John Gifford Bellett

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John Gifford Bellett (born July 19, 1795 in Dublin , † October 10, 1864 ibid) was an Irish preacher and author of the Brethren movement .

Life

Bellett was the eldest son of a wealthy Anglo-Irish family. He first attended primary school in Taunton (his grandmother lived in Somerset ), then the Grammar School in Exeter and from 1815 Trinity College in Dublin, where he met John Nelson Darby . Here he also experienced a conversion in 1817 . From 1819 to 1821 he studied in London jurisprudence . In 1821 he was in Dublin as a lawyer admitted, however, soon gave up his job in favor of a lay preacher activity in the Anglican Church on. In 1825 he married Mary Drury (1795 / 96-1863), a daughter of Admiral William O'Bryen Drury (1754-1811). The couple had six children, of which only the daughter Letitia (called Letty, 1832 / 33-1918) reached adulthood.

In late 1826 or early 1827, Bellett met the prospective missionary Anthony Norris Groves , who in the spring of 1827 suggested that he celebrate the Lord's Supper in a small, domestic group . In the winter of 1827/28 John Nelson Darby also joined this group; he became one of Bellett's closest friends. After they had joined together with a similar house group around the doctor Edward Cronin at the end of 1829 , they moved to a public hall in May 1830 and thus formed the first congregation of the Brethren movement .

From now on Bellett devoted entirely to the holding of Bible studies , the pastoral and the writing of edifying books and articles. He was the most prolific writer in the Brothers Movement's first magazine, The Christian Witness , founded in 1834 . In 1834/35 he went on a preaching tour with Darby through the south-west of Ireland, where they met a number of house groups who met on the same principles as the congregation in Dublin.

From 1846 to 1848 the Bellett family lived in the English spa town of Bath because of an illness of their son John (1829-1848) . During this time there were disputes between Darby, Benjamin Wills Newton and Georg Müller , which led to the separation of the brothers' movement into "open" and "closed brothers". Bellett tried first to exercise a moderating influence, but then with a heavy heart sided with Darby and the "closed brothers". Since his home church in Dublin had joined the "open" wing, he did not return to Dublin until 1854 to start a new, "closed" church. In his private life, however, he also maintained contact with the “open brothers”.

Bellett took an active part in the Irish revival of 1859; until his death he held weekly Bible studies for the new converts. He died at the age of 69, about a year after his wife, Mary.

Fonts

A directory of Bellett's writings is in the catalog in the Christian Brethren Archives ( Manchester University Library ). Published in German translation a. a .:

  • The glory of Jesus Christ our Lord in His humanity. R. Brockhaus , Elberfeld 4 1891, 5 1907. New edition: The glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity. Ibid. 6 1926. New edition: The glory of Jesus Christ our Lord as man. Ernst-Paulus-Verlag , Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 1965.
  • The son of god. R. Brockhaus, Elberfeld 1894, 2 1907. New edition: Ernst-Paulus-Verlag, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 1953.
  • Elisa. Brief reflections on 2nd Kings 2-13. R. Brockhaus, Elberfeld 1897.
  • The opened heavens. Brief thoughts on the letter to the Hebrews. R. Brockhaus, Elberfeld 1901. New edition: Ernst-Paulus-Verlag, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 1954.
  • The world before the flood and the patriarchs. R. Brockhaus, Elberfeld 1925.
  • Contemplation on the Gospel according to John. Christian publication, Hückeswagen 2 1978.
  • Contemplation on the gospel according to Luke. Christian distribution of writings, Hückeswagen 1979.
  • Thoughts on the letter to the Ephesians. Ernst-Paulus-Verlag, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse 1984.

literature

  • L [etitia] M [ary] Bellett: Recollections of the late JG Bellett. Rouse, London 1895 (also online ).
  • Henry Pickering (Ed.): Chief Men among the Brethren. Pickering & Inglis, London 2 1931. pp. 10f. (also online ).
  • Arend Remmers : Remember your leaders. Life pictures of some faithful men of God. Christian Written Distribution, Hückeswagen 2 1990. pp. 8–11 (also online ).
  • [Paul Krumme ?:] "John Gifford Bellett 1795–1864". In: Die Wegweisung 30 (1990), p. 24f.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Catalog of the Christian Brethren Archive .
personal data
SURNAME Bellett, John Gifford
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish preacher and author of the Brethren movement
DATE OF BIRTH July 19, 1795
PLACE OF BIRTH Dublin
DATE OF DEATH October 10, 1864
Place of death Dublin