Mr Howe’s reply

3 BIERTON PARTICULAR BAPTISTS ARTICLES OF RELIGION, 1831 79 apologized for any offence caused.

The following is a transcript sent to Mr Howe (07.II .82)

Dear Peter and Pauline,

I do hope we did not offend you on the Lord’s Day evening, we do not wish to offend in any way. I call to mind those scriptures as, Matthew 18 v 6, and I Chr. 16 verses 21 – 22. May I explain our position in respect to the matter of Church communion? We hold the administration of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper to be in the hands and authority of the local Church (it’s self being subject to Christ Jesus and His Laws) and our order is such that we restrict the communion to.

Baptized believers (by immersion) Who have given themselves to Church membership of the same faith as ourselves.

That they are actually in communion with his or her own Church.

Therefore in respect to yourselves it would be viewed you are not in membership anywhere, but would hope you be graciously helped and directed as to what you should do.

Please do not think we wish to hold ourselves aloof more orderly than others but rather seeking to hold to those things once given unto the saints and aiming at a defence of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In pursuit of these things decisions have to be made which often are against our natural inclinations.

Trusting you are well,

Yours with Christian regards,

Mr Howe’s reply The following is a photocopy of Mr Howe reply: David Clarke Esq. 187 Aylesbury Road

PWH/MH

Dear David 7th January 1983

I do apologized most sincerely for the delay in replying to your letter of 7 November. This is a busy time of year for me and December particularly is a difficult month because virtually nothing can be done in the week leading up Christmas.

It was kind of you to write to me setting out the position with regard

80 3 BIERTON PARTICULAR BAPTISTS ARTICLES OF RELIGION, 1831 to the Lord’s Table, and may I say at once that my wife and I were not in any way annoyed at what transpired when we were last at Bierton. Indeed it is good to know that some churches exercises some measure of discipline with regard to the Lord’s Table.

However, having said that, clearly you were uncomfortable at what took place and I can well understand your grounds for discomfort. It is one thing to say that those coming to the Table should actually be in communion with their own church, but you are well aware that we were brought to the position of closing the Chapel at Ivanhoe for reasons beyond our control and which I trust do not reflect on us after having put in nine years’ service there. As things stand, I concluded to myself rather wistfully as I left your church that evening that we would have been in exactly the same position had we been forced to leave a church having run off with the collection! Had the positions been reversed and you had been approaching me as to whether in those circumstances you could have participated in the communion service, without doubt I would have replied in the affirmative. As to your penultimate paragraph about church membership, we hope indeed to be “ graciously helped and directed as to what (we) should do “. We find ourselves in the difficult position however where no church has given any indication that an approach by us about membership would be welcome. Regrettably I have to say that, spending as I do much time on the road each year, I find when I go to a pub for a meal (which I do from time to time when I am not quite sure where to eat) I receive a far more friendly welcome than I do in some churches. I hope indeed that we will receive the help to which you have referred, but it is a matter of great sadness to me that, having been involved in active Christian service for over 30 years I have never felt at such a loose end.

May I conclude more positively in wishing you and Irene a nd your children every blessing for 1983?

Yours very sincerely PP. Peter Howe

Secession from the Bierton Church

In 1982 I was called by the Lord and sent to preach the gospel by the church and preached in many churches in England. However during this time serious doctrinal errors arose in the church at Bierton and despite seeking to resolve them they were not resolved. This lead me, due to matters of conscience, to withdraw from the church, in 1984. However due to our strict rules relating to membership my membership was never terminated,