"Progression, though slow, being uniform, the reign of George the Second might not disadvantageously be compared for the real happiness of the community with that more brilliant, but uncertain and oscillatory condition which has ensued (Hallam, Const. History, ii, 464). This is the aspect which that period of history wears to the political philosopher. The historian of moral and religious progress on the other hand, is under the necessity of depicting the same period as one of decay of religion, licentiousness of morals, public corruption, profaneness of language a day of 'rebuke and blasphemy.' Even those who look with suspicion on the contemporary complaints from the Jacobite clergy of 'decay of religion' will not hesitate to say that it was an age destitute of depth or earnestness; an age whose poetry was without romance, whose philosophy was without insight, and whose public men were without character; an age of 'light without love,' whose very merits were of the earth earthy.' In their estimate the followers of Mill and Carlyle will agree with those of Dr. Newman." "Tendencies of Religious Thought in England, 1688-1750," by the Rev. Mark Patteson, B.D., Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford. "Essays and Reviews." PREFACE. THIS volume contains an account of suits in English and Irish Courts of Equity, by which chapels and religious charities were recovered from the control of trustees not holding the Trinitarian faith of the founders; of the passing of an Act of Parliament which, by limiting the time for filing informations so far as congregational properties and endowments were concerned, rendered inoperative in other cases the rule which had been recognized in those suits; and of a secondary suit to determine the proper objects of a fund, which one of the extinct body of English Presbyterians had settled in 1704 for the benefit of Dissenters generally, and which had been previously at the disposal of Anti-Trinitarians. This litigation and legislation not only at the time deeply interested the Nonconformist bodies affected by them, but will be of importance as long as there remain in England any places of worship or religious charities not connected with the Establishment; for the decisions were, with the exception of a Scotch case, altogether sui generis, decided by the House of Lords, the first enunciation of the law on the subject; and the doings of the Parliament may furnish a guide in the attack or defence of other endowments. All property devoted to the support of religion must necessarily be in the power of Parliament, and it is well that it should not be forgotten how that power was exercised in the case of the old Presbyterian chapels. The judgments of the courts are scattered through several volumes, some of which are to be found only in public libraries, or are best reported in pamphlets or ephemeral publications not to be met with even there. Two of the suits, and those not the least important ones, did not come to a hearing; the particulars of the one have been obtained from the pleadings and evidence, but only slight ex parte notices have been obtained of the other. A full account of what took place in both Houses with reference to the Act, with copies of the chief documents relating to it, was published at the time by the party which it rendered |