AFTER the secession from Ebrington Street, as spoken of above, the adherents of Mr. Newton were reduced to a comparatively small number, but these for the most part were zealous partisans. Copious notes were taken of his lectures and readings, "as regularly circulated among a select few in various parts of England, as books in a reading society." A package of such notes fell into the hands of Mr. Harris in the year 1847; and in the following way. A sister in Exeter lent them to his wife, as being Mr. Newton's teaching, from which she had found much interest and profit. Mrs. Harris, not understanding the meaning of some of the author's expressions, referred them to her husband. " I then," he says, " looked into the MS. myself, and (on perusing it) felt surprised and shocked at finding such unscriptural statements and doctrine, which appeared to me to touch the integrity of the doctrine of the cross." Having carefully examined these statements, he published a tract, in which he exposed and brought to light that system of false doctrine which Mr. Newton had been diligently teaching to his chosen few for years.
Such an exposure, as may easily be supposed, produced a great alarm among Brethren in all parts, and naturally brought a reply from Mr. Newton. Two pamphlets speedily appeared, in neither of which did he disclaim the doctrine asserted in the lecture thus reviewed, but stated it more at large, though in a less offensive form, and then defended and supported it. The doctrines of this lecture on Psalms 6 by Mr. Newton, and published in a tract entitled, " The sufferings of Christ, as set forth in a lecture on Psalms 6, considered by J. L. Harris," are no doubt the most truthful expression we have of the author's mind. It was delivered in the presence of his friends, calmly and deliberately for the benefit of note-takers, so that we may fairly infer that the real sentiments of his soul flowed out freely without disguise and without reservation. But finding something like universal indignation excited by his blasphemous doctrines, \and even his own friends ready to desert him, he agreed to withdraw his offensive tracts for reconsideration, and confessed he was in error on one point relating to Christ's connection with Adam as federal head.
Were it not that even this brief sketch might be considered incomplete if we did not say something of the heresy, we would gladly pass it over in profound and perpetual silence. We shrink from transferring to our pages the subtle and mystical expressions in which the deadly error was taught. The blessed Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, was represented as born at a distance from God, involved in the guilt of the first Adam, because He was born of a woman, and under the curse of the broken law, because of His association with Israel.
Thus, alas! according to these doctrines, we are bereaved of the true Christ of God-the Christ of the New Testament. There is no need to enter into details. If born at a distance from God, under the curse, and an heir of death, He is utterly disqualified for becoming the Savior of others. He had Himself to deliver from those relations in which He stood from His birth; and this, it is said, He did. It was admitted that He was free from taint in His person, and by His perfect obedience to the law and in all things even unto death, having delivered Himself, was owned of God and accepted by Him. But all this being due from Him to God, where is the sinner's substitute, the sinner's surety, the sinner's sacrifice, the sinner's gospel, the sinner's Savior? and where are the doctrines of grace, and where is the church of the living God, and where are we individually? and what of the finished work of Christ, or what means the conqueror's cry-" IT IS FINISHED?"
The folly of this theory is as glaring as its blasphemy, though characterized by the depths of Satan. In result it is as ruinous as Arianism or Socinianism, though less logical. It is self-contradictory and savors more of the author's vanity and love of distinction than of honest conviction. It had only to be brought in to the light to be seen and detected. This was the great mercy of God to Brethren and to the church at large: it was not allowed to go on. For, most assuredly, a false Christ was preached at Plymouth, and the presence of the Holy Ghost was denied. But, with the exception of a small party, chiefly Mr. Newton's personal friends, the great body of the Brethren were agreed, after due investigation and prayer, that the doctrines which Mr. Newton had been teaching and privately circulating, were fundamentally heretical, as to Christ, and utterly subversive of all that is essential to Christianity. The false doctrine was almost universally condemned; but they were not of one mind as to the principle of dealing with it and of separation from it.