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In this bibliographic study any historical sketch of the Brethren must of necessity be very short, and yet without it many would be somewhat at sea. One of the most concise and comprehensive histories is that of Henry Allan Ironside, A Historical Sketch of the Brethren Movement (Grand Rapids, 1942, 219pp.). He lists seven men as having been considered the real founders of the movement in Dublin, Ireland, and Plymouth, England. These men are Edward Cronin, Edward Wilson, H. Hutchinson, William Stokes, J. Parnell (afterward the second Lord Congleton, J.G. Bellett, and J.N. Darby.

Cronin, a convert from Roman Catholicism, is said to have been the first to take definite action along Brethren lines. After being denied the fellowship of the Lord's table at the Independent Chapel on York Street, unless he joined them formally, if he intended to remain in Dublin, he and Mr. Edward Wilson met in one of the latter's rooms privately for prayer and the breaking of bread until the latter went to England. Two of Mr. Cronin's cousins, the Misses Drury, and a Mr. Tims, are also mentioned as having met with him in this manner. In 1827 Mr. Bellett and J.N. Darby became identified with this meeting. In 1830 Wigram started an assembly at Plymouth, England, and from this group the generic name has come to be attached to the movement, even though most of the adherents deplore the use of it. By 1845 this Plymouth assembly had grown to 1200.

Anyone interested can reconstruct Two of Mr. Cronin's cousins, the background which led these men to move away from the established churches of their day Misses Drury, and to seek a strictly New Testament form of fellowshipMr. Almost simultaneous movements Tims, are also mentioned as having met with him in this direction were reported manner. In 1827 Mr. Bellett and J.N. Darby became identified with this meeting. In 1830 Wigram started an assembly at Plymouth, England, and from various parts this group the generic name has come to be attached to the movement, even though most of the world, particularly New York, British Guinea, Italy, and India; some personal letters were circulated as far back as 1812 and 1820adherents deplore the use of it. By 1845 this Plymouth assembly had grown to 1200.

Most of Anyone interested can reconstruct the literature of background which led these early days was in men to move away from the form established churches of published letters and tracts their day and is very difficult to get atseek a strictly New Testament form of fellowship. Darby's tract on the subject was published Almost simultaneous movements in 1827 or 1828 and was entitled, The Nature and Unity this direction were reported from various parts of the Church of Christ. The movement spread rapidlyworld, and literature multiplied. It was not longparticularly New York, howeverBritish Guinea, until differences of opinion arose, divisions occurredItaly, and opposition was encountered. We cannot go into that here, except to say that it is difficult to trace the genealogical descent of the later diversions of the BrethrenIndia; some personal letters were circulated as far back as 1812 and 1820.

There is a chart called "The Circle Chart" published in Napoleon Noel's “The History Most of the Brethren” (Denver, 1926, 2 vol.), which occurs on page 8 literature of Volume 1. The "Primitive Company, 1827" is represented by a circle these early days was in the center form of published letters and around it are tracts and is very difficult to get at. Darby's tract on the six divisions subject was published in the form 1827 or 1828 and was entitled, The Nature and Unity of circles and smaller circles indicating the development Church of eachChrist. Chronologically these six are as follows: *1848The movement spread rapidly, Plymouth; *1881and literature multiplied. It was not long, Ramsgate; *1884however, Grant; *1885until differences of opinion arose, Stuart; *1890divisions occurred, Raven;*1909and opposition was encountered. We cannot go into that here, Tunbridge Wellsexcept to say that it is difficult to trace the genealogical descent of the later diversions of the Brethren.

All but There is a chart called "The Circle Chart" published in Napoleon Noel's “The History of the Ramsgate divisionBrethren” (Denver, 1926, 2 vol.), which occurs on page 8 of Volume 1. The "Primitive Company, 1827" is listed as having been cancelled in 1926, have further subdivisions indicated represented by subjoined circles like a pile circle in the center and around it are the six divisions in the form of coins tipped over, with circles and smaller circles indicating the name development of each of the subdivisions. Most numerous of Chronologically these are those of the Tunbridge Wells group, which in turn six are as listedfollows: *Ilford*Ilford neutral party*T.W.'s who refuse Ilford*Holloway Road*St. Leonards*Bath*St. Ives*Renton.

* 1848, Plymouth;* 1881, Ramsgate;* 1884, Grant;* 1885, Stuart;* 1890, Raven;* 1909, Tunbridge Wells All but the Ramsgate division, which is listed as having been cancelled in 1926, have further subdivisions indicated by subjoined circles like a pile of coins tipped over, with the name of each of the subdivisions. Most numerous of these are those of the Tunbridge Wells group, which in turn are as listed: * Ilford* Ilford neutral party* T.W.'s who refuse Ilford* Holloway Road* St. Leonards* Bath* St. Ives* Renton. C.A. Hammond of London published this chart with a doctrinal analysis chart of these various divisions. This second chart is very fascinating, however, in that it is a pie-chart and gives the name of the division, the number of assemblies gathering in each, and the doctrinal complexion, which is represented by a sequence showing purportedly the degree of departure. This sequence, which does not parallel the chronological sequence, of course, is as follows: sound doctrine, independency and neutrality, ecclesiasticism, wrong doctrine, serious wrong doctrine, and fundamentally false doctrine. The pamphlet is signed W.F.K. (probably William Franklin Knapp, and consists of four pages.

I. The original U.S. contingent, "more conservative Brethren, as distinct from the 'Open' Brethren"

IV. Result of a cleavage in 1890 from doctrinal differences in England.V. Lowe Party, or Continental BrethrenVI. The Glanton Group, which separated from English Brethren at Alnwick and Glanton (IV)

VIII. Ibid.

I. Open Brethren

V. Continental Brethren separated from the English Closed Brethren in 1914

The Yearbook of American Churches lists no divisions and gives the correspondent as Paul F. Loizeaux. It is doubtful that the statistics included are comprehensive of all the groups in the United States.

James H. Brookes lists the following divisions: Darbyites, Open, Exclusive, Newtonites, Kellyites, Stuartites, Cecilites, Grantites, Ravenites, Bell Hillites, Needed Truth, and Neutrals (H.A. Ironside, History, p. 197).

I have made no attempt to separate the names of writers into the various divisions to which they belong. Most Brethren abhor categorizing and I have not felt free to inquire about their identification. Many of them changed anyhow from one to another, and there would be no end of difficulty in such an attempt. Where I have run across it I have noted in my name file this identification, but my list of names includes all the branches. One publisher even objected to using the term Plymouth Brethren because it served to identify the movement as a sect, which they vigorously deny.

Even Ironside wrote that he was willing to call himself by the simple name of brethren if one used the small "b" but he uses both forms in his book. While the use of the term Brethren or Plymouth Brethren pleases none of them it does serve a purpose. Most of the dictionary and encyclopedia articles in English appear under this heading. The Library of Congress and the British Museum use the term as subject heading. the European works often refer to them as Darbyists. Both in America and Britain the terms Open Brethren and Exclusives are used, and in Britain many are now using the term Christian Brethren.

One must apologize most earnestly for passing over the details of the history, for these details have a very definite and direct bearing on much of the literature. the main general histories are, in addition to Ironside's and Noel's:

* Rowdon, Harold H., The Origins of the Brethren, London, 1967, xii, 323 pp. * Coad, F. Roy, A History of the Brethren Movement , London, 1968. ==

While primarily biographical, the following give much in the way of historical development:

* Pickering, Henry, Chief Men among the Brethren: 100 Records and Photos of Brethren Beloved, 2d ed., London, Glasgow, n.d., viii, 223 pp.* Gilmore, William, These Seventy Years , Kilmarnock, 1954, 72 pp., illus., ports.

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