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APPENDIX B
The
following Extracts from Mr. Baxter's "Narrative of Facts" will throw full
light upon the condition of the Reyent Square Church, and of many devout
persons in all parts of the country, ill respect to the so-called
miraculous gifts. "FoR the sake of those whom I may have hardened or
betrayed into a false faith is it that I feel called upon to publish my
own shame, and confess before all my transgressions. My God, who in His
love pardons, has heard, I trust, in secret, and gladly would I rest in
the obscurity of my private station without challenging public attention
at all. The snare in which I was taken has, however, entangled so many
others, and the busy tongues of partisans and tattlers are so much
excusing and misstating the facts which have developed its character, that
I am constrained to give a faithful narrative, at the expense of my own
feelings, in the hope that God may open the eyes of the understanding of
all who are seeking His truth, and deliver them from the net of the
fowler. In the detail I am about to enter into, I may lay myself open to
the charge of egotism.... Another charge I must underlie which is far more
painfiul to me. The narrative will necessarily involve the conduct of many
who have, like myself, though more excusably, been deceived. The regard I
bear them as sincere, though deluded followers after truth; the debt I owe
them, as well for the affectionate kindness evinced toward myself, as also
for the wounds I have inflicted or exercised on them, by confirming them
in delusion; and, moreover, the longing I have that they might be brought
to the knowledge of the truth (for, as the apostle said of the Israelites,
so may I humbly say of them: I bear them record that they have a zeal of
God but not according to knowledge): all these increase greatly my desire
to say nothing which may in any way wound their feelings. It may be they
may consider much of this narrative as disclosing occurrences and opinions
which, passing in private, in family worship, and social intercourse,
ought to be treated as confidential; and thus I may be charged with
blazoning to the public eye that which came before me in the confidence of
friendly intercourse, and with betraying the confidence of friends. Of
such a breach of confidence I trust I may, in no case, be guilty. It is
simply my wish to show forth the workings of that spirit which challenges,
and for which is claimed, the glorious name of the Holy Spirit of Jehovah.
" Some months before writing the Layman's Appeal, I had heard many
particulars of the extraordinary manifestations which had occurred at Port
Glasgow, in Scotland...-. Conceiving as I did, and still do, that there is
no warrant in Scripture for limiting the manifestations of the Spirit to
the apostolic times —and deeply sensi
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APPENDIX
B. 563 ble of the growth of infidelity in the face of the Church, and of
the prevalence of formality and lakewarmness within it-I was ready to
examine the claims to inspiration, and even anxious for the presence of
the gifts of the Spirit,'according, as it seemed to me, to that apostolic
command, Covet earnestly the best gifts. I longed greatly and prayed much
for such an outpouring. When I saw, as it seemed to me, proof that those
who claimed the gifts were walking honestly, and that the power manifested
in them was evidently supernatural, and, moreover, bore testimony to
Christ come in the flesh, I welcomed it at once as the work of God. "I
should mention that I had for twelve months previously to this been in the
almost daily habit of reading to and teaching the poor in the parish where
I reside, and had found much strength and comfort to myself; and I have
reason to believe it was also accompanied with profit to those who heard
it. I had carefully avoided any assumption of the ministerial office; so
much so that (though I do not now think the scruple well-founded) I had
refrained from praying with the people when gathered together, conceiving
the privilege of leading in public prayer belonged alone to the ordained
ministers. At this period I was, by professional arrangements, called up
to London, and had a strong desire to attend at the prayer-meetings which
were then privately held by those who spoke in the power and those who
sought for the gifts. Having obtained an introduction, I attended; my mind
fully convinced that the power was of God, and prepared, as such, to
listen to the utterances. After one or two brethren had read and prayed,
Mr. T- was made to speak two or three words very distinctly, and with an
energy and depth of tone which seemed to me extraordinary, and fell upon
me as a supernatural utterance, which I ascribed to the power of God. The
words.were in a tongue I did not understand. In a few minutes Miss E. C.
broke out in an utterance in English,'which, as to matter and manner, and
the influence it had upon me, I at once bowed to as the utterance of the
Spirit of God. Those who have heard the powerful and commanding utterance
need no description; but they who have not may conceive what an unnatural
and unaccustomed tone of voice, an intense and riveting power of
expression-with the declaration of a cutting rebuke to all who were
present, and applicable to my own state of mind in particular-would effect
upon me and upon the others who were come together expecting to hear the
voice of the Spirit of God.' In the midst of the feeling of awe and
reverence which this produced, I was myself seized upon by the power; and
in much struggling against it was made to cry out, and myself to give
forth a confession of my own sin in the matter for which we were rebuked:
and afterward to utter a prophecy that the messengers'of the Lord should
go forth, publishing to the end of the earth, in the'mighty power of God,
the testimony of the near coming of the Lord Jesus. The rebuke had been
for not declaring the near coming of Jesus, and I was smitten in
conscience, having many times refrained from speaking of it to the people,
under a fear that they might stumble over it and be offended. "I was
overwhelmed by this occurrence. The attainment of the gift of prophecy
which this supernatural utterance was deemed to be, was, with myself and
many others, a great object of desire. I:could not, therefore, but rejoice
at having been made the subject of it; but there were so many difficulties
attaching to the circumstances under which the power came upon me, and I
was so anxious and distressed lest I should mistake the mind of God in the
matter, that I continued for many weeks weighed down in spirit and
overwhelmed. There was in me at the time of the ut. terance very great
excitement, and yet I was distinctly conscious of a power acting upon me
beyond the mere power of excitement. So distinct was this power from the
excitement, that in all my trouble and doubt about it I never could
attribute the whole to excitement.... I regarded the confession which was
wrung from me to
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APPENDICES. be the same thing as is spoken of in 1 Cor., xiv., where it is
said,'If all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one
unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all; and thus are the
secrets of his heart made manifest; and so, falling down on his face, he
will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.' It seemed so
with me; I was unlearned; the secret of my heart was made manifest; and I
was made, by a power unlike any thing I had ever known before, to fall
down and acknowledge that God was among them of a truth. "The day
following this occurrence I devoted to fasting and prayer, to beseech God
to open to me His mind in the matter, that I might not stumble in the way.
In the midst of my prayer, the promise in Matt., iv., 5-' Behold, I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and, dreadful
day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and
smite the earth with a curse'-coupled with the declarations concerning
John the Baptist, particularly that in Luke, i., 17,'He shall go before
him in the spirit and power of Elias'-was brought before me, and it was
written upon my mind by a power wholly new to me.' The Lord is now pouring
out upon the Church the spirit and power of Elias, to prepare for the
second coming of Jesus.' This view was altogether: new to me... I staid
but few days in town, though I had much communication with those who
attended upon the utterances.:No utterance had then been allowed in the
public congregation, but the meetings were strictly private.; I argued
upon the impropriety of shutting up the manifestations, and strongly urged
the offense which, by such a course, was given to inquirers, who would be
ready to infer that they would not bear the light... The word spoken
seemed to be the Gospel of Christ, and the effect upon the hearers a
prostration of pride, and a devotedness and apparent patient waiting upon
God.. "From this period, for the space of five months, I had no utterances
in public; though, when engaged alone in private prayer, the power would
come down upon me, and cause me to pray with strong crying and tears for
the state of the Church. In the utterances of the power which subsequently
occurred, many were accompanied with the flashing in of conviction on the
mind, like lightning rooting it. self in the earth; while other
utterances, not being so accompanied, only acted in the way of an
authoritative communication. "In January, 1832, occasion was given me, by
a professional call to London, to visit the brethren there.... For nine
months previously it had been the arrangement of Mr. Irving, the pastor of
that church, to have prayer-meetings every morning at half past six, to
pray for the Church and for the gifts of the Spirit.... No commentary upon
the Scriptures was given, but it was simply read over, and followed by
prayer. In these meetings I had, on one or two occasions, been called upon
by the pastor, and had read or prayed before the congregation. On the
morning following the day of my arrival, I was called upon again, and
opening upon the Prophet Malachi, I read the 4th chapter; as I read, the
power came upon me, and I was made to read in the power —my voice raised
far beyond its natural pitch, with con.. strained repetition of parts, and
with the same inward uplifting which, at the presence of the power, I had
always before experienced. When I knelt down to pray, I was carried out to
pray in the power, for the presence and blessing of God in the midst of
the Church: in all this I had great joy and peace, without any of the
struggling which had attended my former utterances in power. "Having been
asked to spend the evening at a friend's with the pastor, one of the
gifted persons (Mrs. J. C.), and three'or four others, I went; and while
discoursing on the state of the Church, some matter of controversy arose,
on which I requested the pastor to pray that we might be led into truth.
After prayer, Mrs. J. C. was
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APPENDIX
B. 565 made to testify that now was the time of the great struggle and
power of Satan in the midst of us.... The pastor observed that this
utterance taught us our duty, as standing in the Church, to muster against
the enemy; and while he was going on to ask more questions, the power fell
upon me, and I was made to, speak; and for two hours or upward the power
continued upon me; and I gave forth what we all regarded as prophecies
concerning the Church and the nation.... The power which then rested upon
me was far more mighty than before, laying down my mind and body in
perfect obedience, and carrying me on without confusion or excitement;
excitement there might appear to a by-stander, but to myself it was
calmness and peace. Every former visitation of the power had been very
brief; but now it continued, and seemed to rest upon me all the evening.
The things I was made to utter flashed in upon my mind without
forethought, without expectation, and without any plan or arrangement-all
was the work of the moment, and I was as the passive instrument of the
power which used me. " In the beginning of my utterances that evening,
some observations were, in the power, addressed by me to the pastor, in a
commanding tone; and the manner and course of utterance manifested in me
was so far differing from those which had been manifested in the members
of his own flock, that he was much startled, and in the first part of the
evening doubted whether it was of God or of the enemy.... He came up to me
and said,'Faith is very hard.' I was immediately made to address him, and
reason with him in the power, until he was fully convinced the Spirit was
of God, and gave thanks for the manifestation of it. "While the people
were departing, Mr. Irving called me, with Mr. Brown, his missionary, into
another room, and said he was in some trouble as to what he should do on
the morrow, which was Sunday, whether to allow me to speak in the full
congregation; he had found doubts creep over him during the evening,
though he scarcely dared to doubt. Mr. Brown's advice, without any deep
consideration of the subject, was,'Don't do it while you have a doubt.' To
this Mr. Irving assented, but turned to me, and asked what I thought. Of
course, under the conviction which I had, I said he must not forbid it.
Afterward the power came on me, rebuking him, and reasoning with him until
he sat down, and said he was greatly tried, and did not know what to do. I
then told him to consult the prophets who were with him; and immediately
the power came upon Miss H., who was wholly a stranger to me, but then
received as a prophetess among them; and she was made to bear testimony
that the work in. me was of God, and he must not forbid my speaking. This
satisfied him, and he yielded at once. The next day, after the morning
prayer-meeting, Miss E. C., at the pastor's house, was made to give forth
an utterance, enjoining upon all deference and respect to the Lord's
prophets; which served, though she was not aware of what had passed on the
preceding evening, to confirm him in that which I had been made to say to
him. I was afterward in the power, in the most fearful terms, made to
enjoin the most perfect submission to the utterances.... This was so
strongly put, that Mr. Irving, on a future occasion, observed to me, he
felt tempted to doubt whether the Spirit, bearing testimony in such a
manner to itself, was God's method of teaching us submission.... At the
public services of the Scotch Church on this day, no utterance was given
me; but in the intervals of service, while sitting with Mr. Irving and one
or two friends, the power was so abundant upon me,: that almost every
question which was asked was answered in the power; and the wisdom and
instruction which was given forth from my lips was as astonishing to Mr.
Irving as to myself. We all felt as though the Lord was indeed resolving
our doubts, and graciously- condescending, by His Spirit, to teach us by
open voice. Mr. Irving seemed most fully confirmed in the belief, and I
was myself exceedingly composed and strengthened.
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APPENDICES, "On the morrow began a more trying and bitterly painful
occurrence. The rebukes which I was made to give to Mr. Irving, for want
of ready and implicit obedience to the utterance of the power, whatever
might have been their effect upon him, had entered deeply into my own
mind. After breakfast, when sitting with Mr. Irving, Mr. P.,,and a few
others, Mr. Irving remarked that Mr. T., when in the Court of Chancery,
had found.the power mightily upon him, but never a distinct impulse to
utterance. While he was speaking on it, I was made in power to declare,'
There go I, and thence to the prison-house.' This was followed by a
prophecy setting forth the darkness of the visible Church, referring to
the king as the head of the Church of England, and to the chancellor as
the keeper of the conscience of the king; that a testimony should that day
be borne before him which should make the nation tremble at what was
coming to pass; that I was/to go and bear this testimony, and for this
testimony should be cast. into prison; that the abomination of desolation
would be set up in the land, and Satan sit in the high places of the
Church, showing himself to be: God; that the world had now the possession
of the visible Church, but for the purity of the doctrine of the Church of
England, she, as the last portion of the visible Church, had been anointed
holy by the Lord; but she had gone on in worldly cares, and was now so
provoking theLord, and by worldly-mindedness so quenching the Spirit of
God, that God had cast her off; that it was necessary a spiritual minister
should bear testimony before the conscience-keeper of the head of this
Church, and then the. abomination of desolation would be set up, and every
man must flee to the mountains. Much was added of the judgments of God in
the midst of the land: the power upon me was overwhelming; I gave all
present a solemn benediction, as though I was departing altogether from
among them; and forbidding Mr. Irving, who rose to speak to me as I was
going, I went out under the constraint of the power, and shaped my way to
the' court of the chancellor, to bear the testimony to which I was
commanded. "As I went on toward the court, the sufferings and trials I
underwent were almost beyond endurance.. Might it not be a delusion?.
Ought I not to consider my own character in the sight of the world- which
would be forfeited by such an act? and the ruin of all worldly'prospects,
which would ensue from it, and from my imprisonment? These, and a thousand
more subtle and trying suggestions, were cast upon me; but, confident that
the power speaking in me was of God, it seemed my duty to obey at any
sacrifice; and; without counting the cost, I gave myself up to God, to do
with me and use me as He should see fit. In this mind I went on,
expecting, as I entered the court of the chancellor, the power would come
upon me, and I should be made to bear testimony before him. I knew not
what I was to say, but supposed that, as on all other occasions, the
subject and utterance would be together given. When I entered, no power
came on. I stood in the court before the chancellor for three or four
hours, momentarily expecting the power to come upon me; and as the time
lengthened, more and more perplexed at its absence. I was tempted to speak
in my own strength, without the power; but I judged this could not be
faithful to the word of John, as my testimony would not have been in the
Spirit. After waiting this time, I came out of court, convinced that there
was nothing for me to say. "The mental conflict was most painful. I left
the court under the conviction I had been deluded. If I was deluded, how
was it with the others who spoke in the power, one of whom had borne
direct testimony to my utterance being of God, and the others of whom had
received me; and heard me, and spoken in power with me, as one of them?
Here, however, I failed; I adjudged myself deceived, but I had not
sufficient proof, as I thought, to sit. in judgment upon them. I thought I
had stumbled, but I dared not condemn them. I went at once to Mr. Irving,
who, anx
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APPENDIX
B. 567 ious as to the issue of my mission, welcomed me as delivered from
prison. I said to him,'We are snared-we are deceived; I had no message
before the chancellor.' He inquired particulars, but could give no
solution.; He said,' We must wait. You certainly have received the gift,
and the gift and calling of God are without repentance.' We set ourselves
to search whether in any thing I had mistaken the directions of the power,
but could not discover it. I observed to him,'If the work in me is of the
enemy, what will you say of the rest, who have so joined me, and borne
witness of me?''True,' said he;'but theirs has been tried in every way.'.
Deeply was I troubled and perplexed, and much was I humbled before God....
In the morning I attended the prayer-meeting, though so much burdened as
not to be able to lift up my heart among them. An utterance came from Miss
E. C.'It is discernment ye lack-seek ye for it.'... I believe she
knew'nothing of the-issue of the visit to the chancellor; but, be that as
it may, the message impressed me as though it applied to my case, and I
was led to think want of discernment would be found to have occasioned my
stumbling.... The power came upon me, and I was made to say,'The word of
the Lord is as fire; and if ye, oh vessel! who speak, refuse to speak the
word, ye shall utterly perish! Ye have obeyed the word of the Lord-ye went
to the place of testimony-the Spirit was quenched before the conscience df
the king-ye, a spiritual minister, have borne witness there-and were ye
not cast into prison? Has not the dark dungeon been your prison-house
since ye came from the place of testimony? Ye lack discernment; ye must
read the word spiritually.'... This acted like electricity. I thought, and
those who had heard the message of the former morning thought with me,
that read spiritually, in which way I ought to have read it, the message
concerning the chancellor had been fulfilled by my silent testimony, and
my subsequent darkness and bondage. My satisfaction was complete. "In the
course of the same day, and the day following, a prophecy was given to me
that God had cut short the present appointment for ordaining ministers by
the laying on of hands by succession from the apostles; that God would not
henceforth recognize such ordinations. As I journeyed on the coach, the
power came upon me in the form of a revelation, conveying to me that God
had set me apart for a special purpose toward His Church, for whichlHe
would commission and endow me; that for this purpose I should be taken
away from my wife and family, and become as a wanderer, without home or
habitation.... The conclusion I gathered from it was, that I should never
see my wife and children again, supposing the Lord's will to be such as
seemed to be revealed to me.... Soon after this the power came upon me,
and I was made sensible something was about to be declared concerning the
king. When the utterance burst forth, it was a declaration that the Lord
had given the king to the prayer of the queen and of the Church, and his
heart should be turned wholly to the Lord.... That I was to stand before
the queen, to bear the Lord's testimony to her, and she would bring it in
before the king. I then inquired of the Lord who should open the way to
the queen-whether a servant who had been named should do it? The answer
given to me from the power was, to take heed to the question, and to go
forth now upon this mission; to return to the brethren I had left, and the
Lord would declare it in due'time. There was given also a mysterious
allusion to the three children of Israel in the fiery furnace of
Nebuchadnezzar; and an intimation that, before the king's presence was
attained, I should have to pass through the fiery trial to the utmost.
Family prayer following, I was directed to the psalm, The king shalljoy in
thy strength, 0 Lord; and as I read it I was made to chant it in the
-power. "I returned the same day to town, and the next morning joined the
prayer.
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APPENDICES. meeting at the Scotch Church.... When we were separating, Mr.
P- came to me to ask me to take up my abode with him. I mentioned to him
what had been revealed and confirmed to me concerning my being set apart
wholly to the Lord's work; and I added, I had a little professional
business in London, which I must break off, and then I looked for the
Lord's direction as to my future course. When I had said this, I perceived
the power to rest upon Miss E. C., and to be moving to the utterance of
something which she was distressed or troubled about. I turned round and
said,' Speak.' She said, in power,' Will you hear?' I answered,' If the
Lord give me grace, I will.' She went on in utterance:' Did ye feel the
touch of the enemy? Did ye mark his deceit? Watch, for the enemy lieth in
wait;' and continued in a strain of warning; and passing from that into a
declaration that great revelations should be given to me, concluded in an
encouraging tone. I gathered from this there was something in which I
needed to be warned, but I could not understand what in particular it
applied to. "Bearing on my mind the prophecy concerning the king and
queen, I asked Mr. Irving, Mr. P-, and.Miss E. C., to go apart with me,
detailed to them the particulars, and in conclusion sought of the Lord
farther direction. The power came on Miss E. C. with the answer,'It is not
yet, it is not yet. It shall be a plain way. The way shall be very plain.'
From this we gathered we must not at present look for the fulfillment. Mr.
Irving then asked me the particulars of the revelation and messages
separating me from my family and setting me apart. I gave all particulars,
which, though he was before startled, seemed to give him full
satisfaction; and after a few observations he came up to me and said,'Well,
dear brother, be not puffed up with the abundance of revelations.' I was
then most grievously weighed down in spirit, without knowing fully the
cause. On his observing it and asking the reason, I said,'I know not what
it is; I am overwhelmed; I have yet to break my connection with my
professional engagements here, and it seems as though Satan would not
suffer me.' Immediately the power in Miss E. C. cried out,'To the word! to
the written word!' with peculiar emphasis upon'written.' This was repeated
several times, to my great confusion. Mr. Irving then said,'A passage is
brought to my mind, whether the suggestion of it is from below or from
above, as applying it to this case, I can not tell: If any man provide not
for his own, he hath denied the faith.' Miss E. C. in the power said,'
That is it;' and went on to speak of the great stumbling-blocks which were
cast before the people, and of the woeful effects of stumbling and
offenses. Mr. Irving then added,'It seems strange to me you should leave
your wife;' and immediately a response in power from Miss E. C.
followed:'Ye must not leave her.' If a thunderbolt had burst at my feet it
would not have created half the pain and agonizing confusion which these
utterances cast upon me. The impression rushed on me like a flood.'The
revelation must then have been of Satan.'... This was the agonizing
suggestion of a moment. I reeled under the weight of it. I paused a
little, and under the revulsion of feeling which always succeeds any
violent excitement, I was ready to say,'It is impossible.' I fell on my
knees and cried aloud to God-' 0 Lord, Thou knowest that in honesty of
heart Thy servant hath performed what has been done; show now whether Thou
meanest that he has altogether stumbled and been deceived, or whether it
is that, though true, it will be a stumbling-block to others.' Racked with
the most fierce mental conflict, I endeavored to lift up my soul in
patient waiting upon God, and in a little time I seemed to have light upon
the subject, which spoke peace in a measure to me. It was that the
messages and revelations were of God, but that I had mistaken them in
supposing they called for my immediate cessation from all worldly labor;
that the time of my so ceasing was not yet, and the time of my leaving my
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B. 569 family was not yet; and that the reproof had been sent me to
correct my haste and rashness in rushing upon their immediate fulfillment.
"At breakfast at Mr. Irving's, the closing scene of my unhappy
ministrations among them was no less remarkable than mysterious. Very
great utterance had, for several mornings, been given me at family prayers
there, and particularly beautiful and comforting expositions of Scripture
were given from the power. This morning a clergyman was present. He was
talking to Mr. Irving, but I did not hear his observations. Presently the
sister of Miss E. C., who sat by me, said,' That gentleman is grieving the
Spirit.' I looked, and saw a frown resting on Miss E. C., and presently
she spoke in rebuke; but I did not gather more from it than that the
clergyman had been advancing something erroneous. Mr. Irving then began,
as usual, to read a chapter, to which I had been made in power to direct
him; but instead of my expounding, as before, the power resting upon me
revealed there were those in the room who must depart. Utterance came from
me that we were assembled at -a holy ordinance, to partake of the body and
blood of Christ, and it behooved all to examine themselves, that they
might not partake unworthily. None going out, I was made again and again
still more peremptorily to warn, until the clergyman in question, and an
aged man, a stranger, had gone out, when Mr. Irving proceeded'in reading
the chapter, I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His
wrath; and I was made to expound, as usual, with, great setting forth of
God's love in the midst of the trials of His people, and with great
promises of blessing. It was greatly to my own comfort, and I believe also
to that of others. I then prayed in the power; and when all was concluded,
I was made in power to declare to Mr. Irving that he had seen in this an
example of the ministration of the Supper of the Lord, as he had before
seen the example of baptism; that he must preach and declare them to his
flock, for speedily would the Lord bring them forth; that the opening of
the Word was the bread, and the indwelling and renewing presence of the
Spirit the wine-the body and blood of our Lord; and the discourse of
spirits would not permit the unbelievers to mingle with the faithful, but
they would be driven out, as he had seen. Then in power I was made to warn
all of the snares of the enemy, and concluded with the remarkable words,'
Be not ye like Peter. I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be
scattered.'... had not any previous idea that on this morning the
ministrations of the Lord's Supper would be given, nor had I, until this
was set before me, any conception what its spiritual ministration would
be.... " I returned to the country deeply depressed, though quite unshaken
in my faith of the work.... Then followed in the power a most emphatic
declaration, that on the day after the morrow we should both be baptized
with fire.... that had the Church in London manifested greater love, this
baptism and power would have been given then; but now it should be given
her; and on the day named we should receive it, and thenceforward would
the work proceed in swiftness, and not again tarry.... We were overjoyed
with these communications, and in fullness of hope and confidence awaited
the day of fulfillment. The interval was filled up by very powerful and
frequent utterances in interpretation of Scripture and in confirmation of
the work. The day named arrived, and in the evening an utterance from the
power,'Kneel down and receive the baptism of fire.' We knelt down, lifting
up prayer to God continually. Nothing, however, ensued. Again and again we
knelt, and again and again we prayed, but still no fulfillment. Surprising
as it may seem, my faith was not shaken; but day by day, for a long time,
we continued in prayer and supplication, continually expecting the
baptism. My wife gradually concluded the whole must be delusion, and
ceased to follow it. For six weeks, however, I continued unshaken to ask
after it, but found it not....
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APPENDICES. " Being anxious to communicate with Mr. Irving, I traveled on
to London, and reached him on the morning of his appearance before the
presbyters of London. Calling him and Mr. J. C. apart, I told them my
conviction that we had all been speaking by a lying spirit, and not by the
Spirit of the Lord." The above quotations are chosen as throwing light
upon the little body of prophets and gifted persons surrounding Irving,
rather than as tracing the extraordinary career of Mr. Baxter himself,
who, in the intervals of these scenes, gives pages of direct prophecy and
large expositions of Scripture, all of which were revealed to him in "the
power," showing himself to have been much the most active and urgent of
the band, always thrusting matters to extremes. The manner in which he
came to himself, by discovering error in Irving's doctrine respecting the
person of our Lord, in regard to which "an utterance in power broke from
me,'He has erred, he has erred,'" is, like the prophecies, too lengthy for
quotation. APPENDIX C. Speeches of Irving before the Presbytery of London,
March, 1832. ON Wednesday morning, at the meeting of the court, pursuant
to adjournment, Mr. Irving commenced his defense as follows: "The four
evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, have one after another
recorded it for our learning, that the forerunner and messenger whom God
chose and sealed from his mother's womb, yea, and gave to his parents for
that very end, John the Baptist, who came forth from the wilderness of
Judea to proclaim and herald the coming of the Son of God, did it in these
words: ",'There cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose
shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose: I, indeed, have baptized
you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.' Of such
consequence did the eternal God, in whose presence we stand, deem it that
the Son of God should be known by the name of Baptizer with the Holy
Ghost, that He did send forth His messenger before His face, greater than
any of the prophets, with no other message but to announce him by this
name,'He it is who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.' And when our Lord Jesus
Christ, our Redeemer, had arisen from the dead, and had appeared among His
disciples, and had spoken to them of the things concerning the kingdom of
God, He opened their understandings that they should understand the
Scriptures, but told them to wait in Jerusalem, and expect the promise of
the Father, for that not many days hence they should be baptized by the
Holy Ghost. He also considered His office of Baptizer with the Holy Ghost
to be so essential a part of His dignity and of His name, that He forbade
His disciples who had traveled with Him, who had been instructed by IIim,
whose weakness He had borne with, and whose hearts He had purified by His
words, to proceed forth from Jerusalem without that baptism; and it is for
the name of Christ, as the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost, that I am this
day called in question. It is for that name, which God deemed so sacred
and important as to give it to the Baptist to proclaim, and which the Son
of God deemed so important that He would not suffer His disciples to go
forth and preach till they had received the substance of that baptism; it
is for that name, even for the name of Jesus, the Baptizer with the Holy
Ghost, that I now stand here before you, sir, and before this court, and
before all this people, and am called in question this day. It hath
pleased Him, of His great grace, in answer to the prayers of His people,
acting
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