Concise dictionary of religious knowledge Volume 2 ; biblical, doctrinal, historical, and practical - Softcover
Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 Excerpt: ...was held in 1661, in the hope of so adjusting to eacli other the relations of Presbyterians and Episcopalians, as to secure " perfect unity and uniformity throughout the nation." The conference, however, utterly failed of its purpose, Parliament passed an Act of Uniformity, and on Aug. 24, 1602, nearly 2000 ministers resigned their charges, or were ejected from them, because of their refusal to conform to the Episcopal Church of England. Of these ministers 1500 were Presbyterians. The policy of "Comprehension" which had found expression in the famous Savoy Conference, continued for a considerable time thereafter, to influence and injure English Presbyterianism. It led in 1691, to an arrangement for friendly intercourse and co-operation between Presbyterians and Independents, but this "happy union" as it was called lasted but three years. In 1719, another Union Conference between the dissenting bodies, the famous Salters Hall Synod, was held, to check the rapid growth of Arianism, but the results attained were of little value, for the decay in spiritual life in the churches, and the doctrinal departures widely prevalent, continued unchecked. Further, subscription to the Doctrinal Standards was not regarded as essential. So far did many English Presbyterians diverge from the faith of their fathers, that at the close of the 18th century in many portions of England, Presbyterian and Unitarian had become synonymous terms. The estimates of the number of congregations at different periods are also suggestive of the spiritual declension which took place. In 1715, there were in England 580Presbyterian congregations; in 1772, 300; and in 1812, 252, ot which only about 100 were orthodox. The Arian and Socinian opinions did not affect, how...
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