286 DOTTING^ ON THE ROADSIDE, f Chap. XVII.—B.P. 
They, however, gradually adopted the ecclesiastical 
forms, discipline, and orders of the. ancient Church of‘ 
the United Brethren of Bohemia and Moravia, and as¬ 
serted their position as a distinct Protestant Church, 
in the midst of the other Eeformed Churches of the 
Continent, receiving concessions from the governments 
for the founding of their settlements. 
The Brethren, increasing in numbers and activity, 
soon sent missionaries to the heathen, and established 
colonies or settlements as centres of their work, and 
on the plan of the original seat at Herrnhut, not only 
in Germany, but also in Great Britain and North 
America. On their becoming known in Great Britain, 
an Act of Parliament was passed in their favour in 
1747, recognizing them as a Protestant Episcopal 
Church, and securing to them civil and religious pri¬ 
vileges, with special reference to their settlements and 
missionary operations in the British colonies. Prom 
that time their congregations have been established in 
different parts of the United Kingdom. 
There are the usual public services, and also private 
meetings of various kinds, for the members, both for 
the whole and for the several classes of the congrega¬ 
tion. In the morning service of the Lord’s Day a 
litany is used, in other services extempore prayer is 
practised. For baptismal, burial, and marriage ser¬ 
vices, litanies are prescribed. Congregational singing 
is a prominent feature in the worship, public and pri¬ 
vate. The Lord’s Supper is observed with a simple 
ritual, the service otherwise consisting mainly of sing- 
ing, and is preceded by a u lovefeast.” Infant baptism 
