Customs and Usages. — Persons desiring approbation to preach apply, for convenience and fitness, to local associations of ministers, who receive his credentials of Chorch membership and of theological study, ex- amine him as to his religions experience, his doc- trinal views, his knowledge of scriptural learning, and his general fitness. Their approval, given in a cer- tificate, merely commends him to the churches as a candidate for the ministry. In ordinations or instal- lations of pastors, a council of churches makes simi- lar examinations. Ordinations are accompanied by a sermon, an ordaining prayer (in connection with the "laying on of hands" by ordained ministers), charge to the pastor, the hand of fellowship, and an address to the Church. In the celebration of the Lord's Sup- per there is no prescribed liturgy. Persons applying fbr membership in the Chorch on profession of fitith are examined by the Church or a committee, publicly propounded for a reasonable time prior to the vote on reception, are voted for or against by the whole broth- erhood, and are received in public on adoption of the Church covenant, and (generally) assent to the doc- trinal coni^BSsion of the Church. Persons are dismiss- ed fh>m one Church to another, on their application, by vote of the Church dismissing, which talces effect on the reception of the person by the Church to which he is dismissed, which also votes on his reception.
CONGREGATIONALISTS 482 C0NGREGATI0?^ALIST8
Pablio worship is condacted in the fonn any Church prefers, although there is a vezy general similaritj; but a few churches use a more or less extended liturgy, which is entbrely within the control of every Church. In cases of the discipline of alleged offenders, the rules given in the 18th chapter of Matthew are re- quired to be followed. If the first and second steps have been properly taken, the alleged offender is sum- moned by the Church to appear at a time reasonably distant, and is entitled to a copy of all charges, and an unprejudiced and Mr hearing: all the brotherhood vote upon the case. Church censures are of two kinds, admonition (wliich is often accompanied by suspen- sion from Church privileges) and excommunication. If a member claims to have been unjustly suspended or excommunicated, his remedy is in asking the Church for a mutual councQ to consider and advise in the mat- ter, and, in case of unreasonable refusal, to call a coun- cil himself; with the effekrt already described under Coundh,
2. In Great Britain. — ^The general principles of Con- gregationalism are held in England precisely as in the United States. In the doctrine of the ministry, Church completeness, fellowship, and discipline, there is no particular variation ; but in administration the Congre- gationalists of the British Islands make far less use of synods and councils. The above explanations, there- fore, are in great degree inapplicable to that country, so far as they relate to such bodies. At this time (1867) the subject b attracting attention and causing discussion. There are, however, associations or unions of churches similar to those in the United States, as well as asso- ciations of ministers. The English Congregationalists have also organized benevolent religious societies, either alone or with others, on the voluntary princi- ple, for missions, religious pul>lications, church build- ing, education, etc. Among the Congregational so- cieties are the Home%is8ionary Society, the Colonial Missionary Society, the Irish Evangelical Society, the Congregational Board of Education, etc. Foreign mis- sions are carried on by means of the London Mission- ary Society, established in 1795, wliich is undenomina- tional. The British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and others, receive the co- operation of the Congregationalists.
IV. Statistics.— The statistics of the American churches are given annually in the Congrtgatwnal Quarterly (Boston, Mass.) ; those of the Britbh Islands and Colonies in the Congregational Tear-hooh. As published January, 1867 (collected in 1866), they are as follows, to which, for the American churches, the figures collected in 1857 (the first completely to be rdied upon) are prefixed for c6mparison :
Ameriean.
1858 (for 186Y). 186T (for 1866).
Chnrches 4,479 «,»00
Membera 232,649 272,976
Nnmbera in Sabbath-eoboolB. 128^772 293,883
Minlsten 2,414 8,009
Of tha above, the churches in the United States, in 1866, were 2780 ; members, 267,453 ; numbers in Sab- bath-schools, 286,275 ; ministers, 2919. These figures do not include over 200 churches, independent, or still connected with presbyteries on the ** Plan of Union." Charitable contributions in 1865-6, excluding all cost of churches or repairs, or support of the ministry, or of endowment of schools, colleges, or theological semi- naries, rising $1,200,000.
Chreat Britain and Colonies.
Coooty AaocUtioDs,
or UDioiif. CborchM. MlaivUn.
England 48 1928 1826
Wales 16 788 40T
Scotland 8 106 106
Ireland 1 27 26
Colonlef 8 278 817
Channel Islands ... 18 —
Foreign Unds — __— * 202
Total 76 8184 278S
OtJker PartM of the TForii.— The number of Cob^ gational churches established by miwrionaries is -m considerable, but has never been repoirted. Tlie noft. ber of ministers is included in the Kngtiih and Abo* can reports.
Sttmrnetry, — Excluding the churches on tiw Ean- pean Continent, and also the missionary chnrdMi, ej omitting the requisite number for Canada, Kors Sos tia, and New Brunswick, which are indndcd in led the English and American reports, there mnJoaai k recognised and formal fellowship : Total chorda. 5920; ministers, 5706; communicants (estimstiBf tb whole fhym the proportion of members to churcks a the United States), 899,840.