CONCISE HISTORY OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH

Part 4:

Through prophecy some persons were called now to some offices. In November 1832 some persons were assembled for an hour of praying tin the house of Mr. John Cardale. Sir Drummond was among the people present. When the host prayed that the Lord still always more richly would pour out the spring rain, Sir Drummond was driven violently and walked straight on Mr.Cardale and said: "Serve out the Holy Spirit, Are you not an Apostle?"

Some days later these words were confirmed when some people came together in the house of Irving,where the Lord through the mouth of Mr.Taplin also pointed out Cardale as Apostle. He,however,remained awaiting quietly until the Lord would reveal Himself further.

He intended to spend Christmas days in the house of Drummond and came accompanied with Taplin in Albury.In this town,already known to us by the summer conferences,was a small group of about fifty persons which had already received from the Lord called servants,a certain Caird and Sir Drummond,who,the first one had been called to the office of evangelist and the other had been called to the office of pastor,but also awaited quietly until the King of the Church also would show them further what was His holy wish.

On Christmas evening Apostle Cardale was strongly driven and ordained the evangelist Caird to his office. The next day the Lord spoke through the mouth of Taplin that also pastor Drummond ought to be consecrated. Thus Apostle Cardale realised his first services.

Now the first divine service was held in the small parish of Albury with celebration of the Holy Supper.

We have already informed that Irving after his dismissal out of his office as minister of the Scottish Church was not allowed to serve anymore at the order of the Lord until the Lord would communicate His will about him. In April he now was called to the office of Angel-- (Overseer)--of the parish in the Newmanstreet in London,in which office he was consecrated by Apostle Cardale.In this parish Irving has served until his death which soon followed on Sunday evening,December 7,1834.

In the year of 1833 the work of God extended very fast in many regions of England and Scotland. Many Ministers were called through the word of prophecy,and now there were priests who had obtained the office of prophet,the servants were not called to their service anymore by prophesying members of the parish,but exclusively through the mouth of the Prophets.

Still some persons were called to the office of Apostle,so that when Irving died,there were six Apostles.

Through prophecy it was ordered that Apostle Cardale and prophet Taplin would visit the various parishes so that the Lord would still call the missing six Apostles.

One of the called persons,the Scotchman David Dow,did not accept his calling.Many endeavours were done to convince him from the truth of this case. When the day did come which had been destined for the consecration and segregation of the called Apostles,David Dow was in London,but not in the church where the ceremony would take place. On prophetic order people went to him in order to persuade him,but he remained immovable. Hereafter it was spoken by prophecy that the advice of the Lord should not be held up for his sake,but that the Lord would give his place to somebody else.

We want to inform here with a few words the further history of this man.After the sad affair he was very restless in England and left for the Cape Colony (South Africa) where he,far from the people,bought and managed a country-seat. The brethren in England and Scotland did not leave him in peace and kept him faithfully posted of the course of things in the Kingdom of God.Gradually it was discovered in his letters that the light of the truth entered more and more into him and he understood what he had refused.After 25 years he and his family returned in 186O.They all received now the sealing. He himself was called and consecrated now in the office of priest,received later the office of Overseer and died shortly thereafter after having served faithfully in childish humility.

Afore-mentioned solemn divine service took place June 14th,1835. When the brethren sent to David Dow returned with the disappointing answer,the prophecy spoke that the eleven Apostles would present two of those who had been witnesses in the work of the Lord as from the beginning and of all that the Lord had realised,and that the Lord through prophecy would chose out of one of the two His Apostle. With this selection no carnal love should inspire them. Whilst the Apostles retreated,the people present in church were comforted by prophecies which admonished and stimulated to obedience and crucify bearing.

After some time of great tension the eleven Apostles returned again in the church. Apostle Cardale requested both the selected men to draw out in front.Immediately the Lord spoke through the mouth of the prophet Taplin whereby the faith and the diligence of a certain Dr.Thomson was praised,but was said that the Lord would not raise him to the office of Apostle,"but you,Duncan M'Kenzie the Lord has called".

Dr.Thomson was Overseer of the parish in Southampton. M'Kenzie Overseer of the parish in Islington. The various overseers showed by standing up that they accepted the called one, and thus he was taken up in the row of the twelve Apostles.

Now followed the solemn segregation of the Twelve. After a current of prophecies the Angel of the cathedral in London was ordered through the mouth of prophets,to send up a prayer to God;thereafter he had to lay hands on the Apostles together with the other overseers of that city whereby the overseers of the other parishes would rise from their places and lay hands on in the spirit;all others present had to experience the service of segregation kneeled. Now one by one the Apostles came forward; Dr, Heath, the Angel of the London cathedral, spoke to each Apostle a particular word of consecration whilst all seven angels laid hands on simultaneously.

Thereafter followed still many prophecies which stimulated to simplicity and loyalty,to obedience,but also to glorification of the mighty God Who had again reestablished in this time what had been lost so many centuries. And thus ended this service which in the churches of the "01d Ordination is still commemorated each year and whereby the names of the called ones are mentioned.

Only one is missing thereby:that of Apostle M'Kenzie. He has namely laid down his office in 1840 because he was of the opinion that he,with each Apostolic activity,ought to be driven by the Holy Spirit.As he did not experience this outward influence,he doubted,whether he might remain to fulfil the office of Apostle.He,however,remained a faithful member of the Church and named himself before his death even the weakest apostle.

The history of David Dow and his substitute M'Kenzie has given understandably with those of a different persuasion a lot of motive to mockeries with the gift of prophecy.Ironic remarks that the Holy Spirit probably has made a mistake in this case,have often been made. We admit that for unbelievers this sad history must have much incomprehensible.

Those who know the Bible meet,although regretting this affair, examples of the same nature.

Had the Lord Jesus maybe made a mistake when He called Judas as a witness of the Truth?

Has the Lord also made a mistake when he asked somebody to follow Him, but who walked off sorrowful?---Mark 10:21,22--.

Were the Lord Jesus and His servants false teachers when they summoned the people of Israel,to become a party to the Kingdom of God and the people of the 0ld Testament rejected Him?.

Are the servants of the parishes in Asia who all deserted Paul, called false spirits to their office?.

We after all read that the servants had been appointed through the Holy Spirit as overseers of the flock of God-- Acts 20:28--. We see how careful we have to be in judging such matters, Fortunately, that the disloyally of men does not nullify the loyally of God.

By the order of the Lord the Apostles went to Albury,in order to stay hided with Him a year there and to prepare themselves by prayer, examination of the Bible,meditation and mutually daily intercourse for their important Apostolic office work.

Seven prophets were added to them who in their meetings,the Apostle counsel,would let flow the pure word of God to them as the milk from the mother's breasts so that they would by this grow up and obtain the power to bring their testimony to the Christianity.

They would stand for all the baptised people in the entire length and width of the land of Immanuel; they would carry the load of all the Churches and celebrate this burden to the Lord in their intercessions.

Only each fourth Tuesday of the month they would be in session with the angels in a councilmeeting in London and then have at the same time a communal service for the seven parishes of that city. Apart from that they were only allowed to leave Albury when necessary circumstances forced the to this.Thus the Apostles left their houses,residences and social positions on behalf of the Kingdom of God.

In this time of separation their knowledge of the divine matters reached a high level of perfection and those who were emanated from so many different Churches and sects,learnt to get out of all sectarian conceptions and became clear to them what it meant:one, universal Christian Church.

The word of prophecy had already pointed out long time in advance that there would be made a testimony against "Babel" so that the people of God could be drawn out from the city of the great confusion of tongues. Not Rome alone was indicated with this name, as the Protestantism always wants to understand this,but the entire Christianity which had left its Biblical standpoint.

In September 1835 the Apostles received the explicit to bring their testimony to the religious authorities Britain and Ireland.

For this purpose each one had to down what he thought to be most important in view of the church situations. The first called Apostle John Cardale would elaborate all the reports to a complete one. In the Christmas meeting of 1835 he read his writing to the Council. In the beginning of 1836 it was presented by the eldest Apostle; accompanied by a colleague to all church authorities.Another prophecy had ordered Apostle Drummond to compose a separate testimony for the English king and his Secret Council in which the political situation of the country had to be showed in the light of the Word of God.The public authorities of the country had to be pointed out at the same time the saving hand of God in the newly established Apostolic work of those days.

Two Apostles presented this writing personally to King William IV and most members of the Secret Council. Later on both writings were still presented by the Evangelists to many representatives of the church and secular authorities,

The presentation to the church authorities had a peculiar consequence with respect to the tolerant attitude of the Anglican church against the new work of the Lord.It happened namely often when clergymen of the State Church informed their bishops that they acknowledged the work of the Apostles as a divine matter;that their superiors asked them,even ordered in some cases;still to remain serving in the State Church with assurance of the absolute confidence that one had in them.Apostle Dalton even has fulfilled between 1850 - 186O some time a position as clergyman in the State Church!!.

Through the mouth of Apostle Drummond came the word of the Lord by which the Christianity of Europe was divided in 12 spiritual tribes. The Christian colonies and America were indicated as the suburbs of the residence properly called so of the great King;

Europe:
1: Cardale became Apostle for the tribe of Judah, namely England,
2: Drummond was indicated for Scotland and Switzerland.
3: King-Church obtained as tribal area Denmark; the Netherlands and Belgium,
4: Perceval. Italy.
5: Armstrong. Ireland; Greece--(the countries of Asia bordered on the Mediterranean)-- .
6: Woodhouse. South Germany and Austria,
7: Tudor. Poland,
8: Dalton. France,
9: Carlyle, North Germany.
10:. Sitwell.--(The author of "The Plan of God"). Spain and Portugal,
11: William Dow--(the brother of the mentioned David Dow)--,Russia ,
12: Mac Kenzie, Sweden and Norway,

We see that this division has not been based on geographical concepts of unity and nationality.

For instance the countries England, Scotland and Ireland bordering each other were classed with three different tribes. The last two even again connected with far distant countries. Most probably lies a foundation ofa higher than human wisdom on this division, incomprehensible for us,but for which He Whose eyes pass through the entire world, has had His wise intentions.

In June and July 1836 announcements came that the Apostles ought to visit their areas. Only Cardale, Armstrong and Tudor would stay in London for the time being in order to remain uphold the control of the numerous churches in England and to be able to assist the absent Apostles in writing with advice.

The first visit to the tribes would,however not to be to found there already parishes and to act as teachers and lawgivers but only to observe,like the twelve scouts had once explored the promised land.

They had to collect,like the prophecy said,the gold of the truth from the entire Christianity,although often hid under the rocks of human opinions. Later it would be tested by the complete Council and if possible to be used for the service of the work of God.

Before their departure the Apostles visited two by two the churches, indicated to each couple,in the various districts in England,after which they initiated their important journey.

In truth it was not a light task which was laid on the shoulders of the Apostles,in particular also when the relative young age of various of them is being considered. Cardale was only 30 years old; Carlyle 31; Armstrong 33; Wi11iam Dow 35 and Woodhouse 29 years old when they were called.

They also had received now a command to compose a testimony destined for the secular and ecclesiastical authorities of the entire Christianity,somewhat in the sense of the two preceding ones,but now amplified and suitable for all the baptised people.

Also this great testimony mostly named the Great Testimony,---(the Book for our Time which had copied important parts of it,names it the Manifest)--,was again composed by Apostle Cardale from contributions of his colleagues.

By this the unity in the outward shape has suffered some damage but the contents has become by this more thoroughly. Dr. Roszteuscher to whose work "Der Aufbau der Kirche Christi" various details,calls it the most important document that has been published in the territory of the proper ecclesiastical literature since the closing of the New Testament.

It has been directed to "The Patriarchs, Archbishops and other Governors of the Church of Christ in all countries and to the Emperors, Kings and other Regents over the baptised nations".

The prophecy ordered that the Testimony would firstly be presented to the Pope of Rome,because by his pretention to be Christ's viceroy on earth,he has pushed aside from His place the King of the Church. Thereafter the Emperor of Austria would receive it who had to be considered as successor of the pagan Roman empire because his empire was always called the "Sacred Roman Empire". The third one would be the King of France who had been chosen by the will of the people to his power and by which the authority of God was denied as the source of all authority.