Location: London England

Surnames/tags: Boosey sandemanian Leighton
Contents |
Introduction
The Sandemanian church is a non-conformist protestant movement which began in Scotland in 1730’s and spread into England and to the USA. The church was founded by John Glas (and is also known as the Glasite Church) but much of the teaching was developed and promoted by his son-in-law Robert Sandeman, who founded churches in England and in North America.
The churches were close knit communities, and many families were members of the church for several generations.
Links to other pages
This page is one of a series of pages about the Sandemanian Church in London. See My research into the London Sandemanian Church for the links to the other pages.
The 1855 letter
The Sandemanian Church (also known as the Glasite Church in Scotland) had a crisis concerning the doctrine of abstaining from the eating the blood of animals when eating meat. Most of the churches agreed that the blood should be drained from the meat before eating but the Edinburgh Church took a different view, linked to the treatment of game meat, such as deer.
After much debate and concern, the London Church wrote to the Church in Edinburgh and confirmed that they could no longer have fellowship with the Edinburgh Church. The letter was signed by 13 members of the London Church, in the presence of 3 members from the church in Old Buckenham, Norfolk.
The letter reads
The Church in London to those they hitherto corresponded as Brethren at Edinburgh
We duly received your letter in reply to ours of the 3rd Inst., It was read to us on Sabbath the 21st Inst., after the lovefeast and was kept for a weeks consideration, and on that day was read to us again and our minds taken on it. We are grieved to find that you still maintain views and practices with regard to the covenant to abstain from eating blood, which we believe to be contrary to the Word of God; and that you still justify the manner in which your Elders have considered this Discipline, misinterpreting the Scriptural directions.
The letter continues with further theological points and is then signed by
Thomas Boosey Thomas Boosey
Stephen Leighton Stephen Leighton
Benjamin Vincent Benjamin Vincent
George Whitelaw George Whitelaw
Alex. Macomie Alexander Macomie
Thomas Barker Thomas Barker
George Raith George Raith
Sam Deacon Samuel Deacon
E K Reid Edward Reid
W Vincent William R Vincent
M Faraday Michael Faraday
D W Martin David W Martin
Anthony Lorimer Anthony Lorimier
The letter continues
PS. The Elders of the Church in London have received a letter from Mr Oxley stating that the brethren in Chesterfield are heartily joined with the churches in Dundee and London in Withdrawing from the Church at Edinburgh. Jan 31, 1855
Signed in the presence, and witness of, the Brethren at Old Buckenham
Thomas Loveday Thomas Loveday
William Fisher William Fisher
George Smith
The Preceding letter has been read to the brethren here at Newcastle on which they are of one mind with the Church at London
Signed Feby 4, 1855
William Paradise William Paradise
David Reid David Reid
Thomas Proctor
William Stark
William Proctor William Proctor
Source for the letter
The letter was published as part of the correspondence of Michael Faraday. It is letter 2935, The Correspondence of Michael Faraday: 1849-1855, Volume 4, edited by Frank A J L James, 1991, available on Google Books.
Also available at “Faraday2935,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 8 January 2022, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday2935
Significance of the letter
This letter confirmed the involvement of each of the named in the Church in London in 1855. Links to the relevant profiles have been added where known.
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