The Brethern - Kelly & Darby

[Mayflower]

Today i was talking with a friend of mine whom loves the calvinistic teaching alot and also the puritans. He came from a (close)brethern background, but left them a few years ago, and even though he loves the puritans, he still speaks with much apperciating concerning the writtings & commentaries of the brethen (except their eschatology) like Darby and Kelly.

Is their anyone who also like some writtings or commentaries of the Brethern ?

Any thoughts ?

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Today i was talking with a friend of mine whom loves the calvinistic teaching alot and also the puritans. He came from a (close)brethern background, but left them a few years ago, and even though he loves the puritans, he still speaks with much apperciating concerning the writtings & commentaries of the brethen (except their eschatology) like Darby and Kelly.

Is their anyone who also like some writtings or commentaries of the Brethern ?

Any thoughts ?

I don't know about Kelly, but according to Crawford Gribben (who has done a lot of research into the Brethren), JN Darby was a Calvinist.

 

[JM]

The Brethren...yes, most in the beginning were Calvinists. JND debated Moody over the doctrines of Grace.

Thread

I own a few volumes of Darby’s Collected Works and he seems to have trouble staying focused when he writes, or at least I have trouble staying focused while reading his work, he writes like he’s thinking out loud. William Kelly wrote commentaries on everything and was the editor of a magazine if I’m not mistaken. If it wasn't for Kelly collecting JND's works, including editing his synopsis on the Bible, his work would be impossible to read.

The writings of William Kelly are free online but you can also order them new or used from here, I've ordered used and new books from them in the past and was very pleased with them.

j

[edit to add]

bio

WILLIAM KELLY

BIOGRAPHY

THE last prominent survivor of the first generation of "Brethren" fell asleep on the 27th March, 1906. Mr. WILLIAM KELLY - the title-pages of whose writings generally bear only the initials "W. K." - was born in the north of Ireland in 1820. Being early left fatherless, he was already supporting himself by tuition to the family of the Rev. Mr. Cachemaille, Rector of Sark, when, in 1840, he made the Christian confession, and he shortly afterwards embraced the view of the church characteristic of "Brethren," with whom he then at once united. He retained a close connection with the Channel Islands for thirty years, residing chiefly in Guernsey, but for the latter half of his Christian career his home was at Blackheath.

He was a graduate, in classical honours, of Trinity College, Dublin, and was recognised as not merely a sound, erudite scholar, but a controversialist of formidable calibre. Besides aiding Dr. S. P. Tregelles in his investigations as a biblical textual critic, Mr. Kelly himself published, in 186o, a critical edition of the Revelation of John, which Professor Heinrich Ewald, of Göttingen, declared was the best piece of English work of the kind that he had seen.

Such studies were carried on concurrently with the editing of a periodical entitled The Prospect, which latterly was carried on by Mr. Kelly to the time of his death as The Bible Treasury, a paper that, as taken by various prominent clergy in academical circles, brought the editor into correspondence with such men as Dean Alford, Dr. Scott the lexicographer (whom he convinced of the true force of the word unhappily rendered in the Authorised Version of 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 as "is at hand"), Principal Edwards (who confessed to Mr. Kelly his conversion to the pre-millennial standpoint), with Professor Sanday, of Oxford, and other living theologians. After the capitulation of younger ecclesiastical associates to the Higher Criticism, Archdeacon Denison spoke of Mr. Kelly’s periodical as the only religious magazine any longer worth reading - so steadfast was the editor in his rejection of what he believed to be Christ-dishonouring views of the Bible. His simplicity and self-suppression may be illustrated by the reply he made to a Dublin professor who had expressed an opinion that, if Mr. Kelly did but settle there as a teacher, he would make a fortune - "For which world?"

His supreme delight was in ministering in things spiritual to those whom he described as the "few despised" ones of Christ’s flock. To such service he gave untiring energy, put forth to within two months of his decease. He identified himself whole-heartedly with the body of doctrine developed by the late John Nelson Darby, whose right-hand man he was for many years. The "Collected Writings" of "J. N. D." were edited by Mr. Kelly, who has done much by his own expositions to give currency to the views enshrined in them. His own merits were manifest alike in oral and written ministry.

Mr. C. H. Spurgeon, judging by the latter, has applied to Mr. Kelly, in the "Guide to Commentaries," the words of Pope, "born for the universe . . .". In the list of his writings will be found Lectures or Notes on all the books of the Bible. How long he retained his clearness and vigour of intellect comes out in the fact that several of his best expositions have appeared during the last fifteen years. Within the lifetime of "J. N. D." (1800-1882) Mr. Kelly was already well known to outsiders by his lectures on the Pentateuch, the Gospel of Matthew, the Revelation of John, the Church of God, and the New Testament Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, besides Notes on Romans, &c., recommended by Professor Sanday. Since 1860 he has put forth "In the Beginning" (Gen. i, 2), commended by Archbishop Benson an Exposition of the Prophecies of Isaiah, of the Gospel of John, of the Epistle to the Hebrews, of the Epistles of John; a volume of 6oo pages on "God’s Inspiration of the Scriptures;" and his last words on "Christ’s Coming Again," in which he vindicates the originality of "J. N. D." in regard of the "Secret Rapture"; this had been impugned by an American writer.

Shortly before he passed away, "W. K." said to one by his bedside: "There are three things real - the Cross, the enmity of the world, the love of God." At the interment was read Acts 20: 25-38, and amongst hymns sung that commencing "For ever with the Lord." An aged clergyman, who had long resorted to him for counsel, on hearing of his decease, wrote:
"He was pre-eminently ‘a faithful man, and feared God above many’ (Neh. 7. 2)."
E. E. W.

 

[AV1611]

Is their anyone who also like some writtings or commentaries of the Brethern ?

I have a soft spot for them but I would not base my theology on them

 

[JM]

I second RJS on that.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

Is their anyone who also like some writtings or commentaries of the Brethern ?

I have a soft spot for them but I would not base my theology on them

Who among them would you say was an exceptional commentator?

 

[AV1611]

Who among them would you say was an exceptional commentator?

I would not say either was exceptional but I do like their work on the typology of the OT feasts. They are online here:

The writings of J. N. Darby

The writings of William Kelly

Incidently, C. H. Mackintosh wrote a good pamphlet on false worship using Leviticus 10:1-11 False Worship. Mackintosh also said (I forget where) that the more alive to the spirit worship is the more dead to the flesh it is and that has really stuck with me.

 

[JM]

W.E. Vine comes to mind, he published the "Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words" without a copyright. F.F. Bruce is also a solid Calvinist and covenantal. F. C. Jennings and J. G. Bellett wrote good devotional material.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

W.E. Vine comes to mind, he published the "Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words" without a copyright. F.F. Bruce is also a solid Calvinist and covenantal. F. C. Jennings and J. G. Bellett wrote good devotional material.

F.F. Bruce was a very good writer.

 

[DMcFadden]

W.E. Vine comes to mind, he published the "Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words" without a copyright. F.F. Bruce is also a solid Calvinist and covenantal. F. C. Jennings and J. G. Bellett wrote good devotional material.

F.F. Bruce was a very good writer.

And a VERY productive scholar. He was the doctoral mentor to several of my profs from college and seminary days.

 

[Ivan]

I have a couple who are members of my church who were Brethren. They have Calvinistic tendencies but are dispensational. He knew Paul Little of Know What You Believe fame. I think Little was Brethren too.

 

[RamistThomist]

Who among them would you say was an exceptional commentator?

I would not say either was exceptional but I do like their work on the typology of the OT feasts. They are online here:

The writings of J. N. Darby

The writings of William Kelly

Incidently, C. H. Mackintosh wrote a good pamphlet on false worship using Leviticus 10:1-11 False Worship. Mackintosh also said (I forget where) that the more alive to the spirit worship is the more dead to the flesh it is and that has really stuck with me.

CH Mackintosh was the first major commentator I read. While I would now disagree with his material, I found him to be warm and Christ-centered.

 

[DavidCPorter]

Neither Darby nor Kelly would have accepted the name 'Calvinist' but both were Calvinistic in their understanding of salvation. Modern brethren have not followed them in this except for the Exclusive groups where Darby is considered to be the final authority. The major difficulty with the 'Brethren' is their defective understanding of the relationship between Old and New Testaments because of their dispensationalism.