Congregationalists

Congregationalists a denomination of Christians (generally Calvinistic in theology) holding to:a system of church government which embraces these two fundamental principles, viz., (1) that every local congregation of believers, united for worship, sacraments, and discipline, is a complete church, and not to be subject in government to any ecclesiastical authority outside of itself; and (2) that all such local churches are in communion one with another, and bound to fulfill all the duties involved in such fellowship. The system is distinguished from Presbyterianism by the first, and from Independency by the second. It involves the equal right of all brethren to vote in all ecclesiastical affairs; and the parity of all ministers, the ministers being set apart by the churches, and not possessed of any power of government as ministers, but only of official power in the churches by which they may be chosen pastors. In England they are often, but not quite accurately, styled Independents. Several denominations in the United States are congregational in practice, but bear other names than that of the denomination known distinctly as "The Congregational Churches of the United States."

I. HISTORY. — Congregationalists claim that their system is only a substantial return to the order and practice of the apostolic churches, which had been corrupted by the tendencies that culminated in the papacy; and that traces of dissent from the episcopal power are found in every age (see Punchard's History of Congregationalism). The origin of modern Congregationalism is seen in the early stages of the reformation in England. From the beginning of the protest against Romanism, some of the main distinctive views after. wards developed into Congregationalism, especially the identity of "bishop" and "presbyter," and the independent right of each congregation to choose its pastor and exercise discipline, found decided adherents. While Henry VIII, after throwing off the Romish supremacy, clung in the main to the Romish theology, and in part to the Romish polity and practices, the progress of thought continued in the opposite direction. When the reforms carried on by Edward VI were peremptorily stopped by Mary, dissenting congregations, in substance Congregational, came immediately, though privately, into existence in various places, as in London in 1555. Their existence is learned: almost entirely from the persecutions to which their members were subjected, and but few particulars in their history are preserved. Among the Congregational martyrs were Barrowe, Greenwood, and Penry, executed in 1593. Of the Congregational church formed in London in 1592, of which Francis Johnson was pastor, and John Greenwood teacher, fifty-six members were seized and imprisoned. Many of them eventually found their way to Amsterdam, where they reorganized under the same pastor. Robert Brown's publication, in 1582, of "A Book which showeth the Life and Manners of all true Christians," etc., presents the earliest full development of the Independent side of Congregationalism. While at first only Puritans, many became Separatists, in despair of securing complete reformation in the Church of England. About 1602 a church was organized at Gainesborough, in Lincolnshire, Rev. John Smyth pastor. In 1606 another was formed at Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, Richard Clyfton pastor, which met at the house of William Brewster. Of that church John Robinson was a member, and afterwards associate pastor. In 1606 Mr. Smyth and his friends removed to Amsterdam. In 1607 Mr. Clyfton and many of his church, after great persecution, also escaped to Amsterdam, and in 1608 most of the remaining members of the Scrooby church followed. After about a year the church removed to Leyden. Owing to the disadvantages of residing in e country of different language and customs from their own, they resolved to emigrate to America, and a portion of the Leyden church, with elder William Brewster, after many trials landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, Dec. 21, 1620 (N. S.), while Robinson, with a part of the church, remained at Leyden. In 1616 a Congregational church was established at Southwark, London, under the care of Henry Jacob, who had been confirmed in Congregational views by conference with John Robinson at Leyden. This church, organized after Mr. Jacob had conferred with leading Puritans, probably gathered together some of the scattered members of Mr. Johnson's church. Though sometimes called "the first Independent church in England," there had been the secret congregations in the reign of Mary, and the churches of Gainesborough and Scrooby, and, it is said, one at Duckenfield, Cheshire Co. About 1624 Rev. John Lathrop became pastor of the Southwark church; he was, in 1632, imprisoned, with forty-one other of its members. In 1634 Mr. Lathrop, obtaining release, removed to America, with about thirty of his flock, and in that year organized the church in Scituate, Mass., where he continued until 1639, when the majority removed to West Barnstable, where that church is still existing.

1. American Congregationalists. — The Plymouth settlement was distinct in origin and government from that of Massachusetts Bay, the Pilgrim settlers being distinctively known as "the Pilgrims." The persecutions under Laud led many Puritans to the resolution to emigrate. Endicott and his company began the colony at Salem in 1628, and in 1630 John Winthrop, their governor, with other emigrants, occupied Boston and the surrounding towns. Settlements were made at Hartford and Saybrook, in Connecticut, in 1635, and in 1638 Davenport and his associates founded the New Haven colony, while in 1633 a distinct company re-enforced the colonies on the Piscataqua River. The Plymouth church had come out fully organized; in the other settlements churches were immediately formed. None but the Plymouth people had come over as Separatists; the others declared that they did not separate from the Church of England, but only desired to remove its corruptions. But, gathered in a new land; away from all ecclesiastical establishments, and searching the Scriptures for their ecclesiastical order, they all fell into the Congregational order. Their ministers had almost all been regularly ordained in the Church of England. and were highly educated men, as (e.g.) Cotton and Wilson, of Boston; Mather, of Dorchester; Hooker and Stone, of Hartford; Davenport and Hooke, of New Haven.