Many Scriptures, among the rest-1 Tim. 4:1, 21Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:1‑2); 1 John 4:1, 21Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (1 John 4:1‑2), etc., convince me that-besides the fanaticism of the flesh, or the prejudices and wounded feelings of the human mind—lying spirits are permitted sometimes to act among saints in the church. The light of God's eye will discover them to those who walk in the Spirit near Him through faith. The signs by which they may be discovered may be different at different times. The spirit of the pythoness (Acts 16) was discovered to Paul, by the attempt it made to unite the testimony of Jesus with the spirit of divination. The false apostles (2 Cor. 11) were detected like Simon (Acts) by a 'false estimate as to money. The work of the adversary among the Hebrews and Galatians was very striking: in the former, it was a turning back from the new testimony about heaven to earth; in the latter, it was a mutilating of the grace given, by an attempt to perfect in the flesh what was begun in the Spirit. Both of these, I judge, are to be seen in present evil. The hope of the coming brought to many souls, fifteen years ago, many searchings of heart as to ecclesiastical position, and set before our souls the Lord of Glory as the alone object of action; and the presence and power of the Holy Ghost was known at Bocchim. Instead of this, this man or that man has now been exalted; present things, and sometimes present testimony, and the church made objects of-the coming of the Lord as a heavenly thing forgotten—a spirit wanting in candor formed in brethren, and policy admitted among the saints. This has been followed by a new ecclesiastical system, in which man comes between the individual conscience and God; the body has been settled down in worldliness where Satan's power is; and false doctrine has crept in as to the person and work of the Lord.
I have confined myself to "the case" I took as an illustration of the evil in Bethesda.
If I look at the spirit of the acts of the signers of the paper, what am I to say? I cannot say it is honest; and yet they are honest men. There is a system of shuffling also connected with it; for the congregation has been deluded into the snare, and persons outside deluded too. What shall I say? I trust it is a delusion of the enemy's.
And here I know it will be said, " But all this is nearly a year ago-things have changed since then." They nave not changed. G. Milner's and H. Craik's courses since are as bad or worse, to those who know the facts of the case. And the letters from persons inside of Bethesda which have crossed my path are worse still-worse since the Woodfalls, and Mrs. Brown, and Mr. Aitcheson went out as to the system of shuffling, and much worse as to the doctrine. I said, in my four-page letter of October, that the Lord would justify what I said about Mrs. Brown and the Woodfalls; and so He has by their withdrawal, and the Messrs. Woodfall's reasons. If any ask why do I print this, so long a time after it occurred, I answer: 1st, Because I find that the untruthfulness and shuffling system, coupled with the very same church policy, are in Bath, and are energetically pressed by some at London, and elsewhere. 2ndly, Because some are trying to use the blasphemous doctrine its a scape-goat, on which to send away the charge, of untruthfulness and the shuffling system. Untruthfulness and the immoral system, were primary charges at Plymouth; they are the chief spots on Bethesda, and the chief characteristics of the evil. I add, that I see more and more the grace and wisdom of God, in having made untruthfulness, and want of moral integrity, the primary charges. Every one can judge what is truthful and what is honest; and the poorest saint can tell when a lie is told, or the spirit of lying is present. I add (with sorrow), that every one that I have seen yet connected with it-however high, and ' open, and candid, naturally-has fallen under the power of these two evils of untruthfulness and underhandedness. Often too the symptoms are glaring in the inverse ratio of the natural character. That is they would be more obvious in a man of high character than in one of low character. So far as there has been removal from the surface of erroneous doctrine in Bethesda, it was chiefly through my acting outside. Mr. Midler, inside, may take the credit of it (as he does). Alas, it is only skin-healed, and the issue is working below the surface. 3rdly, Because nothing can clear Bethesda, as such, save some public act of its own, in confessing and repudiating this paper of the Ten: that must be the first thing; and while G. Miller persists in making his course all of a piece, no one that knows the facts can, or ought to be satisfied.- When this monstrous paper of the Ten is judged, then one may ask whether truth and integrity are restored in the assembly.
Some may think to neutralize all this by saying, " Who made you a judge or a ruler?" To such I say nothing: in so doing, they take their place as I have taken mine. If any, in godly simplicity and honesty of heart, say, " But is not your statement one-sided? I reply: It is, so far as being only part of one side of the question. One of my objects in putting it forth, is to proffer a fair and open investigation of the whole case from first to last before all concerned. The internal and external evidence of the documents is connected with facts not done in a corner. Let there be a fair and open meeting, and God will show the right.
And now, I only add one word more. This controversy has broken me not a little; and I would confess before my brethren, that I have to thank God for it, and the purging he has brought with it to my own soul, forcing me to awake from a lethargic slumber. I have to confess before Him, and all, how supine my soul has been, and alas! is, toward the glory of Christ, and the good of the church; and have been in measure taught to know how little, among his thousands, I am. But I am not aware of any sinister object, or any unkindly feeling toward any. I pray for all, and desire to do so, though less than the least of all.
And now, dear Edward, I beg your careful consideration of these points, as before the Lord.
And am,
April 23rd, 1849. G. V. W.
P. S.-I say again, I am not one tittle better than those that have done this evil; but I cannot see why this is to be my plea for denying that in the company of those who were once poor sinners, which makes them the church of God; and for Sanctioning evil which, if sanctioned, will be my own ruin. As a poor sinner, I have no mastery over evil, save while I judge it. And what portion have I, save in that house of God? God is looking on, and the Shepherd of the sheep may be seen by faith in the height as well as the Holy Ghost down here; and this gives strength. I beseech brethren to be afraid both of mistrusting God and of not expecting blessing at his hand (Deut. 1). How cheering to know that God is with us!