice against Gentiles.
The house entered was Cornelius's own home, a Gentile and heathen home, and the company found inside was large. Peter's visit there was part of God's work to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, opening the way for them to hear it and to become fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household. God set in operation a train of circumstances through heavenly messengers to bring Peter into connection with Cornelius so that Cornelius might learn the truth, and Peter undertook the duty as a divine command with reluctance at every step. His going in to uncircumcised men and eating with them was in obedience to the vision ending the ceremonial distinction and to the command to go to Caesarea, in direct fulfilment of God's plan to destroy prejudice and to grant to the Gentiles also repentance unto life. His visit to the Roman centurion is an example of God sending someone to a place where people need divine help and guidance.
Those gathered were Cornelius's kinsmen, relatives, near friends, household and acquaintances, whom he had called and assembled together so they could hear the truth as well. They were waiting eagerly in readiness to hear the words Peter was to speak and to receive advanced light. Their gathering prepared them to hear the message Peter had been sent to give, and Cornelius's household received instruction through God's appointed human messenger. The conversion of Cornelius and his household gathered there was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, and from that home and household a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. As Cornelius brought his energetic life into connection with the disciples and gathered his acquaintances to hear the truth, so honest people seeking light can be reached and gathered through patient, loving work, even among people associated with opposition to the message.
Heavenly Guidance Through Messengers
The gathering was brought about because God instructs people through visions, with angels employed as powerful helpers to communicate with human beings and instruction often given to men by immortal messengers. He answered Cornelius's prayers and directed him to a chosen human messenger for further gospel light, setting a train of circumstances in operation through heavenly messengers to bring Peter into connection with Cornelius so that Cornelius could learn the truth. Cornelius in turn gathered people to hear Peter, showing how God connects those needing enlightenment with human agents and opens the way for the gospel to reach the Gentiles. Peter went in with Cornelius and found many gathered together in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light.
God knew every person by name and just where they live and the spirit they possess and every act of their life, with ministering angels passing through the churches noting faithfulness in each individual line of duty. He knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon the tanner, and told Cornelius all about it by the angel, giving every particular of where to find him and just where Peter lived so that everything was worked out for them to meet with many gathered together. This exact direction arranged every particular to bring about a connection between Peter and Cornelius through personal contact.
The angel of God could have told Cornelius the gospel message himself and given him the message directly, but that is not God's way, for God requires His church to connect together. The light and truth and law God had already given to Peter had to be imparted by Peter as God's appointed human messenger to Cornelius and all his family and household and all who were gathered with him. Their gathering prepared them to hear the message Peter had been sent to give, and Cornelius's household received instruction through that appointed human agency. Cornelius and Peter had to become acquainted in gospel missionary work, so that Cornelius as a man of influence could accomplish a great work in connection with believers in Jesus Christ.
The transaction shows the simplicity of the Lord's plans for the advancement of His work, in which heaven and earth are united and the agencies of heaven are ever ready to cooperate with human agencies. Heaven is much nearer to the Christian who is engaged in the work of soul-saving than many suppose, and angels of God cooperate with His servants to bring sincere seekers walking in all the light they have received to the full light of truth as precious jewels in this dark world of sin. In this meeting Peter himself was being converted to God's purpose and appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies, so that more than one man was converted in the transaction. The visions in the chapter guided Peter to prepare him to preach to the Gentiles, using a vision to correct his error and departure. Such visions comfort God's people and correct departures from Bible truth, but do not establish a new rule of faith.
Gospel Opened to Gentiles
Talking with Cornelius as he went in, Peter found the many kinsmen and near friends Cornelius had called together, and their gathering gave him the setting to declare what God had shown him. Though Jews held it unlawful to keep company with another nation, he had learned not to call any man common or unclean. His very presence and fellowship in that house challenged the distinction between Jew and Gentile, overcoming his prejudice against Gentiles and his refusal to meet with them.
The meaning is that God is no respecter of persons and the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews. The barrier between Jew and Gentile is taken away, so that Jews and Gentiles are joined to Jesus Christ by faith. Those who accepted the gospel were to share its blessings as equals with Jewish believers, becoming fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household on equal terms without being required to be circumcised. This was the opening of the Christian church to people beyond the Jews, so that salvation was no longer restricted to the chosen people.
Going in to men uncircumcised and eating with them was in obedience to the vision admonishing him no longer to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision nor to look upon Gentiles as unclean, and to the command given him by the Spirit to go to the Gentiles at Caesarea. His course was in direct fulfilment of the plan of God to destroy prejudice and exclusiveness by the gospel. By it God granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life and opened the way without controversy for work to be carried on among the Gentiles.
Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step. Afterward he defended his action not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation. That going in surprised and offended the brethren in Judea, who met him with severe censure as presumptuous and contrary to his own teachings. The result was a great surprise to him.
The encounter marks the turning point and beginning of the gospel's important work among the Gentiles, whose equal share in its blessings the apostles had not yet fully recognized. The conversion of Cornelius and his household gathered there was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered in from the world. From that household and home in a heathen city a widespread work of grace was carried on.
Cornelius, though already accepted by God in devout piety with prayers and alms acceptable as far as his knowledge went, still needed an advance in faith and a new experience to do his work intelligently through Jesus Christ and to receive the fulfilment of the promised Messiah. Neither prayer nor almsgiving can take the place of Christ, in whom all fullness dwells and in whom alone all is made complete. At the same meeting Peter himself was being converted to God's purpose for the Gentiles and was appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies.
For a long time the apostles had remained together in and near Jerusalem in danger of spending all their energies on church members there instead of obeying the gospel commission to go into all the world and preach to every creature in Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Persecution scattered them to work earnestly for the salvation of the Gentiles, breaking the rabbinical sentiment that Jews should have no communication with any other nation.
Cornelius the Earnest Seeker
Cornelius sought and obeyed the light given to him, lived according to it, and feared God's name, and the Lord wrought for him to bring him into contact with one who could teach him more about Jesus Christ. The gathering Peter found on entering shows the way God works on human minds for one who feared Him, illustrating God's care for sincere seekers and the need for personal effort to bring them spiritual light. He represents earnest seekers among the nations who longed and prayed for light from heaven and received Christ gladly when He was revealed to them.
He is the pattern for many men in the world who fear God and follow principles of righteousness though they are not fully informed in regard to the truth for this time. In every sphere of action they work on principles that God accepts, and all through the ages such devout men have borne a clear, pure, undefiled testimony for truth and righteousness, standing as bright and shining lights even in high positions of responsibility among worldly men, not forgetting God in the investigation of true science. They remain true to pure, holy principles in their investigation of the laws which rule the world, and they obtain a knowledge of God as Cornelius did through the visitation of angels from heaven. As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for these true standard-bearers, preparing the way for them to take the place of those who have been given a knowledge of Bible truth but have disappointed the Lord. To give them advanced light God places them in connection with men of superior knowledge regarding His Word and calls men of nobility and influence into His work to use as His witnesses. They will have a hard battle, standing in sharp contrast with those who have sacrificed His cause and falsified His Word, meeting falsehood after falsehood and fearful odds amid unfaithful stewardship, but if they heed the message for this time God gives them strength to conquer and to testify by purity and nobility of character to the power of unadulterated principles, with the sunshine of His favor upon them as they cling to Infinite Wisdom and press on in the narrow way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord.
Christ does not acknowledge a hypocrite, but He acknowledges and honors those who truly serve Him and guides them along the path that leads to everlasting life, and Cornelius was a man taught of God, with spiritual discernment, true and sanctified and ennobled through the truth, in contrast to men who have professed faith all their lifetime yet are not true men and to men who have lost spiritual discernment and are in perilous condition. Men like him include men of influence whom God can convert and use to accomplish a great work in connection with believers and in bringing the gospel to others, as seen in his household. They include men bearing responsibilities and positions of stewardship, such as those in Brisbane whose sympathies are with the truth but who are held by the threads that bind them to the world and have not the moral courage to take their position with the lowly ones. Special, determined effort must be made to reach such stewards in trust amid the temptations of their positions, though it is a heavier cross than letting sympathy go out to the poorer and lowly, because if converted they will give strength and solidity to the cause rather than bringing in objectionable elements that dishonor Christ.
As Cornelius brought his energetic, faithful life into connection with the disciples by the wonderful works of God, gathering many of his acquaintances together to hear the truth, so the same will happen in the last days. Many will prize the wisdom of God above any earthly advantage and obey the Word of God as the supreme standard, and will be led to great light and to the knowledge of the truth. Having received light themselves, they will seek to place that light of truth before those of their acquaintance who are anxious for the truth, becoming conscientious lightbearers to the world. Constrained by the love of God they will constrain others, improving every opportunity to invite and urge others to come and see the beauty of the truth and to give their abilities to advance the work of God.
Call to Mission Work
The tenth chapter of Acts is instruction for workers to read and pray over until understanding is opened, for it shows the way God works on human minds to break the power of oppression and tyranny and to dispel ignorance and superstition. When that chapter, including Peter talking with Cornelius as he went in and finding many come together, is understood, it starts earnest work for souls in the home field. Unless workers arouse to home mission duties they will be found wanting in the day of God.
The gathering illustrates God's care for sincere seekers, for God sent Cornelius, a Roman officer living according to the light he had received, a message and directed Peter to visit and teach him. It teaches God's regard for every human being, and that each person should treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. It shows heaven much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving than is supposed, and gives the example of God sending someone where people need divine help and guidance.
In every age God sets in operation a train of circumstances through heavenly messengers to bring honest hearts into connection with those of His people best adapted by knowledge and training to reach their individual needs. He guides His servants to make personal efforts for those who have not received the whole truth yet are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose, walking in all the light they have received. There are many like Cornelius in the world, and souls in the churches, who are much nearer the kingdom of heaven than is supposed, like precious jewels in this dark world of sin, and angels cooperate with God's servants to bring them to the full light of truth, which should lead to readiness and courage in working for them.
Earnest, devoted, determined effort should be made for such associations as the W.C.T.U. where honest souls like Cornelius are gathered in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light. It is the Lord's design that work be done for them, that those seeking light may be gathered out from those bitterly opposed to the message God is giving to the world. Honest people seeking light can be reached and gathered through patient, loving work, even among people associated with opposition to the message.
God knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon the tanner, and told Cornelius every particular by an angel so everything was worked out for them to meet with many gathered together. The angel could have told Cornelius the gospel message directly, but that is not God's way, for God requires His church to connect together, so the light and truth already given to Peter had to be imparted by Peter through personal contact to Cornelius and all his family and household gathered with him. This means believers must come into close connection with Christ and with one another in unity, loving one another and dealing justly, honestly, gently, truly and righteously instead of standing apart in hatred, self-building, criticism and tearing one another down. They must make room for God and bind their labors together as one inseparable united whole, with medical missionary work and the gospel combined.
Talking with Cornelius as he crossed the threshold, Peter entered a Gentile home to find a large company already assembled. Those present were Cornelius's relatives, household and close friends whom he had called together and who waited eagerly to hear the message Peter was to bring. Their meeting had been arranged by God through angels, visions and ordered circumstances, with heaven working closely with human messengers to join them together. The gathering became the turning point where the gospel was opened to the Gentiles, showing that God accepts no distinction of nation and receives Jew and Gentile on equal terms through faith in Christ. It teaches that sincere seekers who live up to the light they have will be led to those who can teach them more fully, and that believers must unite in loving, personal effort to reach them.
Entering and Finding Many
As he talked with Cornelius, Peter went inside the house and found many people gathered together there. This meeting brought Cornelius, who had sought and obeyed the light given to him, into contact with Peter, who could teach him more about Jesus Christ. Their gathering provided the setting for Peter to speak the message God had given him and to recognize that he must not regard any person as common or unclean, overcoming his prejudice against Gentiles.
The house entered was Cornelius's own home, a Gentile and heathen home, and the company found inside was large. Peter's visit there was part of God's work to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, opening the way for them to hear it and to become fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household. God set in operation a train of circumstances through heavenly messengers to bring Peter into connection with Cornelius so that Cornelius might learn the truth, and Peter undertook the duty as a divine command with reluctance at every step. His going in to uncircumcised men and eating with them was in obedience to the vision ending the ceremonial distinction and to the command to go to Caesarea, in direct fulfilment of God's plan to destroy prejudice and to grant to the Gentiles also repentance unto life. His visit to the Roman centurion is an example of God sending someone to a place where people need divine help and guidance.
Those gathered were Cornelius's kinsmen, relatives, near friends, household and acquaintances, whom he had called and assembled together so they could hear the truth as well. They were waiting eagerly in readiness to hear the words Peter was to speak and to receive advanced light. Their gathering prepared them to hear the message Peter had been sent to give, and Cornelius's household received instruction through God's appointed human messenger. The conversion of Cornelius and his household gathered there was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, and from that home and household a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. As Cornelius brought his energetic life into connection with the disciples and gathered his acquaintances to hear the truth, so honest people seeking light can be reached and gathered through patient, loving work, even among people associated with opposition to the message.
Heavenly Guidance Through Messengers
The gathering was brought about because God instructs people through visions, with angels employed as powerful helpers to communicate with human beings and instruction often given to men by immortal messengers. He answered Cornelius's prayers and directed him to a chosen human messenger for further gospel light, setting a train of circumstances in operation through heavenly messengers to bring Peter into connection with Cornelius so that Cornelius could learn the truth. Cornelius in turn gathered people to hear Peter, showing how God connects those needing enlightenment with human agents and opens the way for the gospel to reach the Gentiles. Peter went in with Cornelius and found many gathered together in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light.
God knew every person by name and just where they live and the spirit they possess and every act of their life, with ministering angels passing through the churches noting faithfulness in each individual line of duty. He knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon the tanner, and told Cornelius all about it by the angel, giving every particular of where to find him and just where Peter lived so that everything was worked out for them to meet with many gathered together. This exact direction arranged every particular to bring about a connection between Peter and Cornelius through personal contact.
The angel of God could have told Cornelius the gospel message himself and given him the message directly, but that is not God's way, for God requires His church to connect together. The light and truth and law God had already given to Peter had to be imparted by Peter as God's appointed human messenger to Cornelius and all his family and household and all who were gathered with him. Their gathering prepared them to hear the message Peter had been sent to give, and Cornelius's household received instruction through that appointed human agency. Cornelius and Peter had to become acquainted in gospel missionary work, so that Cornelius as a man of influence could accomplish a great work in connection with believers in Jesus Christ.
The transaction shows the simplicity of the Lord's plans for the advancement of His work, in which heaven and earth are united and the agencies of heaven are ever ready to cooperate with human agencies. Heaven is much nearer to the Christian who is engaged in the work of soul-saving than many suppose, and angels of God cooperate with His servants to bring sincere seekers walking in all the light they have received to the full light of truth as precious jewels in this dark world of sin. In this meeting Peter himself was being converted to God's purpose and appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies, so that more than one man was converted in the transaction. The visions in the chapter guided Peter to prepare him to preach to the Gentiles, using a vision to correct his error and departure. Such visions comfort God's people and correct departures from Bible truth, but do not establish a new rule of faith.
Gospel Opened to Gentiles
Talking with Cornelius as he went in, Peter found the many kinsmen and near friends Cornelius had called together, and their gathering gave him the setting to declare what God had shown him. Though Jews held it unlawful to keep company with another nation, he had learned not to call any man common or unclean. His very presence and fellowship in that house challenged the distinction between Jew and Gentile, overcoming his prejudice against Gentiles and his refusal to meet with them.
The meaning is that God is no respecter of persons and the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews. The barrier between Jew and Gentile is taken away, so that Jews and Gentiles are joined to Jesus Christ by faith. Those who accepted the gospel were to share its blessings as equals with Jewish believers, becoming fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household on equal terms without being required to be circumcised. This was the opening of the Christian church to people beyond the Jews, so that salvation was no longer restricted to the chosen people.
Going in to men uncircumcised and eating with them was in obedience to the vision admonishing him no longer to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision nor to look upon Gentiles as unclean, and to the command given him by the Spirit to go to the Gentiles at Caesarea. His course was in direct fulfilment of the plan of God to destroy prejudice and exclusiveness by the gospel. By it God granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life and opened the way without controversy for work to be carried on among the Gentiles.
Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step. Afterward he defended his action not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation. That going in surprised and offended the brethren in Judea, who met him with severe censure as presumptuous and contrary to his own teachings. The result was a great surprise to him.
The encounter marks the turning point and beginning of the gospel's important work among the Gentiles, whose equal share in its blessings the apostles had not yet fully recognized. The conversion of Cornelius and his household gathered there was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered in from the world. From that household and home in a heathen city a widespread work of grace was carried on.
Cornelius, though already accepted by God in devout piety with prayers and alms acceptable as far as his knowledge went, still needed an advance in faith and a new experience to do his work intelligently through Jesus Christ and to receive the fulfilment of the promised Messiah. Neither prayer nor almsgiving can take the place of Christ, in whom all fullness dwells and in whom alone all is made complete. At the same meeting Peter himself was being converted to God's purpose for the Gentiles and was appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies.
For a long time the apostles had remained together in and near Jerusalem in danger of spending all their energies on church members there instead of obeying the gospel commission to go into all the world and preach to every creature in Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Persecution scattered them to work earnestly for the salvation of the Gentiles, breaking the rabbinical sentiment that Jews should have no communication with any other nation.
Cornelius the Earnest Seeker
Cornelius sought and obeyed the light given to him, lived according to it, and feared God's name, and the Lord wrought for him to bring him into contact with one who could teach him more about Jesus Christ. The gathering Peter found on entering shows the way God works on human minds for one who feared Him, illustrating God's care for sincere seekers and the need for personal effort to bring them spiritual light. He represents earnest seekers among the nations who longed and prayed for light from heaven and received Christ gladly when He was revealed to them.
He is the pattern for many men in the world who fear God and follow principles of righteousness though they are not fully informed in regard to the truth for this time. In every sphere of action they work on principles that God accepts, and all through the ages such devout men have borne a clear, pure, undefiled testimony for truth and righteousness, standing as bright and shining lights even in high positions of responsibility among worldly men, not forgetting God in the investigation of true science. They remain true to pure, holy principles in their investigation of the laws which rule the world, and they obtain a knowledge of God as Cornelius did through the visitation of angels from heaven. As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for these true standard-bearers, preparing the way for them to take the place of those who have been given a knowledge of Bible truth but have disappointed the Lord. To give them advanced light God places them in connection with men of superior knowledge regarding His Word and calls men of nobility and influence into His work to use as His witnesses. They will have a hard battle, standing in sharp contrast with those who have sacrificed His cause and falsified His Word, meeting falsehood after falsehood and fearful odds amid unfaithful stewardship, but if they heed the message for this time God gives them strength to conquer and to testify by purity and nobility of character to the power of unadulterated principles, with the sunshine of His favor upon them as they cling to Infinite Wisdom and press on in the narrow way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord.
Christ does not acknowledge a hypocrite, but He acknowledges and honors those who truly serve Him and guides them along the path that leads to everlasting life, and Cornelius was a man taught of God, with spiritual discernment, true and sanctified and ennobled through the truth, in contrast to men who have professed faith all their lifetime yet are not true men and to men who have lost spiritual discernment and are in perilous condition. Men like him include men of influence whom God can convert and use to accomplish a great work in connection with believers and in bringing the gospel to others, as seen in his household. They include men bearing responsibilities and positions of stewardship, such as those in Brisbane whose sympathies are with the truth but who are held by the threads that bind them to the world and have not the moral courage to take their position with the lowly ones. Special, determined effort must be made to reach such stewards in trust amid the temptations of their positions, though it is a heavier cross than letting sympathy go out to the poorer and lowly, because if converted they will give strength and solidity to the cause rather than bringing in objectionable elements that dishonor Christ.
As Cornelius brought his energetic, faithful life into connection with the disciples by the wonderful works of God, gathering many of his acquaintances together to hear the truth, so the same will happen in the last days. Many will prize the wisdom of God above any earthly advantage and obey the Word of God as the supreme standard, and will be led to great light and to the knowledge of the truth. Having received light themselves, they will seek to place that light of truth before those of their acquaintance who are anxious for the truth, becoming conscientious lightbearers to the world. Constrained by the love of God they will constrain others, improving every opportunity to invite and urge others to come and see the beauty of the truth and to give their abilities to advance the work of God.
Call to Mission Work
The tenth chapter of Acts is instruction for workers to read and pray over until understanding is opened, for it shows the way God works on human minds to break the power of oppression and tyranny and to dispel ignorance and superstition. When that chapter, including Peter talking with Cornelius as he went in and finding many come together, is understood, it starts earnest work for souls in the home field. Unless workers arouse to home mission duties they will be found wanting in the day of God.
The gathering illustrates God's care for sincere seekers, for God sent Cornelius, a Roman officer living according to the light he had received, a message and directed Peter to visit and teach him. It teaches God's regard for every human being, and that each person should treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. It shows heaven much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving than is supposed, and gives the example of God sending someone where people need divine help and guidance.
In every age God sets in operation a train of circumstances through heavenly messengers to bring honest hearts into connection with those of His people best adapted by knowledge and training to reach their individual needs. He guides His servants to make personal efforts for those who have not received the whole truth yet are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose, walking in all the light they have received. There are many like Cornelius in the world, and souls in the churches, who are much nearer the kingdom of heaven than is supposed, like precious jewels in this dark world of sin, and angels cooperate with God's servants to bring them to the full light of truth, which should lead to readiness and courage in working for them.
Earnest, devoted, determined effort should be made for such associations as the W.C.T.U. where honest souls like Cornelius are gathered in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light. It is the Lord's design that work be done for them, that those seeking light may be gathered out from those bitterly opposed to the message God is giving to the world. Honest people seeking light can be reached and gathered through patient, loving work, even among people associated with opposition to the message.
God knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon the tanner, and told Cornelius every particular by an angel so everything was worked out for them to meet with many gathered together. The angel could have told Cornelius the gospel message directly, but that is not God's way, for God requires His church to connect together, so the light and truth already given to Peter had to be imparted by Peter through personal contact to Cornelius and all his family and household gathered with him. This means believers must come into close connection with Christ and with one another in unity, loving one another and dealing justly, honestly, gently, truly and righteously instead of standing apart in hatred, self-building, criticism and tearing one another down. They must make room for God and bind their labors together as one inseparable united whole, with medical missionary work and the gospel combined.