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guages ancient and modern, European and Oriental, mathematics, physics, the mental and moral sciences, history, political economy, the law of England, and the medical sciences; and whatever is regarded as constituting general knowledge. Professors of the most eminent talents have hitherto directed the several branches of study; and the late Dr. Morrison's Chinese Library, nearly 10,000 volumes, having been presented to the Trustees, a Professorship of that language has been instituted (in the autumn of this year, 1837), and the Rev. S. Kidd appointed to the chair, formerly Professor of Chinese in the Anglo-Chinese College, Malacca.

Jealousy was excited by this institution, and the greatest opposition made to it by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, especially against the granting of a charter by the King: after about four years delay it was granted, in December, 1835, its name being changed to its present title, instead of LONDON UNIVERSITY.

CHAPTER III.

DENOMINATIONAL STATE OF DISSENTERS.

Section I. Congregational Independents.

Independents the chief Nonconformists-Congregational Episcopacy-Number of their chapels-Their learned divines-Reason of their name-Their doctrinal principles-Congregational Union-Series of Lectures-Deputation to America- Publications of the Union-The Missionary Societies of the Independents.

CONGREGATIONAL Independents are so called on account of their practising the great principle of Protestantism-that the Holy Scriptures are the only authority in religion; and that no human power, therefore, civil or ecclesiastical, has any right to interfere with the faith or worship of any congregation of Christians their only law, in things sacred, being the inspired oracles of God.

Independents hold a congregationul episcopacy as the only apostolical system of church government, in opposition to the diocesan prelacy of the Church of England. They maintain that no other than congregational bishops, as all pastors of churches are, existed in the first ages of Christianity. In this

opinion they are supported by the Dissenters generally-by the Church of Scotland, and by most of the Foreign Protestants and they appeal, in justification of their belief and practice, to the language of the New Testament-the testimony of the most ancient Christian writers-the best-informed ecclesiastical historians-and the most learned critics on the Holy Scriptures.

Considering their antiquity, their numbers, their learning, and their influence, the Independents are regarded as the chief denomination of regular Nonconformists in England. Their chapels are reported to amount to 1,840, in England and Wales, exclusive of numerous village and preaching stations, and of the Home Missionary stations, which properly belong to them but the number of individuals composing their congregations, or the communicants in their churches, is not published.

Learning, as we have seen, is most laudably cultivated by this denomination: hence their numerous theological colleges and seminaries in different parts of the country, to secure an educated and faithful ministry. Christianity has, therefore, found among the Independents some of its most learned translators and expounders of the Holy Scriptures, and the most able defenders of its evidences and divinity. Their popular writers on practical divinity also, of the present century, have shown themselves worthy of being regarded as the successors of Owen, Howe, Watts, Henry, and Doddridge.

Notwithstanding the acknowledged piety, orthodoxy, and learning of this body, strong prejudices have been excited in the minds of many churchmen against the Independents, on account of their rejecting all ecclesiastical authority, beyond that of the inspired Scriptures, in the management of their religious affairs. Many of their opponents, who ought to be better informed, have accused them of being themselves Socinians, or of sympathizing with those who are such in sentiment, as being true Christians: but it is not known, or even suspected among themselves, that there is a single minister of the body, who entertains the opinions of Socinianism. Their principles are reputed as near to what are called Calvinistic, according to the doctrinal Articles of the Church of England;

and it is believed that among no denomination of Christians does there exist so full and perfect an agreement of religious opinion. Their doctrinal sentiments have recently been published, in a "Declaration of their Faith, Church Order, and Discipline," by the "Congregational Union of England and Wales."

This "Union" was formed in London, in 1829, for the express purpose of cordial co-operation in advancing the Kingdom of Christ through the world, according to their convictions of obligation to promote the observance of his institutions, as given in the New Testament. Most of the churches of the Independent denomination in England, Scotland, Ireland, America, and in the British colonies, have united with this voluntary association, which meets annually in London. They have established a library for their body, and an annual series of lectures on the most important subjects of Christian theology. Five volumes have already been published by Rev. Dr. Wardlaw, on "Christian Ethics;" by Rev. Dr. Vaughan, on the "Causes of the Corruption of Christianity;" by Rev. J. Gilbert, on "Atonement for Sin ;" by Rev. Dr. Henderson, on the "Inspiration of the Scriptures;" by Rev. Dr. Redford, on "Holy Scripture verified by Science, History, and Human Consciousness."

Anxious to cultivate Christian sympathy with the churches in America, the Congregational Union sent, in 1834, Rev. Drs. Reed and Mattheson, as a deputation to visit them; and their "Narrative" of that visit evinces the importance of that deputation. This body have published, besides their “Declaration of their Faith, Order, and Discipline," and a "Pastoral Letter" annually, addressed to the churches, a "Congregational Hymn Book," to promote and improve the spirit of devotion in their worshipping assemblies.

Every one will admit that the Independents have always been among the first to contemplate and labour for the evangelization of the whole population, and of every tribe of mankind. They have contributed their full share towards the support of the Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and other of the great Christian institutions, whose labours have been crowned with the blessing of God.

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Besides the above, the following may be noticed:-
County Associations throughout the kingdom
for Home Missionary purposes, in extending
religion through the country.

Congregational Fund Board, for the Relief of
Poor Ministers......

Society for the Relief of Aged Ministers

..

1696

1818

Associate Fund for Relief of Infirm Ministers.. 1825
Congregational School for Educating the Sons

of Ministers, at Lewisham, Kent......... .... 1811
Ditto at Silcoates, Yorkshire .....

Protestant Dissenters' Grammar School, Mill

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1826

1806

Section II. Baptists.

Particular Baptists-Their statistics in England and Wales-Open communion in their churches-Learning among the Baptists-Ministers of great note-Eminent Missionaries-Present state of their churches-Baptist Union-Baptist churches. England and Wales contain many eminent Christians of the denomination of Particular Baptists. They assume this title of Baptist, in the belief that baptism can be administered only by the submersion of adult believers; and that of Particular, as holding the doctrine of Election to salvation and eternal life, as taught in the seventeenth Article of the Church of England. They have existed as a body, in England, since the reign of Charles I; and greatly increased during the last forty years; so that they now constitute a religious community, including about 1,086 churches, comprising nearly 100,000 members in full communion, besides about 120 churches of the General Baptists, in England and Wales.

Particular Baptists are altogether congregational in their church government; and, except in the ordinance of baptism, they agree almost entirely with those denominated Independents. Many of the Baptist churches are strict communionists; that is, they do not allow the members of other churches to unite with them in the Lord's Supper, unless they have been baptized by submersion. This exclusive system has, however, been modified or abandoned, especially during the last twenty years, since the controversy on this subject between Rev. Robert Hall and Rev. J. Kinghorn; so that now many churches maintain open communion, admitting those who make a credible profession of the Gospel, to the Lord's table with them, without their submitting to their form of baptism.

Many of the Baptist churches formerly disesteemed learning, as not necessary to be possessed by their preachers or pastors; but no denomination, at the present time, more highly appreciates the importance of a learned ministry; and several of the ministers of this denomination have done the highest honour to the Christian profession in the present century among these, it would be unjust to omit the names of some who have gone to their reward within a few years: Drs. Ryland, Newman, Robert Hall, Steadman, and Rippon. Drs. Carey and Marshman have already been noticed as eminent missionaries, and translators of the Scriptures in India. Rev. Andrew Fuller, Secretary to the Baptist Missionary Society, was a man of very superior talents; and Rev. Joseph Hughes, the Founder and Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the Religious Tract Society, was a Baptist. Ministers of first-rate learning or talents for preaching are believed to be at present not very numerous among the Baptists; but many of their churches are very large, including from 500 to 700 members, and prosperous, under pastors of rare endowments and the most useful qualifications. The most eminent men among the Baptists at present, are Rev. Drs. Cox, Hoby, and Murch, Rev. J. Foster and J. H. Hinton, and Dr. (). Gregory and J. Sheppard, Esq.

Various plans for the improvement of the Baptist commumity, and to enlarge its power, arose out of the working of

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