to take up and carry out his views, and enforce his discipline; but the brethren were immovable, determined to meet each case as it might arise in the grace the Lord might give, and not to bring the discussion of the controversy before the saints as a body.
In April, Colonel and Mr. Woodfall arrived at Bristol, and, as usual, desired fellowship, having for years at different times broken bread at Bethesda, whenever coming into the neighbourhood. Those acting with Mr. Darby, objected to their being received, because they were known to be friends of Mr. Newton, though holding none of his peculiar views. Col. W. was, however, ultimately received, as he had been lately abroad while the recent events had been going on in Plymouth; but as the objections against Mr. Woodfall were stronger, it was determined by the leading brethren that he should be visited, and, that there might be no supposed partiality in his favour, the three brethren before alluded to, those most opposed to his reception, were requested to call and see him, so as to satisfy their minds as to the soundness of his views. He was visited, and at length received on the testimony of those brethren, as there was no scriptural ground for refusing him the rights of Christian fellowship.
At a subsequent meeting of the brethren, however, those three brethren complained that the examination had been put upon them, and further, that the Church had taken the credit of the investigation. To this Mr. Craik, who was present, replied, that their being appointed to enquire into the matter, had been suggested by himself, and he had this comfort in it, that it got rid of the difficulties that would have arisen otherwise. If he himself had gone, it might have been said he had had an intimacy of years with Mr. Woodfall; and even if Mr. Müller had joined him in the investigation, it might have been said that their apprehension of the evil was so inadequate, that they were incompetent to deal with it. He therefore felt, that, when those three brethren went, who were most opposed to the admission, and most awake to its apprehended evils, that, if they were satisfied, all would be so; and as to their act being justly considered and assumed as the act of the body, he remarked that as they were all acting as one body, and as the particular step had been approved of by all the labouring brethren, they were fully justified in assuming this decision, as in any other case, to be the act of the body. Mr. Meredith, and another brother present at the meeting, confirmed Mr. Craik’s view of the matter, by saying that they had been satisfied in receiving both Mr. Woodfall and his brother into communion, on these three brethren stating that they could not further object to their being admitted.
