About the course pursued at Rawstorne Street, there can be only one opinion; but there is a possibility of rational variations of judgment on the question whether Newton would once again have done better to accede (of course under protest) to the proposals made to him. Yet on the whole a verdict must be recorded in his favour. Whatever his actual motives, a perfectly lawful prudence would have fully justified him in refusing the Rawstorne Street people as his judges. Their proved partiality disqualified them. They had persistently neglected to entertain serious charges, alleged by a man of weight among them, against Wigram and Darby. They had received without remonstrance Wigram’s disgraceful Address, in which Newton and all his friends were most recklessly aspersed; and then they proceeded to summon Newton before their tribunal, on his mere appearance at some houses of Brethren in the neighbourhood. What would have been the result of obedience to the summons? Probably, that Darby would have found the very weapon he was seeking—the verdict of an assembled church given against Newton on the moral charges. Once more, Newton was bound to lose whichever way things went. He was fighting his battle against hopeless odds; still, at the juncture in question, there can be little doubt that he chose the less of two evils.
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both before God and as affecting the consciences of saints, would be wholly null and void.
“14 Alfred Street, Plymouth,
“December 10, 1846.”
Darby and Wigram were very angry with Tregelles for his tract on their singular proceedings. However, I apprehend that his character stands far above the reach of their intemperate imputations.
