(2.) In Prussia, the United Established Church (since 1817) has been called the " Evangelical Church." Sec Prussia and United Evangelical Church.
(3.) In England and America the term " evangeli- cal" is frequently used to distinguish those churches which believe in the divinitj' of Christ and the atone- ment from those that do not.
Evangelical Alliance is the name of an associ- ation of Christians belonging to the denominations collcctiveh' called Evangelical, and having for its ob- ject to represent the unit}' of these churches in all the more important articles of faith, notwithstanding their separation by external organization. The Alliance originated in Great Britain, and the ru^iture in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland seems to have great- ly contributed to its establishment. On Aug. 5, 1845, a number of persons belonging to different denomina- tions drew up a proposal of closer union. The advan- tages promised by such a movement were at once ap- preciated in England, and an assembly was convoked at Liverpool Oct. 1, 1845, which was in session three days, and at which were present 216 persons, repre- senting 20 different religious societies. The first Gen- eral Assembly of the Evangelical Alliance was held in Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, London, and lasted from Aug. 19 to Sept. 2, 184G ; 921 Christians from all parts of the world took part in its 26 sessions ; among them were 47 from the European continent, and 87 from America and other parts. Among them we find the names of Dr. Barth, of Calw, in Wiirtemberg ; Dr. Baird, of Nev/ York ; Bev. Dr. Bonnet, of Frank- fort on the Maine (editor of the letters of Calvin) ; Dr. Buchanan, of Glasgow ; Dr. Cunningham, of Edin- burgh ; William Jones, president of the Tract Soci- ety; Dr. INIarriott, of Basel ; the missionary Mogling, of Mangalur ; the missionary inspector (subsequently superintendent general). Dr. Hoffmann; Kev.Adolphe Monod (then in Montauban) ; Eev. Dr. Oncken, of
Hamburg ; Rev. Dr. Panchaud, of Brussels ; Eev. Bap. tist Noel, of London ; and Dr. Tholuck, of Halle. Some fifty different denominations were represented, some of which, however, as the reformed churches of France and Geneva, and the Lutheran churches of North America and Wiirtemberg, differed only on local points. Some colored preachers also took jiart in the proceedings. Sir Culling Eardley (q. v.) was chosen as chairman, and remained the head of the Alliance until his death. The platform was clearly and unanimously defined : the Evangelical Alliance is not to be a union of the different denominations, nei- ther is it its aim to bring about such as its result ; its object is only to promote Christian feelings, loving, friendly intercourse between the different denomina- tions, and an effective co-operation in the efforts to repulse the common enemies and dangers. As the means of effecting this purpose, it advocates, not a sort of official or semi-official representative assembly of the different denominations, but rather the union of individuals. It is to be a Christian union, not a Church union ; one in which a number of earnest, faithful Christians of the different denominations may join. Being a union of Christians, not of churches, the doors of the Evangelical Alliance are open to all who admit the fundamental principles of Christianity, without iuciuiring into the minuti;e of their particular confessions. It only asks its members to accept (whether because or in spite of their particular confes- sion does not matter) the fundamental principles and doctrines of the Gospel. This naturally led to a defi- nition of these fundamental principles, the admission of which should be considered the basis of the Alli- ance. On the motion being made by Dr. i^dward Bickersteth, the following nine articles were, after ma- ture deliberation, received as the fundamental princi- ples of the Evangelical Alliance :
"The parties composing the Alliance shall be such parties only as hold and maintain what are usually im- derstood to be evangelical views in regard to the matter of doctrines understated, namely : 1. The divine inspi- ration, authority, and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. 2. The right and duty of private judgment in the inter- pretation of the Holy Scriptures. 3. The unity of the Godhead, and the trinity of persons therein. 4. The utter depravity of human nature in consequence of the Fall. 6. The incarnation of the Son of God, his work of atonement for sinners and mankind, and his mediatorial intercession and reign. 6. The justification of the sin- ners by faith alone. 7. The work of the Holy Spirit in the conversion and sanctification of the sinner. 8. The immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, the judgment of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, with the eternal blessedness of the righteous, and the eternal punishment of the wicked. 9. The divine institution of the Christian ministry, and the obligation and perpetuity of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper."
These principles were embodied in a document enti- tled Societaiis Evangelicce constitutionis et stutuiormn ex- positio brevis. 1 he members bind tliemselves to pray zealously for the Holy Spirit to descend upon all believ- ers, and to employ jointly the morning of the first week- day as a season of prayer, as also the first week of each year ; as also to use Christian circumspection in their speech and writings when touching on points of differ- ence. The Alliance was organized on the 2d of Septem- ber. They organized a series of seven branch associa- tions : 1. Great Britain and Ireland; 2. United States of North America ; 3. France, Belgium, and the French portion of Switzerland ; 4. Northern Germany ; 5. South Germany, and tlie German portion of Switzeft- land; 6. Britisli North America ; 7. West Indies. These branch associations went into actual operation after- wards. The Alliance si)read in France, Switzerland, and Belgium, without agreement with its definition of the evangelical creed being insisted on. It met with