164 CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES. [CHAP. XTI. 



selves into a church, and settling a minister. But first they 

 have to agree upon some creed or covenant which is to be the 

 basis of their union. In drawing up this creed they are usually 

 assisted by some neighboring minister, and it is then submitted 

 for approbation to a meeting of all the church members, and 

 is thoroughly discussed and altered till it suits the peculiar and 

 prevailing shades of opinion of the assembly. When at length 

 it is assented to, it is submitted to a council of neighboring 

 ministers, who examine into its scriptural basis, and who, accord 

 ing as they approve or disapprove of it, give or withhold &quot; the 

 hand of fellowship.&quot; 



The next step is to elect a pastor. After hearing several 

 candidates preach, they invite one to remain with them ; and, 

 after he has been ordained by the neighboring ministers, agree 

 on the salary to be insured to him, for the collection of which 

 certain members become responsible. It rarely exceeds 700 

 dollars, and more usually amounts in rural districts to 500 dol 

 lars, or 100 guineas annually. 



By the Congregationalists, a church is defined to be a com 

 pany of pious persons, who voluntarily unite together for the 

 worship of God. Each company being self-created, is entirely 

 independent of every other, has the power to elect its own offi 

 cers, and to admit or exclude members. Each professes to regard 

 creeds and confessions of faith simply as convenient guides in the 

 examination of candidates, not standards of religious truth. They 

 may be the opinions of good and wise men, venerable by their 

 antiquity, but of no binding authority, and are to be measured 

 in each separate church by their conformity with Scripture. As 

 to the union of different churches, it is pure]y voluntary, and has 

 been compared to a congress of sovereign states, having certain 

 general interests in common, but entirely independent of each 

 other. There are no articles of union ; but if any old or new 

 society is thought to depart so widely from the other churches 

 that they can no longer be recognized as Christians, the rest 

 withhold or withdraw their fellowship. 



Upon the whole, the separate congregational churches, both 

 in Old and New England, in all above 3000 in number, have 



