Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 33, Number 10. 8 July, 1970

[Introduction]

The Exclusive Brethren are a fundamentalist Christian group who have increasingly in recent years cut themselves off from the ways of the "wicked evil world." Individual members of the sect are friendly, genuine people; their religion, however, is one of stark puritanism. Cecily Pinker was a member of the Brethren until she enrolled at Victoria University at the beginning of last year. In the accompanying article, she discusses this extraordinary group.

"Mercy's door stands open wide" (from an Exclusive bymn)—at 'the Kilbirnie Crescent Hall'.

"Mercy's door stands open wide" (from an Exclusive bymn)—at 'the Kilbirnie Crescent Hall'.

One of the strangest religious movements of all time began early last century when a prominent scholar named John Darby dissociated himself from the clergy of the Anglican Church to meet for bible readings and communion with independent small groups of people which he found all over England. After much conflict and dissension among leaders, during which time John Darby produced his own translation of the Bible, Darby's followers formed the basis of an exclusive religious movement which was to develop under further leaders into the sect now known as Exclusive Brethren.

John Darby's Bible was only new in that it claimed to be a more correct and more up-to-date version than the 1611 Authorised Version. Today it reads as neither pleasing nor modern but rather stilted. However, it still forms the strict basis of all 'exclusive' belief. After Darby had fought many of the group's doctrinal battles, it carried on under various leaders until the seat of power was moved to New York early this century under a certain James Taylor. The sect now flourishes more prominently and more strangely than ever before, under Taylor's son, James Taylor Junior.