Wahsr Scott; 1844^ The Sacraments (Part I, Bap- tism), by Rev. Robert Halley, D.D. ; 1846, The Doc- trine of Original Sin, by Rev. George Payne, LL.D. ; 1847, The Revealed Doctrine of Rewards and Pun- ishments, by Rev. Richard Winter Hamilton, D.D., LL.D. ; 18^ The Ecclesiastical Polity of the New Testament unfolded, by Rev. Sunuel Davidson, LL.D. ; 1849, The Work of the Holy Spirit, by Rev. William Hendry StoweU, D.D. ; 1850, The Sacraments (Part II, the Lord's Supper), by Rev. Robert Halley, D.D. ; 1858, Psychology and Theology, by Rev. Richard Al- liott, LL.p. ; 1855, Ages of Christendom before the Reformation, by Rev. John Stoughton ; 1858, Christian Faith, by Rev. John H.Godwin; 1860, The Divine Covenants, their Nature and Design, by Rev. John Kelly. The course is now (1867) temporarily sus- pended.
Congregationallats, a denomination of Chris- tians (generally Calvinistic in theology) holding to a system of church government which embraces these two ftmdamental principles, viz., (1) that every local congregation of believers, united for worship, sacra- ments, and discipline, is a complete church, and not to be subject in government to any ecclesiastical au- thority outside of itself; and (2) that all such local churches are in communion one with another, and bound to ftilfil all the duties involved in such fellow- ship. The system is distinguished from Presbyteri- anism by the first, and from Independency by the sec- ond. It involves the equal right of all brethren to vote in all ecclesiastical affahrs ; and the parity of all ministers, the ministers being set apart by the church- es, and not possessed of any power of government as ministers, but only of official power in the churches by which they may be chosen pastors. In England they are often, but not quite accurately, styled Indepen- dents. Several denominations in the United States are congregational in practice, but bear otiier names than that of the denomination known distinctly as ** The O)ngregational Churches of the United States."
I. HiSTOBT.— Congregationalists daim that their system is only a substantial return to the order and practice of the apostolic churches, which had been cor- rupted by the tendencies that culminated in the papacy; and that traces of dissent from the episcopal power are found in every age (see Punchard's Hietonf ofCongrt' gationaUem). The origin of modem Congprpgational- ism is seen in the eariy stages of the reformation in England. From the beginning of the protest against Romanism, some of the main distinctive views after- wards developed into Congregationalism, especially the Identity of " bishop** and '* presbyter," and the in- dependent right of each congregation to choose its pas- tor and exerdse discipline, found decided adherents. While Henry YIII, after throwing off the Romish su- premacy, dung hi the main to the Romish theology, and in part to the Romish polity and practices, the progress of thought continued in the opposite direction. When the reforms carried on by Edward VI were peremptor- ily stopped by Mary, dissenting congregations, in sub- stance Congregational, came immediately, though pri- vately, into existence in various places, as in London in 1555. Their existence is learned idmost entirely from the persecutions to which their members were subjected, and but few particulars in their history are preserved. Among the Congregational martyrs were Barrowe, Greenwood, and Penry, executed in 1598. Of the Congregational church formed in London in 1592, of which Francis Johnson was pastor, and John Greenwood teacher, fifty-six members were ieiaed and imprisoned. Many of them eventually found their way to Amsterdam, where they reorganized under the same pastor. Robert Brown's publication, in 1582, of^ " A Book which showeth the life and Manners of all true Christians,** etc., presents the earliest ftill devel- opment of the Independent side of Congregationalism. While at first only Puritans, many became Separatists,
CONGREGATIONALISTS
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C0NGREGATI0NALIBT8
in despair of Mcoring complete reformation in the Church of England. About 1602 a church was organ- ized at Gainesborough, in Lincolnshire, Bev. John Smyth pastor. In 1606 another was fbnned at Scroo- hy, Nottinghamshire, Richard Cljfton pastor, which met at the house of William Brewster. Of that church John Robinson was a. member, and afterwards associ- ate pastor. In 1606 Mr. Smyth and his friends re- moved to Amsterdam. In 1607 Mr. Clyfton and many of his church, after great persecution, also escaped to Amsterdam, and in 1606 most of the remaining mem- bers of the Scrooby church followed. After about a year the church removed to Leyden. Owing to the disadvantages of residing in a country of different lan- guage and customs from their own, they resolved to emigrate to America, and a portion of the Leyden church, with elder William Brewster, after many tri- als landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, Dec. 21, 1620 (N. S.), while Robinson, with a part of the church, re- mained at Leyden. In 1616 a Congregational church was established at Southwark, London, under the care of Henry Jacob, who had been confirmed in Congre- gational views by conference with John Robinson at Leyden. This diurch, organized after Mr. Jacob had conferred with leading Puritans, probably gathered to- gether some of the scattered members of Mr. Johnson's diurch. Though sometimes called **the first Inde- pendent church in England," there had been the se- cret congregations in the reign of Mary, and the churches of Gainesborough and Scrooby, and, it is said, one at Duckenfield, Cheslure Co. About 1624 Rev. John Lathrop became pastor of the Southwark church ; he was, in 1682, imprisoned, with fbrty-one other of its members. In 1684 Mr. Lathrop, obtaining release, removed to America, with about thirty of his flock, and in that year organized the church in Scituate, Bfass., where he continued until 1689, when the ma- jority removed to West Barnstable, where that church is still existing.