,
"You," but always "Thou." To this I answered that it was so, but that
we must remember that in the Holy Scriptures we find governors and
kings addressed by poor men in the term "Thou;" for this was the only
form of speech in use, whilst in Germany, where the "Thou" is not
used except to denote near natural relationship or familiarity, it
ought not to be used, except there be that inwardly corresponding to
what we outwardly seek to convey by the term; else it will lead to
formality, if not to hypocrisy, and sooner or later the pernicious
tendency of this outward thing, to which there is nothing inwardly
corresponding, will most surely be felt. It appeared to me far better
not to make any profession of familiarity and intimacy by the use of
the "Thou," when the heart does not go along with it, and rather to
continue to say to one another "You" till there be the drawing of
heart to heart by the love of Jesus, than to force the "Thou" upon
the brethren and sisters. I felt the more strongly about this, as I
had witnessed more than once among believers in England the injurious
effects of doing things because others did them, or because it was
the custom, or because they were persuaded into acts of outward
self-denial, or giving up things whilst the heart did not go along
with it, and whilst the outward act WAS NOT the result of the inward
powerful working of the Holy Ghost, and the happy entering into our
fellowship with the Father and with the Son. I had seen, when these
things had been done from wrong motives, that there had been regret
afterwards, and the returning back as much as possible to what had
been given up or forsaken. Moreover, though I had been only one day
in Stuttgart when we had this meeting, yet I had heard enough of the
state of things, to make me think the calling one another "Thou" was
in many instances a mere outward form.--My brotherly suggestions were
not received, but strongly opposed by two or three out of the five
brethren, and it was pretty plainly hinted, that, perhaps, I was too
proud to be called "Thou;" and the moment I perceived that, I said
that I wished every brother, the very poorest of them, to call me
"Thou" (and I encouraged them in doing so, by calling every one "Thou"),
but that I could not, with my light, call any of the sisters
"Thou," nor did I do so up to the day of my departure.

There was another thing of the same character, that is the kiss. In
Germany, as on the Continent ge