Chap. 2.

Missionary Societies.

613

independent society as any other in the land instituted for similar objects. These will be the misunderstandings where there are churchmen and dissenters. But, notwithstanding, it is to be hoped that good will is cultivated by both parties and that the church society is carrying on a great work both in Africa and Asia, and that time will show its operations, in the conversion of thousands in heathen lands to the faith of the gospel. Dr. Buchanan's "Researches" contributed greatly to the aid of this mission; and since the death of that great man, other clergymen of great ability, with some of the colonial chaplains appointed by the British government, contribute a weight of labour in forwarding the designs of the institution.

THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE and THE SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS, are the legitimate offspring of the church, they are supported by all ranks of the clergy and laity. The progress and attainments of other societies have stirred up the directors of these to considerable zeal and diligence. Within the last eight or ten years these societies have employed more means in the promotion of Christianity than were attempted for half a century before. There is one other institution which seems to belong to the church, though I believe it was set on foot by the evangelical party, it is the PRAYER BOOK AND HOMILY SOCIETY, by means of which the formularies of the church with her ancient and real doctrines, are widely circulated among the poorer members of that communion.

The church of England extends her pale to IRELAND. But what with the zeal and success of the papacy on one hand, and the want of spirituality and of godly parish ministers in the episcopacy on the other, Ireland

614

-Church Missionaries,

Cent. 19.

has long been a deplorable moral desolation: light is breaking in, but it does not come from the bierarchy. The church of England also extends her influence, if not her pale, to the colonies. In INDIA a kind of establishment has been erected with a Right Reverend Bishop at the head of it: the effect this establishment will produce upon missionary labours in Asia, remains yet to be seen. Nova Scotia has received a bishop and there is the shadow of an establishment there, but just as far as that episcopacy extends its influence so far it prevents the spread of the gospel of Christ. In the islands which are colonized, and in other settlements, ehurch clergymen are appointed as chaplains, or as missionaries, and frequently these two offices centre in the same man, with the commission of a magistrate attached. A great proportion of these ministers do nothing towards promoting the Christian religion, as their own barren reports will show. There is one thing however they do; they brow beat missionaries and ministers from other communions, men who do the duties themselves neglect, they abet their persecution, their imprisonment and even their banishment. The writer states not these things with an air of complacency, for it is a matter deeply to be regretted, nor are these things asserted upon bear hear say, he has seen some lively samples of them in several instances, and thinks it his duty to record the facts. It is owing to this spirit that popery has gotten such root in the colonies, a popish priest will be fostered and encouraged by episcopal clergymen, while a dissénting minister will be persecuted and silenced. On account of these things frequent appeals are made to the British legislature, and to the praise of the parent government, these appeals are treated with respect, and the alleged grievances gene

Chap. 3.

Burnet's Opinion.

616

rally redressed. A line of distinction is to be drawn between those departments of government which are purely civil, and those which are purely ecclesiastical.

SCOTLAND presents an established religion in its outward figure and character very little superior to the seceders and sectaries without her pale. Presbyterianism distinguishes the church, and with few exceptions it does equally so the communions which have withdrawn from the establishment. The doctrine of the church of Scotland, like that of the church of England, is truly evangelical, but a great body of the clergy in their preaching are very far removed from this form of sound words: but report says, that the clerical charac ter, and the character of the public ministry are daily improving, and returning to primitive and apostolic purity.

CHAPTER III.

BRITISH NON-CONFORMIST CHURCHES.

Burnet's opinion-Number of Congregations.-PRESBY PERIANS. Decline in Doctrine-Dr. Priestley-Socinianism-Low and desolate state-Compared with Independents.-CONGREGATIONALISTS. Doctrine and Ministers-Labours and Talents-Associations.-BAPGeneral and Particular.-CALVINISTIC METHODISTS. High Doctrine-Harmonize with Independents.-WESTLEYAN METHODISTS. Increase and number-Dr. Clarke.-DIVERS SECTS. Moravians

TISTS.

Sandemanians-Quakers.

"THE opinion of bishop Burnet, that non-conformity would be res unius ætatis (a thing of one age) has been

615

Number of Congregations.

Cent. 19. already proved destitute of truth. Its history during this period will more abundantly confate the episcopal prediction. It can now boast an existence of a hundred and fifty years, and betrays no symptoms of senility or decay; but still retains all the marks of youthful vigour." One would have thought that Burnet had known the character of the non-conformists better, but it is no uncommon thing for modern prophets to prediet upon the inspiration of their prejudices, rather than by the dictates of their understandings.

The number of dissenting congregations given by Neal in 1716 which we have stated page 556, was indistinct if not incorrect, there was no distinction between presbyterian and independent, the total number including baptists was 1150. Mr. Thompson, a baptist minister has furnished a list in 1772 which is considered as applying to the state of the churches for the date of twelve years before that period. He states the pœdobaptist congregations, (it is presumed he means both presbyterian and independent) at 803, and the baptists at 449, making a total of 1252. Bogue and Bennett have given a catalogue of these churches for the date assigned to this chapter thus

ENGLAND. Presbyterian 252. Independent 799. Baptists 532. Total 1583. WALES... 225. . . 176. . . 419.

18..

By this calculation it appears that the increase of the churches in about thirty years was a great way towards double, and when we take into our view the new sects formed of the followers of Mr. Whitfield, that increase will be in a still greater proportion. These seets will

tieed in their proper place: at present our alten. st be directed to the three denominations of resenters as they appear in the above list. ESBYTERIANS for the last twenty years, and in

Chap. 3.

Rational Dissenters.

617

deed for some years before, have been rapidly falling into decay." At the end of queen Anne's reign they formed at least two-thirds of the whole dissenting body; at present they do not exceed a twentieth part of the three denominations. Though their congregations, as stated in the list, bear a much larger proportion, they are in general so small, that with few exceptions, it would require five or six of them to compose one of a moderate size. But for the endowments of pious Calvinists of old, some scores more of them must have been shut up, and the Arian and Socinian preacher fairly starved out." The presbyterian dissenters have for many years ceased to be a presbyterian church; at present they have no vestige of that ancient discipline, nor do they discover any disposition to reorganize themselves as such. In the time and during the popularity of Dr. Priestley, all these Arian and Socinian societies, by one consent, seemed to wish no other designation than Unitarian. They had been known, and perhaps in some measure still are, by the title of Rational Dissenters; but Unitarian is their present and self imposed designation, by which they speak of themselves, and by which they wish others to speak of them.

It is hardly necessary to say that one grand cause, and the chief one, of the decay and desolation of these churches is their departure from all the great and peculiar truths of Christianity. Than this departure from the faith of their forefathers, nothing could be more directly calculated to thin and ruin their communion. In England there is an established episcopacy, to this church go all the great and the fashionable, and most of the rich, and indeed every class that would preserve their name in honourable society. Hence in a few rising generation of this class of dissenters left the ra

years

the