10/14/06
For years I have wanted to visit a meeting of a “Plymouth Brethren” assembly. On September 3rd, 2006 we had the privilege of meeting with the saints at Carter Road Bible Chapel in Princeton, New Jersey. They meet in a beautiful white building built in 1898 and occupied by various churches since then. This Brethren Assembly has been meeting at this location since 1973 but was originally formed in the 1920s in Trenton.
We met two of the three elders that morning and I very much respect the fact that they were both in their 70’s or 80’s. They were very kind and eager to welcome us. They were energetic leaders who led from among their brothers and sisters.
At 9:30 AM was the “Breaking of Bread” in the main meeting room of the Chapel. There was no one up front. Everyone was sitting in the pews. We were all silent for a time and then someone selected a hymn which we opened to in the hymn book and sang a cappella. There were several hymns sung and a brother stood up in the congregation and read a scripture and another brother stood up and prayed. Then one of the brothers went forward to the front and distributed the bread and the cups to other brothers who distributed them to the congregation. Most of the sisters wore head coverings of various styles during the meetings.
At about 10:30 we went through a hallway to a fellowship hall and enjoyed talking to various members of the congregation.
The “Family Bible Hour” began about 11:00 AM. We gathered in the main Chapel meeting room again. A brother in his 30’s led the singing of hymns from up front, accompanied by a lady playing an organ. We took part in a responsive reading out of the back of the hymnals which spoke of Jesus’ death for us on the Cross. The main speaker that morning was a visitor who was coming from twenty years on the mission field in the Phillipines and on his way to a new position with Christian Missions in Many Lands (CMML). He was in his 50’s and taught from Luke 16 about Lazarus and the Rich Man. He started out by quoting from Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Life, which I do not recommend. It was my privilege to meet this Brother in Christ and I am grateful for his dedication to the Gospel.
I loved visiting Carter Road Bible Chapel and assembling with these precious fellow believers in Jesus Christ. My wife enjoyed speaking to the wife of one of the elders and several other ladies. A young woman who had graduated from Princeton befriended my daughter. My daughter also enjoyed talking to a young woman who was visiting from the mission field in Hong Kong.
A significant portion of the congregation was from India or at least ethnic Indian, including several young families. I enjoyed getting to know a brother who was planning to visit his family in the south of India soon. He was telling me how most of his relatives are Roman Catholic, which I found interesting.
The meeting of the Christians at Carter Road Bible Chapel was such a blessing for its simplicity and its depth and its unaffected sincerity. It had many of the qualities I appreciate about our home assembly. Do pray that our Lord Jesus would continue to bless this beloved congregation.
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