Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 6.djvu/296

268 

1em  CONGREGATIONALISM, a designation assumed of late years by the religious denomination formerly known as Independents. This change of name has arisen from no radical alteration in the particular doctrinal or ecclesiastical opinions of that sect (see ), but in order to express more definitely the positive aspects of their church life and organization. The negative term Independent implied chiefly a renunciation &quot; of the authority of pope, prelate, presbytery, prince, or parliament,&quot; and thus brought into prominence the antagonistic position of the churches so named towards National, Episcopal, and Presbyterian Churches. The word Congregational has been now almost universally substituted for it to indicate more clearly the brotherhood and fellowship maintained in their separate communities, the spiritual equality of every member, the right and the duty of all in the church to have a voice in its deliberations and decisions, the essential necessity for each society to originate its own outward forms of life. As one of the latest exponents of Congregationalism has said, &quot; When the restraints of outward law are repudiated, it is necessary to insist with all the greater intensity on making the polity of the church the expression of its own highest life. Everything must be subordinated to this. The polity must come from within ; it must not be imposed from without ; it may recognize outward circumstances but must not be controlled by them. If the organization of the church is to be a vital growth, the life which it is to reveal is the life which the church has received from Christ. Ecclesiastical statesmen have no right to construct various forms of polity to express the spirit and tendencies prevailing among different races of men, in different countries, and in different churches ; the polity of the church must be created by the idea of the church.&quot; It is maintained that this conception of a church organization is entirely in harmony with the genius of the New Testament, and is better expressed by the word Congregational than Independent. In this sense it is applicable to other communities, in particular to the Baptists, who sometimes adopt it. Probably another reason for its employment has been the growing tendency towards outward union among churches that were mainly characterized by their isolation from each other. Independency was often regarded as a synonym for non-catholicity, and there was so strict a jealousy against all possible interference from without that close association or united action was exceed ingly difficult, even amongst those whose doctrinal beliefs and ecclesiastical polity were the same. An endeavour has been made to overcome such obstacles common to co-operation without destroying or infringing the independence of the individual church, and the Congregationalists now have numerous missionary societies for home and foreign work, an association in every county, and a general Congregational Union for England and Wales. The last was established after much discussion in 1833, when a declaration of faith, church order, and discipline was adopted under these express conditions. &quot; It is not intended that the following statement should be put forth with any authority, or as a standard to which assent should be required. Disallowing the utility of creeds and articles of religion as a bond of union, and protesting against subscription to any human formularies as a term of communion, Congregationalists are yet willing to declare, for general information, what is commonly believed among them, reserving to every one the most perfect liberty of conscience.&quot; In 1871 a revision of the constitution of the Union took place, when the &quot;fundamental principle &quot;of its existence was thus re-asserted. &quot; The Union recognizes the right of every individual church to administer its affairs, free from external control, and shall not, in any case, assume legislative authority or become a court of appeal.&quot; The objects it seeks to promote were then also more definitely stated in these words, &quot; to uphold and extend evangelical religion primarily in connection with churches of the Congregational order ; to promote Scriptural views of church fellowship and organization ; to strengthen the fraternal relations of the Congregational churches, and facilitate co-operation in everything affecting their common interests ; to maintain correspondence with the Congregational churches and other Christian communities throughout the world ; to obtain statistics relating to Congregational churches at home and abroad ; to assist in procuring perfect religious equality for all British subjects, and in 