Darby tells us that he “felt the Spirit utterly quenched”. If he went to the meetings happy, he returned miserable. He spoke to Harris, but got no satisfaction. Harris indeed remonstrated with him. But things were not yet at their worst. The following statement is significant:
“About three or four months before my return to England, I had a correspondence with Mr. H., one of whose letters, from the great change in its tone, convinced me that every barrier was gone at Plymouth; for he had long sought to keep himself free from the influence that ruled most things there. From that moment I felt that conflict and trial awaited me, though I knew not what:[1] but I was satisfied before God that nothing which could be ventured on would be spared.”
It will be observed that Darby implies that things were tranquil at Plymouth. Harris had been a barrier to the rising tide of clericalism, but at last he too was swept away. He still, however, felt able to invite Darby to pay them a visit. This is a totally different thing from Darby being summoned (as some have alleged) by a party of malcontents in the Ebrington Street Chapel. He manifestly came, rightly or wrongly, on his sole responsibility, and came foreseeing—or at least being in a position to foresee—that trouble must follow. As a matter of fact, it followed immediately. From the moment he decided to come, Brethrenism was doomed.[2]
- ↑ The italics are mine.
- ↑ An anonymous tract, dated January 29, 1846 (conjecturally attributed to Richard Hill, a seceder from Ebrington Street Chapel of Darby’s party), states that Darby came to Plymouth, “it appears with no intention at all”. This quaint phrase probably means “with no definitely formed plan”. The writer was contradicting the assertion that Darby saw that Plymouth was the centre of opposition to his views, and came “to break it up”; and proceeds: “His own remark to me, in disavowing such a previous intention is: ‘people have no idea that one cannot venture to act without the Lord, and that one has no plan
