The "Bro. Fry" that bro. Mansfield is refering to is bro. H. Fry, author of "Echos of Past Controversys" written as a defense against the formation of the Berean Fellowhsip around 1923.

Bro. Fry is the "bro. --" in the article The Truth Concerning Christ's Offering For Himself First Made A Matter of Fellowship In 1898". He was withdrawn from by his ecclesia in 1898, which is recorded in the Christadelphian Magazine while bro. Roberts was yet alive. After bro. Roberts died, he was brought back into fellowship, in a different ecclesia.

We are sure that bro. Mansfield thought that his patient discussions with an errorist such as Richard Stone was the proper thing to do. We have no doubt that he thought that he could teach the error out of the Central group. But as Paul prophesied he could not, and this is a sobering example of the fruitlessness and danger of this behaviour.

Paul wrote

1CO 5:6 "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:"

Because these brethren in 1960 refused to follow the sound and Scriptural paths of bre. Thomas and Roberts, 20 years later the error had grown to the point where Richard Stone could publickly give classes on his understanding, convincing many of his wrong ideas, and openly and in writing call the Truth, "error". The Bible prophesied this. It was as inevitable that this should occur as any other Bible prophesy.

Bro. Roberts wrote

"The ecclesia is not a place for argument: it is for worship in agreement. When a man requires to be argued with, his natural place is OUTSIDE, and if he will not go outside, separation must be enforced by withdrawal on the part of the rest.

"Division is the inevitable concomitant of an uncompromising adherence to the Truth. Peace purchased at the cost of compromise is doubly dangerous. The Truth is the standard, and must alone be allowed to rule. All doubt ought to be solved in its favor. This is the principle of action to which study will ultimately lead." -- from My Days and My Ways

At times, in 1978 - 1981 bro. Stone would even circulate the booklet "Echos of Past Controversies" by H. Fry, until it was pointed out to him that bro. Roberts had withdrawn from him over this very belief.

Berean Home Page