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 CHRISTIANITY 54:3 getber, and in formal cooperation in societies of Christian benevolence. The relative posi- tion of the various Christian denominations in this country has greatly changed during the past century. The orthodox Congregational- ists, less predominant in New England than formerly, have spread by emigration into the western and middle states. They now consti- tute but one branch of the old church, the Unitarians constituting the other and more rationalistic branch. Indeed, the theology of the Congregationalists of New England is never so perfectly settled as that of some other de- nominations. Every half century and every important locality has had its school of theolo- gy. This is not said in reproach. It is the natural and necessary result of giving to the intellect so great prominence in religion. The same cause not only prevents a " dead ortho- doxy," a stagnation in theology, but makes them a highly intellectual and enlightened body of Christians, the best friends of learning and of education in general. The Presbyterians, having settled at first in the middle and south- ern states, consisting mostly of emigrants from Scotland and the north of Ireland, seem also to have in some degree a local habitation. The bulk of their population and their strength is still in those states. They expand, not in the direction of New England, but of the western states. Like the Congregationalists, most of the different branches of Presbyterians have maintained an educated ministry, who have exerted a very great influence. The reunion of the Old School and New School Presby- terians in 1870, after a separation of more than 30 years, is one of the most noteworthy events of our time. The Episcopal church, which was somewhat checked by the revolutionary war, and was some what local in the beginning, is constantly manifesting fresh vigor and show- ing its power to go wherever wealth and refine- ment invite it. As in England it originally took an intermediate position between the Calvinists, Lutherans, and Catholics, so in this country at the present day it avoids all extremes in theology, and holds a sort of middle ground between the pietistic sects and their extreme opposites. Avoiding theological discussion, both in books and in the pulpit, giving less prominence to preaching than most other Protestant communions, the Episcopalians aim less at profound erudition than the Congrega- tionalists and Presbyterians in preparing their candidates for the ministry, and consequently place less dependence on theological seminaries. In this respect they follow the example of their English brethren. But it must not hence be inferred that they have not an educated clergy. On the contrary, their clergy are generally accomplished scholars, but their study is more in the line of English literature, and in the rich literature of their own church, than in exegetical and doctrinal theology. An edu- cated man rarely hears anything offensive to his taste in the discourses or other religious 189 VOL. iv. 35 services of an Episcopal clergyman. The Baptists and Methodists, though small in numbers at the first, have had a large increase from the common people in all parts of the country. Though differing in their creed, in their organization, and in their forms of reli- gious service, they both lay great stress upon the experimental element in religion. The re- ligion of the heart, drawn out distinctly in in- dividual experience, they have always placed far above the religion of the intellect. Hence they have never made learning a requisite for the ministry. Though they have made great progress in education, and are no longer limited to the lower or even middling classes in the com- munity, still their great strength lies in these classes. The Baptists are more nearly allied to the Congregationalists, both in doctrine and in practice, and the Methodists to the Episcopa- lians in church government, and to the Mora- vians in their religious spirit. In point of numbers they are the largest of the Protestant denominations. The Universalists, whose dis- tinctive tenet is the final salvation of the whole human family, have made their appearance in American ecclesiastical history since the mid- dle of the last century, and have received nu- merous accessions from most of the above named Christian sects. The Roman Catholic church, as represented by the highest authori- ties in that communion, maintains her promi- nent position in Christian history. During the last three centuries she has been forced by the Protestant movement to pass through a severe ordeal, in which all her constituent elements were put^ to the test ; but, as they believe, she has emerged from the trial with undiminished vigor and brightness. Soon after the reformation had proclaimed that free private judgment was the right of man and the rule of faith, she was called, even more per- haps than Protestant communions, to defend the system of revealed religion against the as- saults of infidelity and atheism. Subsequent to the breaking out of the French revolution, she was subjected in France to indignity and oppression from the civil power ; her priests were scattered or put to death, bishops were exiled, popes were abducted and thrown into prison ; but she came to see her adversaries baffled, her claims recognized, and her hier- archy restored. She has since endured the sorrow and waste of social and civil warfare in every one of her ancient possessions, and the loss of the pope's temporal power in Rome ; but, as her disciples contend, modern innova- tion has been able only to retard her life march for brief intervals. They still further allege that her growth and expansion hi most Protestant countries cannot be denied, while in Catholic nations a daily increasing num- ber of the faithful are devoting themselves to the strict practice of her law and the uphold- ing of her authority. Though, in her collision with modern political and social systems, she, unlike other organizations, has been forced to