Presbyterian Churches. The different bodies into which the Presbyterians are divided will here be treated as nearly in the historical relation which they sustain towards each other as it is possible to place them. We begin with the Presbyterians of Scotland, because they are, among all English-speaking nations, the only ones directly allied with the state by establish- ment, and because it is from Scotland that English and American Presbyterianism has obtained nourishment and succor, rather than from the Continent, however true it be that Presbyterianism had there its origui. See
PRESBYTERIANISM ; PRESBYTERIANS.
1. Presbyterian* Church in Scotland. — A histo- ry of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland would be, in effect, a history of that country ; for since its establish- ment by the Reformation its political and religious his- tory have flowed on in one and the same channel. Chris- tianity was planted in Scotland about the beginning of the 3d century ; and it is claimed that the early churches, particularly those of the ancient Culdees, were non-prela- tical. Under the vigorous missions of Palladius and Au- gustine they were, however, reduced to conformity with the rule of Rome, and so remained until the period of the Reformation. At that time the, corruption of the hierarchy, its encroachments on the civil power, and its greedy appropriation of the right of patronage to ben- efices, had created a wide-spread dissatisfaction, and prepared the way for the favorable reception of the principles of the Reformation. For twenty years per- secution followed, and many- were burned at the stake, among whom were Patrick Hamilton and George Wis- hart. The first general and public movement leading to the organization of the Presbyterian Church of Scot- land was the drawing-up of a common bond or covenant, known as "The First Covenant," and subscribed at Ed- inburgh, Dec. 3, 1557, by several of the most powerful of the Scotch nobility and a large number of lesser barons and influential country gentlemen, known sub- sequently (on account of their frequent use of the word congregation to designate those for whom they pro-
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES 510 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES
fessed to act) as lords of ilio congregation. The Bigning of the covenant was followed by a proclamation from the queen regent forbidding any one to preacb or ad- minister the sacrament without the authority of the bishop. \t length, however, the party of the Reform- ers tri phed, and in the year 1560 (Aug. 17 •_'!> the
Parliament abolished the Roman Catholic worship, adopted a confession of faith agreeing with the confes- sions of the Reformed churches on the Continent, ap- pointed ministers of the Protestant religion in eight principal towns, and assigned the remaining portions of the country to five other ministers as superintendents, who were to take temporary charge of the interests ol religion in their several districts.
<»n Dec. 20, 1560, the first General Assembly of the Church of So it land was constituted in Edinburgh, con- sisting of six ministers and thirty-four laymen. Up to this period, the Scottish Reformers had followed, as their rule of worship and doctrine, the Book of Common Order used by the English Church at l leneva. In April, 1560, however, the Privy Council appointed a committee of live persons, including Knox. -to commit to writing their judgments touching the reformation of religion." Tins First BookofDisciplim . setting forth a polity adapt- ed to the existing condition of affairs, though adopted by the Church, was rejected by the nobles, who wished to appropriate to themselves the patrimony of the old Church. In 1581 the Si cond Book of Discipline, drawing its system directly from the Scriptures, was adopted by the Assembly, and this — confirmed in 1592 by King James, along with the Westminster documents — is still in force. Nothing but the undaunted perseverance of those two eminent men, John Knox and Andrew Melville, suc- ceeded at last in procuring the complete recognition of the Calvinistic faith and the Presbyterian form of gov- ernment as the established religion of Scotland, which was finally and formally effected by act of Parliament and with the consent of king dames (I of England and VI of Scotland) in the year 1592.
The duplicity of the king, however, soon became ap- parent, tor within a few years he intrigued to bring about the establishment of Episcopacy, and to assimi- late the two national churches of Scotland and England. In this he was followed by his successors, Charles I. Charles II. and .lames II. The resistance of the peo- ple, the bloody persecutions that ensued, the civil tur- moil, and the subsequent downfall of the Stuart dy- nasty, are matters of history. From 1660 to L688, the Church was in the wilderness, scourged by such men as Claverhouse (q.v.) and Dalziel (q.v.),but leaving the record of many noble martyrdoms — as given in the story of the Scots Worthies and the Cloud of Witnesses. Sec Covenant ami Solemn League. Under William and .Mary. Presbyterianism again became ascendant. In 1690 an "Act of Settlement" was passed, prelacy was abolished, and the Westminster Confession recognised as the creed of the Church. But the settlement oi I he Church on this basis was objected to by a small body of earnest men, the ■• Reformed Presto terians," who had already distinguished themselves iu zeal for the "Cov- enants" as securities alike for the freedom of the Church and the Christianity of the State, and who now felt un- able either to enter into the Church or to give their unqualified adherence to the constitution of the State. Many of the more earnest descendants of the Covenant- ers (q.v.) protested against the reception of such men into the < ihurch, and. finding their protest in vain, with- drew.and organized the Reformed Presbyterian Church. (See below, i I hough this secession took place in 1681, the churches were not finally organized into a presby- tery till l- 13. Upon the union ,,i the two kingdoms in l,ii-. Presbyterianism obtained every guarantee that cowl, i be desired. Since that time it has continued to lie the eMai.li-.bed religion of Scotland, as much as Epis- copacy i> that of England.