CHAPTER XXIII.

WH

WHAT place do the writings of Congregationalists occupy in the world's literature? How large and of what character is the literature pertaining to Congregationalism, and what contributions have members of this denomination made through the printed page to the different realms of human thought? If it were possible to apportion all the products of the press to their various authors it would be found, we think, that in proportion to their numbers Congregationalists have borne a worthy part in adding to the shelves of the public and private libraries of Christendom; or if the classification were made on the basis of assigning to each denomination the literature connected with its origin, growth and extension, the share that would fall to the Congregational body would doubtless compare favorably both in size and quality with that of any of the leading branches of the church of Christ.

While it is true on the one hand that Congregationalism has created a literature, it is equally true that this literature has in turn fostered and developed Congregationalism. There has been, ever since the start, among men of our polity an impulse toward expressing their faith in an enduring form, and every creditable publication has reacted favorably upon the denominational life. There was not, to be sure, much premedi

tation in the earlier, and indeed in many of the later, contributions to Congregational literature. They were called forth by existing circumstances and their authors in most cases probably put them forth regardless of the final judgment that would be passed upon them. But having once gained the imperishability which type confers they have combined to make a literature large, varied and important.

From the nature of our polity it was to be expected that pamphlets and books would be needed to bring home to the minds of men an understanding of it. Congregationalism in the latter half of the sixteenth century was a new thing in the world. It needed to be explained and defended. Its scriptural basis must be set forth. Indeed before it came to have any standing place in the world it was obliged, as all reforms are, to justify its own existence. How effectual in this direction were the half dozen Martin Mar-prelate tracts, put forth as early as 1589, has been shown elsewhere in this book. Thirty years before these cutting pamphlets were issued a French writer, Morelli, had expounded the Congregational way as he saw it, and though his books were burned it was impossible to reduce to ashes their influence. Robert Browne, in his turn, from his retreat in Zealand, aided by his friend Harrison, set forth the principles of Congregationalism in perhaps six or eight publications, three of which are now accessible. Greenwood and Barrowe, too, were writers, and perhaps a dozen works are to be credited to them. The scholarly Henry Ainsworth also produced a score or more of publications, not all of them, however, treatises on polity, for he was a student of the Bible and wrote expositions of the sacred text.

As Congregationalism developed, as its adherents multiplied, as the field of its operations enlarged, as new conditions arose, it is obvious that there would be abundant reason for increasing the number of books and pamphlets. There were in every generation wise men who endeavored to explain and vindicate the principles of Congregationalism and apply them to specific cases. Thus it has come about that we have a wealth of strictly technical literature bearing upon the Congregational polity, in which precedents are cited, decisions made, platforms laid down, opponents challenged and confuted. In this glorious galaxy of Congregational defenders shine such illustrious names as John Goodwin, John Owen, John Robinson, Thomas Hooker, Ralph Wardlaw, John Locke, Robert Vaughan; and passing to America, John Cotton, John Davenport, the Mathers, Enoch Pond, Leonard Bacon, A. Hastings Ross, William W. Patton, Joseph E. Roy, Henry M. Dexter, Samuel N. Jackson, Alonzo H. Quint, not to speak of scores of others hardly less worthy of mention, whose researches in particular provinces of investigation have contributed to a better understanding of the faith and polity in which we glory.

But it is not contributions respecting our polity which alone make up the vast library of which we are speaking. Theology has been a mighty factor in swelling the stream of literature. The conflicts of the earlier and later theologians of the denomination have given rise to numerous publications, many of which now sleep their last sleep in the dusty oblivion of unfrequented alcoves, but which in their day were carefully read and which are valuable to us as landmarks

and monuments of a past out of which we never can fail to gain instruction. Our early New England history abounds in such literature. It used to be the custom for ministers, in the days before reviews and newspapers, to issue their discourses and their treatises on their own responsibility and at their own charges. Even after periodicals began to multiply there was still room for controversial pamphlets. The rise of Unitarianism stimulated the production of such writings. One minister would put forth a brochure and another would reply. This Reply would be met by an Answer, but not to be outwitted the doughty antagonist would respond with "Remarks on Dr. 's Answer." The annual sermon preached before the Massachusetts Convention of Ministers usually found its way into print and was one of the important documents of the year. Meanwhile another influence was at work increasing the supply of literature. Nearly one hundred and fifty years ago Jonathan Edwards, narrating his remarkable religious experience, wrote: "I used to be eager to read public news-letters, mainly for that end, to see if I could not find some news favorable to the interests of religion in the world." This desire for intelligence in regard to the spread of Christ's kingdom at home and abroad led to an increasing use of the printing press for the purpose of disseminating such information. So we find occasional publications devoted chiefly to news, and harbingers of the modern newspaper. Such was the Christian History, pub-' lished as early as 1743 by Thomas Prince, son of the pastor of the Old South Church in Boston, appearing weekly for a period of two years. Over a century before that date, in 1639, the first printing office in

America had been established in the city of Cambridge, and its first three publications were the "The Freeman's Oath," "Pierce's Almanac," and the celebrated Bay Psalm Book," which went through seventy editions in Boston, London and Edinburgh. There were

LIBRARY, DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, HANOVER, N. H. (page 365).

also occasional English reprints, Baxter and Bunyan being the chief favorites, but it was not until the dawn of the nineteenth century that the magazine and newspaper era in American literature can be said fairly to have begun. It is interesting to see that this forward. step was due to the combined working of the three forces of which we have spoken. The ecclesiastical, the theological and the missionary impulse each sought expression and each was discernible in the contents of the publications which date from the first