DARBY, JOHN NELSON. — One of the principal founders of the sect of the Darbyites (v. DARBYITI) or Plymouth Brethren, b. in London on Nov. 18, 1800, d. in Bournemouth on Apr. 29, 1882. He studied law in Dublin, but shortly afterward devoted himself to the pastoral ministry in the Anglican Church. Having begun to doubt the authority of this Church, after a few years he left it and joined a group of like-minded people in Dublin. In 1830 he moved to Plymouth, where another similar group was already active.
To propagate the new sect, he visited Switzerland, where he stayed for two years (1838-40), founding Plymouth Brethren congregations in Vaud, Geneva, and Bern. Upon his return to Plymouth, he chose this city as the center of his activity: he visited Germany, France, and the United States six times; in 1871 he was in Italy and in 1875 in New Zealand. He was an indefatigable writer, as evidenced by the 32 volumes of his works. He wrote not only in defense of his doctrines and on Holy Scripture, but also against bishops, priests, against Newman’s apology, and included various hymns and religious songs, etc. His main idea was that his sect, without the hindrance of ecclesiastical organization, guided solely by the Bible and by God, would unite all others. However, his intransigent character alienated some of his collaborators (G. Müller, S. P. Tregelles, A. N. Groves), and thus the Darbyite sect is among those that have experienced the most schisms.