35(&,286 7587+6 5(9,9(' $1' '()(1'(' 7+528*+ - 1 '$5%< 92/80( 7:2 'HIHQVH RI 7UXWK % : 1HZWRQ DQG %HWKHVGD 7KH 2ULJLQ RI 2SHQ %UHWKUHQLVP $Q KLVWRULFDO UHYLHZ LQFOXGLQJ H[SRVXUHV RI SDVW DQG SUHVHQW FDOXPQLHV HPSOR\HG LQ DWWHPSWV WR GLVFUHGLW WKHVH WUXWKV 5 $ +XHEQHU www.presenttruthpublishers.com Made and printed in USA ,6%1 ,6%1 Present Truth Publishers PTP 825 Harmony Road Jackson NJ 08527 USA www.presenttruthpublishers.com www.presenttruthpublishers.com 3DUW 'HIHQVH RI WKH 5HFRYHUHG 7UXWK www.presenttruthpublishers.com www.presenttruthpublishers.com Preface v 7DEOH RI &RQWHQWV $FNQRZOHGJHPHQWV L[ 3UHIDFH [ 6HFWLRQ % : 1HZWRQ DQG 3O\PRXWK 7KH &KXUFK DQG WKH +RSH 'HQLHG DQG 7KH 3HUVRQ RI &KULVW 9LRODWHG &KDSWHU 7KH ,QWURGXFWLRQ RI 0RGLILHG 3UHVE\WHULDQLVP The Germing of Newtonism ................................. 7 Introduction ........................................... 7 The Christian Witness Article ............................. 7 Long Undetected ....................................... 8 The Truths Undermined at Plymouth . ................. 9 B. W. Newton’s View of the Spirit’s Action in the Assembly ........................ 10 Clerisy and Modified Presbyterianism Introduced . 11 &KDSWHU 5HFRYHUHG 7UXWK 'HIHQGHG The Ripening Evil ........................................ 15 B. W. Newton’s Ecclesiastical Agenda ........................ 17 The Meeting of the 15 Brethren . ............................ 19 Patience Produced No Change in BWN . ................ 21 JND’S Withdrawal ........................................ 22 Breaking Bread in Separation from Ebrington Street . 25 No Second Lord’s Table ................................... 28 Five Letters on Events Predicted in Scripture as Antecedent to the Coming of the Lord . ................ 28 "The question of the character of the church and how incompatible with this was all untruthfulness and shuffling" (G. V. Wigram) ............................ 32 &KDSWHU 7KH :RUN RI WKH (QHP\ )XOO\ 8QPDVNHG Newtonism Brought into the Light . ........................ 37 www.presenttruthpublishers.com vi Preface A Sketch of the Exposure of BWN’s Evil Teaching . 37 Defense and Exposure of Newtonism . ................ 41 Confessions of Several Plymouth Leaders . ................ 44 Newtonism Held at Plymouth for Years . ................ 45 B. W. Newton’s Acknowledgment............................ 46 B. W. Newton’s Restatement of the Satanic Doctrine . 47 The Meetings at Bath, May 1848. ............................ 49 &KDSWHU 'LG % : 1HZWRQ 7HDFK +LV (YLO 'RFWULQHV 6XEVHTXHQW WR +LV $FNQRZOHGJPHQW" B. W. Newton Said That He Subsequently Taught It . 51 BWN’S Writings Show That He Continued to Teach His Evil Doctrines .................................................... 53 The Fire of Sinai Burnt Against Christ . ................ 53 Christ’s "Unspeakable Circumstantial Distance from God" . 54 Christ had to Find His Way to the Point Where God Could Meet Him . ................ 56 Christ had the Exercises of an Unconverted Man . 57 BWN’s Doctrine of Christ’s Mortality . ................ 57 Concluding Thoughts ................................... 60 BWN is Acquitted by Open Brethren . ........................ 60 Predecessors that BWN Quoted for Support . ................ 63 BWN’S Shiftiness ........................................ 64 BWN and the 1866 Controversy Regarding JND’s Teaching Concerning the Sufferings of Christ ................ 66 "Thoughts on the Apocalypse" . ............................ 67 &KDSWHU + : 6ROWDX V $FFRXQW RI :KDW +DSSHQHG DW 3O\PRXWK 1RWHV IRU 6HFWLRQ www.presenttruthpublishers.com Preface vii 6HFWLRQ %HWKHVGDLVP &RUSRUDWH 3XEOLF 5DWLILFDWLRQ RI 8QKROLQHVV LQ &KULVWLDQ )HOORZVKLS ,QWURGXFWLRQ &KDSWHU %ULHI %DFNJURXQG WR 7KH %HWKHVGD 'LYLVLRQ G. Muller, H. Craik and the Reception at Bethesda . 101 Summary of the Bethesda Matter . ........................ 102 &KDSWHU 7KH 5HFHSWLRQ RI /HDYHQ Leaven Leavening the Lump . ............................ 105 JND’s Visit to Bethesda After the Reception of the Woodfalls . ........................ 107 &KDSWHU 6KHOWHULQJ WKH /HDYHQ E\ 3ULQFLSOH The Reception of Leaven at Bethesda . ................ 111 J. M. Code’s Description of Bethesda’s Position . 113 The Letter of the Ten ................................... 114 What Happened When Bethesda Adopted the Letter of the Ten . ........................ 113 Who Signed the Letter of the Ten? . ........................ 114 The Letter of the Ten Upheld by Leading Open Brethren . 117 &KDSWHU 7KH 5HVXOW RI 6KHOWHULQJ WKH /HDYHQ The Letter of the Ten Denounced by Faithful Men . ........................ 123 The Result of Bethesda’s Taking an Evil position . 123 The Bethesda Circular Issued by JND . ................ 124 The Response of the Brethren at Bath . ................ 126 H. Bewley’s Visit ...................................... 127 The Lack of Response at Bethesda ........................ 128 G. V. Wigram at Bristol ................................. 128 &KDSWHU %HWKHVGD V %HODWHG DQG 8QDFFHSWDEOH 5HDFWLRQ The Oct. 31, 1848 Meeting at Bethesda . ................ 131 H. Craik’s and Bethesda’s Position. ........................ 132 G. Muller’s Letter to J. G. Deck . ........................ 132 Why Did Bethesda Finally Investigate? . ................ 133 What Were Bethesda’s Findings? . ........................ 134 Additional Facts ....................................... 136 How do Bethesda’s Supporters Answer This? ................ 140 Did Bethesda (Ever) Judge the Evil? . ................ 141 The Practical Outworking . ............................ 142 B. W. Newton’s Papers Circulated at Bethesda . 144 www.presenttruthpublishers.com viii Preface Bethesda’s Position..................................... 145 A Classic Palliation and Reversal . ........................ 145 &KDSWHU %HWKHVGD $GDPDQW A Meeting Requested ................................... 147 &KDSWHU 'LYLVLRQ 6SUHDGV Others Side with Bethesda . ............................ 151 &KDSWHU - 1 'DUE\ V ,QWHUYLHZ :LWK *HRUJH 0XOOHU & K D S W H U 7 K H 0 H H W L Q J V D W 7D XQ W R Q C % U L V W R O D Q G - 1 ' V :LWKGUDZDO RI WKH %HWKHVGD &LUFXODU The Meetings ......................................... 157 JND’s View of Bethesda’s Conduct ........................ 159 JND’s (Alleged) Letter to Henry Craik . ................ 162 &KDSWHU :LWK WKH 'RRU 2SHQ WKH (YLO 7DLQW 6SUHDG 3UHVHQW 'D\ 2SHQ %UHWKUHQ .HQRWLFLVP What is Kenoticism? ................................... 163 Kenoticism Circulating Among Open Brethren . 164 3UHVHQW 'D\ 7UHQGV :KR LV /RRNLQJ IRU E8QFOHDQ %LUGVE" Where Are They Nesting? . ............................ 167 Can You Find Any? .................................... 168 $ 1RWH RQ 2SHQ %UHWKUHQ E,QWHUFRPPXQLRQE &RQFOXVLRQ 1RWHV IRU 6HFWLRQ $SSHQGLFHV $SSHQGL[ $ 6WDWHPHQW DQG $FNQRZOHGJHPHQW 5HVSHFWLQJ &HUWDLQ 'RFWULQDO (UURUV >1RY @ $SSHQGL[ $ 1 *URYHV A. N. Groves’ Principles of Fellowship . ................ 190 A. N. Groves, G. Muller and H. Craik . ................ 197 $SSHQGL[ &RQIHVVLRQ RI - ( %DWWHQ :LWK &RPPHQWV RQ % : 1HZWRQ V $FNQRZOHGJPHQW $SSHQGL[ / 3LOVRQ V $QDO\VLV RI % : 1HZWRQ V $FNQRZOHGJHPHQW $SSHQGL[ ) 5 &RDG V &KDUJH &RQFHUQLQJ 'RFHWLF www.presenttruthpublishers.com Preface ix 7HQGHQFLHV RI E([FOXVLYHVE The Charge of Docetism ................................ 205 C. H. Mackintosh and "the Heavenly Humanity" . 206 $SSHQGL[ 8VH RI WKH :RUG E0RUWDOE $SSHQGL[ $ & 2UG V ([DPLQDWLRQ RI % : 1HZWRQ RQ WKH 3HUVRQ RI &KULVW $SSHQGL[ - 1 'DUE\ RQ WKH 6XIIHULQJV RI &KULVW $SSHQGL[ 9LHZV RQ 1HZWRQLVP Introduction .......................................... 225 Views of Those Who Excluded Evil . ................ 225 Views of Open Brethren ................................. 225 Miscellaneous Judgments . ............................ 227 $SSHQGL[ ([DPLQDWLRQ RI WKH /HWWHU RI WKH 7HQ E\ * 9 :LJUDP $SSHQGL[ * 9 :LJUDP $SSHQGL[ +HQU\ &UDLN Henry Craik’s Attitude and Views . ........................ 259 Was H. Craik Sympathetic Towards B. W. Newton’s Doctrine? . ............................ 261 $SSHQGL[ *HRUJH 0XOOHU V 9LHZV DQG &RQGXFW 5HODWLYH WR % : 1HZWRQ $SSHQGL[ 7KH 2SHQ %UHWKUHQ 9LHZ RI /HDYHQ /HDYHQLQJ WKH /XPS 1RWHV IRU WKH $SSHQGLFLHV ,QGH[ %LEOLRJUDSK\ www.presenttruthpublishers.com x Preface www.presenttruthpublishers.com Preface xi $FNQRZOHGJHPHQWV My first acknowledgement is due our blessed Lord Jesus, without Whom we can do nothing (John 15:5). He has graciously given me guidance to the information needed for this book. The second acknowledgement is due Dr. David Brady , Curator of the Christian Brethren Archive located at the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, England. He has supplied me with numerous papers, including the Fry MS sometimes called "Newton’s Memoirs." a Also, on occasion he has been able to supply me with an answer to a question on relevant history. Next, I am much indebted to Dennis Ryan and Frank Marotta for their valued editorial work which has greatly improved the presentation of the information contained in this book, though they are not to blame for any deficiencies. And then I wish to express appreciation for word processing, and also the proofreading of Section 9 and the Appendicies, done by Carolyn Ryan. * * * * * Thanks are due the following for permission to quote copyrighted material. Harold H. Rowdon, editor, Vox Evangelica, 1983, for an extract. The Paternoster Press, Exeter England, for F. R. Coad, A History of the Brethren Movement, sec. ed., 1976. ©