I was content it should be done in that way, or Mr. N’s friends might reassemble the 15, who met in April, or if Mr. N. chose to take it up as a personal wrong (which is what in fact he complained of), he could follow the scriptural rule in that case. All I demanded was that it should be fully enquired into before the Church of God. I mentioned that the statement of the charges themselves was inaccurate. I received for answer that it was not a matter of conscience but of fact. That they had expected to receive a withdrawal of the charges, or an acceptance of their proposal, that it was evident I was not prepared to substantiate them, and that they therefore treated my statements as unworthy of credit, and had given a copy of the letter to Mr. Newton to do as he pleased with. That bringing it before a public assembly was repeating the grievance, and that Matt. xviii. did not apply because it was a wrong done in public. They had never been near me at all (save Lord Congleton, and with him there was nothing to say to this). They had never asked me what my charges were : and they had never asked a word of five or six brethren present at the April meeting, then in or near Plymouth, not partisans of Mr. N. that is, Messrs. Harris, C. Pridham, Mc’Adam, Naylor, Hill. I replied, that I was sorry some I loved had put themselves in such a position, and begged for a copy of my letter, which, as writing to brethren, I had not kept. It is not for me to state all that the enquiring brethren did, for I staid perfectly quiet. I can only allude to some facts. They came to me once. Mr. N. was so anxious about his character that they had difficulty in getting at the question of principle, which all pretty much agreed, with more or less decision of conviction, had been departed from. Some most decidedly who had not before suspected it. The facts were proved which I had charged. Indeed, as to one there was only to compare the publication, professing to be the letter 6 years ago, and the MS. The testimony as to what passed at the April meeting, was such that Mr. N. himself at last said, he supposed he must have said what I stated as all said so. Here I would only remark as to the complaint of
