Daily Verse
“ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—” ( 1 Corinthians 1:4-5)
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Kingdom Studies
 This is the introduction to our article section. We'll have a list of the best articles on different topics here...topics on spiritual maturity and things not generally covered in other Churches/studies.
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INQUIRE OF THE FORMER AGE
by H. G. LANG
5
The enemy of
truth at once set in motion powerful antagonistic efforts to neutralize what
God was doing. One which he initiated at the very same time was the Tractarian
movement at Oxford.
It was designed to re-impose the doctrines and practices of the corrupted
post-apostolic period, and so to prevent a return to the apostolic days and
ways. It is sadly significant that his chief agent in this return to darkness
was one who could tell of a genuine conversion to God in his youth, John Henry
Newman.
But the
second, and perhaps equally effective manoeuvre of the Enemy was to divide
those who were spreading vigorously the recovered truth of the nature and unity
of the church of God, so spoiling the testimony to that unity; and again, and
alas, his chief, and wholly unconscious agent in this divisive work was the
learned and devoted scholar who first, and beyond others, had discerned and
disseminated this truth. For John Nelson Darby was shortly beguiled into a series
of opinions which developed disastrously into a ruinous division among the many
who by then had embraced the truth as to the church of God. He formed and
spread the notions that:
9) There was
in apostolic days an original condition when the church of God
stood in pristine order and beauty according to the mind of its glorified Head.
Yet the very low state of the church in Corinth soon after its formation by an
apostle, with schisms, immorality, and false doctrine, together with the early
declension of the churches in Galatia, show that no such high and noble general
condition as was imagined ever existed.
10) It was
then asserted that this original condition had fallen into ruin and could not
be restored; from which was deduced the consequence that no local church could
be put in the original order by having recognized elders to rule it and elected
deacons to serve it. Thus "ruin" was asserted to be the permanent irremediable
condition of the church
of God to the end of this
age.
11) Darby held
tenaciously that the church
of God is a visible,
universal body on earth. He was strongly opposed to the principle that local
assemblies of Christians in each place are the only visible exhibition of the
invisible church universal.
12) By
consequence, he insisted that all churches everywhere, being part of a visible
universal society, are bound by the church acts of each other, as in the matter
of receiving or excommunicating members. As a result, when churches in the
movement refused this principle of discipline, and insisted that no local
church was necessarily bound by the acts of another local church, but had duty
to consider whether that action was Scriptural, he could do no other than
reject such churches, and in 1848 he forced a general division by insisting
upon his principle of discipline. By this step the outward and spiritual unity
of the church of God, which he had clearly and powerfully
expounded twenty years before, was, as to public testimony, wrecked by its
chief advocate.
The salient
details of these affairs can be read in my Life of A. N. Groves, another chief
actor in them. Here it is enough to show how evidently Satan has a powerful
aversion to the truth as to this society, the church of God.
As in the earliest days, so in these later times, he strives to keep the
subject in obscurity, and subtly diverts to his ends the minds and efforts of
truly godly men. Learning and devotion, so valuable in themselves, are not of
themselves a safeguard against his methods.
In the book
just mentioned it is shown at what point this great man of God was betrayed
into leaving the safe path for a false track. When he declared his intention to
cut off from communion those churches which should refuse his principle of
discipline he was challenged to show what scriptures warranted the cutting off
of an entire assembly. He admitted there was no scripture for doing this, but
claimed that when godly men seek guidance by prayer they are entitled to
believe that they receive it, even though there be no scripture for the course
they decide to take. This meant that he abandoned in this matter the foundation
principle that he and his associated had all formerly avowed: that the Word of
God is the sole rule and guide in the things of God. He ignored the fact that
the men of God who refused his view were equally men of prayer, some of them,
like George Muller, markedly so, yet they felt led to take the very course
which he condemned. The divergences demonstrated the insecurity of his method
of seeking guidance, and it emphasized the necessity of God's Word written as
His means for our ascertaining His will. This abandonment of the Word of God as
the only rule has had an ever widening influence among Darby's follower, as
well, of later years, among those who then refused his principle, and who are
known as Open Brethren. The inevitable effect is spiritual deterioration. This
has been shown in some of my books, and will be mentioned in our last chapter.
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In connection
with this renewed inquiry as to the true nature of the church of God as a
people associated with Christ as the Man in heaven and glory, and therefore
dissociated in heart from the earth and intended by God to be removed to the
heavenly place and glory where Christ is, there naturally arose inquiry as to
the circumstances of that coming removal and of the return of Christ to effect
it.
An early
indication of this renewed interest in the return of the Lord was that Henry
Drummond, banker and Member of Parliament convened meetings for the study of
the subject at his mansion at Albury, in Surrey.
This was in 1827. Edward Irving and his associates attended these gatherings.
Mr. Drummond became a leading supporter of "Irvingism" and one of its apostles.
In that
movement there developed, alas, most unsatisfactory features, including alleged
use of unknown tongues and prophesying under spirit inspiration. One of the
chief of these inspired prophets was Robert Baxter. After leaving the Movement
he published a full account of it.
Almost the
chief subject upon which the "prophets" spoke under power was prophecy and the
coming of the Lord. They made many predictions which not long after showed to
be false. The Jews were to be restored to their land speedily, with vengeance
upon all their enemies. An Indian chief, then present, was to return to his
land and bring his brethren to God; which never happened. All the Seven
Trumpets of the book of the Revelation were to be fulfilled within the next
three years and a half, the first four within two years, the others in the
succeeding year and a half. Within that same period "the saints would be caught
up to the Lord, and the earth wholly given up to the days of vengeance."
These and
other false predictions by Baxter were confirmed by the chief prophetess of Irving's Church, Miss E.
C., speaking under power. And she, and other "gifted" persons, confirmed Irving
in his fatally false doctrine which he expressed as follows: "I say not that
Christ has the motions of the flesh, but that the law of the flesh was there
all present; but that whereas in us it is set on fire by an evil life, in Him
it was, by a holy life, put down, and His flesh brought to be a holy altar,
whereon the sacrifices and offerings for the sin of the world might ever be
offered up." It was this statement by Irving
of this pernicious view of the essential sinfulness of our Lord's humanity, and
its confirmation by the prophets of the Movement, which opened Baxter's eyes to
the fact that it was by demonic energy that they were taught and empowered,
whereupon he left the Movement completely.
It is fact
concerning the "Tongues" Movement of the past forty-five years that, in its
early years, there were many equally false prophecies uttered under power, and
that Irving's
fatal heresy was repeated more than once by its "inspired" speakers. No doubt
they, as he, were blinded and did not recognize the fatal nature of their
teaching. All this further emphasizes the feature that true Christians may be
deceived and caused to serve Satan, even while their experiences are intermingled
with ecstatic joy, peace, prayer, praise, and their false utterances are
combined with a certain measure of truth.
Baxter
specially stresses the front-rank place given to the subject of the Lord's
return and the emphasis placed upon the alleged nearness of that event. These
features have been equally prominent in the later "Tongues" circles.
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One who
attended the conferences at Albury was Viscountess Powerscourt of Ireland. She is
described as "a dear humble saint". It was understood that J. N. Darby had
thoughts of marrying her. His family, though not titled, moved in the same
social circle, his father being John Darby of Markley,
Sussex, and Leap Castle, Ireland. My father, who knew J. N.
Darby well, told me that he did not carry through his desire because his
brethren advised him that it was more needful that he should travel among the
assemblies. It may have been so, but it could have been that union with so fine
and strong a lady would have afforded the balance that might have hindered some
of the disastrous actions that mingled in his useful life. It is said, though I
cannot confirm it, that it was after the abandonment of this hope that, sitting
with the lovely prospect of the lakes of Killarney in view, he wrote the lines:
This world is
a wilderness wide:
I have nothing
to seek or to choose,
I've no
thought in the waste to abide,
I've nought to
regret or to lose.
And then he
reveals the solace and inspiration of the pilgrim heart:
‘Tis the
treasure I've found in His love
That has made
me a pilgrim below;
And ‘tis
there, when I reach Him above,
As I'm known,
all His fullness I'll know.
Yet had they
married the union might have been short, for Lady Powerscourt had died before
April 1837. In
1838, Dr. Daly, Rector of Bray, issued, her Letters and Papers. These reveal
strength of intellect, clearness of expression (in which she might have greatly
improved Darby), breadth and depth of meditation, and, above all, heavenliness
of spirit. Dr. Daly remarks:
"She, of all
the Christians I have been privileged to know, came nearest to that which she
has, in such strong, uncommon terms, stated to be her idea of a Christian: ‘Not
one who looks up from earth to heaven, but one who looks down from heaven to
earth.' She appears to have ascended a high and holy eminence, and thence to
have looked down upon these earthly scenes, with which too many are entirely
engrossed."
Upon Lady
Powerscourt's interest in prophecy Dr. Daly wrote:
"She was known
to have very deeply considered it, to have conversed with those persons who
were most remarkable for their study of it, and to have consulted the books
which have been written on it; and, above all, to have read the Scriptures with
much attention to the subject."
Upon this
topic he adds sensible words worth perpetuating:
"I consider
the whole Church
of Christ to be much in
the dark with regard to prophecy, and more or less in error concerning it, and
that the best way to correct the error and attain more light, is to encourage
free discussion upon it. In order to reach the end, it is essential not to
mistake as to the way. It is not equally essential to form correct
anticipations as to what shall be found at the end. Those who are on the way
shall reach the end, and then all their mistakes concerning it shall be
corrected."
It had been
well indeed if other leading students of prophecy at that time, and their
successors, had followed this sane counsel; but soon schemes of interpretation
were settled, and each came to regard his school of interpretation as certainly
correct. This enveloped intolerance and unwillingness that any view should be
expounded other than those of that particular school. Especially this has been
known among the followers of Darby's scheme. The consequence has been that for
nearly a century "Brethren," who at first led the way in the rediscovery of God's
plan for the future, have added nothing to the unfolding of that plan. Nothing
of consequence has been added to those schools of interpretation since the
books published about the middle of the last century.
It is worthy
of note, and pertinent to our present theme, that this devoted and
heavenly-minded lady saw that reigning with Christ in the future is contingent
upon suffering with Him in the present. In view of the worldliness of the
church she laid great emphasis upon this. A. N. Groves and R. C. Chapman, two
other prominent leaders of that early period, likewise saw that sharing in the
first resurrection is a reward of present faithfulness, not a privilege
guaranteed to every believer. One of the subjects discussed at the Powerscourt
meetings next mentioned was whether the promises to Israel
and the church of
God are conditional.
The study of
prophecy at Albury in 1827 moved Lady Powerscourt to convene such gatherings at
Powerscourt House in 1829 or 1830. These continued till 1833. Very able Bible
students attended. God expects us to ponder His work. Those of us who have
little or no earthly learning should observe His choice of such really learned
men, and be thankful that they were drawn to devote their powers and knowledge
to the work of the Lord. We all benefit by it, and should praise God.
Bellett has
told of the gracious spirit that sanctified the earliest of those gatherings at
Powerscourt. He wrote: "The meetings were truly precious to the soul, and night
after night did I retire to my room at Powerscourt House in a deep sense of how
little a one I was in Christ, in the presence of so much grace and devotedness
around me through the day."
Well indeed it
would have been if that lowly and lovely spirit had been retained by all those
present: it would have preserved from the bitterness and false speaking some
displayed in later controversies.
Truly each
Christian needs continually to heed that word: "Take heed to your spirit, and
let none deal treacherously" (Mal. 2:15). Between the putting off of the old
man and the putting on of the new man there lies the necessary work "be renewed
in the spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4:22-24); for it is seriously possible to
have the right mind as to a matter but the wrong spirit in dealing with it.
Craik lets us
know the type of subjects discussed by those godly and learned disciples at
Powerscourt House. He mentions these:
a. The
difference between the Everlasting Covenant and the Covenant of the Lord.
b. Is the
visible Christian Church founded on the basis of the Jewish?
c. What is the
nature of the ministry and ordinances of the former?
d. Are the
promises to either, or both, conditional?
e. The analogy
between the close of this dispensation and the former.
f. What is
Mystic Babylon?
g. Is the call
out of her to be a Divine call at a set period, or is it a perpetual call?
h. What is the
connection between the present and the future dispensation?
i. The
Temptations of Satan.
He adds these
remarks worth much notice:
"Monday 23rd September. Arrived at Powerscourt from Glenmore about 1, and met
together for the breaking of bread. Saturday 28th September 1833. Heard brother
Muller expound in the morning, after which had the Lord's Supper at Lady
Powerscourt's. Took leave and came to Dublin."
So that, at
that time, it was already seen to be Scriptural to have the Lord's Supper at
informal gatherings in a private house, and on other days than the first of the
week, and more than once in the same week. This accords with apostolic liberty
and practice.
Acts 2:46
shows four things:
a) that
believers gathered publicly in the temple for public worship;
b) that they
broke bread privately in their houses;
c) that this
last was in conjunction with their ordinary meal: "they took their food";
d) that it was
habitual to do so on any ordinary day "day by day."
All this was
at that time, early in the nineteenth century, revolutionary as against
established ecclesiastical sentiment and rule. Some today have receded from
this liberty into the bondage of thinking that the Lord's Supper must be held
only on Sunday morning.
Some six years
earlier, in 1827, A.
N. Groves had suggested that the apostolic practice had been to break bread on
the first day of the week. This presently became the rule in assemblies as they
developed here and there. The scripture advanced is Acts 20:7: "In (during) the
first day of the seven, we having been gathered together to break bread, Paul
dialogued with them, being about to depart the next day, and extended the talk
until midnight."
Now all that
this statement asserts on the point in view is that they did, as a fact, gather
to break bread on that first day of the week. It is not even an inference that
this was the regular practice; for an inference must have in a statement some
basis from which it can be drawn, and here there is no basis. As far as Luke's
statement goes, it is pure assumption that Christians were at that time
accustomed everywhere to meet regularly on the first day of the week to break
bread. From the context it might more reasonably be assumed that they met that
night because Paul and his company were to leave the next morning, but this
also is mere assumption, for no reason why they met that night is given.
Luke's words
do indeed establish liberty to break bread on that day of the week, but they
create no rule; nor was it needful to indicate this liberty, for it had already
been shown by Acts 2:46 as mentioned above. Moreover, if we must be precise on
the point, the narrative shows that the dialogue extended until midnight, when
Eutychus fell and was resuscitated; then, on returning to the upper room, after
this interruption, the bread was broken, and the conversation was resumed. So
that in point of fact, whether Jewish or Roman time be supposed, it was early
morning on the second day of the week that the bread was actually broken. This
destroys the supposed precedent for the first day of the week being the correct
time for the ordinance, and agrees with Acts 2:46 that every day, and any hour
of the day, is proper. It was not on the first day of the week that the Supper
had been instituted by the Lord.
Both when the
Supper was instituted and at Troas, conversion on Divine themes both preceded
and followed the observance; so that ministry of the truth both before and
after is very Scriptural, and the holy ordinance might properly be observed
informally during what we call a Conversational Bible Reading. For John's
narrative of that unique evening describes interchange of thought between the
Lord and the apostles, and Luke says of that night at Troas
that Paul dialogued and homilized (ver. 7) both terms meaning conversation.
That subjects
so profound and practical were examined by men of such spirituality and ability
explains how a new direction and impetus was then given to the exposition of
the Word of God, and reveals why those early days came to affect the general
outlook and expectation of the whole church
of God. Nor must we fail
to note the part the Lord assigned to women. It was a sister in Christ, Miss
Bessie Paget, who led A. N. Groves out of high church blindness and bondage
into the liberty that is in Christ; it was a woman into whose heart God put it
to convene in her house the important gatherings here considered.
Of course, as
time went on these same mighty and precious subjects, and others, were
discussed and taught in a thousand places; but we learn of no other spot than
Powerscourt House where such a group of front-rank leaders met for several
years to spend a week together on such themes. Some of them were under thirty,
and none, as far as I know, had reached forty years. So they were not elderly.
But they were devoted to Christ and His interests, and therefore the Spirit of truth
could enlighten and use their trained minds. Nor could they have foreseen that
God intended to exert through them a blessed influence upon the whole of His
church, and influence still felt after more than a century, in spite of their
later failures. This calls us to walk simply with God in humble response to
present leading, fully persuaded that He is always doing far more than we can
suppose. His way is perfect, and He makes our way perfect while we walk with
Him (Ps. 18:30-32).
The meetings
at Albury were likewise of men of learning and social standing, but they did
not attain the wide influence of those at Powerscourt. This may have been in
part because those former students accepted the view that this present age
would end in 1847. This false conclusion was reached by following the "historical"
school of prophetic interpretation, with its erroneous "year-day" basis of
calculation. This scheme has led to many later calculations as to the end of
the age which time has likewise falsified.
Was it this
element that moved Lady Powerscourt (who attended at Albury) to call gatherings
at her house which should be free from "historicism" and date fixing? The
schools of interpretation which developed from these gatherings, though
divergent in some particulars, have never fallen into the snare of fixing dates
for future events.
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