Congregational Church
A religious body believing in the principle of selfgovernment in the local church, and the duty of churches to unite in fellowship with one another.
According to its fundamental faith any congregation of believers united by a formal covenant of mutual helpfulness, supporting divine worship, observing Christian rites, and striving to advance the kingdom of God is a Church of Christ.
Such a church is held to be competent to choose its own officers, to regulate its own discipline, and transact its own business.
The officers of the church consist of a pastor, or pastors, and deacons, the number of both being determined by its needs.
The principal instrument of church union lays in ecclesiastical councils, whose functions is to give counsel and to express fellowship, but never to issue commands.
It is in this feature that the Congregational Church in the
United States differs from that in
Great Britain.
The early home of Congregationalism was in
New England, to which it was brought by the earliest settlers.
The Pilgrims in
Plymouth and the Puritans in
Massachusetts and
Connecticut united in its adoption.
This form of church order has spread to the West and Northwest, but in the South and Southwest it is less strong.
The Congregationalists have long recognized the importance of culture and an educated ministry, and have been the founders and supporters of many schools, colleges, and theological seminaries.
In 1899 they reported 5,639 ministers, 5,620 churches, and 628,234 members.
