The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-04-21

and magistrate. is attested by numer- ous examples of petty and irritating in- references, of ecclesiastical laws, of opposition to all dissenting persons and to any tolerance of them. The eradica- tlon and complete casting-out of this theory was the far-off goal of religious liberty, to be reached after long years of patient progress, to which reforms in government and changes of social and political conditions have powerfully contributed.
 The fourth chapter deals with the Cambridge platform and the Half-way Covenant, devices and usages thought necessary to meet changing conditions of colonial life: In this chapter the au- thol. discusses the long and painful con- tentlon in the Hartford church which resulted at last In the establishment of the Second Church of Hartford. In following the author through this intri- cate part of her work, we have noted how Verifiable her representations are. The errors and suppositions and guess es of earlier writers concerning the Hatford controversies are avoided, and, so far as is now possible, a true ac- count of that matter is given, except that we think the personal clements of the controversy were more potent than one might infer from our authors mar rative.
 Connecticut's, first toleration act, t,--a slight one to be sure, appeafed in con- neotion with the general courts reluc- tant order permitting the Hartford church ito walk apart" With the in- creasing number of towns and of churches therein came a hankering af- ter some general and strong 5ecclesiasti- cal system of government, and some common confession of faith and disci- pline. The general court, with Salton- stall, ex-minister and synodically in clined, in the governors chair, was only too ready to feed this desire. The May session of the general court 1708, took the initiative. Without being asked so to do by any churches or church, or by any ministers in associa- tion, or by any memorials or overtures whatever the general court, inperti- nently if not impudently ordered and required the ministers of the several churches to meet together at their re- spective county towns, to consider methods and rules for ecclesiastical discipline, and appoint delegates to meet together at Sayhrook to draw up form of ecclesiastical discipline,
 So sprang into existence, by the de- cree of the state, the famous Saybrook Synod, which produced the famous Saybrook Platform. The articles of faith and of discipline comprised in this document were sumbitted to the general court, which approved them and ordained that "all churches within this government that are or shall be thus united in doctrine worship and discipline, be and for the future shall be owned and acknowledged as estab- lished by law"
 A completer breakdown of original Congregationalism such as Hooker conceived it. can hardly be imagined than this vigorous system with it's courts, councils, oonsociations and manifold machinery, devised and or dained by the state. In the sixth chap ter our author vigorously discusses this Saybrook Platform.
 It is true that societies or churches soberly dissenting from this establish ment, If allowed by the laws of the gov ernment, were permitted to worship in their own way, but under serious re- strictions nevertheless. This toleratfon did not exempt Baptists or Episcopa- Hans from paying their dues for the support of the religion established, and for larger liberty they contended for twenty years before obtaining decided success. Meanwhile many Congrega- Itional churches that disliked the Say brook system, and stood out against it and for their freedom were dubbed Separatists, and received far harsher treatment than any and all others. For the Congregational minister oDechurch that stood out from the uneongrega- tional system, there was no toleration, no charity, no mercy from conSocia- tions or court. And so the ecclesiasti- cal machinery went on, and dissenting communions thrived and flourished, and wretched disorders and strifes abounded in Congregational churches, and all the while concessions were grudgingly made to the demands of freedom.
 Then came the great revival of TAO, some results of which were a revolt against conventional religion, and great schism within the establishment, and a forward movement towards larger light and liberty The Separa- tist Congregationalists deprived of ali advantage of the late Liberation act, and bitterly assailed and nlahgned,