We now return to the details of Mr. Newton's system and here we prefer to quote from the writings of one, who, previously to the mischief coming before the public, knew something of its secret workings behind the scenes. In the following paragraph the writer, Mr. William Trotter, probably refers to the appearance of things from about the year 1841 to 1845, when the numbers in communion had reached to nearly a thousand, including Devonport and Stonehouse.
" Such was the course pursued by Mr. Newton, that it issued in all the other Brethren who had labored there leaving Plymouth to work elsewhere. Mr. Darby went abroad, Captain Hall to Hereford, Mr. Wigram to London, and Mr. Newton was left almost alone at Plymouth. A beloved brother, Mr. Harris, who was not identified with the movement at first, became associated in labor with Mr. Newton, and his presence for several years was the only hope that Brethren elsewhere had of any check being put to Mr. Newton's course. He, however, at a very early period of the present trouble withdrew from association with Mr. Newton and those identified with him. The system thus introduced, and most speciously disguised for a time, was directed to the undermining of all the truth by which God had acted on the souls of Brethren, and to the setting up afresh in other form all that had been renounced.
" The coming of the Lord as an object of present hope or expectation was denied, and there was substituted for it the expectation of a train of events, many of them nowhere foretold in scripture, and only existing in Mr. Newton's imagination. The real unity of the church as one body indwelt and governed by the Holy Ghost was denied; and instead of it the doctrine was asserted of a kind of independent churches-so independent indeed, that when division took place at Plymouth and godly, experienced brethren from Exeter, London, and elsewhere went down to aid by their prayers and counsel, Mr. Newton and his party peremptorily rejected them; and on the ground that they were not of Plymouth, and had no right to interfere. For the presence and sovereign rule of the Holy Ghost in the church was substituted the authority of teachers, and the authority claimed for them and by them was so absolute, that when Mr. Newton was charged with untruthfulness, and it was sought by one and another that the charge should be investigated before the whole body of the brethren, this was steadily refused on the ground that he could not be tried, but by those who with him were the teachers and rulers there, and as they acquitted him, there was no further appeal and no remedy.
" Besides this there was the steady systematic absorbing of all ministry in the word, or even participation audibly in public worship into the hands of one or two, with the effectual exclusion by one means or another of all others. There was also the zealous unwearied endeavor to form a party distinguished by Mr. Newton's views of prophecy and church order, to which the appellation, " the truth," was arrogated, and means were found to keep away from Plymouth any brethren whose views were known to be adverse to these. Such were the leading features of the system which silently grew up at Plymouth, and I was quite aware of its existence and of the concern felt by many brethren respecting it from the time that I became acquainted with the Brethren between six and seven years ago."
The first question which seems to have been raised at Plymouth as to Mr. Newton's teaching, was on the ground of its sectarian tendency. Nothing more serious was at first charged against him. Several of the leading brethren waited upon him at different times, and remonstrated, but he answered them with the greatest violence, and "declared that we were destroying the fundamentals of Christianity; that he was justified in what he was doing against us, and should continue."
Some time after this, Mr. Newton agreed to meet a few of the brethren to inquire whether sectarianism had been introduced into the meeting. There may have been about eighteen in all. Mr. Darby, who had been urged to return to Plymouth, was present. He was asked to state what he objected to at Ebrington Street. He replied, that, " As to an inquiry into sectarianism, any could inquire as well as he; that he would not enter on the prophetic question as a doctrinal thing; that was a moral question with him; what he objected to on the present occasion was sectarianism."
" Mr. Newton broke out in great anger, saying, that he waived all formal objections, that he did seek to make a focus of Plymouth, and that his object was to have union in testimony there against the other brethren, and that he trusted to have at least Devonshire and Somersetshire under his influence for this purpose; and that it was not the first time Mr. Darby had thwarted and spoiled his plans." After this declaration of Mr. Newton's from his own lips, there was no further need to inquire into his sectarianism. Several of the brothers present so expressed themselves; and Mr. Darby called upon them all to say, " If this was what Plymouth was to be; as, if it was, I should not go next Sunday."