FETTER-LANE.-Moravian. FETTER-LANE. UNITED BRETHREN. THERE HERE are three meeting-houses in Fetter-lane, but that which first claims our attention, is the one situated between Nevil's-court and New-street, formerly occupied for many years by the Independents, but at present by the Moravians. The origin of this meeting-house may be traced to the reign of Charles II. and it was probably erected at the time that he issued forth his declaration for Indulgence, in 1672. But prior to this there existed, in the same neighbourhood, a place where the Nonconformists assembled for divine worship. As early as the fire of London, in 1666, we find mention made of a meeting-house in Fetter-lane. It consisted of four rooms, opening into each other, and is said to have had "seventeen pews, with divers benches."* This place was taken forcible possession of by the episcopal party, after they were deprived of their churches by the above calamity; and when they had made use of it as long as they thought proper, it was returned to the rightful owner. This place appears to have been situated in New-street; or, at least, there was an entrance to it from that quarter. The nonconformist minister to whom it belonged was Mr. John Turner, who was ejected from Sunbury, in Middlesex, but afterwards came to London, and was very active in preaching during the time of the great plague. Whether this meeting-house be the same as the one now under consideration seems uncertain, if they were different, it is very probable that the latter was built for Mr. Turner, in the room • Maitland's London, vol. i. p. 452. FETTER-LANE.-Moravian. of the former one. At his place the celebrated Mr. Baxter preached for some years a Friday lecture, but quitted it on the 24th of August, 1682. Mr. Henry Stubbs, an ejected minister, also preached there as assistant to Mr. Turner. Owing to some cause now unknown, perhaps to the persecution raised against the nonconformists, at the latter end of the reign of Charles II. and the commencement of the succeeding one, Mr. Turner quitted his meeting-house in Fetterlane, and afterwards had another built for him in Leatherlane, where he preached till his death. Upon the removal of Mr. Turner, the meeting-house in Fetter-lane was taken possession of by a congregation of Independents, under the care of the famous Mr. Stephen Lobb. In his time a lecture was carried on here upon a Lord's-day morning, by six London ministers. It was designed principally for servants, and commenced at five o'clock. The meeting-house in Fetter-lane was one of those singled out for destruction by Sacheverell's mob, in 1709, Mr. Bradbury being then pastor. Mr. Lobb's church continued to assemble at this place, under a succession of ministers, till the year 1732, when the present meetinghouse, on the opposite side of the way, was erected for Mr. Rawlin. At that place we shall pursue the history of this ehurch, having first dismissed the present article. Shortly after the removal of Mr. Rawlin, his old meetinghouse was taken by Mr. John Wesley, who formed his first society in that place, May 1, 1738. Peter Boehler, a disciple of Count Zinzendorf, having visited England about that time, gained many converts, and had frequent conferences with John and Charles Wesley. Many Moravians in consequence joined their society, but it soon fell into confusion. Most of the members were infected with Antinomian principles, asserting, "That believers were no more bound to obey the works of the law, than the subjects of the King of England are bound to obey the laws of the King of France." Mr. Wesley strenuously endeavoured to reclaim them from FETTER-LANE.-Moravian. their errors, but without effect, and they soon became estranged from him. At length, matters came to a crisis, and a division was unavoidable. They charged Mr. Wesley and his brother with laying too much stress upon ordinances, and to put the matter out of dispute, one of the members publicly declared, "That he had used the ordinances twenty years, yet found not Christ; but left them off only for a few weeks, and then found him;" adding, "he was now a close united to him as his arm was to his body." The last time Mr. Wesley met the society, he publicly denounced their errors to be flatly contrary to the word of God. "I have warned you hereof (says he) again and again, and brought you to turn back to the law and to the testimony. I have borne with you long, hoping you would turn. But as I find you more and more confirmed in the error of your ways, nothing now remains, but that I should give you up to God. You that are of the same judgment follow me.” Mr. Wesley then withdrew, as did eighteen or nineteen of the society, on Lord's-day, July 20, 1740. In the room of this place, Mr. Wesley engaged the Foundery, in Upper Moorfields.* After the withdrawment of Mr. Wesley, the Moravians retained quiet possession of the meeting-house in Fetter-lane, and received large additions to their numbers. In the year 1742, they received a considerable accession in the person of Mr. John Gambold, a pious Divine of the Church of England, who had been educated at Oxford, and presented by Bishop Secker, to the vicarage of Stanton-Harcourt, in that county. But being convinced, through the preaching of Boehler, he was induced to quit this preferment to join the Moravians. After this, he was for many years minister of the society in Fetter-lane, and in 1754, was consecrated a Bishop of the United Brethren. In the year 1768, he retired to his native country, Haverfordwest, in Pembroke • Mr. Wesley's Journals. FETTER-LANE.-Moravian, shire, where he died universally respected, in the year 1771. He published a variety of works, most of which were intended to illustrate the principles of the people with whom he was connected.* Mr. Gambold was succeeded by Mr. Benjamin La Trobe, a respectable minister, who was also a bishop in the same communion. He died a few years ago, and was succeeded by his son, who is the present minister. The Moravians are a set of Christians who originally inhabited Bohemia, and for a long course of years, resisted the usurpation of the church of Rome. In an address to the Church of England, in the time of Charles II. they notice their freedom for almost seven hundred years from the encroachments of the Romish see; and speak of Huss and Jerom of Prague, as their famous martyrs, by whose blood the church of Bohemia had been watered and enriched. Being exposed to persecution in their own country, they obtained permission to withdraw to a part of the King's domain, on the boundary between Silesia and Moravia, where they formed themselves into church fellowship in the year 1457. The name by which they designated themselves was Unitas Fratrum, the Unity of the Brethren; or, Fratres Unitatis, the United Brethren. At the same time, they bound themselves to a strict church discipline, resolving to suffer all things for conscience sake; and instead of defending themselves, as formerly, by force of arms, to oppose nothing but prayer and reasonable remonstrances to the rage of their enemies. From this period to the reformation they were severely persecuted, but still preserved their unity. A connexion was also formed between them and the Waldenses, who had for many centuries borne witness to the truth. They had several conferences with Luther, Calvin, and other reformers, and some attempts were made for an union. They approved of the Augsburg confession, but not agreeing • General Biog. Art. GAMBOLD. FETTER-LANE.-Moravian. in discipline, they still continued a distinct body. After various persecutions, distresses, and discouragements, during the seventeenth century, they became in a manner extinct. But about the year 1720, a remarkable awakening took place among the posterity of the Brethren in Bohemia; and as no free toleration could be obtained for them in that country, they agreed to emigrate. Upon application for that purpose, Nicholas Lewis, Count of Zinzendorf, granted them permission to settle on his estates in Upper Lusatia; and removing thither in 1722, they formed the settlement of Herrnhut. During the first few years they were nearly broken up by dissension, occasioned by some persons of the reformed religion who settled amongst them. But by the exertions of Count Zinzendorf the unity was renewed, and in 1727, rules agreed to, by which divisions might in future be avoided. Count Zinzendorf, who from the first was friendly, now became united to them, and in 1735, was chosen to be their bishop. With respect to their doctrinal sentiments, they in general agree with the Augsburg confession; and in their preaching they insist most frequently on the love of Christ, as manifested in human redemption. In their writings they have expressed themselves upon some subjects in a very unguarded manner, so as to be an offence to delicacy; and their earlier disciples in this country mixed with their piety, a large portion of enthusiasm. But this has subsided with time; and it is certain that many of the reports propagated concerning them are destitute of foundation. At present, they are a very meek, inoffensive body of Christians, and the legislature has thought fit to exempt them from some inconveniences to which other bodies of Dissenters are liable. The church of the United Brethren is episcopal, but they allow to their bishops no elevation of rank, nor pre-eminent authority; their church having from its first commencement been governed by synods, consisting of deputies from all the congregations, and by other subordinate bodies, which they call |