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* PEESBYTERIANISM. 366 PEESBYTERIANISM. (q.v.). They -were lineal descendants of the covenanted presbytery, and logically true to their principles. The former Covenanters protested against the errors of prelacy, and their succes- sors ^erc now equally emphatic against the back- sliding of presbytery. Another body led by Ebe- nczer Erskine (q.v.) came out in 1733, forming a party known as the Associated Presbytery or The Secedcrs. Again, in 1760, another body left the mother Church. These men were known as The Relief f!ynod. On May 13, 1847, these churches united, forming the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Free Chiuch of Scotland originated in a protest against civil patronage of the Church, the civil courts claiming not only the right to control the temporalities of the Church, but also the power to rule in spiritual aiTairs. In 1834 the General Assemblj- passed the 'Veto Act,' under which the Church courts might reject a 'presentee' of the State.if bythem deemed unfit for liis office. Tliis act was annulled by the civil courts and the House of Lords in 1830. The Assembly could not agree thus to surrender what it believed to be a right bestowed by the head of the Church. The collision between the civil and ecclesiastical courts was so direct that those who held to the independence of the Church saw only one way of relief, which was to leave the established Church. Therefore, in 1843, 470 mem- bers, under the lead of Chalmers, Candlish (qq.v.), and others, signed an "Act of Separa- tion, and Deed of Demission," and the Free Church of Scotland was the result. It renounced all benefits of establishment, but expressed its firm adherence to the doctrine and maintained the forms of worship and discipline of the Church of Scotland. The United Free Church of Scotland' was the result of a movement toward union lietween the two great bodies which had left the established Church. On October 31, 1900, a Uniting Act was formally adopted by the Free Church Assembly and the United Presbyterian Synod sitting in Edinburgh. On the following day the ministers of the two churches, some 3000 in number, marched in procession from their respective halls to Waverley ^Market, where the}' convened as the first General Assembly of the United Free Cliurch. Principal Rainy was the first moderator. The new Church received from the United Pres- Mierian Cliurch 637 ministers and J 99,089 com- municants: from the Free Church, 1149 minis- ters and 296,089 communicants. A minority of 27 ministers and 500 elders voted against" the union, and resolved to continue the Free Church. The Reformed Church of Scotland, descended from the Covenanted Churchy glories in its ad- herence to the principles for which Cameron, Renwick, and Cargill shed their blood. In 1660 the Act of Supremacy was passed, which con- stituted the King supreme judge in all matters, civil or ecclesiastic : and the oath of allegiance, which declared it to be treason to deny the .supremacy of the King in Cliurch and State, was imposed. The Covenanters asserted their belief in the covenants, and renounced their allegiance to the King on the ground that he had broken his vow. made at his coronation, and had forfeited his right to rule. As a matter of course persecution followed, the leaders per- ished on the scaffold, and the people were left without a head. They resolved themselves into societies for worship and mutual edification. This caused them to be called the 'Society People,' though they spoke of themselves as the 'Persecut- ed Remnant.' Later the spirit of com- promise entered the Church, and in the desii'e to compl}' with the King's wish to include as many as possible of the prelatic clergy, the Church re- ceived a large number of the very men who had been most earnest in its persecution under the old regime. The 'Society People' could not ap- prove of the conduct of either King or Church, and it was therefore impossible for them to identify themselves with the Established Church. For lack of sufficient number of ministers, the first presb}i:ery of this people was not formed till August 1, 1743; but from this time the Re- formed Presbj'terian Church went steadily for- ward, adhering to its peculiar principles with great firmness of purpose, increasing, indeed, with such rapidity that it was for a time beyond its power to supply ministers sufficient for the needs of the people. Later, however, it gradually de- clined, and nearly all its members joined either the Free or the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Peesbyterian Church of England. In England the principles of the Puritans wei"e practically Presbyterian, although they were for the most part more concerned with resistance to power, exercised as they believed against the Word of God, than with the development of Church government. Still the ministers of Lou- don and its vicinity organized a presb.ytery at Wandswortli, in Surrey, in 1.572, and other pres- byteries followed in spite of the hostility of Queen Elizabeth. In .July, 1643. in obedience to a summons from Parliament, the Westminster Assembly met in Westminster Abbey and con- tinued in session until 1647. The documents known as the Confession of Faith, the Form of Church Government, the Directory for Worsliip, and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, drawn lip by this assemlily, were approved by Parlia- ment in 1648. (See Creeds and Confessions.) Parliament in 1647 passed an ordinance niakins; Presbyterianism the established religion of Eng- land, but this law never went into practical effect. When Cromwell and the Independents came into power, their influence was thrown against Presbyterianism, partly perhaps l^ecause of the resistance of the latter to the trial and execution of Charles I. After the Restoration, by command of Charles II.. the Savoy Conference (q.v.) was held at the residence of the Bishop of London in 1661. The purpose was, nominally, to alter and reform the Liturgy- in such a way as to meet the feelings of those wlio had serious scruples against its use. The negotiations were a failure, as the bishops refused to make any changes. This conference was followed by the Act of LTniformity, which took effect August 24, 1662. Two thousand ministers who would not consent to abjure the Solemn League and Cove- nant, or to be episcopally reordained. resigned their charges or were ejected from them. Sixty tliousand church members were imprisoned or fined, five thousand of whom died in prison. After the Revolution and the Act of Toleration in 1689, Presbyterianism flourished again. In 1691 the Presbyterians entered into articles of agi-eement with the Independents, giving up pres- byteries and synods. Arian and Socinian doctrines prevailed to such an extent that the name Pres-