RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
C ong-r egatioa ali St s
authorities. They had fled, as they said, " to enjoy the liberty of their conscience in God's worship, and to free themselves from human inventions." Returning about 1640, a number of them, including William Bridge, Jeremiah Burroughs, Thomas Goodwin, Philip Nye, and Sidrach Simpson, became members of the Westminster Assembly (q.v.). They tried to secure a new national ecclesiastical organization, or, at any rate, fully tolerated Congregational churches. The rigid Presbyterians opposed them, but under Cromwell Congregational churches were founded widely. Other leaders among them were Joseph Caryl, Stephen Charnock, Theophilus Gale, and John Howe.
But theories of rehgious freedom were still vague and sometimes contradictory. Many Congregationalists then advocated a liberty including only Christians, and CongregationaKsm was not regarded as inconsistent with a State Church. Some of its churches were formed independently of territorial boundaries. Others were parochial, i.e., limited to a given parish and supported by tithes. This attempt to be independent Congregationalists within a State Church enabled their ministers to be maintained more easily; but it led to serious difficulties. In some cases non-professors of religion, residing in a parish, demanded on the ground of such residence that the sacraments be administered to them. At this time Congregationalism had gained no footing in Scotland, but had made some progress in Ireland.
After the restoration of Charles II. (1660) the State Church regained supremacy and resumed its attitude of severity toward dissenters. On Aug. 24, 1662, all clergymen refusing the new Act of Uniformity (q.v.) were ejected. They numbered over two thousand. Most were Presbyterians, but many were Congregationalists. Congregationalism then was severed from the State Church finally and remained under the ban for a quarter-century. But after the revolution of 1688 the Act of Toleration (q.v.) allowed the revival of both Con-
9. Since gregationalism and Presbyterianism. 1660. As the latter then had no presbyteries, they resembled each other considerably, excepting that in the Presbyterian churches the elders had greater power. In 1691 an unsuccessful effort was made to combine them as the United Brethren. Yet the more general statements of the proposed heads of agreement supplanted the stricter provisions of the Savoy Declaration (see below. III., § 1), to which Congregationalists had conformed, and have prevailed ever since. After the death of William III. it was attempted again to deprive dissenters of their partial liberty, but since that of Queen Anne that liberty gradually has been increased and now is practically complete.
During the nineteenth century English Congregational churches increased rapidly in number and their importance became conspicuous. They still hold firmly to their independence and often are called the Independent Churches. But they recognize increasingly the value of fellowship and cooperation. In 1831 they formed the Congregational Union of England and Wales. Although organ-
ized only for purposes of deliberation and advice and guarded carefully against assuming authority over the churches, it is a uniting, stim- 10. At the ulating force of great importance. Present Most English Congregational churches Time. agree to its Declaration of Faith (see below, III., § 1), although this is not binding. The Congregational Union of Scotland dates from 1812, and that of Ireland from 1829. At present a tendency is apparent to approve some method of closer cooperation among the churches which shall render the denominational activities more fruitful. A national Council has just been formed, intended to be a legislative, administrative body, but without involving any appreciable sacrifice of individual liberty. Only within the last half-century have associations and local councils of churches found much favor. But the needs of the feebler churches and of missions have caused them to become better appreciated, although councils are not yet common.
Foreign missionary work was undertaken as early as 1760. The London Missionary Society was organized in 1795. At first several denominations united in its support, but for some time it has been sustained mainly by Congregation- 11. Mis- alists. It began work in the South sionary Sea Islands in 1797, in India and South Work. Africa in 1798, in China in 1807, in the West Indies in 1818, and in Madagascar in 1861. The Colonial Missionary Society was formed in 1836, and the two cooperate. The Congregational Church Aid and Home Missionary Society was founded in 1878, and the Irish Evangelical Society and Congregational Home Missionary Society in 1814. The work of these societies now is being transferred to the charge of the national Council.
2. Congrregationalists in the British Colonies:
Congregational churches in the various British colonies are numerous. The earliest church in Canada was formed in 1760, in British Guiana in 1808, in South Africa (colored) in 1811 and (white) in 1820, in Tasmania and in New South Wales in 1833, in Jamaica in 1834, in South Australia in 1837, in Victoria in 1838, in New Zealand in 1842, in West Australia in 1846, and in Queensland in 1853. The Canadian churches maintain cordial relations with those of the United States, but are counted as British rather than American.
3. Congregrationalists on the Continent of Europe: Details of Congregationalism on the Continent of Europe are not abundant. In France the McAU Missions are practically Congregational, and, apart from missions, a few churches exist in Germany, Hungary, Poland, Norway, Switzerland, and Portugal. In Holland the Band van Vrije Christelijke Gemeenten numbers sixteen churches, and in Sweden there are more than a thousand free churches with more than 100,000 members.
4. Congregationalists in America: The Plymouth colonists brought an organized Congregational Church, that formed in 1606 at Scrooby. Not all of them belonged to it, although nearly all who came from Leyden must have been members. As part of this church was to emigrate and part to
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