Mr. Kelly, or Mr. Macintosh should be present in any of the “assemblies,” it is very seldom, indeed, that any other brother is moved by the Spirit to teach or exhort―that, in fact, they have regular, we might say stated, ministers (excepting in those places where there is an utter absence of teaching power) as much as any other denomination of Christians. Liberty of ministry is, to speak the truth, nothing but a high sounding phrase, which conceals an order of ministers who put forth claims to authority, and even infallibility, which would not be tolerated in any Christian community outside the Church of Rome.[1]
(3.) Terms of Communion.―These are very rigid―so much so that the common title assigned to the Darbyite section is that of “Exclusive Brethren.”
At the outset, as we have stated, all who were believed to be Christians were received, on the ground that they could not reject those whom the Lord had received. But now—though the rule is relaxed in places where “the leaders” have retained the original spirit—the condition is annexed of “separation from evil;” which means, practically, separation from all other denominations of Christians and union with “the Brethren.” Before, therefore, you can be permitted “to break bread,” you must have formally separated from other systems and thereby “judged” the error they contain. It thus happened to myself on one occasion that I desired, in the exercise of Christian fellowship, to break bread with “the
- ↑ It is not forgotten that the favourite reply of the Brethren is, The failure of a principle, or failure to carry out a principle, does not affect the principle itself. The answer is, The Presidency of the Spirit is not a “principle.” It is a fact, or it is not a fact. Show that it is not a fact, and you demolish at once every argument that can be adduced in its support. They also love to say, the sins of a Christian do not contradict the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Conceding this, the reply is, We know, on the authority of Scripture, that the Holy Ghost dwells in the believer; but Scripture says nothing of His Presidency of the Assembly, which makes all the difference.
