Liberal Thought in America 133 



by motives of public policy. It was a yet further 

 step downward from the coercive power of a sov 

 ereign to that of a synod, and thence again to that 

 of a congregation. So striking is the progress 

 that one who knew nothing of history might easily 

 mistake the theory of Independency as providing 

 practically for something like complete toleration. 

 History tells us that this was far from being the 

 case. Heresy, or dissent from the commonly ac 

 cepted orthodoxy, has been no more tolerated in 

 Independent churches than elsewhere ; and even 

 in the absence of serious differences in dogma, per 

 secution has been visited upon divergences from 

 the customary ritual, as for example in the treat 

 ment long accorded to Baptists. In their militant 

 days, neither Presbyterianism nor Independency 

 ever professed to be tolerant. The gravest re 

 proach they could imagine was to be charged with 

 encouraging free thinking. The eminent Scottish 

 divine Rutherford gave expression to the prevail 

 ing sentiment when he declared, &quot; We regard tolera 

 tion of all religions as not far removed from blas 

 phemy.&quot; Nevertheless, the movement which gave 

 rise to Presbyterianism and to Independency was 

 sure to advance to the announcement of the princi 

 ple of universal toleration. That movement was 

 itself the expression of a vast amount of free think- 



