Thomas Boosey et al. to Edinburgh Glasite Church   31 January and 4 February 1855

London Jan 31st 1855

The Church in London to those whom they hitherto corresponded as Brethren at Edinburgh

We duly received your Letter in reply to ours of the 3d inst¹[.] It was read to us on Sabbath the 21st inst after the lovefeast, & was kept for a week’s consideration, & on that day week was read to us again & our minds taken upon it. We are grieved to find that you still maintain views & practices with respect to the covenant to abstain from eating blood, which we consider contrary to the Word of God; and that you still justify the manner in which your Elders have considered this Discipline, misinterpreting the Scriptural directions. We are thus constrained to conclude that you are not hearing the Church, or walking in the fear of the Lord with respect to His commandments, & that you are not following after that Charity which rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth². From these considerations, with deep sorrow of heart, and we trust with fear for ourselves, we feel compelled to withdraw from your communion in obedience to the Divine command, Matth. 18, 17³, Rom. 16.17⁴ - 2 Cor. 6.14⁵ &c 1 Tim 6.5⁶ - 2 John 9-11⁷, praying that He who alone is able by His Word & Spirit to convince of sin may grant you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

Thomas Boosey E.K. Reid

Stephen Leighton W. Vincent

Benjamin Vincent M. Faraday

George Whitelaw D.W. Martin

Alex. Macomie Anthony Lorimer⁸

Thos. Barker

George Raith⁹

Sam Deacon¹⁰

PS. The Elders of the Church of London have received a letter from Mr Oxley¹¹ stating that the brethren at Chesterfield are heartily joined with the Churches of Dundee & London in withdrawing from the Church at Edinburgh. Jany 31, 1855

Signed in the presence, & witness of, the Brethren at Old Buckenham

Thomas Loveday¹²

William Fisher¹³

George Smith¹⁴

The Preceding letter has been read to the brethren here at Newcastle on which they are of one mind with the Church at London

Signed Feby 4, 1855

William Paradise

David Reid

Thomas Proctor¹⁵

William Stark¹⁶

William Proctor¹⁷.