Brother A. Dodson, of Plans, Ga., asks us to give our views through the paper on Isaiah 5:8, and asks if it applies to anything being built now. The text reads, "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth." In the marginal reference the word ye appears for the word they, so that the sense is this, "that ye may be placed alone in the midst of the earth."

There is sufficient in this text for a long article, but we do not have time to write at length upon the subject. The language was to national Israel, and they were typical of spiritual Israel. In some sense that text be longs to the church today, and is to be applied to the church.

There is some building going on today. Some may be building of wood, hay, stubble; and some may be building of gold, silver, precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12-13) There may be some working in the Lord's vineyard, though they may be doing very little. As they labor, they may join in with others, join house-to-house and field-to-field.

When the church of God joins house-to-house, or field-to-field, with the nations around, then there is no place left for them in all the earth. The Lord's church or kingdom is not to be like any other, nor is it like any other. To join house-to-house or field-to-field with other folks is to be like others. When they are like others, they are not like the Lord's kingdom or church. There cannot be two things that are alike, and those things be different. The Lords kingdom was to be different from all other kingdoms. If they do just as other folks, and practice the same things that other folks do, they would not be different from others; then there would be no place left for them in all the earth. Israel were a peculiar people, unlike any other nation. So the church or kingdom is peculiar, and to be unlike any other church or kingdom. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." Others are of this world. If the church uses and practices, the same things that the world uses and practices then they would be just like the others - of the world. When one of the Lords churches goes into the practice of the things of the world, the inventions of men, she finally loses her identify or becomes extinct.

To join In with the world in their worship and service is to join house-to-house and field-to-field. The secret orders of the day have their prayers and ritual services. They have their forms of worship. To join in with them is to join house-to-house and field-to-field, and to do so is to bring distress and final destruction. The Lord pronounced the woe. We may thing it necessary to do as others do, and to allow what they allow, and to join in with them in order that we prosper. If we think that way, we think wrong. Gods way is better than our way. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. We think wrong many times; but Gods thoughts are always right. He did not promise a blessing upon Israel when they join house-to-house, or field-to-field. with the nations around, but He pronounced a woe upon them that thus do. The same thing applies to His church today, for Israel were a typical people, representing spiritual Israel today.

Suppose the Old Baptists were to engage in and practice the many things that other orders engage in and practice today. Where would the Old Baptists be? Would there be any Old Baptists? Certainly not. They are different, and must remain different in order to retain and maintain their identity.

These are just a few of our thoughts in connection with the text. If any other brother feels like writing some more we will appreciate it; but we no not have time to write more now. May the Lord bless the same to the good of our readers. C. H. C.