general, when Mr. Newton was not there; at least when I was. I cannot answer for other occasions. But I heard him on week evenings. Though there was nothing unorthodox or wrong in his teaching,―yet I did not at all think he was led of the spirit of God in it, and, when he came to speak to me about these things afterwards, I told him so. I was not at Plymouth when he joined, but I told Mr. Harris I thought his joining was, under the circumstances, a chastisement : but if they put away the chastisement, instead of the thing they were chastised for, they would have worse. Mr. Harris spoke to him with no adequate effect at any rate. But Mr. Batten one Sunday morning, being left (practically) in charge of the meeting as was customary, the other chief leaders being absent, the old gentleman got up to speak while the alms box was going round after the communion. Mr. B. pulled him back to his seat by the tail of his coat, and on the return of the box closed the meeting. A brother, well known and esteemed, long suffering under the state of things, remonstrated; and another urging just after when the first was not listened to, that the first had said that if this went on he must leave, Mr. Batten replied let him. This person however was not to be daunted by this, and, one day, when he got up to speak at the Sunday morning meeting, the sisters tried to put him down by scraping with their feet. At this period I sat among the communicants, taking no part in general publicly, in the service, though I said once something on a week evening. I was quiescent. That Sunday I was present. The next I was not, and then, as he rose to speak again, the sisters and some brethren began leaving, and before the close of the meeting, one sister came and patted him on the back and told him if he went on that way all would leave. The Sunday following, before the brother who broke bread reached his seat to sit down, Mr. N. jumped up so as to prevent any one’s speaking.[1] During the week
- ↑ I was informed by several brethren that this was constantly the practice. I speak of what I saw.
