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however pained. He sat down at the opposite side of the room, whereon I resumed my seat by the side of one I was speaking to, and Mr. N. after a few words with Mr. Hill, who seated himself beside him, got up and said good morning Sir, and went out. Three brethren, Messrs. Harris, Soltau, and Batten then came, or were sent, separately, to ask me what I had come to Plymouth for.[1] Mr. Newton then wrote me word, that he had met me with intentional coldness, considering I had come as an antagonist to them, but on the report of Batten and Harris, he could walk on peacefully in separate paths. I replied, that I objected to his “having acted very badly towards many beloved brethren, and in the sight of God.” He withdrew thereon the former kindly written note, and applied for names and circumstances. I confess I felt this miserable. He had been writing for six years to every quarter of the globe, (Mr. N. boasted of it at last before the brethren who came) saying, the foundations of christianity were gone if brethren were listened to:—sisters had been employed in copying these letters:—tracts had been printed and published, declaring that we all subverted the first elements of christianity! and he asks for dates and circumstances. I replied, it was the sectarianism and denouncing of brethren I complained of. This he replied was a new charge! which as it involved all the rest at Plymouth in the charge as well as him, he would

  1. I would just ask what, now that I know such a meeting was held to get rid of me, I must think of the statements in the letter to Clulow, that every door was opened to me, and that Mr. N. would have a decided objection to its being otherwise. Though why they should have opened it if my doctrines subverted Christianity would be hard to tell. I must add here that Mr. Code declared that the statement as to him, (a brother from Ireland), in that letter was not the fact. That he was asked what views he held on prophetic points, and when he replied that he had no fixed views, but was open to receive anything that could be proved to him, that then ministry was opened to him.