Emily Gosse (Bowes)

Also wrote a volume of poems "Hymns and Sacred Poems". Don't believe I have it.

The article by Laurence Croft is very informative but is misleading in its final paragraph where he writes that Philip Gosse's belief that 'God had provided in the natural world treatments for all diseases' was 'quite distinct from the teachings of the Brethren'. In fact the use of herbal medication and homoeopathy was very widespread among Brethren. Similarly ambiguous is Croft's claim in the last sentence that, shortly after the death of Emily in 1857, Philip Gosse 'left' the Brethren. With other 'open brethren' Gosse believed in the independence of the local assembly where he ministered in St Marychurch and to which he referred as 'The Church of Christ in this parish'. His close friendship with Brethren like Leonard Strong of Torquay is well established. The only Brethren whom he may be said to have 'left' were the connectional Exclusive Brethren. Timothy Stunt