Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-10-25
THE soora ANNIVERSARY.

ne Now EaVcn OOukICSASAOMA1O 1uU | :
at Historic Center Church
Last Evening-The 3OOth Ami.
versary OF the Foundation OF the
First congregational Church-Ad-
dress by DR.. Charles Ray Palmer
OF Bridgeport and DR.. A. J. r.
of Brooklyn-A Poem by
DR.. Parker of Hartford.
The S00th anniversary of the foundation
{ the First Congregational church was
celebrated at the Center church last even
ng with betting exercises by the New Ha-
en- Congregational club. A large audience
Eas present, the entire body of the church
,eing filed with people. Previous to the
Meeting banquet was served the club at
Warner hall by the ladies of the Seamen's
Friend society. Tha exercises opened with
prayer by the Rev. Charles Park of Birm-
ngham, Conn.,, which was followed by
solo, "My Yoke is Easy; My Burden is
Light" This was followed by a histori-
GAL address by the Rev. Charles Ray Palm
OF, D. D., of Bridgeport. It was
. mastery and studied address and
delivered in this popular preachers
best style. It treated of the first origin
and beginnings of the Congregational
church in England about the time of the
reign of Queen Elizabeth, and dwelt to
some considerable length on the causes of
the Separatist movement. The first Congre-
gational meeting was held in q house in
London, under the guise of wedding.
The greatest secrecy was necessary, as the
members of this church were ostracized by
the established church, being known as the
Separatists, or those who were favorable to
q freer form of church government. They
met, with the most violent opposition at
the hands of the existing church authori-
ties, and at this first meeting that
was held, the house was broken into and
twenty men and seven women arrested and
confined In what was known as the Bid
well prison. most loathsome place with
out any kind of ventilation where the
most abandoned criminals were confined
together. Here nearly the whole number
died. This is only an illustration of the
persecution which the early church suf-
fered. Later the church was transplanted
to the Netherlands, where 1t took power
full hold on the people and is to day there
q strong and fourishing denomination.
From Holland tho English refugees
brought the church in the Msyfower to the
shores of New England, where it has -four
ished and become the strongest denomi-
nation.
Following this address hymn COM
posed by Professor Simeon E. Baldwin OF
the Yale law school, was sung by the choir
and congregation.
This was followed by an address by Rev.
A. J. F. Behrends, D. D, of Brooklyn, N.
Y, who spoke on the t'Principles of Con.
gregationalism." He showed in the first
place how indistinctly formed are the
lines, which are said to be peculiar to many
denominations, to the members themselves
of those denominations, and how the old
sectarian Shibboleths were entirely out OF
date, and that many denominational dis
tinctions were in the quiet process of OBJ.
liberation. Congregationalism is repudi'
alton of theological dogmatism and pro
test against ecclesiastical Capitalization. Il
refuses to identify itself with any theory
of atonement, nor does it venture to ex
plain the process and the methods of re-
generation.
Congregationalism has been, and Is still
prevailingly Calvinistic, though Princeton
Calvinism of New England that 1t is neither
Calvinism nor consistent. But we dare tt
do what the Presbyterian shrinks from
doing-tell our people that we are no
Calvinists and the pews are not thrown
into excitement, while not few of GU
pupils are manned by Armenians as radica
and rabid as John Wesley. Calvinism ha
ceased to bs our theological distinction
The principle of independency made it i'm
possible for Congregationalism to bscom
the exponent and champion of any school
am not disposed to claim more for on
churches than is due to them. But thinl
1 81 La% he
| recognition of the evangelical sound
SO far concession that theological rancof
| endeavoring to guard the deposit of tn
holy faith, with its machinery of trials 10
heresy and its formal sentences of con
domination, is not required for the main
tenance of orthodoxy. 1t is quite as SAT
to leave such matters to the friction of fire.
searching, good-natured discussion, wit
the Unreasonable advantage that the prat
tical work of the churches is not hampere
by the asperities of party debate. 1t
certainly noteworthy that the Baptis
churches, who share with us the principl
of theological independence, should hav
80 steadily maintained their reputation fo
sound and simple evangelical teaching
pose dogmatic Interpretation of the fact
of revelation as q test of orthodoxy, q
long will the protest of Congregationalisl
against scholastic dogmatism be needed.
| I am aware that there are men in on
ranks who maintain that the battle {
modern Christendom is battle of polit.
not of doctrine, and that hierarchiai, pr,
latical, Presbyterial and Congregation
theories are essentially and eternally anita,
onistic. One of the four must supplant a
the rest. The arguments advanced fl
this position have not convinced me; ma,
they have confirmed me in the rever
judgment. If we except the church
Rome, it may be said that the claim of d
government is rapidly passing into ''il
claim for the episcopate only the authori
Of high antiquity and regard it as pure
human institution, which the church,
can unmake as long since thu
made it. No representative Prasbyteris
would claim that his form of church fe
lowship is of the apostolic authority; n,
he would insist that it is as democrat
| and representative as our own. These pc
| cies are championed on prudential ground
They have been found to work well-su,
is the argument-and the people are stron
/ | ly attached to them. And if the Peep
want them, who shall say them naya &c
/ tAIuly uOt Guc SOuSIcRht1OAdlAsL. 1u0 uO
trine of church autonomy leaves ca,
church free to follow its own inclination
, It may follow the church year; it ms
{ adopt the Genevan gown or the SUPPLE
; it may introduce responsive readings al
written prayers in the exercise of that Ii
erty for which Congregationalism stand
Some of our ministers wear the gov
there are other churches where the inn
| walton would not be endured. Response
reading is the habit of many congreg
lions of our order; there are ASSEMBLE
l where the psalter could not be vot
in. Congregationalism stands for liber
in such matters. 1t is protest again
compulsory governmental OF ritual co
formity. It Is often said that Congr
gatisnalism is weak because of its diverei
. | of custom. Some churches require gu
scription to creeds, others do not. So1
examine candidates for membership in t
: presence of the church; others leave t
work to a committee and, in many
stances, the responsibility Is entrusted
: the pastor. The diversity is inherent
the system: An established uniformi
+ along all lines would evicerate our Go
gregationalism. A Presbyterian chur
must do certain things in certain way
cease to be a Presbyterian church;
! Episcopal church must worship in
!, certain way or cease to be an FL iscor
church; Baptist church must administ
baptism by immersing the oandids
OF cease to be Baptist churc
ia Methodist church must q
l l.. H. e