John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)

John Nelson Darby (J.N.D.) was born at Westminster, London, on 18 November, 1800, to John and Anne (née Vaughan) Darby who were members of the Church of England. He was baptised on 3 March, 1801, in St Margaret’s Church, London. Both his parents were from wealthy families and the Vaughans were also acquainted with influential U. S. political leaders.

At eleven years of age J.N.D. entered Westminster School, London, as a boarder. After three years he enrolled in Trinity College, Dublin, which was closely linked with the Anglican Church in Ireland. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree and won the Classical Gold Medal, the highest honour awarded in classics, when he was only eighteen. He was also registered at King’s Inn, Dublin, and was destined to have a distinguished career in law.

However, although he was called to the Irish Chancery Bar in 1822, there is no evidence that he ever practised as a lawyer. He felt he had been called to serve Christ and was ordained as a deacon in the United Church of England and Ireland in 1825. He preached the gospel to the poor Irish Catholics living in the mountains of the district of Calary in County Wicklow, south of Dublin.

In 1827 J.N.D. was laid aside after an accident and through occupation with the Scriptures he received light in his soul that Christ in heaven was the Head of the church and the Holy Spirit was here to unite Christians to Christ, and to each other in His body on earth. This was not possible in a national church. He also saw that the Christian had nothing to wait for save the coming of Christ to take believers to be with Himself in glory. Thus the truth in Scripture and especially in Paul’s teachings which had been lost or disregarded for centuries was recovered and many believers rallied to it.

Towards the end of 1827, Mr John Nelson Darby (J.N.D.) met with four others in one of their houses in Dublin and held the Lord’s Supper in the simplicity with which it was set on in the early days of Christianity, with no officiating clergy.

This was a bold step as it involved a complete break with the established churches of that time. Yet from this simple beginning in Ireland, persons with the same conviction came together to ‘break bread’ in London and other cities throughout England. Having no official name, they became known as ‘Brethren’.

In the 1830s J.N.D. was asked to Plymouth to preach and large numbers gathered there. As most of the early publications of Brethren originated in Plymouth, the name ‘Plymouth Brethren’ became the name by which Brethren were known.

From simple beginnings in Dublin, largely through the extensive travels and work of J.N.D., the light of Christ and the assembly spread throughout Europe and to the Americas, the West Indies, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Some of J.N.D.’s writings are preserved in thirty-four volumes of his ‘Collected Writings’ in which he opened up the truth of Scripture while meeting erroneous teaching. His uncompromising stand for the truth of separation from the world and the religious bodies of the day aroused opposition to his ministry throughout his life. His letters bring out his deep feelings for persons experiencing sorrow and loss in their lives and his hymns are a rich source of comfort and inspiration.

J.N.D.’s translation of the Bible from its original languages was an enormous task but appreciated by believers and students of Scripture today.

J.N.D. died on Saturday 29 April 1882 at Bournemouth and was buried there on Tuesday 2 May.