IV. Recovery Through Darby And The Brethren

The Brethren were deeply appreciated by Watchman Nee

The Brethren were deeply appreciated by Watchman Nee, who received much help from the writings of Darby and others who ministered among them. In his book, The Orthodoxy of the Church, brother Nee presents an excellent summary of the Brethren's contributions to the recovery of the Lord:

The year 1825 was—after more than a thousand years of the Roman Catholic Church and several hundred years of the Protestant churches—the first time that there was a return to the simple, free, and spiritual worship in the Scriptures....

These believers, in the world's eye, were lowly and unknown. But they had the Lord in their midst and the consolation of the Holy Spirit

These believers, in the world's eye, were lowly and unknown. But they had the Lord in their midst and the consolation of the Holy Spirit. They stood on the ground of two clear truths: firstly, that the church is the Body of Christ and that this Body is only one; secondly, in the New Testament there is no clergy system; all the ministers of the Word set up by men are not scriptural. [48]

Originally what the brothers saw was rather limited, but when Darby officially joined, the light of heaven poured down like a torrent. [49]

Within the scores of years, from among these brothers God has given many gifts to His church. Besides J. N. Darby and J. G. Bellett, we see how God also granted special ministries to many of the brothers so that His church may be supplied. George Müller, who established an orphanage, recovered the matter of praying in faith. In his lifetime he had answers to prayers 1,500,000 times. C. H. Mackintosh, who wrote notes on the Pentateuch, recovered the knowledge of the types. D. L. Moody said that if all the books in the entire world were to be burnt, he would be satisfied to have just one copy of the Bible and a set of C. H. Mackintosh's notes on the Pentateuch....William Kelly was a man who wrote many expositions; he was described by C. H. Spurgeon as one whose mind was as big as the universe. F. W. Grant was the most learned of the Bible in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Robert Anderson was the man who best knew the book of Daniel in the recent age. Charles Stanley was the one who best brought people to salvation by preaching the righteousness of God. S. P. Tregelles was the famous New Testament philologist. [50]

It is no wonder that D.M. Panton said, “The movement of the brothers and its significance is far greater than the Reformation.”

It is no wonder that D.M. Panton said, “The movement of the brothers and its significance is far greater than the Reformation.”

[Griffith Thomas] said, “Among the children of God, it was they who were most able to rightly divide the word of truth.” [Harry] Ironside said, “Whether among those who know the brothers or those who do not know the brothers, all those who know God have received help from the brothers directly or indirectly.” [51]

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No doubt they had a fervent love for the Lord and an intense desire for the Word of God. Thank the Lord for their faithfulness to Him in His work of recovery among them.

—James Reetzke

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