Robert Chapman (Plymouth Brethren)

Infobox Person
name = Robert Cleaver Chapman

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image_size = 200px
birth_date = April 1, 1803
birth_place = Helsingor, Denmark
death_date = December 6, 1902
death_place = Barnstaple, England

Robert Cleaver Chapman, (1 April 1803 - 6 December 1902) Pastor, teacher and evangelist. Known as the "apostle of Love".

Early Days

Chapman was born in Helsingor, Denmark, in a wealthy Anglican merchant family from Whitby, Yorkshire. Robert was educated by his mother whilst the family was in Denmark and later at a boarding school in Yorkshire, after the return of the family to England.At the age of 15 Robert moved to London to work as an apprentice clerk in the legal profession.

1818 to 1832 London

Robert completed his 5 year apprenticeship and became an attorney in 1823. In the same year he became a Christian after listening to the gospel preached by James Harrington Evans in a nonconformist chapel in London. He prospered in his career and also spiritually and spent most of his spare time visiting and helping the poor of London.His dedication to the poor made a great impression on his cousins husband, a Mr. Pugsley, from Barnstaple, Devon. So much so that Puglsey, another lawyer, also became a Christian and began working with the poor in Barnstaple.In 1831 Robert visited Barnstaple on a holiday and helped out in preaching and other Christian work in the vicinity. On returning to London he became convinced that he was being called into full time Christian work, he also increasingly felt that some aspects of his legal work sat uncomfortably with his faith.In 1832 he was invited by the Ebenezer Strict Baptist Chapel in Barnstaple to be their pastor. In April 1832 he left the lucrative legal profession and stepped down the social ladder and moved to Barnstaple to become pastor.

Barnstaple

He accepted the post as pastor of a Strict Baptist chapel only on the condition that he would only be bound by what was written in the Bible and not by any denominational creeds or beliefs. Fellowship, for example, he believed was open to all true believers in Christ, and not restricted to those who had beenbaptised by full immersion on a profession of faith. His views on fellowship were similar to those of Anthony Norris Groves.

Over time, the chapel changed from being Strict Baptist to a non denominational one ran on similar grounds to the assembly led by George Muller in Bristol.For example, one man ministry was replaced by the priesthood of all believers and Chapman refused any clerical salary. Chapman never enforced these changes onto the chapel and never forced his viewpoint but was prepared to wait for every believer meeting at the chapel to see the need for change.

Chapman rose to become an influential figure within the Plymouth Brethren alongside John Nelson Darby and George Muller. His zeal and compassion for people led to him being referred to by many as the "apostle of love". For example, Chapman preferred to live very frugally in a deprived area of Barnstaple in order to reach the poor.

In 1848 he sided with George Muller in regards to a dispute over the independency of each assembly and believed that John Nelson Darby should have waited much longer before excommunicating Muller's assembly in Bristol for not supporting Darby in his dispute with Benjamin Wills Newton. This riled some supporters of Darby who were wanting to discredit Chapman. Darby, however reproved them, saying, "You leave that man alone; We talk of the heavenlies, but Robert Chapman lives in them."

In regards to the timing of the rapture of the Church, an issue which became prominent within the brethren movement, especially in the 1840s, Chapman held a partial rapture view with part of the saved being raptured before the Great Tribulation and a part of them after the Great Tribulation. [ [ http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/Partial_rapture.htm Rapture by Watchman Nee] ]

Charles Spurgeon called Chapman "the saintliest man I ever knew". Chapman became so well known that a letter from abroad addressed only to "R.C. Chapman, University of Love, England" was correctly delivered to him. [ page 72 of Agape Leadership by R.L.Peterson]

A Selection of “Choice Sayings” of Robert Cleaver Chapman

“God is love” (1 John 4:16). His children please Him only so far as they are like Him, and “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2).

Humility is the secret of fellowship, and pride the secret of division.

If we would wisely reprove the flesh in our brethren, we must first, after the Lord’s example, remember and commend the grace in them.

References

Research Libraries

* [http://www.plymouthbrethren.org/page.php?page_id=63 Chapman , Robert Cleaver Bio | PlymouthBrethren.org ] at www.plymouthbrethren.org Chapman , Robert Cleaver Bio
* [http://www.wvec.org.uk/site/Church_Magazine/spring99.php Whiddon Valley Evangelical Church ] at www.wvec.org.uk Who Was Robert Cleaver Chapman?
* [http://www.stempublishing.com/hymns/biographies/chapman.html Biography of Robert Cleaver Chapman, 1803-1902. (Spiritual Songsters) ] at www.stempublishing.com Robert Cleaver Chapman, 1803-1902
* [http://www.pawcreek.org/articles/testimonials/RobertCleaverChapmanTheRichPoorMan.htm] Robert Cleaver Chapman: The Rich, Poor Man
* [http://www.plymouthbrethren.wordpress.com/2007/07/07/brother-indeed-robert-chapman/ Brother Indeed - Robert Chapman « Articles & Links ] at www.plymouthbrethren.wordpress.com Brother Indeed - Robert Chapman