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Arrival of James Taylor Jr. in Aberdeen, Scotland
 James Taylor Jnr had traveled to the United Kingdom in July 1970 to conduct much anticipated gatherings in Reigate, Surrey (South England), Preston, Lancashire (North England) and Aberdeen, Scotland. The Aberdeen gathering was to be an EB 3-Day Meeting. During the 1970's and beyond, an EB '3 Day Meeting' would commence on a Friday and continue through to final addresses on the Sunday afternoon. Historically these were times of important ministry - a 3 Day Meeting being the largest standard gathering of Exclusive Brethren and was always led by a member of the highest EB echelon - at that time, in mid-1970, there was no-one higher (no pun intended) than JT Jnr.
The EB Rules of Separation covered EB hospitality to the extent that when JT Jnr or another prominent EB traveled, they would always stay in a private EB home - it being recognized as a great privilege to be the host family. When JT Jnr arrived in Aberdeen, he stayed in the private residence of James Alec Gardner (JAG), a well-respected member of the Aberdeen EB assembly. JT Jnr arrived at the Gardner residence on the morning of July 23rd, 1970.
Several others were staying in the same house, this being the temporary 'court' of the EB Universal Leader. Others present included Dr. and Mrs. Robert Gardiner of Perth, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Gray of Edinburgh, Mr. (Ted) and Mrs. E. Steedman of Falkirk and Miss Anne Gibb of Falkirk. JT Jnr insisted that "my friends" Alan and Madeline Ker be accommodated at the Gardner house as well - even though previous arrangements had been made for Mr and Mrs. Ker to stay at another residence in nearby Laurencekirk.
"We arrived at James Gardner’s house on Thursday evening. Mr. Taylor was in bed resting and joined us about 7 p.m. He very soon paid a great deal of attention to the sisters, spoke in a crude way of their having had relations with men and constantly asked different ones when the results would be “... when is the delivery?" He made reference to bras, and to take them off and seemed obsessed with the sister's breasts. He made one sister after another sit on his knee, with one especially he kissed her for minutes at a time, putting his mouth over hers and sucking her in a most peculiar way, all the time fondling and caressing her body, making her husband look out the window while doing so.
His tactics with other sisters he wanted, was to say that they didn't like his ministry, were not with him, and so on, until they came to him. This went on till the Kerrs came about 9 p.m. They should not have been there but Jim insisted they stay, so that James Gardner and his wife had to sleep in most difficult circumstances. When he had gone off to bed we found the first sister he had handled was very upset. We found in the morning she was nearly hysterical through the night."
- Ted Steedman (a guest in the house)
The 'man of God' remembers differently, or perhaps, he simply didn't remember:
Thank you for yours of July 23rd; I do not remember you, but am thankful you enjoyed the meetings at Aberdeen.
The last time I was there I met the press which was very interesting. This time I met criminals.
I arrived on Thursday by charter flight with Mr. And Mrs. Alan Ker. I was brought to A.G.s house and was made very comfortable. That night there was some singing and I went to bed.
- James Taylor Jr.
The following notes are based upon a letter addressed to JT Jnr's home assembly of New York, USA, written by James A. Gardner (JAG) the host of James Taylor Jnr, dated July 30th, 1970. This letter was standard EB procedure in matters of potential discipline - the home assembly of any accused individual had the task of meting out EB discipline.
(Note: In order to travel between the bedrooms allocated to JT Jnr and Mr & Mrs Ker, one had to:
"... come through the kitchen, dining room and living room..."
This circuitous route accounts for the detailed diary that accompanied Mr Gardners' letter to New York. (There were therefore a number of witnesses to the movements between the two areas.)
Thursday, July 23, 1970 (evening) Alan Ker led his wife Madeline to JT Jnr's bedroom, returning to his bedroom alone. Madeline was wearing a dressing gown and was barefooted.
Friday, July 24th, 1970 (6:00 am) Mrs. J. Gardner witnessed Mrs. Madeline Ker leaving JT Jnr's bedroom.
Friday, July 24th, 1970 (day) Madeline Ker spent some time during meeting intervals in JT Jnr's bedroom. The EB Leader was almost an hour late for the Friday afternoon session:
"I knocked on Mr. Taylor's bedroom door but got no response. After another 20 minutes [Madeline Ker] came out, saying that she had to wait until she was 'released'. After about a further half hour Mr. Taylor came out. [Madeline Ker] said that she had to be with Mr. Taylor to attend to his feet and head..."
- James A. Gardner (Host)
Friday, July 24th, 1970 (night) Alan Ker again led his wife Madeline through to JT Jnrs' bedroom at about 11:00 pm. Again Alan Ker returned to his room alone, leaving his wife Madeline with the EB Leader.
Saturday, July 25th, 1970 (day) Mr Gardner attempts to barricade the route to JT Jnrs' bedroom to prevent the liaison that was blatantly occurring under his roof.
"At the break on Saturday I went through to Mr. Taylor's room with a preparation for his lips which he had asked for, after which we barricaded the door between the Kers' quarters and the living room to prevent Mrs. Ker from having access to Mr. Taylor's room, because we were disturbed and unhappy as to the length of time they were spending together. We provided every comfort and care for Mr. Taylor so that he was well looked after by us in the house. Mr. and Mrs. Ker tried to break down the door so that she could reach Mr. Taylor's bedroom. In the process a large glass panel in the door entrance was cracked.
When our other visitors left for the meetings Mrs. Ker managed to slip through to Mr. Taylor's bedroom, staying there alone with him for some time, so that we were again late for the afternoon meetings. When she came out of the room she said that she had been told to tell me that I was a "son of a bitch and a bastard".
- James A. Gardner (Host)
The same period is described by Ted Steedman:
The next morning each brother and sister spontaneously said they could not break bread in the conditions in the house. It is hard to put on paper the atmosphere of madness. There was nothing spiritual that came into any conversation, all of which was dominated by Mr. Taylor. (I mean that he gave the tone.)
However, the Saturday morning session was the most sane of all the meetings. Mr. Taylor seemed more normal and the brothers round him all responded. He spoke then about the Spirit hovering over waste and empty, and likened it to his being sympathetically near when the devil was at you in weakness, and said a number of things that made us think he was judging something. At home he was brighter. I sat next to him talking (I had done this from the Thursday and had never left his side as I tried to understand what was happening.) For about 30 minutes his conversation was interesting about happenings over the years amongst brethren.
He didn't seem to drink a lot at once, but sipped whisky continually, and then his demeanour changed, as though something came over his mind. He became nasty, almost animal like and his conversation unclean. Others have spoken of the two Jim Taylors at evidence at different times.
I don't pretend to interpret all this. I only state facts as I know them. We were heartened with the morning still however, and when Mr. Taylor retired James Gardner ensured he had everything to make him comfortable, and told Mrs. Kerr who wanted to go through to him, "to leave him at rest, " as he thought she had a bad effect on our brother. She became very impudent and when James Gardner reminded her that he was the head of the house and responsible for things in it, she said very definitely, "I don't accept you as head of this house."
- Ted Steedman
And then James Taylor Jnr proceeded to conduct the following Exclusive Brethren 'bible reading' Meeting.
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