With such members, Congregationalism | evidence of regeneration. Such persons, would not be a safe system of church gov-on arriving at maturity, understanding ernment. The applicant must, therefore, the doctrine of faith, and publicly professfurnish evidence of his fitness for member- ing their assent thereto, not scandalous in ship. He must give an account of his re- life, and solemnly owning the covenant ligious experience. This being satisfac- before the church, wherein they give up tory, he must be "propounded;" that is, themselves and their children to the Lord, his application for membership must be and subject themselves to the government announced from the pulpit, and his admis- of Christ in the church," had a right to sion must be deferred for a given time, that Baptism for their children. This was an all the members might have opportunity to important change. It relieved the appliacquaint themselves with his life and con- cant for church membership from the neversation. These being found such as the cessity of furnishing evidence of his piety, Gospel requires, he was allowed to become and obliged the church, if it would exclude a member, by publicly entering into cove- him, to prove that he was heretical in his nant with the Church and with God. opinions or scandalous in his life. This change was strenuously opposed; and as the synod had only advisory power, and many churches disapproved its decisions, it never became universal.

allies in several of the pastors in Boston and other parts of New-England, and especially in the Tennents, and their fellow-labourers in New-Jersey and Pennsylvania.

history. Edwards was the grandson of "the venerable Stoddard," and his successor at Northampton. In consequence of the manifest increase of Arminianism, and the consequent habit of relying on works done in impenitence as a means of prepa- These men assumed as an established ring for heaven, Edwards commenced his truth, and proclaimed with all possible discourse of sermons on justification by faith. tinctness and earnestness, the doctrine that These discourses, and others on kindred regeneration is a change accompanied with topics, were the means of a very powerful evidence by which it may be proved, and revival, which became fully developed at that all in whom no such evidence is found Northampton early in 1735, and spread are unregenerate, and in the broad road to into many other towns in Massachusetts perdition. They preached to them, accordand Connecticut. The converts in this ingly, not as Christians who needed inrevival were generally able to give a clear struction, but as impenitent, enemies of account of the exercises of their own God and righteousness, who must be conminds in their awakening, their conviction verted or perish forever. Multitudes were of sin, their submission to God, and ac-awakened, convinced, converted; and in a ceptance of Christ as their all-sufficient few years, tens of thousands were added Saviour. So many undeniable instances, to the churches; and other multitudes who in which the regenerate could be distin- were already in the churches, were in like guished from the unregenerate by the his- manner awakened and brought to repenttory of their religious exercises, gave a ance. serious shock to the doctrine that making such a distinction is impossible. It taught ministers to hope and labour for conversions of which evidence could be found. It made those who had no evidence of their own conversion afraid that they were still unregenerate. By special request, Edwards prepared a narrative of these "Surprising Conversions," which was printed in London, with an introduction by the Rev. Drs. Watts and Guise. It was soon reprinted in Boston, and was extensively read, and exerted a powerful influence on both sides of the Atlantic.

Such an attack on men's hopes of heaven could not fail to provoke resistance. As has been shown already, the habit had been formed of hoping favourably concerning all who were not proved guilty of heresy or immorality, and of admitting all such to the communion of the churches, for this reason, among others, that perhaps they were regenerate. The promoters of the revival made unsparing war upon all such hopes, and pronounced all who had nothing else to rest upon, heirs of perdition. This their opponents called " censoriousness;" and those who practised it were denounced as uncharitable, as usurpers of God's prerogative of judging the heart, as fanatics who delighted to throw orderly, quiet Christians into needless alarm. Such was the usual language of that part of the clergy who leaned strongly towards Arminianism, of their followers, and of many others.

were guilty of great errors, and really deserved these reproaches; and its adversaries were not slow in seizing the advantage thus brought within their reach. They convinced many that the revival was made up of uncharitableness and fanaticism, and thus succeeded in setting limits to its progress.

From this time there continued to be similar revivals, on a smaller scale, in various parts of New-England. In 1739, and the beginning of 1740, they were evidently increasing. The celebrated Whitfield, who was ordained in 1736, had already excited much attention in England, and was preaching with great success in the South-Some zealous promoters of the revival ern American colonies. To help forward this good work, he was invited to Boston, where he arrived in October, 1740. The exciting point of his doctrine was the necessity of a sensible change of heart in order to preparation for heaven. Like the old Puritans, and like Edwards, he held that every man is born in sin, and unless some evidence appears to the contrary, is to be esteemed an heir of perdition. The believers of this doctrine had always been numerous and powerful both among the clergy and in the churches of NewEngland; and by those who were not its believers, it was rather neglected than opposed. It was now brought home to men's hearts as they had never known it to be before. All have heard of the eloquence of Whitfield; and that of Edwards, though in a different style, was at least equally effective, and more sure to leave permanent results. These men had powerful

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In a few years after the commencement of this revival, Edwards became so fully convinced that the prevailing system of admission to the communion, introduced by his grandfather and predecessor, was wrong, that he could no longer practise it. He published his "Treatise on the Qualifications for Full Communion," in which he maintained that none ought to be admitted without such a declaration concerning the exercises of their own minds as, if true, would imply that they were regenerate persons. This change of opinion led to his dismission in 1750. His doctrine on this point,

however, even then, had many advocates. | butes long before Unitarian doctrines were It spread rapidly among the friends of the openly avowed, and probably long before revival, and is now held by all the Congre- they were distinctly embraced in theory, gational churches of New-England that except by a very small number. have not become Unitarian. Where the system of Stoddard and the half-way covenant have not been abolished by a formal vote, they have fallen into disuse, for none think it right to practise according to them. The ancient doctrine of the Puritans has been restored, and evidence of piety is re-pelled as a slander; but Unitarians now quired of those who would become members of the Church.

The principal faults charged upon the promoters of the revival by its opponents were censoriousness and undue excitement. They laboured to exclude both from their own parishes, and, as far as they could, from the country. To a considerable extent they were successful. They produced a profound calm on the subject of religion among all who were governed by their influence-a calm which amounted to indifference. And as to censoriousness, they adhered to the practice of admitting men to the communion of the church without evidence of their piety. Their doctrine was, that every man's piety is to be taken for granted, unless some scandalous error of doctrine or practice proves him destitute of it. The most important characteristic the fundamental element-of New-England Unitarianism was now fully developed. A party was formed, the members of which condemned and avoided all solicitude concerning their own spiritual condition or that of others.

Unitarianism being introduced in this manner, it is evident that no distinct account of the successive steps of its progress can be given. The revivalists of 1740 asserted that "Socinianism" was even then in the land. This assertion was then re

admit and assert that several leading opponents of the revival were Unitarians at that time, or soon after. The prevalence of Unitarianism, however, was not then extensive. The greater part of those who are now claimed as having then belonged to the "liberal" party were only Arminians, or, at the farthest, Pelagians; and some of them were decided Calvinists.

From 1744 to 1762 the colonies were engaged, almost incessantly, in the wars that secured them against the arms of France. In 1765 troubles with England began, and continued till 1783. Then came the formation of our system of government, and the anxious period of its early operations. Thus the attention of men was drawn off from religion, and fixed on other subjects for about half a century, affording a favourable opportunity for habits of indifference to become confirmed, and for error to make progress unobserved.

Yet it was not wholly unobserved. In 1768, the Rev. Dr. Hopkins preached in Boston on the divinity of Christ, and published the sermon, assigning as a reason for the choice of this subject, his belief that it was needed there. From time to time other testimonies appeared of similar character.

When this state of mind had been produced and confirmed, the remainder of the process was natural and easy. As in this party there was to be no strong feeling with respect to religion, except a strong unwillThe first congregation that became ingness to be disturbed by the "censori- avowedly Unitarian was that at the ousness" of others, there could, of course, "King's Chapel," in Boston. It was Episbe no vigorous opposition to a change in copalian. Being without a pastor, they doctrines, no vigilance against error. A employed Mr. Freeman, afterward Dr. system of doctrines, too, was wanted, con- Freeman, as reader, in 1782. In 1785 he taining nothing to alarm the fears or dis- succeeded in introducing a revised liturgy, turb the repose of the members of the par- from which the doctrine of the Trinity ty. The doctrines of man's apostacy from was struck out. He applied to several God, and dependance on mere grace for American bishops for ordination, but none salvation, of the necessity of an atonement would ordain him. He was, therefore, orby the blood of the Son of God, and of re- dained by the church-wardens, in 1787. generation by the special influence of the For many years he maintained a constant Holy Spirit, were felt to be alarming doc- correspondence with the leading Unitaritrines. They were the doctrines by which ans in England, and was a convenient meEdwards and others had filled their hear-dium of communication between them and ers with anxiety, and produced excitement. the secret adherents of the same doctrines They were therefore laid aside; but silent- in America. ly and without controversy, for controversy might have produced feeling. Men were suffered to forget that the Son and the Spirit have anything important to do in the work of man's salvation; and then it became easy to overlook their existence. In this way the Unitarian party was formed, and furnished with all its essential attri

The first Unitarian book by an American author is said to have been "Ballou on the Atonement," published in 1803. Mr. Ballou was pastor of a Universalist society in Boston. But the term Universalist must not be understood here as it often is in Europe. It designates the belief that all intelligent beings-men and devils,

there are any devils-will be saved. Some|viduals. There was, therefore, an increase Universalists hold that all men at death of preaching and publishing against Unitapass directly into heaven; others, that a rianism. In the Panoplist, a monthly magpart of mankind will undergo a limited azine commenced in Boston in 1806, this punishment in hell, or, rather, in purgato- subject received special attention; but all ry, in proportion to the number and atroci- its warnings were denounced as "calumty of their sins. The doctrine has been ny." The facts, however, could not be favoured by a few men of considerable much longer concealed. learning and respectable morals; but its In 1812, the memoir of Lindsay, by Belchief success has been among the igno- sham, was published in London. Only a rant, the vulgar, and the vicious, not one few copies of the work were imported, and of whom was ever known to be reformed these were carefully kept from the sight by it. Mr. Ballou was a man of some ge- of all but a select few for nearly three nius, but little learning. His works have years. At length, the Rev. Dr. Morse, afdone something to diffuse Unitarian opin- ter months of fruitless effort, succeeded in ions among Universalists. A Mr. Sher- obtaining possession of a copy. The acman, in Connecticut, published in favour count there given of Unitarianism in Amerof Unitarianism in 1805. He was dismiss-ica was extracted and published in a pamed from his pastoral charge about the same phlet. It contained letters from several time, and in a few years left the ministry leading Unitarians in Boston, especially and lost his character. In 1810, Thomas Dr. Freeman, of various dates, from 1796, and Noah Worcester began to publish their or thereabout, to 1812. In these letters modification of Arianism in New-Hamp- the spread of Unitarianism, and the means shire. The same year the church in Cov- used to promote it, were described without entry, Connecticut, became suspicious that reserve. Concealment was no longer postheir pastor, the Rev. Abiel Abbot, was a sible. Unitarianism was, therefore, openUnitarian. The subject was brought be-ly avowed by those who had been detectfore the Consociation to which that church belonged, and he was dismissed. He then called together a council, composed chiefly of men suspected of Unitarianism, who dismissed him a second time, and gave him a certificate of regular standing. The irregularity of this transaction called forth many expressions of disapprobation.

ed, and by others whose character and interests were closely identified with theirs.

The ecclesiastical results of this disclosure need to be particularly explained. Among Congregationalists, each church, that is, each congregation of covenanted believers, has full power to manage its own ecclesiastical concerns, without subIn and around Boston no Congregational ordination to any earthly tribunal. There church had yet avowed itself Unitarian. was no way, therefore, of compelling Harvard College had an orthodox presi-churches that had become Unitarian to dent and professor of theology till after the commencement of the present century. After the death of Professor Tappan, in 1804, the Rev. Dr. Ware was elected as his successor. While the question of his election was pending, a suspicion of his Unitarianism was suggested, but it was repelled by his friends as a calumny. Even when President Kirkland was elected, in 1812, it has been said, on high Unitarian authority, that he could not have been elected if he had been known as a defender of Unitarianism.

part with their Unitarian pastors. On the same principle, pastors and churches that continued orthodox were at liberty to withhold Christian fellowship from those in whom they had no confidence. There was no means of compelling orthodox ministers and churches to perform any act by which a Unitarian would be virtually acknowledged as a Christian minister, or his church as a Christian church. Orthodox ministers, therefore, refused to exchange pulpit labours on the Sabbath with those whom they believed to be Unitarians, or to No pastor of a Congregational church sit with them in ecclesiastical councils, or in or near Boston had yet avowed himself in any other way to recognise them as a Unitarian, either from the pulpit or the ministers of Christ. This practice, howpress. Yet the style of preaching adopted ever, was adopted gradually. Many orby many was such as to excite suspicion; thodox men were slow in believing that several periodicals openly advocated Uni- one and another of their neighbours was a tarianism, and Unitarian books were im- Unitarian; and many undecided men conported and published in considerable num- trived to avoid for some time a declarabers. Orthodox ministers, when attending tion in favour of either party, and to keep councils for ordaining pastors, found them- on good terms with both. At length, howselves opposed and thwarted in their at- ever, successive disclosures made the ditempts to ascertain the theological views viding line so visible, throughout its whole of the candidates. Many other circum-length, that every man knew his own side stances indicated the presence and secret of it, and the parties are completely sepdiffusion of error; but the means were arated without any formal excommunicawanting of fastening the charge upon indi- tion of one by the other. They meet only

once in a year in the "General Conven- | been thought best to disband them; but in tion of Congregational Ministers," and they a considerable number of instances they continue to meet together there only on have been suffered to become extinct, and account of a fund of about 100,000 dollars there remains only the parish and the pasfor the support of their widows. tor, who administers the ordinances indisOn the publication of Mr. Belsham's dis- criminately to all who desire it. Accordclosures, it was found that all the Congre-ing to some of their own writers, the regational churches in Boston had become sult is that the ordinances become cheap Unitarian, except the Old South and Park-in men's esteem, and few care to receive street, which last had been established them. Church discipline, of course, has within a few years by some zealous Trin-fallen into entire disuse. The discipline itarians. The whole number of Unitarian of the clergy appears to be also extinct. churches in various parts of New-England, | If any of their clergy become scandalousbut mostly in the eastern part of Massachusetts, was supposed to be about seventy-five, though subsequent disclosures showed it to have been considerably larger. They had then almost entire possession of Harvard College; and, by a change in its charter, deliberately planned some years before, but hurried through the Legislature at a favourable moment, they secured the control of it to their party.

ly immoral, they are not formally deposed from the ministry, or visited with any ecclesiastical censure, but are allowed to continue in office till their reputation becomes such that none will employ them, and then to retire silently to private life.

In 1825 the number of Unitarian congregations was estimated at 120. Now, in 1844, they are said to amount to 230. There are several causes of this increase.

In 1825 the process of taking sides was. not completed. Of the few which then remained without character, a part have doubtless become decidedly Unitarian.

Mr. Ballou's work on the atonement has already been mentioned as the first Unitarian work by an American author. That and other works of a similar character prepared the Universalists, somewhat ex

A considerable number of churches in Massachusetts had funds, given by the pious of former generations, for the support of the ministry and of Christian ordinances. The main object of the donors was to secure to their descendants, in perpetuity, the services of learned, pious, and orthodox pastors; and the funds were committed to the church, and not to the parish, because the church, being composed of per-tensively, to avow Unitarian opinions. sons of approved piety, would guard them most effectually against perversion. Such was the case with the First Church in Dedham. In 1818, a majority of the inhabitants of the parish with which that church was connected chose a Unitarian to be their pastor. The church refused to receive him as their pastor. A few of its members, however, seceded from the church, chose the Unitarian for their pastor, and commenced a lawsuit against the church for the possession of its property. In March, 1821, the Supreme Court of Massachusetts decided in their favour, and established the principle that, in all such cases, those who act with the majority of the parish are the church, and have a right to the funds. By this decision many churches have been deprived of their funds, their houses of worship, and even the furniture of their communion-table; and many Unitarian churches owe their existence to means thus obtained.

After this decision the existence of a church, as distinct from the parish, became unimportant among Unitarians. Its secular interests were wholly in the power of the parish, and might as well be held by the parish directly. Their churches, as has been shown, were never intended to be bodies from which the unregenerate should be excluded. There was, therefore, no longer any important end to be answered by their existence. Generally, it has not

The Unitarians have, to a great extent,
and it is believed generally, embraced the
doctrine of the final salvation of all men.
There is, therefore, no doctrinal distinc-
tion between the two sects. As Unitari-
anism is esteemed the more genteel reli-
gion of the two, Universalists are under a
strong temptation to change their name,
and call themselves Unitarians.
changes very naturally occur when a Uni-
versalist congregation becomes vacant, and
a Unitarian preacher of acceptable address
offers himself as a candidate. Sometimes
congregations change from one of these
sects to the other, and back again, as tem-
porary convenience dictates.

Such

Unitarianism, as has been shown, originally grew out of a dislike to the practice of requiring evidence of piety in candidates for admission to the churches. There are many, in various parts of the country, in whom this fundamental feeling of the sect is very strong, but who are yet unwilling to live without some form of religion. They are easily organized into a society which requires no creed, and subjects them to no discipline. Societies thus formed, however, often vanish as easily and suddenly as they are made.

In 1787 a "Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America" was incorporated by the Legislature of Massachusetts. It acquired permanent funds to the amount of 9000