distinction from the unevangelical doctrines.

So that it may earnestly be doubted whether any church, or any minister who-taking the ground that Congregationalism is a mere form of polity which may coexist with any dogmatic conviction - claims to remain in good and regular Congregational standing while believing and teaching loose views of Inspiration; denying the sanctity of the Sabbath; the divinity of Jesus; man's need of an atonement, and that need met in the death of Christ; the salvation of the penitent redeemed by grace, and the everlasting punishment of the impenitent wicked; be not guilty of the dishonor and the sin of false pretenses in holy things-the sin condemned in the Apocalyptic Epistle to the church in Smyrna, in the case of "those which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

CHAPTER IV.

THE WORSHIP OF CONGREGATIONALISM.

T is a part of the Christian liberty of a Congregational church that it has entire control over the manner of its worship, subject only to the remote consideration that it shall not so manage it as to make it a scandal and offense to its sister churches, and so a breach of fellowship.

The earliest authentic account of the primitive Congregational methods of worship is found in the Apology of Justin Martyr, which describes the state of things existing a little more than one hundred years after the death of Christ. He says [Apol., 87]:

"On the day which is called Sunday, there is an assembly in one place of all who dwell either in towns or in the country, and the memoirs of the Apostles, or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as the time permits. Then, when the reader has ceased, the president [pastor] delivers a discourse, in which he reminds and exhorts them to the imitation of all these good things. We then all stand up together and offer our prayers. Then as we have already said—when we cease from prayer, bread is brought, and wine and water; and the president [pastor] in like manner, offers up prayers and praises, according to his ability, and the people express their assent by saying, Amen. The consecrated elements are then distributed and received by

I

1This phrase "according to his ability" is conclusive proof that his prayer was extempore, and that the use of a liturgy in worship had not then been introduced. Fifty years later Tertullian gave like testimony: "We Christians pray [sine monitore quia de pectore] without a prompter because from the heart."

every one, and a portion is sent by the deacons to those who are absent."

Coming down nearly fourteen hundred years, we find in depositions taken at the time now remaining in manuscript in the British Museum, testimony as to the manner of worship used by the Barrowists when, in 1588 and thereabouts, they were seeking under much tribulation to organize their church in London [Deposition of Clem. Campbell. Harleian MS., 7042, p. 15]:

"In the sommer tyme they mett together in the fields, a mile or more about London: there they sitt down upon a Banke, and diverse of them expound out of ye Bible so long as they are there assembled. In the winter tyme they assemble themselves by 5. of the clocke in ye morning to that Howse [the dwelling of some brother] where they make yr conventicle for that Saboth day, men & women together: there they continue in yr kind of prayers and exposition of Scriptures all the day. They dyne together: after dynner make collection to pay for yr dyet & what money is left some one of them carrieth to the prison, where any of their sort be committed. In yr prayer one speaketh, & the rest doe grone, or sob, or sigh, as if they woulde wringe out teares, but say not after him that prayeth: their prayer is extemporall."

In 1592, after the church had had some opportunity to become organized and adjust its processes, we find the method used by them in the administration of the sacraments to have been as follows [Dep. of Daniel Buck. Harleian MS., 7042, p. 399]:

66

'Baptism was delivered there to ye number of 7. persons, by Johnson, but they had neyther Godfathers nor Godmothers, & he tooke water & washed ye faces of them that were baptized, saying onely in the administration of ys sacrament: 'I do baptize the in ye name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the Holy Ghost,' without using any other ceremony therein. . . . Being further demanded the manner of the Lord's Supper administred among them, he sayth that five whight loves or more were sett upon ye Table, & that the Pastor did breake ye breade & then delyv

...

ered it unto some of them & the Deacons delyvered to the rest: some of the sd congregation sittinge & some standing about the Table: & that the Pastor delivered the Cupp unto one, and he to another, till they had all dronken, useing the words at ye delyverye thereof, according as is sett down in ye eleventh of ye Cor: ye 24th verse."

I condense from Cotton Mather's Ratio Disciplinæ (1726) [pp. 42-62] the following account of the "usual services which every Lord's Day calleth for" in his time, when the New England way had been acquiring self-consistency for about one hundred years :

1. The congregations meet twice, at hours "such as they Judge may most suit their Edification."

2. "The Pastor-after the Bills which any of the Neighbours put up, desiring a Remembrance in the Publick Prayers or Praises, on their special Occasions, have been Read - begins with Prayer."

3. "The former and larger Prayer of the Pastor being finished, a Psalm usually succeeds." "Ordinarily the Psalm is read line after line by him whom the Pastor desires to do that service; and the People generally [that is Congregationally, and not by a choir] sing in such grave Tunes, as are most usual in the churches of our Nation." I

4. "The SERMON follows." It is here intimated that the "Sermons of New England" then usually reached "a good way into the second Hour."

5. "The Sermon being finished the Pastor makes a shorter Prayer, wherein he recommends the Sermon, and the principal Documents of it, unto the Operations of the Holy Spirit for the effectual Applications thereof unto the Hearts of the People."

6. "Then at least in the Afternoon- there is another Psalm sung."

7. "In some of the Congregations, they have also on the Afternoon of the Lord's Day, before the latter Psalm, a COLLECTION according to the Apostolical Direction, 1 Cor. xvi: 2. . . .

1" More than a Score of Tunes are heard Regularly Sung in their Assemblies."-Ibid, 55.

And the Ecclesiastical expences of the Churches are defrayed, or at least, assisted, out of these Contributions."

8. "When these [exercises] are dispatched, the pastor dismisses the Congregation with pronouncing a Benediction; wishing, The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of GOD, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit to be with them all. 'Tis often præfixed with a, Blessed are all they that hear the Word of GOD and keep it. Sometimes there is also specified the Obedience of Faith, unto the main Doctrine insisted on in the foregoing Sermon."

It is added to the above that, "in many Churches the Reading of Chapters [of the Bible] in Course, with a short prayer for a Blessing on it, is one of the Publick Exercises; nor is any Offence

taken in others at them for doing so. 'Tis also by very many of the Pastors wished, that more of the Scriptures were publickly Read, with all due Solemnity in their Assembly; Yea, the Practice obtains more and more; the most of the Pastors appear disposed for it. ... If there be not a perfect Harmony in the Churches about the Manner of performing this Duty, however there is a perfect Charity."

What has been already set down on this subject makes clear the fact that from the beginning there has been no essential change in the order of worship favored by the Congregational churches. The main modification has consisted in the different relations put upon the service of song in the House of the Lord, by the advancing taste of the people in that respect. As this Hand-Book may chance to stray among those unfamiliar with Congregational ways, I append here an order of public service which, for substance, is usual at the present time among Congregational churches, as follows:

1. Invocation. [Often, and appropriately, followed, or rather concluded, by the chanting of the Lord's Prayer by the choir, or by that whole congregation which is so doubly happy as to be able to chant and to have no choir.]