understood, that, as every body said he did, he supposed he did say as alleged. Lord C. at last asked Mr. Rhind whether if he had read that paper he should say it was an untrue account of the meeting. He replied, he must, but that Mr. N. was so angry, so chafed I believe was the word, that he did not think he ought to be charged with what he did say. This passed in my room when the brethren who came to enquire came to examine me.[1] The other thing which formed the subject of charge was this. Mr. Newton published the first letter of the five, which had been circulating six years in MS. denouncing the brethren, with the following advertisement. “The following letter was written some years ago, in reply to the enquiries of a friend, who resides in Norfolk. It is now published with some omissions and alterations, but in substance it remains the same.” What was my astonishment, to find, on comparing it, that a quarter nearly, of the printed matter was not in the MS. letter at all. Partly mixed up, but chiefly added at the end; and that the new matter consisted of reasonings against the doctrines he was charged with holding now, as to the authority of teachers. So that these charges appeared most wanton and unfounded, inasmuch, as six years ago, the person charged had actually written against the things he now was charged with. This is all woven in at the end of the letter, so as to form part of it. I
- ↑ Mr. Newton declares in his letter to Clulow that every door of ministry was thrown open to me, and that he should have decidedly objected to its being otherwise. At the time he says this was so, he was assiduously insisting that we denied the gospels, redemption through the blood as to some, life in the Old Testament saints, and that the fundamentals of christianity were in question. Can any one give credit to these things together? It is a mystery, I confess, to me, how Mr. Harris who knew of the meeting held to arrange united opposition to me, could have got on at all after this letter was published. He did go to Mr. N. to speak to him about it, telling him he regretted it for his own credit and character, as he (Mr. N.) must say if asked that it was untrue, but I confess I do not see how common action is to go on in such a case.
