The Movement In Cromer, The South And Tyneside

by Chamings, A. R. G. | Category: Spiritual Movements Seventy Years Ago | Sept 1963

The large centres of population were, as would be expected, the location of the majority of the. churches of God which came into being at the time of the Separation in the years 1892-1894. Few were to be found in the coastal areas or in the less populous southern or western counties. The name of Mr. Robert Chapman, of Barnstaple, many of whose hymns are to be found in "Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs", appears in volumes of Needed Truth published before 1892 (Vol.1, p.85 and vol.4, p.141), but when the Separation took place he sadly remarked that he was "too old to separate". He was then over ninety. As a result the assemblies of the west country remained with him. Similarly, with the exception of Portsmouth, no assemblies were established at that time on the south coast and, following the labours of brethren H. Elson and C. Morton, only one assembly took a stand for separation in East Anglia - Cromer - whose letter (dated Oct., 1894), signed by A. Luff, I. Parsons and S. Mutimer has an interesting opening statement

"Our local circumstances (as residing at a favourite seaside resort) have brought us in contact with many believers from numerous assemblies in England. By this means we have acquired such a knowledge of meetings beyond our locality as to cause us very considerable exercise of conscience. We have been increasingly pained and distressed by certain doctrines and practices which obtain elsewhere, and of which, alas! we have had sad proof before our eyes and in our ears."

The letter concludes :"If our brethren in the eastern counties think we are mistaken, and can give us proof from Scripture, we invite them to do so. Our desire is to be together with all those who are in the will of the Lord according to His written word."

The Portsmouth letter of October 24, 1898, sets out eight points which the authors (H. Elson, A.C. Leamy, and W.T. Dugan) believed to be essential parts of "the Faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints".

"1. The sinfulness of sects and sectarianism.

2.The breaking of the bread as set by the Lord Jesus inside "The Fellowship" of "baptised" and "added ones," only. Acts 2.41, 42.

3.The application of the title, "Church of God," to the local assembly, uniformly (never to the Body of Christ).

4.The unity of the assembly in any town.

5.The unity of the oversight thereof.

6.The fellowship and collective responsibilities of assemblies as grouped together in districts. Thus-"The churches of Galatia." (Galatians 1.2).

7.The further unity of districts as together forming but one "flock", with one oversight circle.

8.The divine linking together of each church of God with every like church, the wide world over."

On the Tyneside the year 1898 had been one of deep exercise in assemblies in several towns in the district, and on Jan.15, 1894, ten brethren, representing assemblies in Hebburn, Gosforth, Gateshead and Howden wrote

"We, on Lord's day 17th December, 1898 (Howden brethren came out on January 14th, 1894), as those called out and being gathered into the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1.9, Matthew 18.20) in obedience to 2 Corinthians 6.17, 2 Timothy 2.19-21 went forth unto Him, in separation from the Open Brethren association. We did not depart from that association, ONLY, because in it there is held, taught, and practised that which IS NOT the will of God, but, also because in it we could not do that which IS the will of God, relative to "house of God," "church of the Living God," "pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3.15). Before taking this stand we endeavoured to exercise our responsibility toward fellow saints of this district, which

we presume is taught in principle in Ezekiel 12.1-10." A postscript to the letter concludes :"Having conferred with our brethren who gathered in Gospel Hall, North Street, Jarrow, and who came out more than a year ago, we find that we are one with them in the principles of our God. Therefore, WITH THEM also, we send forth this letter. This makes five churches of God in obedience acting together in Tyneside district. To God be all the praise. Amen."

Chamings, A. R. G. | Sept 1963
Spiritual Movements Seventy Years Ago