The Irvingites | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 20, 1856

The Irvingites.

Edward Irving was one of the most eloquent and popular preachers of England during the early part of the present century—a preacher whose manner had in it so much of the solemnity and grandeur of the old prophets as to draw to his church the nobility and statesmen, although their sins and follies were rebuked with the utmost severity. He went down to his grave under a dark cloud; but he left disciples, who took his name, and continue to the present time. A correspondent of the N. Y. Evangelist gives the following account of them:—

"Of the Christian sects which owe their origin to the nineteenth century, the Irvingites are perhaps the most remarkable, both for their system and the personal characters of their members. They disclaim the name by which they generally go, and call themselves the 'Catholic and Apostolic Church,' not in an exclusive sense, however, but simply as belonging to that body, which embraces all the baptized. So far from professing to be another sect in addition to the numerous divisions of Christians, they believe themselves called upon to reunite the scattered members of the one body of Christ. They hold that the peculiar offices and supernatural gifts of the apostolic church were intended to be perpetual; that they have not been entirely lost, but greatly impaired by the fault of the church; and that they are now revived again in their midst, in order to prepare and perfect the church in holiness for the second coming of the Lord, which is near at hand.

"They have twelve apostles, not elected or ordained by men, as they believe, but called, sent forth, immediately by God—(one of them, Mr. Drummond, is at the same time a member of the English Parliament, a rather singular combination of offices)—and under their supreme guidance a number of prophets, evangelists, angels, presbyters and deacons. They acknowledge only the three ecumenical creeds, the Symbolum Apostolicum, Nicæno Constantino-politanum, and Athanasianum. They agree doctrinally more with the Roman Catholic system, while their personal sympathies are more with the Protestants, especially the Episcopalians and Lutherans. Their liturgy is a very skillful compilation of the old Catholic prayers, and the whole worship is of the high liturgical and ceremonial order, as much so almost as the Roman mass. But it is conducted, of course, in the vernacular tongue, and leaves room at the same time for the manifestation of the extraordinary gifts of the brethren, such as prophesying and speaking in tongues. Their progress thus far has been rather slow. The obligation of the tithe, and especially their high claims as to the revival of real apostles, stand in their way. They now number thirty-two congregations, with about 600 members, in England, and some small congregations in Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, France, and in the State of New York."