Newman Street Church, London - Edward Irving. (1832)



At the evening service at Regent Square (see more on the Regent Square page), Irving announced that in future he would allow tongues and prophecies in the meetings and he preached on the Baptism of Holy Spirit at the mid-week meetings. Unfortunately, the board of trustees were against the exercising of these gifts as they thought the service became disorderly. The board brought the issue before the London Presbytery, who, in May 1832 decided Irving was in violation of the order of worship and he was locked out of the church. As a result Irving took nearly all his congregation to a new building in Newman Street, London.

Irving had long believed and preached on the imminent second coming of Christ. He and his congregation were convinced that this was going to happen. In their new independent church they set up a new government based upon Church authority resting on the apostles. In November they appointed John Cardale as the first apostle. They appointed prophets, elders, evangelists and deacons and gave Irving the title of 'angel'. Irving taught on the restoration of the Gifts, the Baptism of Holy Spirit and Healing. This was the beginning of the Catholic Apostolic Church which they called themselves a few years later.

Irving was kicked out of the Church of Scotland in March 1833 for heresy for preaching that salvation was available for all and not just the elect. After this his influence in his church declined, but sadly he had something more important to worry about, his health. He was showing signs of tuberculosis and he died at the end of 1834. 

(The quotations above came from, 'The Life of Edward Irving', Volume 2 by Mrs Oliphants 1862)