The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-02
Eminent English Di-
vine at Piedmont
Church.
He EXPRESSES SURPRISE.
Says Membership is Larger
Than Attendance
Here.


Rev. Alfred Rowland, LII. B., B. A.,
pastor of Park Congregational church,
Crouch End, North London, England,
spoke at Piedmont church last eve
ming on Difficulties and methods of
Christian work in Great Britain" Rev.
Mr.. Rowland is ex-chairman of the
Congregational Union of England and
Wales, and is one of the delegates to
theinterenational Congregational coun-
Gil which concluded its session in Bos-
ton last Thursday.
rev. Mr. Rowland began his talk
last evening with a. rapid review of
the conditions of non-conformsts in
england since the time of Henry VII,
and the birth of the established church.
he spoke of the blessings of having no
state church in America and told of
the troubles of the Separatists, who be-
neved that spiritual things belonged
70 spiritual people, and that ministers
and governors of the church should be
called of God. The present non-con-
tormists of England are, and the Pill
grim fathers of America Were. the di-
rect descendants of the separatists.
After the separatists the same idea
grew under the act of conformity
passed during the reign of Charles III
UNDER which all the clergy were COM
peeled to adopt the creed of the estab-
nsheo church or quit their ministry
There were other acts of the
same nature, and it was not
until the reign of William III
mat federation was given to dissenters
Even In the early part of this century
the dissenters had considerable trou-
rstr Al
take their proper places in the uniyer-
sites; they were not allowed seats in
Parllament; they could not hold mu-
nielpab OFFICES. These have been largely
oisslpated by legislation in late years.
Inc established church." said Rev.
Mr.. Rowland, contains men of great
ability and the non -conformists have
no enmity against it as a church. but
number of the clergy are growing
SO ritualistic that they adopted many
OF the errors Of the church OF Rome.
There are various denominations
among the nom conformiSts in England.
many Of which are the same as In Am
erica. There are no Methodist Episco-
pals there. There Is a free church
council in which all denominations ex-
cept Unitarians are represented, and
there is a looking forward to a great
combination Of all sects''
In regard to education, the speaker
said he had been greatly struck by his
visits 20 seminaries, colleges and high
schools in America and had to confess
that this country is far ahead of Eng
land in this respect In England only
poor people send their children to the
free public schools. In the secondary
schools, which are mostly private,
there is no distinction made in regard
70 creed. In the universities of OK
ford and Cambridge there are restric-
tons against ncn-conformists, and
ministers of this creed do not receive
the degree of D. D.
The Congregational church services
IN England are less elaborate than they
are here, and there is less music The
American custom of quartet singing is
being introduced, but it is not in ac-
cordance with the English custom. 1t
is held there that every person in the
congregation should have an opportu-
nifty of singing. The psalms are
chanted and anthems sung by the con-
gregation, assisted by voluntary choir,
usually.
People becoming members of Rev.
Mr.. Rowland's church are not required
to make any explicit statement of creed
either in writing or in speech They
are talked to by the pastor and are
admitted without ceremony other than
the giving of the right hand of fell
lowship.
Regular attendance at communion
and church services is expected, how
ever, and If a member is absent for
three months without a good reason.
the church may drop the name from
the roll The speaker expressed sur
prise that the church membership here
seems to be larger than the attend
ance, saying that in England conditions
were reversed.
In conclusion, he said: II want to ex-
press to you on behalf of my brothers
and sisters in England the intense
sympathy felt toward you in the time
Of your stress and difficulties-and it is
not over yet. There was never a time
when England loved America so much.
At a meeting of the Congregational
Union, over year ago, a message was
brought from you. asking for sympa-
thy in your fight for Cuba, and the
assembly rose at once, for we felt that
God was guiding you in the fight We
are among those who do not believe
that the American people We're led into
that strife from political scherning or
through desire for territory.
And now God that has opened a way
for you in the far east, hope you will
not forget that he has called YOU to
that work. and that you will keep it
UP. English-speaking nations owe a
debt to the world that is being rapid
ly paid, only let us keep our hands
clean and estab1ishNa brotherhood of
man in the relation of God. May God
draw our nations yet closer together
At the close of his remarks, Rev. Will
lard Scott, pastor of Piedmont church,
thanked him for the address, and sent
greeting from the American church
to that Of England