Benjamin Wills Newton
Benjamin Wills Newton ( born December 12, 1807 in Plymouth, England; † 26 July 1899, at Tunbridge Wells, England ) was an English preacher and Bible teacher.
Life
Newton came from a Quaker family and grew because of the early death of his father by his grandfather. In 1824 he matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford. Three years later he experienced there converted and turned from Quakerism. From 1828 on, he worked on - inspired by Francis William Newman, who was in turn influenced by John Nelson Darby - with issues of biblical prophecy. Due to its non-conformist sympathies he had his original plan to get ordained as a priest of the Anglican Church, fall and returned in November 1831 permanently back to Plymouth to earn money as a private tutor for a living. In March 1832 he married Hannah Abbott.
Back in Oxford he had John Nelson Darby met and been impressed by this so that he invited him in 1830 to Plymouth. Together with the naval officer Percy Francis Hall, who was evangelistic active for some time, they started in the area of Plymouth to preach and hold meetings. As of December 1831 this happened in the purchased specifically for this purpose Providence Chapel. A month later it was there establishing Brethren church, which soon became known throughout the region due to its rapid growth and the whole movement called " Plymouth Brethren " earned.
After Darby and Hall had left Plymouth, Newton played the leading role in the local community. 1845 Darby came back and accused him of usurping a clerical position and obstruct "the free operation of the Holy Spirit." After several months of confrontations Darby separated by Newton and formed a minority of the congregation a new church in Plymouth ( Closed brothers ).
1847 Newton became the basis of his teachings about the sufferings of Christ in his own community under attack and left Plymouth. He moved to London, where he founded a rather Calvinist -oriented community, with the Brethren movement had been lost and he served as the sole preacher. In addition, he devoted himself to writing Bible commentaries and other theological works.
His retirement Newton spent first in Orpington, then in Newport (Isle of Wight ) and from 1896 in Tunbridge Wells.
Writings
A directory of Newton's writings can be found in the catalog of the Christian Brethren Archive ( University Library of Manchester ). In German translation appeared, inter alia:
- As to the justification. Explanation of Romans 5, 1-11. Wupperthal Tract Society, Barmen 1860.
- About the eternal reconciliation. 1 B. Moses 3, Romans 5 A Treatise. Fricke, Halle 1860.
- The burnt offering (3rd book of Genesis chapter 1 ) as a type of Christ biblical discussed ( = thinking about parts of the Third Book of Moses, 1). Fricke, Halle, 1861.
- The blood, which makes us blessed. Lower Saxony Society for the Propagation of Christian devotional works, Hamburg 1862.
- Concerning the acceptance with God. Lower Saxony Society for the Propagation of Christian devotional works, Hamburg 1862.