TRANSACTIONS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES AT HOME AND ABROAD.

CORRESPONDENCE WITH EVANGELICAL CHURCHES ON THE CONTINENT.

Brighton, 14th Sept. 1836.

To the Secretaries of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. DEAR BRETHREN,-Resuming the narrative of my continental tour on behalf of the Union, I beg to inform you that I proceeded from Lyons direct to Geneva, which I reached on Saturday, the 9th of July last. You may easily conceive that it was not without peculiar emotion that I approached, for the first time, this ancient and celebrated city. Being personally acquainted with Dr. Malan, I went, on the Lord's day morning to his chapel, which is beautifully situated in his own garden, without the city walls. In this delightful retirement I found the excellent pastor placed at the communion-table, examining his catechumens during the hour before the public service. The chapel is plain but convenient, and will accommodate about four hundred hearers. The congregation, both morning and evening, consisted chiefly of females. The discourses were sound in doctrine, and adapted both to the saint and the sinner. The Doctor thought it right to be particularly pointed in his reprobation of the modern notions respecting the coming of our Lord, as the Millenarians in this quarter are numerous. During this Sabbath I visited nearly all the other places of worship, which I found but thinly attended. Here, as everywhere, I had to inquire "Where are the men?" This city presents, indeed, a perfect contrast to Paris on the Lord's day, as to outward appearance. The shops are almost all closed, and the morning is comparatively quiet, externally; but look into the cafés, the estaminets, and such places, and you will find them filled with the men of the city. As the day advances, they appear in the streets and public walks, and in the evening, the whole population, men, women, and children, are to be seen on the promenades, and especially on the small islet in the lake, around the statue of their idol, Rousseau! A feeble attempt has been recently made to erect a statue of Calvin, but it is not likely to be carried into effect. Were the clergy of Geneva his true successors, the case would have been reversed; but what can we expect from four or five and twenty pastors, only two of whom are not Arians? Such is my authentic information on the spot. And this lamentable state of things extends to the whole canton of Geneva, so that out of the whole number, amounting to near fifty, nine-tenths at least are said to be Arians!

As Dr. Malan entered very cordially into the object of the Union, and was also very desirous that my visit might prove the occasion of a more close connexion between himself and the other evangelical pastors of Geneva, he wrote to most of them - indeed to all, I believe, who were not absent from home-requesting them to meet at his house on the evening of Monday, the 11th of July. To this invitation I am sorry to say only one acceded-Professor Gaussen. Of course the intention was defeated; and I could only introduce the subject to our brethren individually, whereas I had hoped, with Dr. Malan, that it would have engaged their united attention: and, after all, I am fully inclined to believe that it would, had not the unhappy question of establishments operated as the latent cause of prevention. I may possibly be in error in this opinion; but if otherwise, I cannot understand why so many pious, learned, excellent ministers, united in doctrine substantially, and living on the most friendly terms personally, should have felt any difficulty in meeting together for conference on the subject of fraternal Christian Union, especially as, on conversing with them separately, I could find no reluctance to enter into our object, but much the contrary. The only instance of hesitation was in my interview with Professor Merle d'Aubigné, who, while approving of the general object, adverted to some papers in the Con

gregational Magazine, which appeared to him to bear too hard upon our ecclesiastical establishment, and to be hostile to the evangelical party connected with it. I could, therefore, only communicate to him our Declaration and other papers, and leave them for his perusal. Indeed, I found this necessary for the vindication of our orthodoxy; as M. Gaussen, as well as others elsewhere, had conceived the idea that our body was tainted with the socinian heresy. Such an impression, of course, must have arisen from misrepresentation, nearly allied to slander, as it could never have been received from the writings and official documents of the congregational body. I was happy, therefore, to have the opportunity of removing this false impression.

During my short stay at Geneva, I became acquainted with M. Empeytaz and M. L'Huilier, two of the pastors of the evangelical church assembling in the Bourgde-Four. M. Guers, the second pastor of this congregation, was from home. In several interviews, more particularly with M. L'Huilier, I explained the object of our Union, which was cordially approved, and every affectionate desire expressed to co-operate with us. This church, formed entirely on congregational principles, arose from the labours of M. Empeytaz, who, while a student of theology at Geneva, embraced the atonement and divinity of our Lord, and separated from the establishment in consequence; preaching, as opportunity was afforded, and being exposed to the rage of violent and lawless persecution. From the year 1811, however, to the present time, the church has continued to acquire strength and stability; and, though malignity has hunted it from place to place in the city, it still maintains its position, and is "enlarging the borders of its tent."

From this church Felix Neff and Henry Pyt went forth; and, since 1829, it has cherished within its bosom an academy for home-missionaries, named L'Ecole d' Evangélistes Instituteurs. These labour in connexion with a society for evangelization, formed by the unestablished congregational churches at Vevey, Neuchatel, &c. &c. This is a distinct society from that named La Société Evangélique de Généve, which stands in connexion with the reformed churches -non-établies, as they are termed, i. e. whose pastors receive no endowment from the government, and who, like M. Monod, of Lyons, may have been formally deposed for conscience' sake.

Thus there are at Geneva four distinct protestant connexions. First, the reformed établies, or endowed by the government, nearly all said to be Arian, Socinian, or in some other mode heterodox, yet professing a Calvinistic creed. Next, the reformed non-établies, having one chapel, the Oratoire, to which is attached a theological institution, with four professors. Third, Dr. Malan's congregation, Près Evéque; and, lastly, the church at the Bourg-de-Four. These three latter separate congregations possess seven or eight ministers, and are in number together about seven hundred. This is the evangelical strength of the city of Geneva. It is to be regretted, I think, that it is not more combined by visible and organized relations. But this remark will equally apply to towns and cities among ourselves. I trust that the holy principles of the Congregational Union will, more and more, expand into their full and permanent development, displaying the varied beauties of christian fellowship, and perfumed with the fragrance of christian love. I ought not to omit my acknowledgments to Dr. Malan and Professor Gaussen for their hospitable and kind attentions.

Leaving Geneva, I proceeded along the beautiful Lake Leman to Villeneuve, and the valley of Chamouni, for the purpose of viewing Mont Blanc and the Glacières. The sublimity and awful grandeur of these scenes are beyond all description, and leave indelible impressions of the Almighty Creator. It is painful, however, to witness in these valleys the number of crosses and shrines at every corner; some erected in 1834, by the zeal of popery, and promising indulgences to those who shall perform before them certain acts of penitence, faith, &c. Surely there is abundant room for protestant missions in these "dark vallies of the shadow of death!"

On my return, I had the opportunity of spending a Sabbath at the pleasant

town of Vevey, near the Castle of Chillon, on the lake. In the forenoon I attended a catechetical exercise held in the school-house attached to the protestant churches; the service was well conducted, and the place was filled chiefly with females, to the number of one hundred and twenty. In the afternoon I attended the protestant worship in one of the churches, the other being closed; a number of infants were baptized, and the congregation consisted of but few beside those interested in the ceremony. The venerable pastor preached a good discourse; one suited for a missionary service, rather than the occasion, wherein he lamented the apathy of his neighbours, and looked forward to better times. In the evening I attended at the congregational church, of which M. Rochat is the pastor; but, he being absent from ill health, his place was supplied by the senior deacon, who gave a pious exposition of a psalm, and prayed with much fervour. The chapel is commodious, and there was a pretty good attendance. Poor M. Rochat is suffering from the effects of a violent attack on his person, four years since, by a mob of persecutors in his chapel, while engaged in divine service. This outrage, however, proved the occasion of an amendment of the laws, which placed all worshippers of God under equal protection from insult.

From M. Recordon, one of the pastors of the reformed church at Vevey, I received not only a kind welcome and much encouragement in the prosecution of my mission, but also some considerable information respecting religion in the Pays de Vaud. M. Recordon referred immediately to the volumes of the Congregational Magazine, which he regularly peruses, and was therefore quite prepared to enter into the views of the Union.

The following statement I received through the kindness of M. Recordon :—

(Translation.)

"The national church-Presbyterian, Evangelical, Reformed-of the Canton de Vaud, has 159 pastors with charge of souls, besides seven deacons, or pastors without a parish.

"The national clergy is divided into four classes, or colleges, each presided over by a dean:-the class of Lausanne and Vevey; the class of Morges; the class of Yverdun and Orbe; and the class of Payerne.

"We reckon about 173,000 persons belonging to the Vaudoise church. This population is unequally distributed among the 159 pastors. We have, on an average, one pastor for 1,088 individuals.

Sixty-three parishes exceed the average; many have more than 2,000, 2,500, and even 3,000 souls. On the other hand, we have 19 under 400; 17 under 600; 14 under 800 souls.

"We can say that more than a hundred of these pastors, or their suffragants, faithfully preach the gospel; the rest, perhaps, are only orthodox. In more than fifty parishes the religious awakening has appeared to a greater or less

extent.

"Our young ministers study at Lausanne; the instruction there is orthodox. On being ordained by imposition of hands, they bind themselves to teach nothing contrary to the Helvetic Confession of Faith.

"There are ten evangelical societies in the canton, employed in spreading the Bible and religious tracts, and in collecting donations for the missions, as well as in other ways suitable to advance the kingdom of God.

"A missionary institution, founded at Lausanne, has been obliged lately to be closed for want of students. A society for the sanctification of the Sabbath, founded at Vevey, two years since, makes very encouraging progress.

"A popular journal, intituled La Feuille Religieuse,' published in numbers at the rate of 36 per annum, is much circulated in the canton. The editions are of 2,500 copies, and the subscription is 20 batz (i.e. 2s. 6d. sterling) per annum." M. Recordon received with much pleasure our Declaration and Addresses, and engaged to circulate them amongst the ministers of the canton at their next meetings. I made similar arrangements also with M. Durand, the deacon of M. Rochat, for M. Olivier, of Lausanne, and others of that vicinity.

At Geneva I was informed by M. L'Huilier that a new sect of Baptists has sprung up in Vevey and the neighbourhood of the lake, whose leading tenet is, that, in addition to any previous baptism, believers are to be baptized for perfect sanctification, and that this blessing really accompanies the rite! Would that it were true! Surely we should all, without exception, be rebaptized.

I have only to add, in connexion with this part of Switzerland, that a constant intercourse is maintained among the evangelical churches by means of epistolary correspondence. Each pastor addresses a letter monthly to the secretary of the Evangelical Society, who makes those extracts respecting the state of religion which he thinks most edifying and useful; and in return sends to each pastor a lithographed circular once in three months. This quarterly letter is read with much interest, and it promotes greatly the common sympathy and zeal of the churches. Indeed, they are acting, it must be confessed, with great energy, and are making great inroads on the bad cause of infidelity and superstition.

In proceeding from Vevey, it was my intention to make some arrangements at Berne, where, through the kindness of Dr. Malan, I had an introduction to M. Schaffter, pasteur, and M. de Tavel de Rovéréa. But I was, from circumstances, very reluctantly compelled to pass through Berne without any other stay than for necessary refreshment, and proceed to Basle. Dr. Malan had furnished me with an introduction here to M. Blumhardt, inspector of the Missionary Institution; but, on calling, I found that he had, early on that day, left home, it being the first day of their summer vacation. I was, however, received in a most friendly and hospitable manner by his assistant, M. Ruchelen, who entered very cordially into our views. With him I left the Declaration and Addresses, which he undertook to circulate, and also to procure the insertion of an article which I drew up for that purpose, on the objects and proceedings of our Union, in a local religious journal. The anniversaries of the Bible, Missionary, Jews, Education, and Tract Societies, take place at Basle, about the middle of June. That is, therefore, the period when it would be practicable to hold some fellowship with our fellow-christians of this region. The Confession of Basle, which is their standard, differs but little from the Confession of Augsburg; and, as far as I could gather, many would be happy to reciprocate our friendly communications. Had I been so happy as to see Professor Blumhardt, I believe that I should have been able to make some more definite arrangement; but I doubt not that he would, from his known christian urbanity, be ready to receive any written commuication on the subject of the Union.

Leaving this ancient and renowned place, I proceeded on my journey to Strasbourg, where I was so happy as to have an introduction from Dr. Malan to M. Major, pastor of a separate Lutheran congregation. This christian brother entertained me hospitably, and I had the pleasure of spending a Sabbath with him. His service is in the German language, which prevails here more than the French. He invited me to preach to his people in English, and he interpreted into German. M. Major was formerly a missionary in the Ionian Islands, and is now a most able and devoted minister, acting on his own conscientious views of the kingdom of our Lord, wherein I was exceedingly gratified to find that our views almost entirely harmonized. My friend-for so I am, by his great kindness, entitled to call him-coincided cordially with the object of the Congregational Union, and engaged to promote it in his vicinity as far as practicable. I am not without hope that we shall have the pleasure of seeing M. Major at our next assembly in May, 1837. This he himself much wishes; and, if it can be accomplished, I have a presentiment that much good would arise from his visit amongst us. He is a person capable of informing us extensively respecting the state of religion in Germany; and he has the advantage of speaking English fluently At all events, he has engaged to transmit in writing some statistical accounts, in which we shall be much interested.

The situation of M. Major at Strasbourg is very peculiar; and, from the stand which he has made for the truth and purity of Christ's church, I consider that he has a particular claim on our sympathy and esteem. He has been long an object of envy, jealousy, and, if actions speak, of hatred, by those have not "the love

of the truth." But, supported from above, he perseveres, and his labours are blessed to the salvation of many. Children and youth engage much of his attention, and he has under his roof a missionary seminary preparatory to the college and the theological institution. This active zeal is the cause of the opposition which he experiences from almost all the other clergy of Strasbourg. M. Härter an evangelical and most pious minister of Strasbourg, is the only exception. These two excellent men, to a certain extent, co-operate in good works. M. Härter is the most popular preacher in the city. I had the pleasure of hearing him in the Temple Neuf, which was crowded, and which will seat upwards of two thousand persons. Indeed, I stood through the whole service, as every seat was occupied. This is not the case when the other pastors preach: but this is easily accounted for, as I understand they preach "another gospel," such as the gos pel of geography, astronomy, political economy, and not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet they are all " Calvinist Reformed!" This inconsistency between profession and practice is beginning to create dissatisfaction, and the same question is raised on the continent respecting orthodox endowments held by heterodox ministers, which has lately been determined in Lady Hewley's case. People are beginning to quote this decision as a precedent for the churches of the continent to act upon and if acted upon there, it is easy to foresee that great changes must take place in favour of truth and piety.

I had the privilege of being introduced by M. Major to the acquaintance of M. Härter, whom I found to be "an Israelite indeed." I was charmed with his simplicity and affection, and longed that my brethren could witness such a living model of the primitive age of the church. M. Härter received the declaration and addresses with much good will, and expressed his most cordial concurrence in the main objects of the Union, together with his kind wishes and regards to our churches and pastors.

During my stay at Strasbourg I visited, in company with M. Major, the professor of Canon Law in the University, M. Ehrman, an aged person, but retaining all the vivacity of youth. He is a firm friend to M. Major, and has afforded him essential aid when exposed to malignant persecution. He is an humble Christian, and was led to believe in Jesus for salvation by a conviction, on studying Kant's Transcendentalism, that without revelation we must be entirely ignorant of the invisible world. It were to be wished that such convictions more generally followed from the perusal of German philosophy: but I am inclined to think, from information, that false science is giving way in Germany, and that both physics and metaphysics will assume a form more in harmony with nature, and more in accordance with revelation. Psychology is beginning a new course; and when this science is better understood, sceptical theories will fall to the ground. Every event points to the final triumph of the word of God!

Having made arrangements at Paris, Lyons, Geneva, and Strasbourg, my next object was to reach Düsseldorf, that I might visit Mr. Theodore Fliedner, pastor at Kaiserswert, a village about four miles from that town. This I was enabled to accomplish. The committee will recollect that this esteemed brother was present at one of the early assemblies of the Union, and expressed a lively interest in its prosperity. He is a person of extensive information, and of considerable influence in his connexions. He is very desirous of maintaining correspondence with us, and received our Declaration, &c. with much interest, promising to make known our views and objects among his brethren in Prussia. He says there are about 600 congregations in his connexion which firmly maintain the right of choosing and supporting their own pastors, and of conducting their own affairs. The king, however, retains the power of a veto on the appointment of the pastor. His aim is uniformity; but this he is unable to accomplish among either Protestants or Catholics.

There is a conference of pious ministers held at Stuttgart on the first Wednesday of October and May. The Chairman is the Rev. Mr. Dann, and the Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Kapf, of Kornthal, near Stuttgart, who can correspond in English. It would be desirable, I think, to communicate with him.

A monthly publication circulates extensively in this country, intituled, “ Evan