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MINISTRY AT WARRINGTON. [Chap. IV. 



jealously, held by Presbyterians and Unitarians to mean only 

 pew and seat holders who subscribe to the funds of the con- 

 gregation." As a majority of the committee confirmed this 

 statement, Philip convened a congregational meeting to consider 

 it. The people, though it was a very inclement night, were 

 zealous in attending, and passed resolutions rescinding the 

 act of the committee as unconstitutional, affirming the usage 

 of the society, adding two non-subscribers to the committee, 

 and thanking the chairman (Philip) for convening the meeting 

 — his right to do which had been questioned. 



There is, perhaps, no Denomination so wholly devoid of 

 church-government as the English descendants of those who, 

 at the time of the Commonwealth, had hoped to make the 

 National Church Presbyterian. In the time of persecution 

 which followed, the Scotch clung to their forms ; but their 

 brethren in England gradually abandoned theirs, and became 

 more jealous of the independence of their congregations than 

 the Independents themselves. When, after the Revolution, 

 they felt free to build meeting-houses, these were vested in 

 trustees : and the deeds were usually of the most general 

 character, " for the worship of Almighty God," etc. In some 

 cases the trustees had exclusive powers. At Warrington, how- 

 ever, the property was made over to Dr. Charles Owen and 

 other trustees, "to the intent that the said Charles Owen may 

 hold the same during the full term of his natural life, if he shall 

 so long continue the preaching minister to the congregation of 

 Presbyterian Dissenters ; " and, in case of a vacancy, it shall be 

 lawful for the " trustees and the rest of the members of the 

 congregation that shall frequent the said chapel for religious 

 worship, or the major part of them, at all times hereafter to 

 elect such a Presbyterian minister." It has been held that 

 English Presbyterian ministers (as in this case) had a freehold 

 for life, for which they were entitled to a vote for the county ; 

 and sometimes they have refused to retire, whatever the wish 

 of trustees or hearers ! It is now usual, when an invitation is 

 sent to a minister, to make the connexion dependent on mutual 

 consent It is generally thought undesirable that the minister 



