Edict Causes Sect Members To Shift

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30940, 22 December 1965, Page 6

Edict Causes Sect Members To Shift

especial Crtput. N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, December 20. Fifty members of the strict Exclusive Brethren religious sect have given up their homes and moved to another town m a result of an edict from one of their leadera, says the "Sunday ExprcsG.”

But a doeen members of the sect decided not to move. They have formed a “moderate group” in their home town with a lees strict doctrine. The mass move was after a directive from Mr Bruce Hales, soototow of Big Jim Taylor, wwld leader of the Exclusive Brethren.

He suggested that ail Brethren living in New Milton, Hampshire, should in future join a Brethren community in Partstone, Dorset, 15 miles away. New Hall Built Fifty foiiowea sold their bouses to move with their families to Paifcotane, where the sect bM built a new hail. One of the breakaway group said: “The people who moved away were almost coopeiled to by this edict from Hales. K was suggested that they should oil meet in the larger communMy. "It is a kmg way to travel from New Milton to Parkstone and the traffic builds up. They thought it better to move out of the district altogether.” The New Milton Brethren

meet three times each Sunday and three times during the week. The “rebels" will continue to meet, but they expect to find themselves in trouble with Brethren authorities. One of the members who moved said those who sold their homes were “simple believers and followers of Jesus Christ—we moved under his directions.”