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The Year 1869

The Son of God

by J.G. Bellett

161 pages.



Comments:
C Gribben said ...
Lots of unattributed quotations from and paraphrases of John Owen in here.
Monday, Feb 6, 2023 : 22:54
Rodger said ...
Are you able to point some of them out? At one point I was attempting to trace sources of the various quotations in “The Moral Glory…,” and pencil them into the margins of my copy.

Mr. Bellett had the rare (and wonderful) feature of quoting appreciatively from brothers outside those identified with “brethren.” If there are examples of other brothers who commonly did so, I would be interested in hearing about it. For the extent of his library, Mr. Kelly seems to have rarely been able to bring up non-“brethren” other than critically. Some of that is rectified by EEW’s notes in his commentaries.
Tuesday, Feb 7, 2023 : 02:59
Bihonegn Demena said ...
Dear sir, I am from Ethiopia I need the pdf version of this book. Thank you,
Wednesday, Sep 27, 2023 : 19:29
Rodger said ...
In “J.N. Darby and the Roots of Dispensationalism,” Mr. Gribben writes, “Bellett… structured his arguments in ‘Son of God’ (1869) around lengthy - and unattributed - paraphrases of Owen’s Christological writing.” (pg. xii)

Is this more evident in certain publications of this book than in others? Can someone demonstrate the links between Bellett’s paraphrases and Owen’s original work?
Monday, Mar 25, 2024 : 02:22
Jonathan said ...
It sounds like Crawford must have done some work on this - but perhaps has not explained in detail in his book? (I'm still waiting for my copy - UK versions only to be issued on 23 April!)
Monday, Mar 25, 2024 : 23:39
Theophilus said ...

Rodger, an edition of The Son of God  was published  by JAMES CARTER in 1896. This was a full reprint taken from the original papers that appeared in the The Present Testimony. It was edited by H. A. Hammond of Sundridge, Bournemouth, and in his notes he references extracts from John Owen. Prof. Gribben's researches may well have thrown up others. The Chapter Two Book Depot, London, secondhand department may well have copies of this edition available, as they have had In the past. It remains a good source for secondhand books.

We may conjecture why many had been asking for this book "at the present, time" [i.e. 1896].

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024 : 23:58
Rodger said ...
Thanks, Theophilus. That was exactly the info I was looking for. I’ll be on the hunt for a copy of that edition. Shipping from Chapter Two to Canada might be a bit on the expensive side, so I’ll see what can be found in North America first.

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 : 10:39
Rodger said ...
Not only is it interesting that it was thought necessary to publish a new edition of “The Son of God” in 1896, it is intriguing that at this point it was thought good to publish links between Bellett’s teaching and that of Owen, connecting it to a sort of historical orthodoxy. This seems counter to the general tendency of “brethren” at this point in their history, but maybe there was occurring a realisation of having too-far disassociated themselves from the “historic Christian faith.”

(Gribben’s book is very good, btw. Just finished it yesterday.)
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024 : 10:52
Rodger said ...
The James Carter, 1896 edition of “The Son Of God” seems to be quite hard to come by. If anyone has a scan of it that would be much appreciated.
Saturday, Apr 6, 2024 : 11:34
C Gribben said ...
Sorry, everyone, I'm just seeing this now. I should visit the website more often ...

I can't find my copy of the Carter edition, but from memory he doesn't note all of the following (page nos from the Morrish edition):

p. 66: "Divine wisdom is the way of our recovery ..." - Owen, Works, ed Goold, 1:212.
p. 101: "His glorious meetness', to use very much the language of another ..." - Owen, Works, ed Goold, 1:228.
p. 109-110: "The perfect and complete work of Christ in every act ..." - Owen, Works, ed Goold 1:234.
p. 113: "Jesus is in the same body in heaven ..." - Owen, Works, ed Goold, 1:238.
p. 114: "His present state is a state of the highest glory ..." - Owen, Works, ed Goold, 1:252.

There might be others! Looking forward to seeing what others have found.
Friday, Jun 21, 2024 : 21:10
C Gribben said ...
I've found my copy of the 1895 edition (not 1896, as above), if anyone wants any more info on it.
Thursday, Jul 11, 2024 : 20:22
Rodger said ...
I’d be very much interested in seeing whatever sort of editor’s introduction it has, as well as examples of editorial comments. If this goes beyond the scope of what is useful on this thread, and you are so disposed, Mr. Gribben, perhaps you could email me some photos? Tom could give you my email address.
Saturday, Jul 13, 2024 : 01:32
C Gribben said ...
Very happy to share images, Rodger, if Tom can put us in touch!
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 : 04:47
Rodger said ...
Thanks, Crawford! I emailed Tom.
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 : 07:57
Rodger said ...
It is sometimes alluded to that this book was written specifically to counter certain teachings about the Sonship of Christ that were cropping up. Is someone able to contextualize this book for us (i.e., who was involved, where and when, what the particular teachings were)?
Monday, Dec 15, 2025 : 12:51
Rodger said ...

It is sometimes alluded to that this book was written specifically to counter certain teachings about the Sonship of Christ that were cropping up. Is someone able to contextualize this book for us (i.e., who was involved, where and when, what the particular teachings were)?

Monday, Dec 15, 2025 : 12:51
Rodger said ...
Friday, Dec 19, 2025 : 09:49
Samuel said ...
Further to WJ Hocking’s identification of FW Newman and his Arianism (which was revealed on the famous missionary relief journey with Cronin, Parnell aka Lord Congleton et al) imbibed through apologetic dialogue with local Muslims, was the impetus to JGB as noted in various writers. Good references are in RA Huebner “John Nelson Darby: Precious Truths Revived and Defended” 2nd Edition, 2004. PresentTruthPublishers.com also available from various bookshops who stock Exclusive Brethren works. This incident rather rankled with AN Groves who disapproved of JND et al cutting off FWN.
Saturday, Dec 20, 2025 : 05:43
C Gribben said ...
Rodger, the 1891 edition concludes with a "Note" that doesn't seem to appear in the edition represented by the PDF above (it's on p 149). This begins: "I have learnt that some things in No. II of these meditations on 'The Son of God' have been an offence to many. I am well aware, that in the heat, and under the influence, of certain feelings at the time, I was led to expressions which I should not now use, and have thus conveyed my mind too boldly and unguardedly ..." The meditations appeared in Present Testimony in 1851 and 1853, and deal with issues raised by the Plymouth controversy, rather than with the simpler Unitarianism associated with FW Newman. So maybe that's a clue?

Monday, Dec 22, 2025 : 17:18
Samuel said ...
The short biographical article on JGB which appeared in Uplook magazine (possibly by J B Nicholson) is clear that the "Son of God" was in response to BWN's errors, and written while JGB lived in Bath in the early 1850s. see:-
https://uplook.org/1999/07/j-g-bellett/#

One hopes that Tom might be able soon to upload the supplementary material from the 1891 edition to which Crawford has drawn attention. It would be good to see the whole of it.
Monday, Dec 22, 2025 : 22:38
Rodger said ...
Thanks for the tips, brethren!

Personally, I would like to see a reprint of the “expanded” version of “The Son of God.”
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2025 : 03:07
C Gribben said ...
A reprint of the expanded version would be great and we could add in references for more of the unattributed quotations, too.
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2025 : 05:17
Rodger said ...
Good idea! If someone has the capability to take up that effort, I’d be happy to help however I can.
Tuesday, Dec 23, 2025 : 10:51


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