Immediately on my arrival at Stuttgart, yea, the very first hour that I was there, so heavy a trial of faith came upon me, that it was one of the sharpest trials which I ever have had. The cause of it I am not at liberty to mention. But so much as this, it was in connexion with my going to Stuttgart, and, humanly speaking, the thing would not have occurred, had I not gone thither. The trial was of a double character; for it was not only the thing itself, great as the trial of my faith was on that account; but it was as though the question were put to me in the strongest way:--Are you willing to make sacrifices in connexion with your service here? And do you really lean upon me, the living G.o.d, in your service here? But thanks to the Lord, Satan did not prevail. My heart was enabled to say almost immediately:--"All things work together for good to them that love G.o.d." I know this also does work together for my good. I know it is the very best thing for me.--Thus peace was almost immediately restored to me, and I was enabled to leave the matter quietly in the hands of the Lord. Nor was it many days before I could say from my inmost soul, if even then I could have had it in my power to alter the thing, which occasioned the great trial, and the consequences of which were then still remaining, and were remaining all the time while I was in Germany, yet I would not have wished it to be altered.
And since my return to England I have again and again had reason to admire the goodness of the Lord in having allowed this thing to be as it was, for it proved in the end in every way good to me. May the believing reader leave himself more and more unreservedly in the hands of the Lord, and he will find it to be just as the writer has found it, i. e. that our greatest trials often turn out to be our greatest blessings.--Had I gone, however, in my own strength to Stuttgart, and had I not been led to treasure up so many pet.i.tions in heaven before I went, I should, in all human probability, have been quite overcome by this very first trial.
This was not the only trial which befel me there, but they were so many, so great, and so long continued, that I required every particle of experience, wisdom, and grace, humanly speaking, which the Lord had been pleased to intrust me with. I could not but again and again admire the wisdom of the Lord in having sent me only in the year 1843 to Germany, and not several years before, as I often had been advised to go long before I did. For had I gone without having the experience which I had gathered in my service among the saints during the 13 1/2 years previously, and without having had my soul exercised before G.o.d in trials of patience, and hope, and faith, as it has been since November 1830, humanly speaking, I should have been overwhelmed. But, as it was, my soul, through grace, having learned to deal with G.o.d about every thing, I was sustained by casting all my care upon Him, and looking to Him for help, and expecting help from Him, though every thing looked dark in every way. And thus it came, that all the difficulties were overcome one after another. But more about this when I come to relate some of the peculiar difficulties in connexion with my service at Stuttgart.
I also mention here, that during the eight years previous to my going to Germany to labour there, it had been laid on my heart, and on the hearts of some other brethren among us, to ask the Lord that He would be pleased to honour us, as a body of believers, by calling forth from our midst brethren, for carrying the truth into foreign lands.
But this prayer seemed to remain unanswered. Now, however, the time was come when the Lord was about to answer it, and I, on whose heart particularly this matter had been laid, was to be the first to carry forth the truth from among us. About that very time the Lord called our dear brother and sister Barrington from among us, to go to Demerara, to labour there in connexion with our esteemed brother Strong, and our dear brother and sister Espenett, to go to Switzerland. Both these dear brethren and sisters left very shortly after I had gone to Germany. But this was not all Our much valued brother Mordal, who had commended himself to the saints by his unwearied faithful service among us for twelve years, had from Aug.
31, 1843, (the day on which brothers Strong and Barrington sailed from Bristol for Demerara), his mind likewise exercised about service there, and went out from among us eleven months after. He, together with myself, had had it particularly laid upon his heart, during the eight years previously, to ask the Lord again and again to call labourers from among us for foreign service. Of all persons he, the father of a large family, and about 50 years of age, seemed the least likely to be called to that work; but G.o.d did call him. He went, laboured a little while in Demerara, and then, on January 9, 1845, the Lord took him to his rest.--When we ask G.o.d for a thing, such as that He would be pleased to raise up labourers for His harvest, or send means for the carrying on of His work, the honest question to be put to our hearts should be this: Am I willing to go, if He should call me I Am I willing to give according to my ability? For we may be the very persons whom the Lord will call for the work, or whose means He may wish to employ.
The Reader will notice, in the preceding letter, that all the meetings in the evening were very late. The time of the meetings was one of the many difficulties with which I had to contend; for if the times had been on purpose ill chosen, they could scarcely have been worse. On the Lord?s day mornings the meetings were at nine; thus the mothers of families either could not come at all, or had to hurry through their work, and come without having had any time to themselves. On the Lord?s day afternoons they were at two, when the heat of the sun in the summer, which is most oppressive, and the effect of the dinner, both combined together to make the persons sleepy, so that individuals not more than half a yard from me, though interested about what was going on, were sometimes fast asleep. In the evenings the meetings commenced at half-past eight, when persons were not only worn out from working nearly up to that time, but also, in general, had just had a heavy supper, which was sure to make them sleepy, thought they might be never so desirous to listen. But, by the grace of G.o.d, none of these things moved me. I knew the Lord had sent me to these dear saints, and that, therefore, by His help, I could overcome all these difficulties. And these difficulties were overcome; for after a little while I was able to show to the dear brethren and sisters that the Lord?s day morning meeting was too early, and we had it half an hour later. The Lord?s day afternoon meeting at two o?clock was entirely given up, on account of its being an unseasonable time, and it being better to have only two meetings instead of three, as almost every one could attend two meetings, which was quite enough for one day, and gave some time for parents to be with their children, or gave some more time than usual for reading the Scriptures, a point at which I aimed from the beginning. For when I came to Stuttgart, I found it just as I have found it in some places in England on my first beginning to labour there, even that the dear brethren and sisters had little relish for the word of G.o.d, and as a proof of this never referred to it at the meetings; but, before I left Stuttgart, I had the joy of seeing either all, or almost all, having the word of G.o.d open before them whilst I was expounding it.--Instead of the afternoon meeting at two, we met at four o?clock, when the oppression of the heat in the summer is not so great as at two, whereby also the lateness of the evening meeting was avoided on the Lord?s days. Also on the week evenings we had the meetings half an hour sooner, that is at 8 o?clock instead of half-past 8, and I affectionately advised the dear saints to take a very light supper on those evenings when we met, that blessing might not be hindered. Earlier than eight on the week evenings, and later than half-past nine on the Lord?s day mornings, we could not have the meetings, on account of the habits of the country. It can scarcely be perceived by brethren in England how great the difficulties are, with which brethren have to contend in many foreign countries in seeking to spread the truth, not only on account of the climate, or the police, etc., but also on account of the habits of the people; so that I would affectionately beseech all, who take a hearty interest in the spread of the truth, to help by their prayers all who labour in the word and doctrine in foreign lands, so that through the power of the Holy Ghost they may be enabled to overcome all those hinderances.
I now insert my first letter to the brethren in Bristol, written by me from Stuttgart, soon after my arrival, which will show to the reader my position there more clearly. The letter is, with the exception of a very slight verbal alteration, which I made in revising it for the press, just as it was written.
Stuttgart, Sept. 7, 1843.
To the Brethren meeting at Bethesda and Salem Chapels, Bristol.
My dear Brethren,
It was yesterday four weeks since I left Bristol, and I now write these few lines that you may know how I am situated in the service, on account of which I left England, in order that thus you may the better be able to remember me in your prayers, according to my need.
My journey to this place was full of mercies and blessings in a variety of ways, but I must delay giving you the particulars, till it may please the Lord to allow me again the privilege of labouring among you. I arrived at Stuttgart on Tuesday evening, Aug. 22. On the next evening I met the five brethren who labour here in the little church. On Thursday, Friday, and Sat.u.r.day also I had meetings with the little church, at which I either expounded the Holy Scriptures or communicated to the brethren things about Bristol, which might be profitable to them. The following Lord?s day I spoke twice at their meetings, and in the evening I broke bread in my room with a few saints, as the Baptist church break bread only once a month. On Monday and Tuesday evenings I continued to meet the whole little church. Up to that time all went on quietly; but I knew well that it was only the quietness before a storm, and that shortly a hot battle would commence. And thus it was. On Wednesday last week, i.e. Aug.
30, I was requested to meet the elders of the church. When we came together, the brother who appears to take the lead among them, and who is the only one who speaks at their meetings, told me that the time was drawing nigh when the church would take the Lord?s supper, and that they had a rule which they considered to be Scriptural, which was, neither to take the Lord?s supper with any one who was not himself baptized by immersion after he had believed, nor with any one who, (though thus baptized himself) would take the Lord?s supper with any who had not thus been baptized. Nor did they take the Lord?s supper with any brother who would take it with any yet belonging to the state church. After this brother had stated to me his views, I stated my own convictions from the Holy Scriptures on these points, and I was quietly heard for about an hour and a half whilst I was speaking without interruption. The Lord was so with me, that when I came home I did not remember any one thing that I could have wished to have stated which had not been stated. The whole having taken up more than two hours, and it being now past ten o?clock in the evening, we proposed to meet again on the next day, Thursday afternoon, at five o?clock. We did so, and several other brethren besides the elders were present. The subjects were now discussed from the Scriptures. Brother--maintained that no one was born again except he was baptized, no one had a right to say his sins were forgiven, except he were baptized, and also that the apostles were not born again until the day of Pentecost. Whilst seeking to defend these unscriptural statements, he also affirmed that our Lord Himself had been born again at His baptism, and that the last three years of His life He had not been under the law, but had ceased to be under the law when He was baptized. I had been accustomed during the eight days that I had been going in and out among the brethren to hear all sorts of unscriptural statements, into which they had fallen through laying an undue stress upon baptism, and especially through considering baptism as a covenant into which G.o.d enters with the believer; but when now the foundation truths of the Gospel were also attacked, when of our Holy Lord it was said that he was born again at his baptism, (which made Him out to be like one of us), and when it was said that He had not been under the law during the last three years of His life;--I saw it needful first of all to see whether we were agreed about the foundation truths of the Gospel. But as we had now been together from five to half-past seven in the evening, and as at half-past eight the public meeting began at which I had to speak, I proposed to separate and to meet again on Friday afternoon from five to seven. This was done, I now first of all pressed the first points. Brother--stated in the presence of the elders and six or seven other brethren, that he had made an unscriptural statement, and that our Lord needed not to be born again. I then went to the other point, whether the Lord was under the law up to the time when He died on the cross, or only up to the time when He was baptized. Many pa.s.sages were brought forward to show that our Lord was under the law up to the last moments of His earthly life, which is clear from Gal.
iii. 13, Phil. ii. 8, Heb. x. 1-13, and many other pa.s.sages. At last he was convinced about this also and acknowledged his error. But many other points, equally unscriptural, he was unwilling to renounce, such as, that baptism is a covenant with G.o.d, and that there cannot be forgiveness of sins except individuals have been baptized after believing. He also maintained that I was sinning in breaking bread with unbaptized believers, and with those who belong to the state church, and that if the church here allowed me to break bread with them, they would be defiled, as I made myself a partaker of the sins of others, which sins I brought with me; and other such unscriptural statements were made by this brother. Thus we spent again about two hours and a half in intercourse, whilst this teaching elder and one of the other elders considered me unfit to take the Lord?s supper with them on the coming Lord?s day, but the two other elders and several other brethren who were present were quite ready to break bread with me, and with any who love our Lord Jesus. Brother--now said, there must be a separation. I then entreated the brethren not to think of a separation. I represented to them what a scandal it would be to the unG.o.dly, and what a stumbling block also to the believers who are yet in the state church. I further told them that I had not come to Stuttgart to make a separation between the brethren, but only to lend them a helping hand according to the ability which the Lord might give me. I lastly said: As we have now spent more than six hours together in intercourse, let us meet together tomorrow evening some hours for prayer. To this the brethren agreed, and we accordingly met on Sat.u.r.day evening at eight o?clock for prayer. The subject of our prayer was, that the Lord would be pleased to unite us together in the truth, and make it manifest on which side the truth was. After we had thus prayed for about two hours, brother--prayed at the end, and related (in what he called prayer) his experience before his conversion, his conversion, his being convinced about baptism, my coming to Stuttgart, his readiness to receive the unbaptized in consequence of my intercourse with him, and how then a great horror had befallen him, and that now he had come back to his former view, only to receive the baptized, and how now his peace had been restored to him, and that he purposed to live and die in this belief. When we arose I told him that the Lord Himself had decided the matter, and had shown on whose side the truth was; for that he, if in peace, as he had said, could not thus have related his experience, and called it prayer. This prayer tended greatly to show the other brethren that he has not the truth.--I should have stated that I said to the brethren at the commencement of this meeting, that, as I and my wife were the only persons on whose account they could not break bread on the coming day, and as nothing ought to be done in a hurry, to whatever conclusion they might come, we would gladly withdraw ourselves, and break bread in our room. This was not accepted, as there was much disunion among the brethren, as they told me, and had been before I came, and that my coming had now only brought matters to a point. I stated once more, at the end of the meeting on Sat.u.r.day evening, Sept. 2, that we ought to dread a separation, and that we ought to pray that we might be of one mind, and that I was ready to meet them by day or by night for prayer or searching the Word on the subject. Thus we separated. The next morning, Sept. 3, I spoke again at the meeting, having been by all the elders requested at my arrival here to expound the Scriptures at all their meetings, or to communicate to them any thing that might be profitable. On this morning I spoke princ.i.p.ally on the Lord?s supper, and on what fits for it; on what is meant by feeding upon Jesus, and what fits for it; on the point that it is not a part of truth, but Jesus round whom believers should unite together; and on the truth, that, if any one is a believer, he is ent.i.tled to all the privileges of the saints. These points I had not chosen on purpose for that morning, but they came in course in speaking on Exodus xii., on which chapter I had spoken four times before. After I had finished, I was going to pray at the close, when I was interrupted by brother--, the princ.i.p.al and teaching elder (as to outward authority). He stated that he must contradict me, for I had said: 1, The bread and wine in the Lord?s supper meant the body and blood of our Lord, whilst, as he believed, and as the word said, it was the real body and blood of our Lord. 2, He believed that as circ.u.mcision made a man an Israelite, and fitted him thus for the partaking of the Paschal Lamb, so without baptism no one is fitted to partake of the Lord?s supper, which is set forth by the Paschal Lamb; whilst I had said that every one who believes in Jesus was by this his faith made a spiritual Israelite, and had a right to the Lord?s supper and to all the privileges of the children of G.o.d. He stated further, that this was against the rules of their church, and that, as I took the Lord?s supper with unbaptized believers, and with those who had not quite left the state church, I made myself partaker of their sins, and that therefore, as being defiled with these sins, I could not be admitted to the Lord?s supper. From the commencement of his speaking he was very irritated, but now continued in a pa.s.sionate way: I am ruler in this church, and you (addressing himself to me) are no longer permitted to speak at our meetings. Moreover he said, "Whosoever takes the Lord?s supper with Muller will no longer be considered as a member of the church;"
and then in anger he left the meeting. During all this time, the Lord, in the riches of His grace, kept me in perfect peace and calmness. I answered brother--not a single word. When he was gone I fell upon my knees, asked the Lord?s blessing upon the word which I had spoken, asked the Lord to forgive brother--, and to teach me what I should do now. After this I dismissed the meeting. When all was over, one of the elders, brother R., one who seeks after truth, and rejoices in the true liberty which the Lord enables me to preach, and one who had been sighing under the iron hand of brother--for a long time; this brother, I say, requested me before all, according to the first arrangement, to continue the meetings and to tell them all that might be profitable to them. He was, however, immediately interrupted by another elder, who sees with brother--, and told that he had no right to do so. I then stated again that I had only come from England in love, and that I would not force myself upon them. I then left.--By the time of the afternoon meeting I had received light from the Lord that I should not go to the meeting. I saw that as I had been cast out, together with all the other brethren who owned me as a brother, and as all my tenderness in seeking to avoid a separation had been useless, I had now on the other hand to go steadfastly forward, leaving it with the Lord to decide on which side the truth was. I therefore remained at home. The two elders who were won for the truth, went to the meeting in the afternoon, at which brother--sought to disprove what I had said, and after the meeting they stated that they were purposed to own me and all who believe in the Lord Jesus as brethren in the breaking of bread.--On the same evening seventeen of us met in my room for the breaking of bread, as we were in peace; of these seventeen twelve were belonging to this little Baptist church, two Swiss brethren, one English sister, my wife and I. We had a peaceful meeting. Thus the Lord so soon, so unexpectedly, has brought the matter to a point, though in a painful way. The matter would be, however, more painful, did I not see it of great importance that the disciples who hold the truth should be separate from those who hold such fearful errors as: The forgiveness of sins received through baptism; baptism a covenant between us and G.o.d; regeneration through baptism and no regeneration without it; the actual death of the old man through baptism, it being drowned, so that only the body and the new nature are alive; and many other fearful errors, to which these poor deluded brethren have been led by laying such undue stress upon baptism. As to poor brother ----, he had denied some months since the inspiration of Luke, the Acts, and the Epistle of James, which point he only gave up when several brethren stated that they must leave on that account, and he has fallen into many other grievous errors; but there has been no one who has had sufficient spiritual courage steadfastly to resist him. Now there is joy with many that the Lord has set them free.--On Monday last, Sept.
4th, I had again a meeting with the brethren and sisters whose eyes the Lord has opened, and others also came, not belonging to this Baptist church. On. Wednesday I had again a meeting, and today, Sept.
8, and tomorrow evening I purpose to meet the brethren again.--All is only a beginning. But there is a beginning. That which I longed for, the chief object of my journey to the Continent, that there might be also in Germany a little living church, but based on Scriptural principles, which might be a light to other places; the beginning of that has now been made, but it is a small beginning. The minds of the dear brethren have been so darkened through this mixture of error and truth, that about every thing they need instruction. However, the Lord will help further. I am of good cheer, because I know that the Lord is on my side, and that He has sent me here, and that He keeps me here. How gladly would I leave this very day, were it His will; but I know that at present I ought to labour here.--I have so circ.u.mstantially and minutely related all to you, that you may the better know how to help me with your prayers. The errors and sins of our brother ---- I have only related, that you the more clearly may see how my coming here is of G.o.d, in order that these dear children of G.o.d, who have suffered so much for the Lord?s sake, and who are sincere, though in much error, might be led on and delivered out of these snares of the devil. But many, unaccustomed to examine Scripture, hold fast the former ways; yet those, who are sincere, the Lord will deliver after awhile. How long I may continue here, I know not; but the moment I see the Lord?s leading to England, I shall be delighted to go back. At present my temptation is not to stay longer than I ought to stay; but rather to leave sooner than I ought to leave. Help me, therefore, dear brethren, that I maybe willing to do and suffer all the will of G.o.d here. As to further particulars, the Lord willing, you shall have them either verbally or by writing.
Should any of you like to write to me, or my dear wife, we shall be glad to hear from you; and if the letters be written on thin paper and left at my house, they will be forwarded to me. We remember you daily in our prayers, as you also, no doubt, remember us.
May the Lord bring us in His own time again together in peace.
Pray earnestly for all the brethren who labour among you.
My dear wife salutes you. The saints here salute you.
I am, dear brethren.,
Affectionately your brother and servant,
GEORGE MuLLER.
I make the following remarks in connexion with this letter.
I. In the beginning it is mentioned, that on the evening of the day after my arrival I met with the five brethren who laboured in the Baptist church at Stuttgart, that is with the teaching elder or president, the three other elders, and the brother who acted as deacon. At this very meeting, nay at the very commencement even of this meeting, I saw what a difficult position mine would be, and what abundant help I should need from G.o.d. That which led me to think so was this. During the day that I had been at Stuttgart, I had perceived, that all the brethren and sisters called one another "Thou," which is in Germany the sign of great familiarity, and which is used between very intimate friends or between parents and children, or husband and wife, or brothers and sisters of the same family, &c. Here now I found that males and females of all ages and different stations in life called one another "Thou." When I therefore met with those five brethren I stated the substance of the following objections, against this practice, not however in the form of objections, but either in the way of affectionate inquiries or brotherly suggestions. My objections against it were these: 1, I did not think it would have, in general, a desirable effect upon believers of different s.e.xes to speak to one another thus in the way of so great familiarity. 2, I did not think it would work well for brethren and sisters in service to speak thus to their master and mistress, especially if it should happen that the mistress was an unbeliever, and therefore not in fellowship with them, and a sister were as a servant to say to her master "Thou." 3, I thought it would not work happily and healthfully for a very young brother and sister to be expected to call aged brethren and sisters "Thou," as if on terms of great familiarity, from the moment they were baptized and thus received among them into fellowship. 4, But that which far more strongly operated upon my mind than any of the previous reasons was this, It seemed to me to subst.i.tute an outward form for the inward power and reality. I stated to them, That if the calling one another "Thou" were the result of realizing that all the children of G.o.d have one and the self-same Father in heaven, that they are really, and not nominally only, brothers and sisters of the same heavenly family, and heirs of the same precious inheritance, and bought by the same precious blood of the Lord Jesus; if it were the result of these truths being enjoyed and realized within, I should see not the least reason against it, in general; but I feared that it was merely an outward thing, judging from the fact, that however it might have been with a brother and sister previously, the moment they were baptized they were called "Thou" by every one of their number, and they were expected to call every one "Thou" in return. And I judged it to be a pernicious thing, if thus the "Thou" was forced upon persons; for on the part of those who were comparatively high in life it would be considered sooner or later an unpleasant burden, and on the part of the poorer cla.s.ses it would lead to carnal gratification in being able to treat those in the way of great familiarity who were considerably above them with reference to this life. The thing itself, then, if done from right motives, from the entering into our position as saints with reference to G.o.d and to each other, would be most precious; but the thing done, merely because it was customary among them, and observed in order to keep up uniformity, would work most perniciously.--In reply to my remarks of this kind, it was stated, that the use of the word "Thou" was scriptural, that in the Holy Scriptures we never read, when one single person is spoken to, "You," but always "Thou." To this I answered that it was so, but that we must remember that in the Holy Scriptures we find governors and kings addressed by poor men in the term "Thou;" for this was the only form of speech in use, whilst in Germany, where the "Thou" is not used except to denote near natural relationship or familiarity, it ought not to be used, except there be that inwardly corresponding to what we outwardly seek to convey by the term; else it will lead to formality, if not to hypocrisy, and sooner or later the pernicious tendency of this outward thing, to which there is nothing inwardly corresponding, will most surely be felt. It appeared to me far better not to make any profession of familiarity and intimacy by the use of the "Thou," when the heart does not go along with it, and rather to continue to say to one another "You" till there be the drawing of heart to heart by the love of Jesus, than to force the "Thou" upon the brethren and sisters. I felt the more strongly about this, as I had witnessed more than once among believers in England the injurious effects of doing things because others did them, or because it was the custom, or because they were persuaded into acts of outward self-denial, or giving up things whilst the heart did not go along with it, and whilst the outward act WAS NOT the result of the inward powerful working of the Holy Ghost, and the happy entering into our fellowship with the Father and with the Son. I had seen, when these things had been done from wrong motives, that there had been regret afterwards, and the returning back as much as possible to what had been given up or forsaken. Moreover, though I had been only one day in Stuttgart when we had this meeting, yet I had heard enough of the state of things, to make me think the calling one another "Thou" was in many instances a mere outward form.--My brotherly suggestions were not received, but strongly opposed by two or three out of the five brethren, and it was pretty plainly hinted, that, perhaps, I was too proud to be called "Thou;" and the moment I perceived that, I said that I wished every brother, the very poorest of them, to call me "Thou" (and I encouraged them in doing so, by calling every one "Thou"), but that I could not, with my light, call any of the sisters "Thou," nor did I do so up to the day of my departure.
There was another thing of the same character, that is the kiss. In Germany, as on the Continent generally, the kiss is the sign of affection and familiarity among men as well as among females, and the brethren and sisters at Stuttgart always had been in the habit of kissing one another after having partaken of the Lord?s supper, that is all the brethren had kissed each other, and all the sisters had kissed each other. Now this again, if the result of real inward affection, and springing from the entering into our heavenly relationship and oneness in Christ Jesus, would be most beautiful, and would be the "holy kiss" of which the Apostle Paul speaks; but I had no reason to believe that this was generally the case among the brethren and sisters at Stuttgart, but rather that it was merely the result of custom and form, and that it was done because it was expected to be done, for it was the church?s order, after the Lord?s supper to kiss one another. It was on this ground that it seemed to me to be most pernicious; and I could have known how it would work, even though I had not been actually told, that sometimes sisters had stayed away from the Lord?s supper, because they did not feel comfortable in kissing all the female members of the church. When therefore I began to break bread with the brethren, after we had been separated by the close baptists, I did not kiss one brother after the breaking of bread; but I made a point of it to kiss every one of them on that very day at a later meeting, when I left them to go to my lodgings, in order that no one might be able to say it was pride or want of love in me that I had not kissed them. Thus I did on the second Lord?s day, and on the third. On the fourth Lord?s day a brother said, after the breaking of bread, Brethren shall we give one another the brotherly kiss, and I was then ready at once, like the rest, to kiss all the brethren; but the next time there was no kissing, and thus the mere cold form was banished, and every brother felt free to kiss another brother when his heart bade him to do so, without being bound to it by custom or form.
I have so circ.u.mstantially dwelt on these apparently little things, because I think them, in principle, matters of the deepest importance. Every thing that is a mere form, a mere habit and custom in divine things, is to be dreaded exceedingly: life, power, reality, this is what we have to aim after. Things should not result from without, but from within. The sort of clothes I wear, the kind of house I live in, the quality of the furniture I use, all such like things should not result from other persons doing so and so, or because it is customary among those brethren with whom I a.s.sociate to live in such and such a simple, inexpensive, self-denying way; but whatever be done in these things, in the way of giving up, or self-denial, or deadness to the world, should result from the joy we have in G.o.d, from the knowledge of our being the children of G.o.d, from the entering into the preciousness of our future inheritance, etc. Far better that for the time being we stand still, and do not take the steps which we see others take, than that it is merely the force of example that leads us to do a thing, and afterwards it be regretted. Not that I mean in the least by this to imply we should continue to live in luxury, self-indulgence, and the like, whilst others are in great need; but we should begin the thing in a right way, i.e. aim after the right state of heart; begin inwardly instead of outwardly. If otherwise, it will not last. We shall look back, or even get into a worse state than we were before. But oh! how different if joy in G.o.d leads us to any little act of self denial.
How gladly do we do it then! How great an honour then do we esteem it to be! How much does the heart then long to be able to do more for Him who has done so much for us! We are far then from looking down in proud self-complacency upon those who do not go as far as we do, but rather pray to the Lord, that He would be pleased to help our dear brethren and sisters forward, who may seem to us weak in any particular point; and we also are conscious to ourselves, that if we have a little more light or strength with reference to one point, other brethren may have more light or grace in other respects.
II. It may be asked, whether I consider brother ----, with all his errors, his fearful errors, to be a brother. My reply is, that so far as my own personal acquaintance is concerned, I am not able to form a judgment about it; but from all I have heard about his G.o.dly life formerly for many years, I think there is very much reason to believe that he is a child of G.o.d. I have related all this and made it public (which I naturally greatly dislike, on account of brother ---- being my brother, and therefore his sin is my own shame), in order that other children of G.o.d may be profited by it. There are two most instructive points connected with the history of the Baptist Church at Stuttgart and of our brother ---- in particular.
1, These children of G.o.d had been right in considering believers?
baptism to be Scriptural, and in separating from the state church of Wirtemberg. But upon these two points they had laid undue stress.
Though believers? baptism is the truth of G.o.d; though separation from state churches on the part of children of G.o.d who know that a church is "a congregation of believers" is right, because they see in state churches nothing but the world mixed up with some true believers; yet, if these points are made too much of if they are put out of their proper place, as if they were every thing, then there must be spiritual loss suffered by those who do so. Nay, whatever parts of truth are made too much of, though they were even the most precious truths connected with our being risen in Christ, or our heavenly calling, or prophecy, sooner or later those, who lay an undue stress upon these parts of truth, and thus make them too prominent, will be losers in their own souls, and, if they be teachers, they will injure those whom they teach. That was the case at Stuttgart. Baptism and separation from the state church had at last become almost every thing to these dear brethren. "We are the church. Truth is only to be found among us. All others are in error, and in Babylon." These were the phrases used again and again by our brother ----. But G.o.d never allows this state of things without chastis.e.m.e.nt. This spiritual pride had led from one error to another. Oh may it be a warning to me and to all believers who may read this, and may G.o.d in mercy give and preserve to them and to me a lowly heart!
2, Another thing, on account of which the church at Stuttgart is a warning, is this: When these dear brethren left the state church of the Kingdom of Wirtemberg, on account of which they had many trials, they did not meet together in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, but they took some Baptist church, whether in H-- or E-- I know not, for a model, and there was to be a teaching elder among them. Instead of being content to own their weakness, and give themselves to prayer that the Lord would be pleased to give them a teacher, brother ---- becomes their teaching elder, and this having been done, he alone speaks at all the meetings (with few exceptions). Now, as his own mind laid such an undue stress upon baptism, and as there was no free working of the Holy Spirit, so that any other brother might have brought out at their meetings what the Lord might have laid upon his heart, what could there have been expected otherwise than that after a time the whole n.o.ble little band of disciples, who had taken so trying a stand as to be separated from the state church, should become unsound in the faith. May G.o.d grant unto us to be profited by it, dear believing reader, so that in our own church position we do our utmost to give to the Holy Spirit free and unhindered opportunity to work by whom He will!
I have related all these things, painful as they were to me when I was in them, and painful as they are now to me in the remembrance, if it may please G.o.d to make them a warning to other dear children of G.o.d.
Stuttgart, Oct. 14, 1843.
To the Saints, meeting in the name of Jesus, at Bethesda and Salem Chapels, Bristol.
My dear Brethren,
I have judged that your love to the Lord and to me will make you desirous of knowing further particulars about the work here, and I write therefore a little concerning the state of things here.--Since the date of my last letter I have sought to instruct the dear brethren, who had been led by the Lord to own me as a brother with whom they could and ought to have fellowship, and who, therefore, had been disowned by those with whom they had formerly been a.s.sociated.
The state of things concerning the others, who think they do G.o.d service in the way in which they treat us, is very affecting. They not only keep entirely aloof from our meetings, but with those of our number, whom they consider seducers and perverters of the truth, they will not speak, nor greet us again when they are greeted. In this state of things nothing remained for us but to speak to the Lord about them, and I, therefore, proposed last week, that we should have especial prayer meetings for these dear, but awfully deluded, brethren. This was heartily responded to, and we now meet from time to time for especial prayer on their behalf. I mention this that you may help us with your prayers in this particular also. The iron rule, and the want of being able to exercise spiritual judgment is so felt, that only one of the brethren and sisters in the neighbouring little towns and villages, who belonged to the Baptist Church, has ventured to meet with us; but amidst it all I am in peace, knowing that the Lord Himself sent me here, and that the truth at last will a.s.suredly triumph. Indeed I know that except these brethren own the sin of which they have been guilty against me, the Holy Spirit, who has been grieved, will not work among them, and the spiritual death among them will open the eyes of the upright ones. Such an instance came before me last week, when a sister of the Baptist Church came to our meetings, and said that she could not remain any longer where she was, as it was as if G.o.d had departed from them. We now meet every Lord?s day morning from nine to eleven, for the exposition of the word, and from four to six in the afternoon for the breaking of bread. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, from eight till nearly ten, I expound the scriptures, and on Wednesday and Friday evenings, from eight to ten, I meet with the brethren to read the scriptures. There is the greatest teachableness among the dear saints with whom I meet; but just because they have been so long fed with error instead of truth, they need to be taught almost every thing. But hitherto the Lord has so helped me, and so made the dear brethren willing to bow before the word of G.o.d, that we have gone on most happily, and without any disagreement. The last five meetings of this kind we have spent in considering the truths contained in Romans xii., Ephes. iv., 1 Cor. xii. and xiv., &c. They are now gaining light in apprehending the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the church, and His indwelling in every individual believer, together with the practical application of these truths; and I cannot but hope, that if the Lord, even now at once, were to remove me from them, they would be able to witness in some measure for G.o.d, with regard to their church position. But even these truths will take up several such evenings yet, in order that the dear brethren not only may be grounded in them, but also be profited by my experience in these particulars during the last thirteen years, that they may not fall into the same errors, or be exposed to the same difficulties. When that subject is done with, I have to undertake another work, perhaps as difficult as any I have had since I have been here, and I mention it to you, that you may help me with your prayers, that the Lord would be pleased to give me His especial help in that matter also. I understand that all the dear precious saints with whom I meet, have fallen into the awful error, spread almost universally among even true believers in this country, that at last all men will be saved, and even the devils themselves. This awful error I must attack as soon as the subject which we now consider is finished; but pray earnestly that the Lord would give me such spiritual power, as that these dear brethren may be brought, through G.o.d?s truth, out of this delusion also. I hope in G.o.d concerning this matter. He will help me. He has in so many ways made it so abundantly plain that He Himself sent me here, that He will help me in this matter also.--Last Lord?s day we were twenty in number at the breaking of bread, including my dear wife and myself; among them was the first fruit of my labours here, in the way of conversion. She is a young lady of nineteen years, the daughter of the procurator of the upper tribunal, Dr. R, one of the former elders of the Baptist Church, who for my sake was cast out. This young sister was baptized about four miles from here, in a river, about eight o?clock in the evening, by moonlight, as the dear brethren feared the tumult and concourse of the opposers in the day time. I advised her father to baptize her, in order that at once, even in this respect, there might be nothing in the judgment of the dear saints, as if a ministerial person, according to the use of the word in the world, were needed, and also that thus the attention of the police might not needlessly be directed towards me, as they are so particularly opposed to baptism. Hitherto I have been left unmolested and unhindered, although I have been nearly eight weeks here, and although it is becoming known throughout the city, and beginning also to spread throughout the country that I am here.--The work still remains small as to outward appearance, as generally, besides the believers in fellowship, there are not more than about ten or twelve persons present; but I dare not take a large place to meet in, humanly speaking, and judging from what hitherto has been always done, but I must go on quietly instructing the saints, or preaching to the few sinners who come, in the hope that G.o.d, through my instructing the brethren, will open the eyes and hearts of others, after I have left. There is one brother among us, who learned the way of G.o.d more perfectly in Switzerland, and who often had spoken about it, before I came, but who was neither much listened to, nor received into fellowship, because he was not baptized.--In the mean time I also go on with preparing my Narrative in the German language for the press, having found out that there is sufficient freedom of the press here to allow of my getting it printed; but I make but little progress, as my time is, in a variety of ways, here also taken up, and as I have too little mental strength to continue very long at a time working with my pen. Nevertheless, I have about the fifth part ready for the press. I am more and more a.s.sured that Germany needs my service in this respect, and that the Lord has called me for this work. About the time of my return to you I can say nothing, as the Lord has not given me any light concerning it; but this I must say, that my wife and myself shall consider it a happy day indeed, when the Lord allows us to see you again. But, His servants we are, and we desire grace to tarry as cheerfully here, as we shall be glad to go back to Bristol, when the Lord sends us back. Only help us in the mean time with your prayers, (as we also pray for you), that the Lord would enable us in this dark land to glorify His holy name. Farewell, greatly beloved brethren. My heart longs after you to behold you again; yet I am happy here, and will cheerfully wait the Lord?s own time here. I repeat, that if any of you have it in your heart to write to us, and will leave the letters at my house, they will be forwarded to me. My dear wife sends her love in Christ to all the dear brethren and sisters.
Your affectionate brother and servant in the Lord,
GEORGE MuLLER.
I make again a few remarks in connexion with this letter.
I. One of my especial aims in my service among the dear brethren at Stuttgart was, to seek to ground them in the truth. To this end we had, from the beginning of our being separated from the Baptist Church, two meetings in the week, from eight to ten o?clock in the evening, when we considered together, upon the ground of the word of G.o.d, those points of truth on which these dear brethren appeared to me most to need instruction. I judged it not enough to expound the Scriptures at their public meetings, but to give an opportunity to any brother or sister, at these private meetings, to state any difficulties that they might have on their minds. At first we considered particularly the great truths of the gospel, so that any remaining errors, connected with fundamental points, might be corrected. After that we began the consideration of Romans xii. 3-8, Ephes. iv. 7-16, 1 Cor. xii. and xiv., and the other pa.s.sages which stand in connexion with the truths taught in these portions. The brethren had seen almost immediately that, according to the example of the first disciples (Acts xx. 7), it would become us to meet every first day of the week for the breaking of bread. Thus far they had light, and that light, I judged, ought to be carried out at once. We therefore from the beginning met every Lord?s day for the breaking of bread, with the exception of two or three who had for a few weeks some little doubt remaining on their mind, whether, on account of the frequency of the observance, this ordinance might not lose its beneficial effects; but as we left them free, to act according to the light they had, they soon saw the greatness of the privilege of being allowed so often to show forth the Lord?s death, and they therefore met regularly with us.--As, however, on my arrival at Stuttgart, the dear brethren had been entirely uninstructed about the truths relating to the power and presence of the Holy Ghost in the church of Christ, and to our ministering one to another as fellow members in the body of Christ; and as I had known enough of painful consequences when brethren began to meet professedly in dependence upon the Holy Spirit without knowing what was meant by it, and thus meetings had become opportunities for unprofitable talking rather than for G.o.dly edifying; and as I felt myself bound to communicate to these dear brethren the experience I had gathered with reference to these very truths since June 1830: for these reasons, I say, I thought it well to spend evening after evening with them over the pa.s.sages above mentioned. Thus week after week pa.s.sed away. We broke bread, but it was understood, and I wished it to be understood, that I was the only speaker. This I did that in every possible way I might have opportunity of instructing the brethren, and because they knew not yet what was meant by meeting in dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
But, at length, after we had for about eight weeks or more spent two evenings a week together over those pa.s.sages, and others setting forth the same truths, and full opportunity had been given, carefully to look at all the points connected with them, and when now there seemed a measure of apprehension of the mind of G.o.d in those pa.s.sages, then we met for the purpose of carrying out what the brethren had learned, and therefore, at the next time when we met for the breaking of bread, I took my place among them simply as a brother; yet as a brother who had received a measure of gift for the benefit of his fellow members, and upon whom therefore responsibility was laid to use that measure of gift, and who, by the grace of G.o.d, felt this responsibility laid upon him, and who was willing to act accordingly. I do not mean at all to say that even then this matter was perfectly understood, for a few times still things like these would occur:--A brother read a portion of the Word, and then would say, "Perhaps our brother Muller will expound to us this portion."
Or, a brother might speak a little on a subject, and then would say, "Perhaps our brother Muller will enter somewhat more fully into this subject." At such times, which occurred twice or thrice, I said nothing, but acted according to the desire of those brethren, and spoke; but afterwards, when we met privately, at our scripture reading meetings, I pointed out to the dear brethren their mistake, and reminded them that all these matters ought to be left to the ordering of the Holy Ghost, and that if it had been truly good for them, the Lord would have not only led me to speak at that time, but also on the very subject on which they desired that I should speak to them.
II. At these scripture reading meetings, of which I had about forty with them, we went on very peacefully and happily, though I had many things to bring before the brethren which were quite new to them, and some points also to which they had been exceedingly opposed. The Lord enabled me to seek His help for this service, and He granted it to me.
III. I never had a moment?s hesitation in owning these brethren, and meeting with them at the breaking of bread; for I could not say of any of them that they wilfully held those errors, but that it rather arose from the truth never having been brought before them. I therefore judged, that it was my duty to seek to instruct them in the truth, and then they would be led to renounce their errors.
IV. I had from the beginning great hope that the dear brethren would be brought out of their fearful errors. I never was overwhelmed by the prospect of the difficulties before me, but had confidence in G.o.d, that through Him I should conquer. My a.s.surance was built on the following grounds: 1, I considered the remarkable way in which so unexpectedly, and after the overcoming of so many difficulties which had been in the way, I was sent to them. I therefore judged that the Lord had sent me to them for blessing. 2, He had given me grace to pray much for the saints at Stuttgart before I had ever seen them, and He helped me to continue in prayer for them whilst with them.
This I judged was, in order that He might answer my request on their behalf. 3, They were not like persons who had had the truth set before them, and wilfully rejected it, but they had never had it set before them. 4, The Lord, in His grace, enabled me to deal patiently with them. They were deeply entangled in error, very deeply. Pressing things hastily upon them, I knew, would only make matters worse; but patiently hearing all their objections; meeting time after time over the Word, and seeking the Lord?s blessing in prayer on those meetings both before and after, being willing not to press a point too much at once, but giving time to the Holy Ghost to work upon their hearts; dealing thus with them, even as the Lord had inclined my heart, I judged that He would give me the desire of my heart, and deliver them out of their fearful errors.
V. I cannot help noticing here the strange mistake under which the religious public was with reference to my being at Stuttgart. It was this: Some weeks after my arrival the report was spread, and widely too, (for it was printed in one of the religious periodicals), that I was a Missionary sent by the Baptists in England, to bring back the Baptists in Wirtemberg to the State Church, as it was the view of the Baptists in England that it was not wrong to be united with the State Church. This having been stated in print, (though I knew not of it till I was on the point of returning to England), my stay at Stuttgart, I suppose, was rather liked by religious persons in connexion with the State Church, and it is not at all unlikely that that may have contributed to my being permitted to work quietly week after week, and month after month, without the police in the least interfering with me, though it not only was well known, that I was there, but well known too what I was doing in the way of holding meetings, etc. I recognise the hand of the Lord in allowing this mistake to be made.
VI. For many weeks the number of those who frequented the meetings was very small. Very few, besides those who were in communion with us, attended them. The highly sectarian and exclusive spirit which had been manifested by those brethren, who belonged to the Baptist Church, was a great hindrance in the way; for it was naturally supposed that we were of the same mind with them. But after nearly five months had pa.s.sed away, there began to be a different effect produced. The number of those who attended increased, and increased to more than twice or thrice as many as used to come at first, and, humanly speaking, had I seen it to be the Lord?s will to remain one month longer, the result might have been still greater. But as I saw as clearly the time of my departure from Stuttgart as that of my going thither, I was not influenced by any outward appearance; for I felt certain that, for various reasons, I ought to return to my service in Bristol.--In this circ.u.mstance also I cannot but see the hand of G.o.d. Had the meetings all at once been much attended in the beginning, it might have attracted the attention of the police, and possibly a ticket of permission to reside any longer at Stuttgart might not have been granted to me; but, as it was, there was nothing whatever outwardly to attract the notice of the world, for we were few in number, met in a very poor neighbourhood, and in a poor meeting place, and I had thus opportunity to instruct the saints.
Stuttgart, Nov. 11, 1843.
To the Brethren meeting in the name of Jesus, at Salem and Bethesda Chapels, Bristol