Benjamin Wills Newton (12 December 1807 – 26 June 1899) was an English evangelist, author of Christian books, and leader of a Plymouth church. His congregation and others around Plymouth became known as the Plymouth Brethren. Newton was a friend of John Nelson Darby, a well-known leader of the Plymouth Brethren, but the two men began to clash on matters of church doctrine and practice. This led to a 1848 split of the movement into the Open Brethren and Exclusive Brethren. Early days Newton was born in Plymouth Dock, Devon in a Quaker family. His father died shortly before Benjamin was born. Newton had no siblings. He studied at Exeter College, Oxford, where he obtained a 1st Class Classics degree in 1828 and became a fellow of the college. Brethren assembly at Plymouth At Oxford he abandoned Quaker beliefs and joined the Anglican Church. He was friends of Francis William Newman and George Wigram. Through Newman he first met John Nelson Darby. Newton and his friends in Oxford became increasingly critical of the Anglican Church especially in regard to its subjection to the sovereign state and the appointment of ordained clergy. In December 1831 Wigram left the Anglican church and bought a nonconformist place of worship, Providence Chapel in Raleigh Street, Plymouth, Devon. Meetings were open to Christians from all denominations for fellowship, prayer, praise and communion. In January 1832, Newton and Darby, although at the time, both Anglican clerics, shared communion with Wigram at such a meeting. By March 1832 Newton had left the Anglican Church, committed himself to the new fellowship and married a local woman, Hannah Abbott. The "Providence People" as they were known locally, grew quickly, became known as “The Brethren from Plymouth” and then were referred to as the Plymouth Brethren. Around 1832 Darby also left the Anglican Church of Ireland. The predominant features of the Plymouth assembly in 1832 included: Rejection of clergy and adoption of the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers Plurality of Elders – The elders were unpaid. Newton soon became an elder, and earned his living as a schoolteacher. Weekly communion Separation from evil systems – e. g., not being in the armed forces or a member of any apostate denominational church The Plymouth assembly was similar to an assembly in Dublin, Ireland which was established in 1827 by Anthony Norris Groves, Darby and other Christians who sought a