FETTER-LANE.--Moravian. conferences. The synods, which are generally held once in seven years, are called together by the elders who in the former synod were appointed to superintend the whole unity. The members consist of the bishop, lay-elders, and ministers who have the general care, or inspection, of several congregations in one province; together with deputies sent by each congregation, and such ministers, or missionaries, as are particularly called to attend. At their first sitting they choose a president, and the votes of all the members are equal. In questions of importance, of which the consequences cannot be foreseen, majorities are disregarded, and recourse is had to lot, which they esteem a scriptural method. Besides this general synod, there is another conference of elders belonging to each congregation, which directs its affairs, and to which the bishops, and all other ministers, as well as the lay-members of the congregation, are subject. Their frame of ecclesiastical government consists of bishops, whose peculiar province it is to ordain; presbyters, who in other respects are equal to the bishops, and preside over congrega tions; deacons, who assist the presbyters; deaconesses, who are retained for the purposes of administering privately to their own sex; and lay-elders, who watch over their constitution and discipline, and attend to the temporal concerns of the community. Formerly the Moravians held all their property in common, in imitation of the primitive Christians; and they still have œconomies, or large houses, where they live together in community; the single men, and single women, widows, and widowers apart, each under the superintendence of elderly persons of their own class. In these houses, every person who is able, and has not an independent support, labours in his own occupation, and contributes a stipulated sum for his maintenance. Their children are educated with peculiar care. In marriage they may only form a connexion with those of their own communion; and as all intercourse between the sexes is carefully avoided, so VOL. III. 31 FETTER-LANE.. -Independent. the marriage union is determined by lot. They do not consider a literary course of education as at all necessary to the ministry, provided there be a thorough knowledge of the word of God, a solid Christian experience, and a well regu lated zeal for God. They consider the church of Christ as not confined to any particular party, and themselves, though united in one body, or visible church, as spiritually joined in the bond of Christian love to all who are taught of God, and belong to the universal church of Christ, how much soever they may differ in forms, which they deem nonessentials. But the most distinguishing feature of the United Brethren is, their zealous and unremitted labour in attempt ing to convert the heathen, in which they have far outstripped every other denomination of Christians. Though, of late years, other societies have been stimulated by their example, yet in modesty, meekness, patience, and perseverance in this great work, they still remain without a rival.* FETTER-LANE. INDEPENDENT. In the former article it has been noticed that the Indepen dent congregation now meeting in Fetter-lane, formerly assembled in the meeting-house on the opposite side of the way, now occupied by the United Brethren. The origin of that place has been already traced as far as our information reaches. It now remains to give some account of the Independent church that met there at the time of the Revolution, • Adams's View of all Religions, Art, MORAVIANS. FETTER-LANE.-Independent. under the care of Mr. Stephen Lobb. This society, it is apprehended, was collected soon after the Restoration, by the famous Dr. Thomas Goodwin, who, upon his ejectment from the Presidentship of Magdalen College, removed to London, whither he was followed by many of his hearers at Oxford, whom he formed into a church, and preached to them till his death. It does not appear where his church originally assembled, or whether they met in Fetter-lane before the time of Mr. Lobb. While at that place they enjoyed the labours of several Divines who greatly distinguished themselves in their day. One of these was the famous Mr. Thomas Bradbury, in whose time the meeting-house was gutted by Sacheverell's mob. In the year 1728, a difference arose between Mr. Bradbury and his people, which occasioned a division in the society. A considerable part of the people went off with him, and united with the congregation in New-court, Carey-street, of which he was chosen pastor. This circumstance proved, for some time, a considerable discouragement to the people who remained behind in Fetterlane; but they at length overcame it, and by the labours of Mr. Tingey, who succeeded to the pastoral office, grew into a large and flourishing society. Soon after the settlement of Mr. Rawlin, his people determined to build a new meetinghouse, upon a vacant spot of ground on the opposite side of the way. They entered upon this undertaking in the summer of 1732, and the church has continued to assemble there ever since. The meeting-house is the property of the church. It is a large, substantial brick-building, of an oblong form, neatly fitted up, and till lately had but three galleries: a fourth has been added since the accession of the present minister, and the meeting-house otherwise enlarged, and the avenue to it very considerably improved. This church has always ranked amongst the most respectable of the congregational persuasion. Its ministers, who have been very numerous, have in general been men of great respectability FETTER-LANE.-Independent. for talents and piety, and supported a numerous congregation. The lecture at this place on a Thursday evening was instituted in the room of the one at Hanover-street, which was held in the morning, and broke up in the year 1767. The new lecture was preached first at Wild-street, from whence it was removed to New-court, and afterwards to Fetter-lane. It is conducted by some of the most respectable ministers of the three denominations about London. The following is, we believe, a complete list of the ministers of the Independent church in Fetter-lane, from the origin of the society, distinguishing pastors from assistants. FETTER-LANE.-Independent. THOMAS GOODWIN, D. D.-Of this eminent Divine we have spoken at large, under a former article.* To what has been there said, we have but little now to add. It may not be amiss, however, just to observe, that owing to his habits of retirement and contemplation, and the gloomy notions respecting religious decorum, which were at that time prevalent, he appears to have entertained the mistaken idea of religion's being, as Dr. Scott expresses it, "an enemy to mirth and cheerfulness, and a severe exacter of pensive looks and solemn faces." It is probable that he was the Independent minister, and head of a college, described by Addison in the "Spectator;" where the following anecdote is recorded. "A gentleman who was lately a great ornament to the learned world, (y) has diverted me more than once, with an account of the reception which he met with from a very famous Independent minister, who was head of a college in those times. This gentleman was then a young adventurer in the republic of letters, and just fitted out for the university with a good cargo of Latin and Greek. His friends were resolved that he should try his fortune at an election, which was drawing near in the college, of which the Independent minister whom I have before mentioned was governor. The youth, according to custom, waited on him in order to be examined. He was received at the door by a servant, who was one of that gloomy generation that were then in fashion. He conducted him, with great silence and seriousness, to a long gallery, which was darkened at noonday, and had only a single candle burning in it. After a short stay in this melancholy apartment, he was led into a chamber hung with black, where he entertained himself for some time, by the glimmering of a taper, until at length the head of the college came out to him, from an inner room, See PAVED-ALLEY, LIME-STREET, vol. i. p. 214, &c. (Y) The gentleman here alluded to, was Anthony Henley, Esq. who died much lamented in August, 1711. |