when George Muller, co-leader of Bethesda chapel, a brethren assembly in Bristol, allowed visitors from Ebrington Street into fellowship in Bristol and was slow to comply with Darby's ultimatum for all assemblies to condemn Newton's heresy. Darby, in response, excommunicated all those in fellowship at Bethesda. The assemblies which supported Darby's action became known as the Exclusive Brethren and those which rallied behind George Muller and Bethesda chapel, subsequently also excommunicated, were named Open Brethren. In 1858, Darby was also accused of holding a similar heresy to that of Newton's on the sufferings of Christ. Post-Brethren years Newton married Maria Hawkins in 1849, his first wife having died in 1846. His only child died at the age of five in 1855. Throughout the next 50 years, Newton remained active as a Christian teacher and writer. After leaving the Plymouth Brethren, he set up an independent chapel in Bayswater, London. He later lived in Orpington, Kent, followed by Newport, Isle of Wight. For the last three years of his life he lived in Tunbridge Wells. Although he was labelled as an evil-doer and a false teacher by the Darbyites, other people view Newton as the John Calvin of the 19th century and believe the Brethren movement might have done better if it had followed his teaching rather than Darby's dispensationalism and the belief that at any moment, the pre-tribulation secret return of the Lord for the secret rapture of the saints to heaven to occur, and the Lord to return publicly with the church seven years later for the commencement of a thousand-year reign. His friends and supporters during the years of relentless vilification by the Darbyites included Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, George Muller and Charles Spurgeon. Historian Roy Coad notes, "He lived until 1899, retreating into a little circle of two or three churches of his own, and leaving a devoted following, mainly among Strict Baptists." As a writer Newton produced more than 200 published works. His great gift was exposition of the Scriptures and, particularly, unfulfilled prophecy. George Muller George Muller of Bristol wrote, "I consider Mr. Newton's writings to be most sound and scriptural, and my wife and I are in the habit of reading them, not only with the deepest interest, but great profit to our souls. His books are certainly most valuable, for they exalt the person and work of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ to the