If we arrange these under the grand divisions of the Union, we shall get the following results :

Or, taking the account by States, under each division (counting Territories and the District of Columbia where they belong) we have local averages of churches Congregationally governed, as follows:

This demonstrates that Congregationalism has been found equally adaptable to every latitude and phase of society among us; while it illustrates its special fitness for work among rapidly advancing and miscellaneous communities.

CHAPTER II.

WHENCE CONGREGATIONALISM IS.

WHENCE did this large number of Christian believers get their faith in this democratic form of Church government; as distinguished from the aristocracy of Presbyterianism, and the monarchy of the Episcopal, Patriarchal or Papal hierarchy ?

As a matter of principle, they take it directly from the Bible, interpreted by common sense. As a matter of history, they have received it from a succession of faithful men who gained it from the Bible, illustrated and enforced by the Providence of its benignant Author; and who proved it "in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left."

A rapid glance over those portions of the New Testament which convey to us the will of Christ concerning his churches. in direct precept, or in the conduct of those who acted under Inspiration from him—will show us how naturally and inevitably the Congregational system of Church order and government grew therefrom, and how necessarily it must ever entrench itself in the hearts of those who look to the Bible simply for their faith.

The Church dates from days described in the book of Genesis. But the Christian Church had its origin in the teachings and labors of Jesus. The Gospels contain no record of any prescribed organic plan for its life, yet there were hints dropped from the lips of our Saviour which seem to have been intended to prepare the minds of the disciples for that further revelation of his will, which was subsequently to be made in the preaching and practice of his apostles.

(8)

SECTION 1. The Intimations of Christ in regard to Church Gov

ernment.

Without taking space here to gather up all the indirect suggestions and hints which the Gospels contain on this subject, we turn, at once, to three important passages in the record of Matthew.

In the 18th chapter, (vv. 15-17,) Christ directs that an offence which cannot be privately settled, be told to the Church, and "if he neglect to hear the Church, [¿xxλŋoig—ekklēsia, ‘the assembled,' 'the congregation of believers,']1 let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican;” thus suggesting the principle that, so far as internal discipline is concerned, the decision of any associated local body of believers should be final to all under its jurisdiction.

So, in the 20th chapter, (vv. 20-28,) when the mother of James and John was an applicant, on behalf of her sons, for some special place of honor in the new "kingdom," and the application had disturbed the other ten, as if the best places in that kingdom were in danger of being surreptitiously taken, Christ, in rebuke and explanation, "called them unto him, and said: Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister [diάxovos-diakonos, 'one dusty from running,' 'a runner or waiter']; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant [dovλos-doulos, 'bondman,' 'humblest servant']; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," etc. So, again, in the 23d chapter, (vv. 8-11,) Christ instructed his disciples: "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father [spiritual superior] upon the earth; for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters, [xa0nynraí — kathēgētai, 'leaders of the conscience']; for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is

1" Tй έkkλnsía, by what follows, certainly not 'the Jewish Synagogue' (for how could vv. 1820 be said in any sense of it?) but the Congregation' of Christians; i. e. in early times, such as in Acts iv: 32, the one congregation,-in after times, that congregation of which thou and he are members. That it cannot mean the Church as represented by her rulers, appears by vv. 19, 20, where any collection of believers is gifted with the power of deciding in such cases. Nothing can be further from the spirit of our Lord's command than proceedings in what are oddly enough called 'Ecclesiastical' Courts."- Alford. Greek Test. and Com. Matt. xviii: 17.

greatest [really greatest] among you shall be your servant," [8ixovos]. These passages seem necessarily to involve, and prepare the way for, the doctrine of the inherent essential equality in rank of all true believers on earth, and to require their subjection only to God as Father, and to Christ as Teacher and Head.1 And, since every organic body must have some government, these precepts—so far as they were left unmodified to mold the future. appear to have been intended to control all ideas of government which might be subsequently proposed for the external development of the Christian Church, and oblige it, under whatever form, to recognize this essential equality among its entire membership, and provide for a ministry of service and not of rule.

We find no record of any counter teaching from our Saviour's lips. The only passage which requires notice, as being even seemingly of different character, is that in the 16th of Matthew, (vv. 1819,) where Christ, in response to Peter's frank and earnest avowal of faith in his Messiahship, says: "thou art Peter [IIέtoos —Petros]. and upon this rock [nέτva-petra] I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." This might, at first glance, look like the conferring of some special function and honor upon Peter, either as an individual, or as the representative of a class. Accordingly we find that the Romish Church has, with short logic, reasoned from this passage thus:2. Peter was the rock on which the Church was built; but a foundation rock must necessarily have existence at least as long as its superstructure, and the promise must therefore have been made to Peter in some sense allowing of succession, and so of permanence; but the Bishop of Rome is the legitimate successor of Peter; therefore this promise of Christ was made to the Bishop of Rome, who, through all time, was thus constituted the earthly head

1 "We have God, in his Trinity, here declared to us as the only Father, Master, and Teacher of Christians ; their πατήρ, καθηγητής (= οδηγὸς τυφλῶν, Rom. ii: 19), and διδάσκαλος - the only one in all these relations, on whom they can rest or depend. They are all brethren: all substantially equal- -none by office or precedence nearer to God than another; none standing between his brother and God." Alford. Com. Matt. xxiii: 8-10.

2 See Maldonatus in Evangelia, in loco; also Chr. Wordsworth's "Four Gospels," in loco.

of the Christian Church-having the power of (the keys) admitting to, or excluding from heaven.

66

-

This was not so understood, however, by the Apostles; for, on one occasion,1 the counsel of James was followed in preference to that of Peter, and Paul once "withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed."2 Nor did the early Christian Fathers so understand it.3 It is obvious that Christ, when he said "on this rock will I build my Church," either alluded to the declaration of faith which Peter had just made, and meant to say upon the rock of this great truth, I will build my Church; or that he turned suddenly from Peter to himself, and meant to say-"upon this rock (of myself, as the Messiah,) I will build my Church;" or that he referred directly to Peter, and meant, in some sense, to say "upon you, Peter, I will build my Church." The latter is unquestionably the most natural, and therefore the most probable sense. Nor does it require the adoption of the Romish hypothesis-in itself unnatural and absurd, and unsupported by any shred of other Scripture. We simply need to understand here such a slight play upon words as is very common in the sacred writers, and we get a sound and strong and sufficient sense, without any suggestion of Peter's lordship over God's heritage either for himself, his class, or their successors. "Thou art Peter [Syriac, Cephas,' a rock, so named by Christ himself (John i: 42), because of divine insight into his character]—and upon this rock (this solid fitness—in essential boldness and firmness of character — for service in the difficult work of winning men to the Gospel), I will build my Church; that is, thy labors shall become a foundation stone

4

1 Acts xv: 7-30.

2 Gal. ii: 11.

8 We find among them, indeed, the germs of all subsequent criticism upon the subject. Some few of them regarded the Térpa of the Church as being Peter; more as the faith of Peter; others understood the reference to be to Christ. Augustine changed his view from the former to the latter, as he says, (Retrac. 1: 21). Jerome says, (Comment on Matt. vii: 25.-Ed. Basle. A. D. 1536, Vol ix. p. 24), the rock is "Dom. Noster, Jesus Christus." Ambrose says, (in Luc. ix. 20)," Petra est Christus: etiam discipulo suo hujus vocabuli gratiam non negavit ut ipse sit Petrus, quod de Petra habeat soliditatem constantiæ, fidei firmitatem." Augustine (De peccat. mer. Lib. ii. C. 20. Ed. Antwerp. A. D. 1700), says Paul "tanti Apostolatus meruit principatum." So Ambrose declares (De Spir. Sanc. ii: 13), "nec Paulus inferior Petro." Even Gregory VII. (Hildebrand) admitted the doctrine taught last by Augustine, for when he deposed Henry IV., he sent a crown to Rudolphus with the inscription, "Petra (Christ) dedit Petro, Petrus diadema Rodolpho."-(Vide Baronius, Vol. xi. p. 704.)

4 See Matt. v: 19; xx: 16, etc.