G.H. PEMBER: An Introduction and a Tribute.

 

 

By

 

 

JACK A. GREEN

 

 

In the mid-1980’s the Conley & Shoettle Publishing Co. made available to the Christian public a number of out-of-print writings by Robert Govett; in addition, 4 Vols. of ‘Great Prophecies’ and two other works by G. H. Pember, Govett’s fellow pioneer in the searching, practical Kingdom teaching which first came to light in the written ministry of these two 19th century giants.  To these were added writings of the same character from the 20th century, many from the pen of G. H. Lang.

 

 

Now, as Shoettle Publishing Company Inc., the Publishers are offering this new Pember material to students of Scripture as we stand just inside the third millennium.  It consists of hitherto unpublished letters which form Part I; then, as Part II, his little known and fascinating work on ‘Animals’ (‘Animals’ Rights’ before the time!)  This is followed by various articles and, for the most part, reprinted prophetic papers, arranged according to date, forming part III.*

 

[* NOTE.  Conley & Shoettle Publishing Co.  may not (as yet) published the above writings!  G. H. Pember’s ‘Animals’ is on ‘the website’.]

 

 

As very little about Pember in the way of biography exists (he did not leave a photograph as far as is known!) the opportunity is here taken to reveal some interesting facts about this man of God; his life, his faith, his oral and written ministry.  The outline of the special views which mark his written ministry does not indicate agreement in every detail; with subjects ranging over so vast an area of Scripture that would hardly be expected.  It does, however, indicate how highly the present writer has valued and perused that ministry for many years.

 

 

George Hawkins Pember was born at Hereford, England on November 17th 1836 and received his preparatory education at the Cathedral School in that city.  He matriculated at Gonville and Cajus College, Cambridge, in 1856; took the B.A. in 1860, being placed in the Second Class Tripos; his M.A. in 1863.  He was Assistant Master at Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancashire, a private school for sons of Church of England clergymen 1861-63. Pember spent most of the rest of his life in Budleigh Salterton, a quaint Devonshire seaside town where he died July 4th 1910, in his seventy third year.

 

 

It seems Pember early came under the influence of the Gospel; but at a meeting with saintly G. H. Lang at Bristol in 1900 he revealed that when at Cambridge he was still reading the classics for his own glory.  At that famous University came the quickening of the Spirit of God which directs the soul to Christ.  Upon leaving the University Pember followed a teaching career for two years at Rossall School, which still prospers today as a mixed school, until the call came to give himself to full time ministry, expounding the Word of God to saint and sinner.  Now, his course set, he dedicated his great talents and vast learning to the Master whom he loved and served so well.

 

 

It is no small tribute to George Pember’s ability and spiritual power that his counsel was sought by many leading Evangelicals of his day; his large and taxing correspondence saw him exchanging views with such giants as Sir Robed Anderson, Philip Mauro and B. W. Newton, with whom he enjoyed several interviews circa the 1880’s.  Although Newton was opposed to his special views, their meetings were most cordial: it is a clear indictment against the bitter accusations of the Exclusive Brethren, that so able a theologian as he declared Newton ‘sound in all fundamental doctrines’.  The fact that the letters here published for the first time were deposited at Surrey Chapel, Norwich, England and that a ‘Pember Library’, containing many of his books was set up there in 1911, the year following his death, indicates that he was on friendly terms with the members as he had been the Pastor Robert Govett, who had been ‘at home with the Lord’ since 1901.  These two expositors agreed in general as to their special teachings, although which originated them it were invidious to say.  Govett was, however, senior by more than twenty years and Pember’s writings betray indebtedness to the older man.  Although Pember seems not to have met J. N. Darby, he had boyhood memories of him creating nation-wide division among assemblies of Brethren, usually known as Plymouth Brethren (as they disown the latter appellation and the former applies all Christians, ‘Brethren’ is used for convenience).  From 1900 to 1910 when he died, Pember exerted a great influence over G. H. Lang whose writings have helped so many.  Lang experienced bitter opposition, and a troubled and unhappy old age among the ‘Open’ wing of Brethren for following Pember in many lines of exposition -  albeit not slavishly.  Evidence amounting to a virtual certainty points to G. H. Lang who inherited all Pember’s papers, as the original donor of the letters of this new publication.

 

 

Any serious student of the writings of G.H. Pember can discern beneath his easy, readable style of English a thorough grasp of every subject he dealt with.  His training in the Classics made him at ease with the whole range of N.T. literature; his handling of difficult O.T. passages showed him to be an admirable Hebraist as well as a master of the Greek.  No one read more widely than Pember; he was familiar with Theosophy, Buddhism and Spiritism and could bring the severe prohibitions of the Word to bear upon these false cults which he believed to be paving the way for the Devil’s imitation of the Incarnation in the person of the Antichrist. See his ‘Earth’s Earliest Ages’, a classic in this field.  Also, as G. H. Lang pointed out, he felt the abominableness of the Babylonian character of sacerdotal Christendom in the O.T. sense of the word abomination i.e., tending to idolatry.  Pember was a gentle, Christ like man who concentrated mainly on setting forth objective truth; but he could give a good account of himself in controversy as he showed when ‘reviewing his reviewers’, the Editors of ‘Morning Star’ & ‘Our Hope’; yet he never overstepped the bounds of courtesy, an example in this respect to all who engage in debate.  He truly proved that brethren may agree to differ in non-fundamental matters without scathing attacks and charges of disloyalty to a common Master.  One finds in his letters the wistful remark that ‘the odium theologicum is proverbially bitter’.

 

 

In his expositions George Pember used his knowledge of the original Hebrew and Greek Scriptures to great advantage; where possible however he was happy to avail himself, after 1885, of the newly translated Revised Version’s renderings i.e., Revelation 1: 5/6 Rev.5: 9 and chpt. 14:(N.B. N.T. available 1881).  By way of contrast see in the following pages how he defended retaining Acts 8: 37 as part of the original text and displayed thereby his critical acumen in the use of the N.T. Greek Mss.  He was never guilty of the folly of many of his time, and since, of making light of the excellent Authorised Version which he retained as a base from which to work.

 

 

Within Pember’s lifetime very great steps forward were made in textual criticism; there also arose the soi-disant ‘Higher Criticism’, (Kyle: if you prefer put here - self vaunting ‘Higher Criticism’), some of it, no doubt to his great regret, issuing from his Alma Mater.  He accepted the former as ascertaining exactly what God caused to be written but rejected the latter, cleaving to the ancient doctrine of plenary inspiration.  Pember’s ‘Earth’s Earliest Ages’ Ages, praised so highly by Spurgeon, was a complete vindication of the Mosaic Cosmogony and the veracity of the early chapters of Genesis.  It was a very effective answer to Prof. Driver’s infidel attack upon Genesis 1:  Driver was Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford University, a famous lexicographer and Pusey’s successor. On the other hand, the four Vols. of ‘Great Prophecies’ demonstrated the unity of the OT, expounding and unfolding the dispensations as God dealt with patriarchs & prophets, with emphasis on the dealings of the Jehovah with His people Israel. This was likewise the perfect answer to the patchwork (perhaps better, guesswork?) document theories of the Cambridge Professor and eminent modernist, A. F. Kirkpatrick.  The refutation of the latter by the faithful alumnus, was, in the first place, unintentional; but complete.  Whether learning emanated from Oxford or Cambridge, it must be tested by God breathed revelation.  Not exactly collegium, but impartial!!

 

 

In the Victorian era many movements claiming to be of God had taken root or were to evidence themselves: these were fearlessly subjected to the test of Scripture by G. H. Pember.  He took a very low view of Quakers, regarding George Fox as a false prophet. What Spurgeon called the ‘silly fad’ of British Israelism was shown to be an utter deception; Irvingism not less so.  For Pember, the Welsh Revival of 1904 was not the great movement many claimed and he sounded an alarm against the refusal to test subjective experience by the guidelines laid down by the Spirit in the Scriptures.  The Spirit will not, according to GHP, induce or lead contrary to what God has laid down in Scripture.  Pember’s doctrine of the Holy Spirit left room for a further work beyond conversion, but this was for power and witness.  He explicitly deprecated exhibitionism and gimmicks.  He also rejected teaching by women in public assemblies which really came into vogue with that Revival; a view based on Cor.14: 34 & 1 Tim 2: 11-15.  If we believe he was unduly restrictive in this respect, let us reject everything sitting loose to Scripture.  The word of inspiration reveals the ordinances of creation and principles for Christian service for both men and women - the ‘Equal Rights Party’ has no voice in God’s Kingdom.  Little wonder, then, that Pember rejected the Quaker movement, with its female ministry.  It is interesting to note that G. H. Lang did not fully follow him here, although agreeing as to the exercise of authority and teaching, a conviction based upon 1 Tim. 2: 1.

 

 

Pember’s close links with Brethrenism seem to call for separate treatment.  He was familiar with their writings and, indeed, met with them at times.  He even ministered among them although his remarks were not always welcome!  It was his conviction that the Brethren rightly stressed the perfect standing and security of the believer; but ignored the many warnings against ‘fatal paths’ also plainly taught in the Word - a situation which continues among Evangelicals in both the U.K. and USA even today.  Pember deemed such exposition ‘partial in the law’ ( Malachi 2: 9).  In his home city of Hereford, with which he maintained contact to the end of his life, there was a large Brethren Assembly where Capt. Percy Hall was in fellowship.  There are five Pembers mentioned in the records of 1880-1911 as received into fellowship, three being baptised.  That early pioneer of Brethrenism A. N. Groves, whose epoch making tract ‘Christian Devotedness’ an appeal to dedicate all to God shook the Christian world, lived at Exeter in Devon, just to the north of Budleigh Salterton. The surrounding counties of Cornwall and Somerset would have afforded many opportunities for communion, but he never felt free to join with them to the exclusion of other believers.  Pember regarded the Open Brethren as meeting in the most Scriptural way, rejecting the Exclusive Brethren as unloving and given to schism.  Pember saw in Brethrenism a great movement of the Spirit, which had fallen into the condemnation of the Devil, spiritual pride (1 Tim.3: 6). Hence their competitive leadership, bitter quarrels and divisions. As to the soundness of these judgements, his readers most bring them to the test of Scripture and the light of history.  The remarks above must be read in the light of changes in recent years amongst Open Brethren, marked as they are by rejection of the very features George Pember found so Scriptural; otherwise their point will be lost.

 

 

It seems the main reason for GHP’s remaining independent was a fear of falling into the trap of many, not only among Brethren, where being supported by a church or network of assemblies meant withholding certain unpalatable truths and becoming the servant of men - see Galatians 1:10.  Like Luther, but unlike so many of us in these days, he was impervious to gold!!  He believed God’s method of support for those in the work (see Acts 13: 2) was from heart to worker direct - Galatians 6: 6.  Another weighty consideration was his view that God was shaking sectarianism and sect leaders at that time to bring His Church to Himself: hence he sought to walk a separate pathway, cast on God for the supply of his needs.

 

 

Notwithstanding all this, after his death Mrs Pember, who copied the more part of the following letters in her own hand, joined with Brethren at Gerston Hall, Torquay, as a letter to the Lang family, dated Christmas week 1922, reveals.  The late Mary Lang-Lewis, the only child of G.H. Lang, related to the writer several visits to the aged saint at the beautiful Devon resort; Mary ventured the opinion that Mrs Pember knew her Bible better than many a modem Doctor of Divinity (?)!!  If Pember’s widow was a Priscilla (Acts 18: 26), Mrs Lang-Lewis was a Phoebe (Romans 16:1 & 2).

 

 

Pember was, in fact, despite the clear convictions outlined above, very open hearted towards all saints.  He made the long trip to London on many occasions to address The Prophecy Investigation Society at famous London venues like Norwood and the Egyptian Hall, Mansion House.  He was also at one time Secretary of the World Wide Union of  Prayer for the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He rejoiced that he was able to take the Lord’s Supper with 2000 believers at a Mildmay Conference.  Although Pember so highly regarded the The Lord’s Command (title of his book on Baptism) as to teach that neglect of being immersed in Name of the Trinity would imperil one’s place in the Millennial Kingdom, he made it no barrier to communion.  He kept rooms or apartments where those who composed the local assembly of the Church might meet for worship, prayer and edification as per Acts 2: 42.  All were received because Christ had received them, on the grounds of LIFE.  Pember held that the owning of Christ as Son of God gave a person full title to a place in the local church.  Immersion in the Name of the Trinity following being a public confession of the true God as well as the Son as Saviour.  Thereafter only manifest and developed error which would put one off Christian ground could call for exclusion from the midst of the people of God.  Of course immoral living also excluded a professed disciple from fellowship (1 Cor. 5).  It is notable the antichrists ‘went out’, unable to endure sound doctrine (See 1 Jn. 2: 18/19).  Let all who wish to hold similar sound principles on God’s terms of communion please note.

 

 

The theology of Pember was orthodox and balanced.  He laid great stress on the preparatory work of the Spirit in conversion but his views on election differed somewhat from the likes of Govett, being Arminian.  However, he loved to set forth the Lord Jesus in all the value of His great propitiation and in His exalted glory ordering churches and executing the offices of High Priest & Advocate for the whole Household of God still here below.  For Pember’s particular view of prophecy see his letter to Lang dated May 18th 1900 in this Vol. Stated in brief his view was that there are two Raptures in the removal of the Church; a firstfruits removal of the watchful living saints only at the beginning of the tribulation, when they will be rapt to the … (Presence) of Christ in the heavens; the rest will be gathered to Him in the clouds after the last Week of Daniel’s seventy, the Tribulation. These survivors of the Tribulation joined with the aforementioned firstfruits and also the partakers of the select resurrection (Philp.3:10-16) form His under assessors, the companions of His glory. (… see Gk and Heb.3: 14 etc.) destined for the Kingdom Rest of God (Heb.3/4).  Then will follow what Scripture describes as the … (the outshining of His Presence see 2 Thess2: 8) the Advent in GLORY.  As to his general overview of future things suffice it to say he was strongly premillennial, believing decidedly that Israel is the object of the steadfast covenant love of the ineffable Jehovah: by inalienable right, when their heart shall turn to the Lord, Israel shall have their land as promised to the fathers and be the ‘head and not the tail’ when ‘the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Zion’, the knowledge of the glory of the LORD then shall fill the earth as the waters the sea (Hab.2: 14)

 

 

The particular teaching for which Pember became well know was his distinguishing between the ‘Gift’ of eternal Life, the free gift of God without recall, securing the eternal salvation of the elect of God and the ‘Prize’, the reward according to works, partaking of the first (out) resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3: 11) for those who die before Christ’s coming; the living by means of the Raptures as outlined above.  Indeed, to gain entrance to the millennial kingdom and reign with Christ was subject to adjudication at the Bema i.e., the tribunal seat of Christ.  So seriously did our author take those passages of Scripture which others leave severely alone or apply to false professors, he did not merely teach diminution of rewards in the kingdom but exclusion: he did not shrink even from positive infliction.  Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind but if a tithe of these warnings were applied to the hearts and lives of God’s people amidst the carnal apathy of modem Christendom who knows what the outcome might be?  Would not brethren be constrained to avoid bitter quarrels and divisions.  Might we not be quickened and lifted above the present ‘poor dying rate’?  Many fine expositors have taught a revival among the people of God when the Lord is before the doors, a ‘Pearl Testimony’ for Him, as it were.  Would it not have Christ’s ‘well done’?  It is freely granted that the goal of the believer is to please Christ and that Christ’s love is the great compelling, motivating force (2 Cor.5: 9 & 14): yet, as Pember taught, fear is also found in true piety.  In his writings Pember reveals that he inclined to the view that there would be a return to ‘Philadelphian’ Christian living before our Lord’s return the Church thus truly keeping the word of Christ’s patience and cleaving to His name (Revelation 3: 8 & 10).

 

 

The later years of Pember’s life were marked by ill health; just before he died especially so.  Yet a month before his death we find him busy with his pen exalting Christ and pastoring His people.  We feel sure he might have repeated the words of the great Apostle to the Gentiles in 2 Tim. 4: 6-8 as he prepared for ‘being saved into the heavenly kingdom’ see ARV 1901 & Greek

 

 

As the apostasy deepens and the sand lies low in the prophetic hour glass may the following pages be used to nerve the endeavour of the people of God in these days and quicken us all in the service of Him to whom we address our advent prayer – ‘Come, Lord Jesus’.  May we not only recall the Scriptural exhortation to remember them that had the rule over us, who spake to us the word of God (past tense): considering the issue of their manner of life and imitating their faith, but also this glorious, abiding fact: Jesus Christ yesterday and today THE SAME and for ever (Heb. 13: 7 & 8).

 

 

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