Beloved Brethren :--Occasionally I hear of some church trouble, and as often I am made to weep over Jerusalem! I am filled with deep grief and suffering because of this sad condition in some churches. O brethren, let us be ashamed before our God of these wrangles and contentions, for "only by pride cometh contention." Let us turn away from all this pride and wickedness, be of the same mind, and live in peace.

Beloved, let us stop and think, watch and pray. Yes, let us watch self, and try to find and remove the cause of these troubles. Sin is the cause of trouble or grief. Jabez prayed, "Keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!" Then of trouble it may be truly said, disobedience is the cause; obedience is the cure.

Humble mention may now be made of some of the special and common causes of trouble with the remedy suggested.

The most frequent cause of church trouble perhaps is the preaching of unscriptural doctrine and practice, and the bunching of preachers. So next to pastoral duty, let gospel ministers scatter out or go and preach the gospel; for plainly with us, the remedy must be sound gospel preaching, strict loving discipline, long suffering and forbearance. First let us save the preacher or other brother from his unsoundness if possible. If not possible to save the preacher save the church from trouble, by withdrawing from him who holds or teaches error. Whether that error be Arminianism or Two-seedism, no change in regeneration, Nonresurrection, or any other unscriptural doctrine, let us obey our Lord, "From such withdraw thyself," and "With such do not eat." "How can two walk together except they be agreed?"

Another very common cause, or increase of trouble among brethren, is church tattle. The remedy in this case it appears is, "Bridle the tongue," and confess our own faults. For church tattling is like fault-finding and news-carrying in the family or neighborhood: the more there is said the more there is to tell. More talk brings more trouble. Brethren, this state of affairs is a great shame to us all, and "ought not so to be." Beloved, I feel so imperfect to speak to you of your duty to God and to one another. Often there is a fear lest by word, tone or act I have caused some one to feel unhappy. Forgive my wrongs and help me to live a purer life. So let us never talk of church trouble over the neighborhood or before the world, nor even to each other, except when the wrong is in our home church; and then tell it not to others--"tell it to the church." So let us talk of the matter only in the church conference. Let us not have conference from one church meeting to another; but let us be silent and prayerful till church conference and then after labors of love, patient waiting and prayerful self-examination, let us speak of necessary things as unto the Lord.

When several churches also are involved, it seems good to ask help of God rather than man, and so by mutual confession and forgiveness, for them to settle their own trouble; for councils cannot prepare the heart, and a · settlement not from the heart is worthless. However, where brethren do not love peace and one another well enough to be thus reconciled, and if after patient scriptural effort to save an exclusion of the contentious ones will not suffice, and it must needs be, let all concerned jointly call a council from sister churches. This done, let us not talk of the matter privately or in church conference except to send messengers; but let all inquiry and talk of the trouble be deferred and confined to the council. Let us not speak evil one of another, neither let us "take up a reproach'' against a brother. Oh, brethren and sisters, let us not disobey our Lord, increase our trouble, and grieve the Holy Spirit, by talking or tattling about church troubles. Let us speak of better things. Let us talk of the goodness of God, and speak often one to another of His sovereign grace and great mercy to us through Jesus Christ. Let us give the reason of our hope and tell of the dark trials and sweet refreshings of God's love by the way, and so encourage those ready to faint. Brethren, let us confess our faults and forsake them, and pray with and for one another. Oh, may every home be given to prayer and godly fear. Then surely this foul fog of church trouble like the morning mist will vanish away before the sunshine of God's love in our hearts. Then we will not feel like strife, but with humble love "as we received Christ Jesus the Lord," we shall be employed in praising God and overcoming evil with good. So, dearly beloved, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, whose love passeth ail understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

The last cause of church trouble I would here mention, and which covers all the ground, is a coldness or want of brotherly love. If we love God, we will keep His commandments; and if we love the church we will humbly prefer others and speak and act kindly to all, and thus enjoy an increase of brotherly love. Think of the sweet words of Jesus, "If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love." "Hereby shall all men know that ye have love one for another."

Oh, my brethren, who bear the meek and lovely image of Jesus, may we always avoid doctrinal and practical sins, the fruitful causes of church trouble; and let us humbly seek to apply these essential remedies: Sound gospel preaching, strict discipline and loving forbearance; let preachers take heed to themselves and prayerfully inquire if it is not best to avoid bunching together in one neighborhood lest they gender envy, jealousy and party spirit in the churches, but like the apostles let them go everywhere preaching the word; bridle the tongue, confess the faults, forgive and pray with and for one another," love God and one another, avoid church tattle and let our conversation be of heavenly things to spiritual edification.