there, for my part I left it.[1] At the Clifton meeting Mr. Newton, speaking of ministry and the points connected with it, told me that his principles were changed. I replied that mine were not: that I felt I had received them from the Lord’s teaching, and with his grace I should hold them fast to the end.[2]
This however, subsequently went further. Mr. Newton got rid of Capt. Hall, at Plymouth. I do not enter into any details here, but I use advisedly the expression got rid of.[3] This also was let pass; my own mind acquiesced in it, though grieved, because I felt it possible that there was a tendency to accumulate labourers on one spot; and that, in the want of spiritual energy which led them, God might use this as a means of sending the testimony further. In fact, the gathering at Hereford soon followed on this. Thus I consoled myself with what I felt the unhappy disposition of
- ↑ Mr. Young made, it is true, a mistake in his tract as to the Clifton meeting, which he states Mr. N. not to have attended. But, though this was made a handle of, the truth is, that, though he mistook the particular meeting, the case was much stronger than that, as may be seen above.
- ↑ Mr. Newton can easily deny this, as he and I were alone, walking up and down before the Gloucester hotel. This, of course, will not now hinder my stating it, though it did my referring to it publicly in the enquiry by the brethren. There is one who will judge who is truthful in the matter, if he does deny it, and to Him I leave it. I might here refer to the testimony of an intelligent brother, a physician, who plainly states that Mr. N., ten years ago, pressed the principles I have done now, and which he resists, but then he declares he always thought them a delusion, that he joined the brethren as a sect, and continues with them as such. Loudly as this is denied, a sister, whose zeal for Ebrington Street would not be questioned were I to name her, said to me that it was quite evident there were two systems among the brethren which would produce their fruits and gatherings every where. My reply was, I did not doubt it, and respected her sincerity. I would that others had the honesty to own it: they were all assuring me there was not.
- ↑ Mr. Hall, of course, went freely at the time, and the influence of Mr. Newton may even at that time have been shaken by circumstances; but the main fact of the statement remains unaffected by this.
