The late King of Prussia, Frederick William III., entertained a deep rooted conviction that God had vested in him, the right and the power to administer the affairs of religion as he did those of state. Assuming to himself the title of the First Bishop, the king acted upon his episcopal supremacy, and forced a new Liturgy of his own composing upon the Lutheran and Reformed churches of his kingdom, and at length drove into cruel exile, those conscientious pastors and their flocks who would not bow to his royal mandate in this matter.* Now, should his royal son and successor, who is about to visit England to stand godfather to our infant prince, and to witness his regeneration by virtue of the sacerdotal fingers of the aged archbishop, should his majesty, struck with the pomp and circumstance, the courtly submission, and apostolic claims of the Anglican prelates, resolve in the exercise of his absolute authority, to have a batch of bishops for Prussia, what is to hinder? Some faithful bands of confessors may be compelled to follow their brethren to Canada or Australia, but the church is subject to the authority of the state, and that will settle it. It is said, I know not whether on adequate authority, that this is actually the bias of the king's mind, that his plenipotentiary in this matter, Chevr. Bunsen, is himself an episcopalian, and that he has a son in orders in the Anglican church. These are rather suspicious circumstances. Union without compromise of principle, every Christian must long to promote; but uniformity enforced at the point of the bayonet, does not accord with that kingdom which is not of this world. But let us suppose that the whole affair is as sincere and free from intrigue as human transactions can be, the inquiry will return-how will it work? It is the king of Prussia's compassion on the state of protestantism in the Turkish empire, that has led him to contribute to the support of an English bishop at Jerusalem. In what way are Protestants, not of the Church of England, to be benefited by the bishop's residence, and at what price is his favour to be obtained? There are our American brethren at Beyrout, whom travellers describe as "men, not only of exemplary, but of extensive and varied acquirement," are they to renounce their Congregational principles and submit to what probably in their consciences they regard as a sinful usurpation, for the sake of a little protection? Then the Church of Scotland proposes to send missionaries to Palestine-are they to forego their old Presbyterian notions respecting "black and bloody prelacy," to purchase toleration? *Those readers who wish to know more of these royal persecutions in Prussia are referred to a little volume entitled "Persecutions of the Lutheran Church in Prussia from the year 1831, to the present time; compiled from German publications chiefly translated by J. D. Löwenberg." There is also a valuable article on the same subject in the Congregational Magazine for July 1836. But it is said, that the bishop is to ordain Lutheran ministers upon the Augsburg Confession. Do our German brethren know what it is to be under a bishop? Have they heard of the treatment which their apostolic Rhenius received from an Anglican, aye, an evangelical bishop in India? Although he had a medal of honour from Frederick William, and was beloved and revered throughout the protestant world, yet he was pursued with all the terrors of an episcopal frown, because he had dared to avow his opinions, till he was hunted by subservient and slavish underlings from his mission and his life.* Had our brethren in Germany witnessed, as the dissenters of England have often done, how the wealth, pomp, and power of the episcopal office can transform even meek and devoted ministers of Christ into lordly oppressors, they would be very cautious how they allow intriguing courtiers to bring them under that heavy yoke which is grievous to be borne. The system of a hierarchy I believe to be fraught with danger to the souls of its members, to the liberties of the churches, and to the faith of the people at large. It places every minister who puts his foot upon that scala regia in circumstances of temptation: he naturally desires to ascend its noble flight till he reaches the utmost elevation. The dread of episcopal displeasure, and the neglect of clerical etiquette cramp the energies of ministers and people; while the multitude, perceiving the rank and fortune secured by church dignitaries, regard religion as that craft by which they get their wealth. What thoughtful mind can read the text Bishop Alexander selected for his farewell discourse,—" And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem; not knowing the things that shall befal me there," &c., without at once contrasting the fishing-boat in which Paul sailed from Miletus, and the Devastation steam-frigate, in which the Bishop of Jerusalem embarked at Gosport; "the family, suite," and outfit of his lordship, and the appearance of the Apostle Paul and his humble attendants. The modern successor of the Apostle going to Jerusalem is not in that uncertainty which afflicted the disciple of Gamaliel. He does know what things await him there;-an ample salary, noble rank, and oriental submission to him as a British functionary. These are the things that cause infidels to triumph, and sow sceptical thoughts even in simpler minds. God grant that our brethren who believe and enjoy the doctrines of the Reformation may prayerfully reflect on them; for assuredly, "every plant that our heavenly Father hath not planted will be plucked up." PHILO-ISRAEL. * Vide Memoir of the Rev. C. T. E. Rhenius, by his Son, Chapters xvi.—xviii. Since writing the above, I have seen a paragraph in the newspapers, stating, that a deputation of clergymen from Berlin are on their way to England, to learn, from a quarter that may be depended on, the rites and usages of the Church of England. I trust that those learned ministers of the Congregational body who are well known by their writings to the divines of Germany, will not permit their brethren to be in London without warning them of their danger. N. S. VOL. VI. F EDITORIAL ESTIMATE OF THE POSITION OF THE No. I. OUR PLACES OF WORSHIP. IN entering upon the task the Editor has assigned to himself, to review the circumstances and to estimate the position of the Congregational body at the present period, he wishes to divest his own mind from all desire to glory in numbers or in any other cheering fact he may have to adduce, knowing full well that the present circumstances of the denomination are to be attributed alone to the blessing of God, which has attended the preaching of the Gospel, amongst us under circumstances, that have been in themselves most unauspicious and depressing. It is now twenty-four years since a band of devoted ministers, anxious to preserve the principles, to increase the intelligence, and to strengthen the Union of the Congregational churches, determined, amidst many discouragements, to establish a monthly magazine, that should be expressly devoted to their welfare. As that was the first decided movement publicly to advocate and diffuse the principles of Independency, so its date supplies a convenient period to which we may go back, and contrast our present denominational position with what it was a quarter of a century ago. The present paper, however, must be restricted to the number and condition of our chapels. The only enumeration of the Independent places of worship at that time extant, had been published six years before by Messrs. Bogue and Bennett. In their fourth volume of the "History of Dissenters," is inserted an account which was "furnished by the kindness of friends in different parts of the kingdom," and which is said, "to possess sufficient accuracy to enable the reader to form a view of the number of dissenting congregations, on which he may depend.” * That List only includes England, Wales, and the Channel Isles, for Congregationalism had scarcely began to exist at that period in Scotland or Ireland. The total number of Independent congregations at that date in England, Wales, and the Channel Isles, is one thousand and twenty-one. The numbers, as given in the Supplement of this Magazine for 1841, are two thousand four hundred and forty-nine, being an increase of one thousand four hundred and twenty-eight places in twenty-nine years. The following table will bring into view the regular progress of our body, as it contains the numbers returned in lists published before the last: : *Vol. iv. pp. 326, 328. These numbers show that the Independent denomination is not second to any nonconformist community in the empire, and greatly exceeds in the amount of its places and ministers the established church of Scotland. * Bristol is reckoned with Gloucester in the returns for 1841, which was not the case in 1835. + Inclusive the churches in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. The increase that has occurred since 1812 is extraordinary, and ought for ever to silence those who continually urge that our system is incapable of extension, and possesses no power to overtake the wants of the uninstructed. Let it not be supposed that this increase consists only in village chapels, that cannot aid, but will always be a burden to our cause. The majority of the largest chapels in our connexion have been built since 1812; indeed, anterior to that date, there was scarcely a spacious and sightly chapel belonging to the body in town or country. Mr. Walter Wilson about that period began to publish, in a series of numbers, his "History and Antiquities of Dissenting Churches, &c. in London," and wishing to have a characteristic vignette for the cover, there was not to be found in the metropolis a place of worship amongst the dissenters more picturesque and commanding than the meetinghouse in White Row, which was accordingly engraved, though that place has been since abandoned by the congregation who occupied it for the more commodious and attractive house of prayer, Bishopgate Chapel. During the same period many chapels have been greatly enlarged and partially rebuilt; the county of Essex affords a pleasing illustration of this; for out of seventy-six chapels it may be safely stated, that fifty of them have been either built, rebuilt, or much enlarged, so that on spots where a few years ago some neighbouring pastor only preached an occasional lecture on the Sabbath evening in a farm or a malting, there are now respectable congregations with stated pastors; and in small places, where there were only a few hearers there are now considerable numbers regularly attending divine service. The efforts of associated churches have greatly increased the number of chapels in different parts of the kingdom. Thus in Cornwall twelve, in Bucks and Lancaster twenty-one, and in Salop and Warwick twentyfour each, and in Somerset thirty chapels have been built in connexion with the County Associations. By the funds, partly supplied in their respective districts, and partly derived from societies or individuals in the metropolis, these places have been reared, and though it is at present "a day of small things" with many, yet they are not to be "despised," as not a few of them, by the blessing of God, on wise and welladapted instrumentality, will rise to moral strength and pecuniary independence. It must be owned that some of these village chapels have *The following circumstances connected with two villages on the borders of Cambridgeshire have been recently communicated to us which will illustrate very pleasantly the importance of maintaining even for many years our rural outposts. In the village of Ashwell, which stands on the extreme border of Hertfordshire, adjoining the county of Cambridge, the venerable John Berridge, the vicar of Everton, used occasionally to preach at the Westbury Farm about seventy years ago. An aged gentleman, yet living, tells with a beaming countenance of the visits of that |