CONCISE HISTORY OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH
BY A.J.KORFF
Part 1.
Introduction:

God has always wished that people would tell what He has done in order that the posterity would know that He is mighty and full of love, and therefore people could serve Him with their entire heart. He Himself orders in Deut. 4:9 that they who have seen His great deeds with their own eyes, will not forget these.

On the contrary, they would maintain these in their heart all the days of their life and make known to their children and children's children.

God Himself has always taken care that men arose whose desire it was to write down which the Lord majestically has worked. And enlightened by His Spirit, these authors have prepared history books which we meet in the Bible and which still today evoke the admiration of all historians, because they were prepared in times that people meet nothing of that kind with much more educated nations which can be compared with these with regard to style and reliability.

Also the disciples of the Lord Jesus were convinced of the necessity of historiography and thus the Apostles Matthew and John have written their Gospels, whilst Mark and Luke communicate from the mouths of ear- and eye witnesses what has happened in order that you might know the certitude of the things in which you have been taught',tells Luke.

In this way there have been many people who have described us what the Lord has worked about the year of 183O when He erected again the decayed hut of Davy.

The books of these authors,however, have been sold out and to be obtained very difficult;moreover the majority have been written in other languages, and therefore inaccessible for many people.

People can possibly find something about the history of the Church in many books of opponents,but then mostly presented wrongly, and taken again from books of enemies,who,with some exceptions,try to present the work of God in a ridiculous way or giving a very one-sided presentation of the facts,and from these derive partial judgements.

People do not want to acknowledge that the Apostolic Church is a work of God,and gladly want to place her with the many sects of our days, and connect her always with the person of Edward Irvine who,as will appear,has been a great man and a loyal servant of his Master,but in no way can be considered as the founder of the Church.

We will always have to fight against the presentation given by enemies as if the Church of Christ thanks her origin from one or more people.

That is exactly the difference between the many sects and the Apostolic Church,that people find with sects the origin in a human being,whilst we will clearly sec with describing the origin of the apostolic Church that it was God Who Conducted everything in a surprising way.

The concise history which is offered to you,is for the greater part the translation of a booklet which I have written for the children of God in Germany,in order that people in that country would be convinced of the divineness of our work,and people would learn to understand welt the purpose of God.

Because we are not a new Church. There is only one Church of Christ which is formed by everybody who have been baptised in the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus has said of this Church that the gates of the realm of the dead will not overpower her,that she therefore will xist until she will be raised from struggling Church to the Wife of the Lamb who will share His Glory.

The Church of Christ has,however,not been faithful,Her unfaithfulness,however did not nullify the faithfulness of the Lord,and He Himself,has always taken care that according to Isaiah 6:13 there would be a remnant which would be oppressed, but would still a holy seed from which a new trunk would arise.

The realisation of this prophecy we can sec the entire Churchhistory through,and thus there was again around 183O such a remnant in all countries and all the existing Church denominations which would serve till blessing, The Lord Jesus prayed for the unity of the Church.

Why would this Church be one? "So that the world may believe that You have sent Me". John 17:21,

However,His Church was pitifully divided and torn,and the children of the same house fought,hated and charged each other which heresy. They all pretended to have the true doctrine, and none of them stood in the full truth.

Still,the Lord wants to warn the Church before His personal return so that eople can prepare themselves,to have lamps and barrels filled,and when in a little while in the midnight hour the cry will be heard: "Here's the bridegroom, Come out to meet Him" people will be prepared,to enter the weddinghall.

When the Lord became flesh,the ancient people of God were divided into sects,God sent John the Baptist as a herald of the coming King and with what task?

To link up himself with one of the sects?

No,he turned himself to the entire people,to call them up to penance and repentance so that the paths would be straightened,and the King of honour could ride into the hearts of a prepared people.

And why calls the Lord him Elijah.?

Because he had to call up the strayed from the path people like this great prophet and not to halt between two opinions,but to return to the Law and the Testimony.

When John has been killed by Herod,the Lord says: "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things." Matthew 17:11.

Welt then,the following history will prove,that the Apostolic Church is this Elijah or John the Baptist which does not turn to one or another sect or Church denomination; which also does not want to increase the number of sects,but which has the mandate from God to call up the entire Christianity,as the one Church of Christ;that they will convert themselves from their division,and will let themselves be prepared,to be able to receive the coming King.

Although divine from origin,this work also consists of sinful people,and also the servants given by God,are imperfect,and therefore,we will detect also here again besides much light, much shadow,even darkness.

As the Sacred History honestly and faithfully the errors describes,perpetrated even by the most xcellent men of God,also the honest history author has to be impartial.

His love for the Work of the Lord may not stop him,to also write sad affairs,and therefore will be,although sighing,also be told in this sketch,in what way the enemy always has succeeded,to sow weeds between the wheat,when the people stept.

The advantage of the telling of such affairs is that the alertness can be greater,so that we do not fall into the same example of disobedience.

Some brethren who knew that I had written for Germany a concise Church history,asked me to translate this in Dutch,and the reasons,why I had composed this,also exist for the Netherlands; therefore,I gladly complied with this request.

The booklet is drawn on various reliable sources which are not needed to be mentioned,because as already remarked,are not obtainable anymore. Also hostile writings have been consulted, because it always remains a truth,that enemies sea the errors sharper than friends.

Wen in the hearts of the readers the respect and the love to the work of the Lord will be increased by this concise history,the author will feel himself largely rewarded for his trouble.

The year of 1815 in which Napoleon lost his power,is in the history of the nations a highly important year. Although he had set bounds to the horrors of the French Revolution,he had not given rest to his country,but had used it for his ambitious intentions,and the whole of Europe suffered from the deep wounds,struck by this tyrant.

The entire period from 1789 to 1815 had brought about great inversions at all territories,and these would still linger long time thereafter. Yes,we can say, that the actual situation is the harvest of the seed of the principles of the great French Revolution. We want,in order to sketch the situation of that period,call upon for a moment the Author of "The Book for our time".

On pages 337 and 33e of the third edition we read: "Terribly had been the shock, also on spiritual domain,which all minds had felt at the outbreak of the French Revolution. The oppressed and furious French people broke all the connections,and all evil passions became free. Godlessness, cruelty,bloodthirstiness,devilish bate against God and His service,raged over civilised Europe. Murder was the statesmanship,curse of the Christian Religion the moral doctrine,deification of men the religion of the French nation. As a develish spirit she went out over Europe with the banner of the unchristian liberty, equality and brotherhood,in order to let the nations share in the blessings of her imagine popular happiness. Her poisonous breath infected all over the hearts."

"Unbelief and revilement of Christianity by mounted to the highest pitch. Many people thought that the end of the world was nearby, in particular when from that sea of nations,just like the predicted beast from Revelation 13:1, Napoleon rose who succeeded in bridling the resolved passions,and to use it in order to obtain his own, ambitious purposes so that many people thought to see in him the predicated Antichrist. By means of his expeditions of conquest Europe was wrapped up in flames,drenched with blood."

"The serious believers tested through all of this the signs of the times to the prophecies of the Word of God. Many thought that the return of the Lord must be nearby,and that the great apostasy which had to precede the empire of glory,would reach the pinnacle shortly."

"There sounds from the mouth of the Lord: "Up till here and not further"!!. With cracked wing the French eagle lies down. Napoleon,the conqueror,has been dethroned,is an exile, a prisoner. Europe comes to rest, -(1815)-; but what kind of rest.!"

"The treasuries empty,the fields destroyed,fortunes destructed, the prosperity undermined, commerce and industry dead,the flower of mankind killed,but above all,the christian faith poisoned,the hearts of young people infected by atrocious unbelief, and the hope of the believers at the break of the great day of rest and peace disappointed."

"In such a way Europe sank down in itself,deadly tired,with destroyed belief,cracked hope and destructed prosperity".

Not a comforting picture is shown here.

Those who had chosen the best part were also then those who sought comfort with God and His word. There were devout persons who pleaded on the promise of the Lord: "I am with you always, to the very end of the age".

God wanted to use such loyal believers for the sake of welfare of the Church, but these preachers of the Justice had a hard time as it has always been the case with loyal witnesses, and this will be here on the sinful earth. The Lord has predicted it that hate and persecution would be part of all those who would give testimony of the Truth.

They did not let,in the time sketched above,extinguish the Light of the Word of God and even they were brightly burning candles in the middle of the darkness,

The opinion,that Napoleon was the Antichrist,according to others maybe the Messiah who had killed the beast of the revolution,these mighty events of the days such as the world had not yet seen,that all induced many people to read carefully the Holy Scripture.

And reading they detected that the various Churches to which they belonged, had been poor as compared with the wealth of the church in the Age of the Apostles.

They did not say in spiritual pride: "We are rich, we have acquired wealth and do not need a thing", no, they prayed, that God would give them a little from His inexhaustible treasure.

This feeling of poverty was not observed with a few people in one country,but revealed itself in different countries with many persons who did not stand into connection with each other at all.

And thus in many countries small groups were formed which had in common with each other: they prayed for a renewed descent of the Holy Spirit.

They were convinced that God does not give up the work of His hands, and they knew the promise that where earthly fathers knew already to give good gifts to heir children,the heavenly Father wanted to give the Holy Spirit to those who begged to Him night and day.

Yes,"hastily He would do justice to such people Luke 11:9-13; 18:8.

Especially the prophetic books of the Bible became the subject of their investigations,and in particular the last Biblebook, the Revelation of John, roused their interest.

Even a Roman Catholic priest in South-America,a former Jesuit, Jose Lacunza,wrote under the pseudonym Ben-Ezra a book,titled: "The return of the Lord in glory". This book was printed in 1812 in Spain,but some time later prohibited by the Roman Catholic Church.

However, Edward Irving whose name we will still mention often, translated it in English. At the same time,the eloquent monk,father Lambert,preached in Paris,for many ears about the return of the Lord and argued that God never had let people get lost without warning;that He would set bounds to the advancing deterioration by a particular endowment of mercy.

And therefore,this monk hoped and expected that also now again a small group of people would take hold of the saving hand,in order to escape from the destruction.

In this period of time lived in England a clergyman in the Anglican Church--(the English Established Church)--,Haldane Stewart who wrote a brochure,in which he urged the Christianity,to pray commonly,that the Lord wanted to give the Holy Spirit to His Church.

This pamphlet had been translated in many languages,and many people responded to the summons.

In these days an English clergyman,the famous pulpit orator, Nikolaas Armstrong,fought against an upcoming movement of the Roman Catholic Church. Everywhere he took action against the danger which threatened the Churches,and where he took action, he pointed out to his listeners,how necessary it was that God would again pour out the Holy Spirit.

Sir Henry Drummond,a very rich banker and member of the House of Commons,and the aristocratic Spencer Perceval,son of the in 1812 murdered minister Perceval and like Drummond member of the House of Commons,were highly interested in this spiritual appeal.

They both spoke in the House of Commons--(to be compared with the Dutch Second Chamber)--often about the spiritual needs of their time.

Sir Drummond assembled at his beautiful country-seat near Albury, a village at ten hours distance from London,five years at a stretch a group of men,all well-known and competent theologians, for the examination of the prophetic writings of the Bible. This assembly is sometimes called the School of Prophets of Albury, although they did not consist of prophets.

In the years of 1825 to 1829 each summer during a week about fifty gentlemen gathered together,who examined each day the Bible.The chairman was Rev,Hugh Mac Neill,the clergyman of Albury.They assembled each day three times,in the morning from 9 to 11;in the afternoon from 1 to 3,and in the evening from 7 to 11.

In the morning sessions from 9 to 11 one of the participants,who had been invited for this, spoke about a subject.From 11 to 3 or 4 o'clock everybody could freely give his opinion about the subject dealt with and in the evening it was tried to fasten down the result of the talk into some conclusions.

The host, Sir Drummond,reproduced the entire talks again in minutes, which grew to weighty tomes which were published in three voluminous publications in the years of 1827 to 1829 titled "Dialogues on Prophecy". Among the people present Edward Irving often attended who was gladly be seen,and who with various prominent members of this conference went over later to the Apostolic Church.

When we summarise very shortly all the talk, we get the following findings from this academic assembly:

1: The actual Christianity will not gradually fade by an universal preaching of the Gospel into the Thousand Years Kingdom,but will find her end by verdicts which run out thereupon that the visible Church and state are destroyed,as once the Jewish state has been destroyed.

2: At the time,when these verdicts will come over the Christianity the Jews will be restored in their country.

3: These verdicts will probably mainly,maybe exclusive1y,come over the Christianity and most heavily over that part of the Church of God that has been blessed mostly,and therefore bears the greatest responsibility.

4: After these verdicts the Thousand Years Kingdom commences for the entire human race, even for the unwitting creation.

5: The Return of the Messiah takes place before the beginning of this Thousand Years Kingdom.

6: Our blessed Lord will return soon.

When we compare these pronouncements with the actual situation in the world,and we are aware of what is going on in Russia; we see the Zionism,then we can all the same not say that these examiners were foolish dreamers. No,they were men who had obtained a clear vision in the Decree of God.

After the publication of the three parts of "Dialogues on Prophecy", a journal had been brought out which appeared every three months, Named "the Morning Watch", under editorship of Tudor.

This journal enjoyed a good reputation and dealt with, besides the prophetic writings of the Bible,many other matters,such as biblical chronological problems,examination of texts,in order to arrive by this at a better understanding of often imperfectly translated scriptural passages, etc.

When little by little many of the co-operators passed over to the gradually originating Apostolic Church,and they started to devote their time to this work of the Lord,the journal was abolished,after it had proven that they who had written in it,had won their spurs on theological ground.

About 1830 the thousands of prayers,sent up to God for a renewed pouring out of the Holy Spirit, had been answered.
Already in 1827 the clergyman Story from Rosneath in Scotland told at the Albury Conference that there lived in his parish some people who had received special gifts of the Spirit and he assured that these people were not fanatics, but very serious Christians, good examples of a God-fearing life.

People did not attach much value to his communications. In this area a man, named James Grubb, who was employed with a certain Mr. Johnston, died in 1828. This Grubb left a sinful life behind but his sickbed became a great blessing for many people.

It was if God had brought this man suddenly in full light of the Truth,so that it was testified that he surpassed all his visitors in knowledge of the Scriptures. His master told that he always had his bible in his hands, and his wife informed, that he examined whole nights the Word of God.

Before he died, God revealed to him that the Lord would soon be merciful to His people, and that it would be communicated to Mr. Johnston, in which way God would work that welfare. And really, when Mr. Jonston died, he spoke in ecstasy that the Lord would grant to His Church the gift of prophecy.

In the same area lived in Fernicarry a lady, who was very God-fearing. Isabella Campbell from whom even enemies of the Work of God testified that, when she had been Roman Catholic, she would have taken up among the Beatitudes. Before she died she also spoke about soon forthcoming great events.

In Port-Glasgow lived two shipbuilders, the brothers James and George MacDonald with their sister Margaretha who was very ill, and for whom did not exist anymore hope for recovery.

These MacDonalds were very God-fearing people who belonged to the State Church and were very active members of it. The also participated in the prayer-meetings for the Holy Spirit.

Margaretha was comforted on her sickbed because the Lord used her to testify in very exalted words of heavenly matters. She felt herself surrounded by heavenly forces, and heard voices as trumpets which spoke: "Hallelujah, because the Lord,almighty God reigns.!"

She experienced to such an extent the love of God that she was forced to call out to her fellow-creatures: "Who calls the Name of Christ, stay away from all injustice.!"

Her brothers thought that she had hallucinations, like dying people often have, Margaretha, however, did not die. After some months she spoke again through the Holy Spirit and an a morning, before breakfast, she prayed wether it might please God, to grant the power of the Holy Spirit to her brother James.

James stood near the window. Suddenly he felt himself driven, come running on his sister and ordered her to get up in the Name of Jesus the Nazarene. She raised, dressed herself and placed herself at the table. For everybody it was whether they dreamed.

The brothers left her in order to go to work. In the afternoon James wrote a letter to the girl friend of Margaretha, Mary Campbell , the sister of the already mentioned Isabella. Mary Gampbell served the Lord with whole her heart. She suffered from consumption of the lungs, and could according to the physicians not recover anymore.

James wrote to her what happened to his sister and ordered her in the Name of Jesus Christ to come to them in Port-Glasgow. When he came home in the evening, he found his sister very healthy. He did not say anything about the letter to Mary Campbell. The next morning Margaretha placed herself entirely healthy with her brothers at breakfast. Suddenly James stood upright, and said to the others that he went to fetch Mary Campbell from the boat.

They did not understand him very well, but he left them, without explaining anything more. After some time he came back with Mary, who was totally healthy. Everybody was highly surprised and thanked God, who was still always mighty, to work His miracles.

The rumour of what had happened here, spread fast and thousands of believers came to convince themselves of the truth of the miracles. Besides the persons mentioned here still many other people obtained the gift of prophecy and talking in foreign languages. Also there still happened prodigious healings.

People had obtained what Paul describes in 1 Cor.12:8-11.For the believers it became, however, a period of heavy tribulations, because many people mingled with them who were not honest, and thus evil spirits brought confusion. Mockers made fun of which God had worked.

Even some people who always had prayed for the pouring out of the spring rain, doubted and pulled back themselves. Among them was the mentioned clergyman story of Rosneath. We can say, that there is nothing new under the sun. When Peter was in prison, a fiery prayer to God rose upwards from the community in Jerusalem, to release His servant. The Lord answered the prayer and Peter was set free from jail in a surprising way.

He went to the house of Mary, the mother of Mark, and when Rhode went to the door at the knocking and learned that Peter stood there she run back, called : "Peter is Here. !!" The answer was that the maid servant was out of her mind. The same happened here.

Many people had prayed and now the Lord answered, they could not believe that God was merciful. A mistake which often happens.

By which?. Because one himself has thought of a way which God had to walk now. When the way of answering does not respond to the already existing image in the mind of a human being, then he does not want to acknowledge.

The way of answering in this matter was entirely in agreement with what the Bible tells about the spiritual gifts. But what is so often the case, appeared also here again to be true. People want to believe what has happened long time ago or far away, but what God works through contemporaries or local companions, they cannot accept from prejudice.