A history of the Plymouth Brethren/Bibliographical Appendix
Articles Plymouth Brethren, in Encyclopedia Britannica, by Lindsay, and in Schaff’s Herzog’s Religious Encyclopedia, by E. E. Whitfield. (Professor Lindsay’s article, though short, is excellent, but needs correction as to early details. Mr. Whitfield is very good for detail, but is very partial to Brethrenism. The same fault mars his article on J. N. Darby.) Article J. N. Darby, by Boase, Dictionary of National Biography. Miller’s The Brethren, their Origin, Progress and Testimony, contains a good account of the social and theological aspects of Darbyism.
A Letter from J. G. Bellett to J. McAlister, freely circulated in manuscript, with additional notes by J. N. Darby, E. Cronin, G. V. Wigram and J. B. Stoney, is the great authority. Hardly less valuable is the Memoir of A. N. Groves by his widow. For the original environment of Brethrenism, Professor G. T. Stokes’ article, “John Nelson Darby,” Contemtporary Review, October 1885; D’Acy Sirr, Memoir of the last Archbishop of Tuam. Recollections of J. G. Bellett, by his daughter, is scanty for the early period, and deals throughout chiefly with Bellett’s private life. The first three tracts by Darby, reprinted in his Collected Writings, Ecclesiastical, vol. i. F. W. Newman, Phases of Faith.
As Chapter I., especially Newman, Stokes, Sirr (pp. 217, seq.; 332, seq.) . Daly, Letters of Viscountess Powerscourt. P. F. Hall, Discipleship (a long tract, throwing much light on the religious point of view of the first Brethren). S. P. Tregelles, Three Letters to the Author of “A Retrospect, etc.” W. H. Dorman, Reasons for Retiring from the Dissenters. This tract (published 1838) I have not seen; the writer’s point of view may be gathered from his Way of Truth in Evil Times (1856). G. Müller’s Narrative of the Lord’s Dealings, with which the Memoir of Henry Craik may be read, is of the utmost value. Darby, first ten tracts in Collected Writings.
A. N. Groves’ Memoir (Groves), as before. H. Groves’ Memoir of Lord Congleton. F. W. Newman, Personal Narrative in Letters, principally from Turkey; Phases of Faith. Stock, History of the Church Missionary Society, books i. and ii.
J. J. Herzog, Les Frères de Plymouth et John Darby. Darby, Letters (Darby), vol. i.; On the Formation of Churches, and the following five tracts, Ecclesiastical, vol. i.; the whole of vol. ii. relates to Swiss matters, and has an important bearing on the work in Vaud, though belonging to a later date; especially important is The Church and its Friendly Sub-divisions—A Reply to Mr. R. W. Monsell. (I have not seen the tracts of Rochat and Olivier.) G. Müller, Narrative (Müller).
B. W . Newton, Thoughts on the Apocalypse; A Letter to Brethren and Sisters in Ebrington Street, containing remarks on a recent publication, commenting on Thoughts on the Apocalypse; A Second Letter to Brethren, etc.; Letter to Clulow, April 18, 1845. J. N. Darby, An Examination of Thoughts on the Apocalypse; Answer to a Letter to Brethren, etc.; Answer to a Second Letter, etc.; Narrative of Facts Connected with the Separation of the Writer from the Congregation meeting in Ebrington Street; Letter to the Saints meeting in Ebrington Street on the Circumstances which have recently occurred there; Account of the Proceedings at Rawstorne Street; and other tracts in his Collected Writings, Ecclesiastical, vol. iv.
A. T. C. Campbell, Letter To the Saints meeting for Worship in Ebrington Street. Wigram, A Reason for Withdrawing from Ebrington Street; Letter To the Saints meeting to Break Bread in Rawstorne Street; Plain Evidence Concerning Ebrington Street; Letter To those who have read Lord Congleton’s Tract, entitled Reasons for Leaving Rawstorne Street; Letter to Lord Congleton. W. [? Wigram], Some Remarks on a Recent Letter from Plymouth. R. Hill, Remarks on a Portion of a Letter written by H. Soltau, etc. An anonymous tract, Some Remarks upon the Circular Letter, etc., is also sometimes attributed to R. Hill. The above are all written on Darby’s side of the controversy.
Lord Congleton’s Reasons for Leaving Rawstorne Street Meeting is written from a neutral position, but criticises Darby severely; it is highly valuable for its minuteness of detail, and carries the weight of its author’s high character and independent position.
The Correspondence, etc., Relating to Mr. Newton’s Refusal to appear before the Saints at Rawstorne Street contains all the letters written on both sides during the episode with which it deals, and is therefore of the greatest value. On Newton’s side appeared Tregelles’ Letter to Gough, and Three Letters, etc.
J. E. Howard, Letter to Miss ―, and Letter On System, were written by a leading London teacher among the Brethren in opposition to Mr. Newton’s principles, but they do not relate to the actual strife at Plymouth.
J. L. Harris, ''The Sufferings of Christ as set forth in a Lecture in Psalm'' vi. B. W . Newton, Remarks on the Sufferings of the Lord Jesus; Observations on a Tract, etc. (reply to Harris); A Statement and Acknowledgment respecting certain Doctrinal Errors; A Letter on Subjects Connected with the Lord’s Humanity (of this important tract I have failed to procure a copy); “Brief Statements in the form of Answers to Questions”; A Letter to a Friend concerning a Tract recently published in Cork; Christ our Suffering Surety; Propositions for the Solemn Consideration of Christians, etc., etc. J. N. Darby, Observations on a Tract entitled “Remarks on the Sufferings, etc.”; A Plain Statement of the Doctrine on the Sufferings of our Blessed Lord propounded in some Recent Tracts; Notice of the Statement and Acknowledgment of Error, circulated by Mr. Newton; Remarks on a Letter on Subjects connected with the Lord’s Humanity.
H. W. Soltau, A Confession of Error. J. E. Batten, A Letter to the Saints meeting in Ebrington Street. W. B. Dyer, A Confession of Doctrinal and Practical Errors. G. J. Walker, A Confession and Retractation of Two Doctrinal Errors. J. G. Deck, Confession of a Verbal Error in a Hymn. A Statement from Christians Assembling in the Name of the Lord in Ebrington Street. “Vindex,” Shibboleth.
J. Cox, A Refutation of certain Charges made by the Brethren; Judge Righteous Judgment; An Ernest Expostulation to the Author of High Church Claims of the Exclusive Brethren.
Groves’ Darbyism. W. Trotter, The Whole Case of Plymouth and Bethesda; Bethesda in September, 1857. W. H. Dorman, A Review of Certain Evils and Questions that have arisen amongst Brethren. Wigram, The Present Question (containing a reprint of the letter of G. Alexander, and of the Letter of the Ten); An Appeal to Saints that remain still in Bethesda and Salem, as to certain bad Doctrine; An Answer to Mr. H. Craik’s Letter, dated 15th November, 1848. Lord Congleton, The Bristol Case, and Divisions in Other Places Connected Therewith; The Bath Case; or who made the Division at Bath? A. N. Groves, The Tottenham Case. “Vindex,” Shibboleth, or, the New Test of Communion amongst certain “Brethren”. D. W., Divers Weights Brought out and Broken. J. G. Deck, Letter on Receiving or Rejecting Brethren; A Second Letter on Receiving and Rejecting Brethren. (The second was written to correct the first; Deck’s attitude towards the controversy was always extraordinarily vacillating.)
“Philadelphos,” An Appeal to “The Brethren,” so called; The Basis of Peace. (These were printed—not published—by a Brother named Bewley, in 1871, and constitute the most important attempt that has been made to reconcile the parties.)
R. Nelson, Protest against the Proceedings of Mr. John N. Darby; W. Yapp, “What was I that I could withstand God?” T. Newberry, The Loose Ground of Gathering. (Mr. Newberry afterwards left the Exclusive communion.)
As for Chapter VIII. and the following: H. Young, A Plea for the Honour of Christ. Christian Fellowship (printed statements of their basis of communion from the Open meetings at Torquay, Scarborough, Tottenham, Taunton and Bath). Two anonymous pamphlets on Darbyism, attributed to Boardman, give some striking instances of intolerance. Dorman’s tracts cited below for Chapter XII. are still the most powerful attack on “Exclusive” principles.
The writings of J. N. Darby and W. Kelly are the most reliable testimony as to the ecclesiastical principles of Darbyism. For a comparatively short and thoroughly authoritative account, Kelly’s Six Lectures is best. From an adverse point of view, Dorman’s tracts (see below under Chapter XII.) are best. My chapter has been principally written from personal knowledge, except as to the facts of the Walworth-Sheffield discipline. For these consult J. E. Howard, A Caution against the Darbyites; H. Groves, Darbyism; and the anonymous Darbyite Discipline, or a Buoy fixed by a Friendly Hand on a Sunken Rock. Allusions to the episode are very frequent in the pamphlet literature of Brethrenism for many years. Unfortunately I have not been able to see the Correspondence of the Walworth and the Priory Gatherings, and other contemporary correspondence.
J. N. Darby, The Sufferings of Christ, Collected Writings, Doctrinal, vol. ii. (The controversial matter will be found in the Preface (Collected Writings), originally issued with the first reprint, and in the Introduction(Collected Writings), issued with the reprint of 1867, i.e., after the schism.) P. F. Hall, Grief upon Grief, and Appendix (Hall). W. H. Dorman, Close of Twenty-Eight Years of Association with J. N. D.; High Church Claims of “the Exclusive Brethren”—a Series of Letters to Mr. J. L. Harris. “Tertius,” Divers and Strange Doctrines Stated and Examined (well worth reading,—thoughtful, and, though extremely firm, charitable).
A tract in opposition to Darby and his school appeared in 1868, entitled The Recent Doctrines of the Five; but it has been justly criticised as unpardonably inaccurate. The literature of this controversy was very extensive.
The literature bearing on the period of this chapter and the next is still voluminous. A few of the most important tracts are here mentioned. It is impossible to give all the rest that have been consulted, and unsatisfactory to make a further selection. Of the events related in this chapter the present writer has had personal knowledge. A great many private letters, chiefly autographs, have also been utilised.
J. N. Darby, “Letter from Pau,” printed and extensively circulated; Letter to H. J. Jull; unprinted correspondence with Dr. Cronin, and other unprinted letters. J. H., A “Fresh Testimony” Characterised by Fellowship with “Ecclesiastical Error” Incompatible with “Endeavouring to Keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace,”—a detailed account of the whole subject of this chapter from the point of view of an adherent of the Priory meeting. On the other side, covering rather less ground, is an Epitome of the Ramsgate Sorrow. There is a more connected narrative by G. Gardner, P. Compain and T. Neatby,—Exposé des Troubles Ecclésiastiques de Ryde—Londres—Ramsgate. This was answered by W. J. Lowe in Paroles d’Avertissement (which I have not been able to consult), to which the authors of the Exposé replied in Examen de la Brochure de M. Lowe.
A great deal of correspondence is given in Facts and Correspondence Connected with the Withdrawal from Albert Street, Ryde, and in Correspondence Ensuing on the Ramsgate Division.
H. J. Jull’s Letter to Darby gives the point of view of some of the “New-lump” party.
Of the circulars issued by meetings that dissented from the Priory, that of Blackheath is the most important. The acts of the Priory are given in the general narratives above cited.
The Reading Schism: C. E. Stuart, Christian Standing and Condition; Is it the Truth of the Gospel? J. B. Stoney, A Letter to the Brethren in the Lord, meeting at Queen’s Road, Reading. C. H. M., A Letter to a Friend on the New York and Reading Pamphlets. W. Scott, The “Reading” Question. E. R. Wills, Why I Cannot Refuse the Queen’s Road Assembly. J. E. Batten, Is it Subjection to the Holy Ghost? or to a Committee?
Mr. Grant and his party: W. Scott, The “Montreal” Division. Letter, dated Plainfield, July 12, 1892. F. W. Grant, Letter to J. B . McCaffery; The Other Side. J. J. Sims, A Review of “The Other Side”. John James, Is Christ Divided?
The “Raven” schism: W. Kelly, The New Development. B. Gladwell, “The Word Became Flesh”. H. H. McCarthy, “The Babe Lying in a Manger”. B. C. Greenman, Letters Relating to Present Affairs, etc. Mr. Raven’s own tracts are very numerous. Truth for the Time, being Notes of Addresses and Readings at Quemerford, is published in ten parts. Notes of Readings and Addresses in the United States and Canada, revised by F. E. R., is published in England at the Stow Hill Bible and Tract Depôt, Newport, Mon.