HWGA 13

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Section 13 – Period from 1895 to 1900

This may be considered as a sort of reconstruction period after the battles of the Lord during the previous decade when the majority of the brethren were lost. This period was marked by extensive gospel work by many brethren from England, particularly J. Revell, G. Rochester, R.D. Edwards, A. Mace, J. Boyd, W. Magowan, A.J. Pollock, H.P. Barker, and brethren on this side, J. Pellatt, H. Gill, O.J. O’Brien, and W.H. Forster.

Mr. W. Boyt of Des Moines visited England in 1891 staying with Lowe and recognized a bad spirit in him, and again in 1898 stopping with Taylor in New York enroute.

Mr. H. Gill visited England in 1897 and 1927. During the last visit he felt the loss of a tribe in the North of England, where Glanton ____________.

Mr. J. Boyd visited this country in 1897 and his curt remarks helped to put C. Knapp and others at outs, who left and joined the Grant party. Mr. Boyd left himself in 1906 joining Glanton and then Grant, over Taylor’s pressing teaching regarding salvation in the church as given out in meetings in 1906 in Ministry of J. Taylor, Vol. 1.

An important event during this period was the trip of Mr. Raven’s to the U.S. and Canada in 1896, as published in Notes of Meetings with F.E.R. Messrs. J.S. Allen and James Allen accompanied him on both trips. Quebec, Toronto, Rochester, Chicago, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Plainfield and New York were visited. Mr. Grant attended the meetings held in Plainfield. At Minneapolis, Mr. E. Acomb opposed the teaching of Mr. Raven, and with a number of others divided the meeting there.

The other party led by Mr. Gotberg was recognized as being in fellowship by London brethren in 1905 having accepted all of Mr. Raven’s teachings. Messrs. Oliphant and Mace protested against the reception and were lost to the testimony. Mr. Acomb had been a former Baptist minister and was much used, and this breach lost some ten of fifteen meetings, i.e., Anoka, Troutbrook, Dysart, Denver, San Diego, Cedar Rapids, Corunna, etc. Mr. McLaren from an independent meeting had added a considerable number to the Minneapolis meeting which sided with Mr. Acomb. In Chicago Messrs. Pellatt, Dr. Reid, etc., stood with the London decision, whom they had consulted.

At the returning of Mr. Raven to England a farewell meeting was held in New York on November 4th, and sailing on Saturday, November 5th, arrived in Liverpool on November 12th. He had arrived with his party at Quebec on October 1st.

Many meetings were started during the period or came into fellowship. Mr. Pellatt labored with great success in Nebraska. Mr. Joyce was working at various points, and Mr. Zellweger, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Magowan, etc., helped in this work. Council Bluffs came into fellowship about 1898. An independent meeting had existed since 1889, but through Mr. Zellweger’s influence, and Mr. Nelson from Bertrand moving here, were soon brought into fellowship with the nearest meeting at Oakland, Nebraska.

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