WELLINGTON PULPITS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 849, 8 June 1888, Page 1

WELLINGTON PULPITS.

[By Syntyche.]

No. 11. Church op the Brethren, Dixon-street. Amongst other sects who dissented from the Church of England are those termed “ The Brethren,” who are perhaps better known from the town in which the denomination originated as “Plymouth Brethren.” The sect first came into existence from the efforts of a Mr Darby, .a,barrister moving in the highest circles bf society, and who, under deeply religious impressions, became a clergyman of the Church of England, and lived for sometime in a mud hovel, in the County of Wicklow, Ireland, devoting himself to his work. He afterward left the Church of England from conscientious scruples, and became an evangelist, unconnected with auy church. He visited some time about 1830 the town of Plymouth, in. the South of England, and finding many of his own line of thinking, formed the first Church of the Brethren. . Front his. connection with that body they were known for many years as ‘ ‘ Darbyites. ” The tenets of this Church are strictly Calvanistic. Original sin and predestination, the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice, the merit of Hi 3 obedience, the power of His; intercession, the gracious operations of the Holy Ghost in regeneration and sanctification, are prominent points. Millenarian views are also generally enter-,, tallied, and the practice of the baptism-of adults without regard to previous infant baptism is usual with them. They acknowledge the Sacrament of the Lord’s: Supper, and administer it to one another in their meetings usually on every Sunday, or “the first day of the week,” in this, as in everything else, refusing to acknowledge any special ministers. They utterly reject confirmation. Their most distinctive peculiarity .when contrasted with other Calvanistic Churches,' is their complete rejection of ecclesiastical "organisation. They suppose the whole Christian 1 body in the world to have declined from truth and duty, like Israel of oid, and, therefore, to have been “ corporately rejected of God and believe the true church to consist of themselves and of other chosen ones in the various Christian, Churches. They refuse to recognise any 5 , form of church government, or any office • of the ministry ; they insist much on the equal right of every male member of the church to “prophesy” or preach. They exclude persons known to have been guilty of gross sins from participation with them in the Lord’s Supper until proof is afforded of repentance.- They reject every distinctive title, save that of Christians, although a special title is required to designate them. A great schism took place among them in consequence of doctrines preached at Plymouth and Bristol concerning the human nature of .Christ, Mr Darby vigorously opposing what he deemed a daugerous error, and he and his adliorents utterly separating from the fellowship of those who maintained -or even refused to condemn it. One of the noted (if not notable) convei-ts to the principles of this sect was the revivalist Guinness, who was baptisedin 1860 by another “brother,” Lord Congleton. The founder, Mr Darby, separated from the Church before his death. The number of adherents of the Church at the present time is very considerable, but it is not easy to arrive at the actual statistics, many of them being connected more or less with other religious bodies; and moreover, they are divided into various sections.

The Church of the Brethren in Wellington is situated at the corner of Dixon and Taranaki-streets. It is a small but compact building. Its interior is of the very plain style. The windows are fitted with Venetian blinds. The seats are the ordinary wooden benches with backs. The’communion table is placed about two-thirds of the distance of the length of the room, and is surrounded with seats, so that all the congregation can face the table. Although in these articles I am describing the Wellington pulpits, it cannot be strictly so in this case, for this .chapel neither possesses pulpit nor parson —not even a platform. If 1 have used the term Republicanism to other Churches on th/3 same grounds,, I j may call this Church a communistic gathering. Withoutapulpit, aminister, a creed, it. is essentially a gathering of earnest Christians, whose • motto might well be liberta, cgalito, ' frateruite. As this - Church recognises no regularly ordained minister, any brother is at liberty to exhort, to admonish, to preach.-." •' There was a goodly gathering at the

time of my visit oil Sunday morning, and the congregation struck me as being one essentially devout. There was an air of earnestness and close attention to the sacred duties < of the occasion. There seemed a bond of union amongst all the members, as if, each had gathered there thoroughly intent upon the worship pf the - day;- Ijb V as a serious-looking congrqgation, each one intent upon his or her own" devotions. There .was a, total absence of that look of curiosity, that apparent attention to one’s neighbor so often seen in "spine churches. "It resembled a huge family gathering where all the members have one thought, one aim, one duty. After a silent pause a brother gave out a hymn, which was sung to a very plaintive and pathetic air, allobeing seated. Theriffiame another longish silent pause, when one of the congregation suddenly arose and engaged in prayer—a prayer of earnestness and simple devotion expressing thankfulness for the pure Christian tenets’ of the Church. .Then a brother read the.first chapter of Leviticus, also part of a chapter of Ephesians, with a few pointed .and brief explanations and.exliortations. He urged.fhem to feel thankful that they were permitted tq 3 approach on another first day of the week:' the. sacrifice of communion. Another brother read a few Verse 3 of scripture, and in explanation pointed but fiow, when their Lord and’ Master, in originating the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the sacred cup, made it voluntarily. He also spoke of the great importance of the'" free-will approach of all Christians to the table of the communion. One of the brethren approached 5 the table, and after asking a. blessing, took the bread " and broke it, “handing. it round to the com-.; municants.. Then the cup was also, prayed, over and passed round.. In one' of the prayers mention, •was made of the hope; entertained by tins: Church that the Lord Jesus Christ would visit them on earth again. ,