cese, the number of which amounted in Little Poland to seven, and in Lithuania to six. The duties of the lay-elder were these: he was to accompany the bishop or Ecclesiastical Senior* in his visitations, to superintend the temporal concerns of the congregations, and at the provincial Synods, which were held annually, to hear complaints and adjust differences.

This union of the congregations belonging to the Reformed, and the Brethren's Church in little Poland, displeased the Lutheran congregations in great Poland. The superintendent of the latter, therefore, Erasmus Gliezner, invited George Israel, the senior of the Brethren's church, to attend a Synod assembled at Posen, in 1567. At this meeting the Lutheran superintendent insisted that the Brethren should set aside their own confession of faith, and in every point adopt the Augsburg confession. As they could not come to an amicable agreement, the question was referred to the theological faculty in Wittemberg, who decided in favor of the Brethren. At two subsequent Synods, the subject was again discussed by the Brethren and the Lutherans. These discussions paved the way for the celebrated Synod at Sendomir.

This assembly met in the month of April 1570, and was very numerously attended. Besides deputies from the Reformed Lutheran and Brethren's churches in Poland, there were present many of the Polish nobility, who elected Sborowsky, Woywod of Sendomir, president. The principal persons on behalf of the three Protestant communities were Johannes Laurentius, Senior of the Brethren's Church, Erasmus Gliezner, Superintendent of the Lutherans, and Paul Gilovius, Senior of the Reformed congregations.

After many fruitless attempts to agree to a new confession of faith, to be received by all the Protestants in Poland, the Synod at length came to an unanimous resolution, that each party should retain its own confession of faith and ecclesiastical discipline, without thereby dissolving the general bond of brotherly

* From this time the Brethren's Bishops in Poland styled themselves Seniors to avoid giving offence either to the Reformed (Calvinists) or the Roman Catholics. They however retained the title of Bishop in their correspondence with episcopal churches among Protestants.

love and Christian union between their respective churches, as there existed no difference of opinion among them on any fundamental doctrine of religion. This was followed by another resolution, in which it was declared, that they would acknowledge the orthodoxy of the respective confessions, terminate their former dissensions, and avoid all controversies; on the contrary, they would cultivate brotherly love, mutually assist each other in the performance of divine service, conforming to the customary ritual of the church in which they were called to officiate, and send deputies to the general Synods of each distinct community.

The different subjects, embraced in these resolutions, were afterwards embodied in a public document which was called Consensus Sendomiriensis, (i. e. the Agreement of Sendomir.) This document was unanimously received and subscribed by all the members of the Synod, who gave each other the right hand as a pledge, that they would faithfully and sacredly observe the articles of agreement, maintain brotherly love and peace, avoid every occasion for discord, and mutually promote the extension of Christ's kingdom. The conclusion was made with prayer and singing the Te Deum.

When this agreement was made known to the people, such was the feeling of solemn joy, that many burst into loud weeping, and praised God for it. A Lutheran Minister preached in a church belonging to the Brethren, conforming to their ritual, and one of their ministers did the same in a Lutheran church.

A copy of the agreement was afterwards sent to the university of Heidelberg, requesting their opinion, whether it were expedient to compile for the Protestants in Poland, a general confession of faith, or system of divinity. The reply sent by the university was to this effect, that the Consensus Sendomiriensis was quite sufficient. Copies of it were now also forwarded to the electors of Brandenburg, the Palatinate, and Saxony, who highly approved it, expressing a wish, that the rest of the Protestants would imitate the example of their brethren in Poland.

At subsequent Synods this agreement was confirmed, some

clauses, or canons, being added for the purpose of preserving peace, maintaining discipline and concerting measures for establishing schools, which should be open to children of all the three confessions. These Synods were punctually attended, not only by all the clergy, but also by the lay-elders of the three churches, and the deliberations were for some time conducted with candour, and in the spirit of love. But this unanimity was interrupted at the Synod held at Posen in 1582, in consequence of the turbulence of some of its members, who were dissatisfied with the Sendomirian Agreement. John Enoch, a minister of the Brethren's Church, and Paul Gerike, Lutheran minister at Posen, became the leaders of the opposing parties.

In the hope of allaying the ferment, which agitated all parties, another general Synod, was, in 1595, convened at Thorn. This assembly was more numerously attended than any preceding one by ministers and delegates from the three Protestant denominations. Besides them there were present eleven deputies from the most illustrious Polish and Lithuanian princes, and the reigning family of the house of Reuss, who adhered to the Greek church. The results of this Synod, however, did not correspond with the hopes of the friends of union. The Lutheran party would listen to no accommodation; and by degrees broke off all connection with the other two churches. The union between the Reformed, and the Brethren, on the contrary, was more firmly cemented, so that in a few years these two denominations formed but one church in Poland.

At this distance of time it is difficult to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion how far the transactions in Poland, were beneficial, or injurious, to the Church of the Brethren It is certainly the undeniable duty of all, who call themselves the disciples of Jesus, to cultivate to the utmost of their power, the spirit of love, and avoid every thing, which would needlessly break the bond of union. But union may be too dearly bought. And that this was the case here, seems to have been the opinion of Amos Comenius* who after relating the transactions of the

* He was the last bishop of the ancient Brethren's church.

Synod of Xians, in 1560, expresses his disapprobation in rather strong terms. According to his judgment carnal and political wisdom bore the sway. The union did probably not materially benefit either party. The injury sustained arose, not from a discordance in doctrine, for in this there existed no essential difference; but in blending the two constitutions in such a manner, that while the one church gained little, the other was eventually a loser.

Calvin and his coadjutors, like the German Reformers, aimed at the introduction of an ecclesiastical constitution, adapted to a whole kingdom or state; while the Brethren, in framing their church government and discipline, acted on principles, which in their judgment, accorded with Scripture, without wishing to enrol among the members of their brotherly union whole provinces and nations. The discipline which suited, and was even necessary, to the well-being of their community, was ill adapted to a national religious establishment. The consequences, therefore, were exactly what might have been foreseen; for a discipline, which aims not only at external order and decorum in religion, but at the renovation of the heart, can never be beneficially applied to a community, of which the majority are merely nominal Christians. By such it will ever be felt as a burden, and speedily degenerate into useless form. Such was the case in Poland; and as human institutions are ever liable to degenerate, the Brethren's Church, though it gained in numbers and respectability by its union with the Reformed, lost in internal purity and devotedness to God.

CHAP. III.

TRANSACTIONS IN BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA, EXTINCTION of religious LIBERTY IN THESE KINGDOMS. FROM THE YEAR 1564 TO 1624.

SECTION I.

The Brethren's Church enjoys rest-They undertake and finish a new translation of the Bible—Agree with the other Protestants in a Confession of faith-Establish Academies and Colleges—Are admitted to the privileges of the Protestant Consistory-Increase in number but decline in piety-New persecutions—They and all other Protestants are totally deprived of religious liberty.—

THE latter part of the preceding chapter being chiefly occupied in describing the circumstances of the Brethren's Church in Poland, we now resume the history of the Moravian branch, which leads us a few years back.

Soon after the accession of Maximilian II. to the imperial throne of Germany, the edicts against the Brethren, issued by his predecessor, were rescinded, and in 1564 their churches were restored to them, and re-opened for public worship, having been closed for nearly twenty years. The immediate effect of this was, that many members of their Church, who, during the persecution, had expatriated themselves, returned to their native country, to participate with their brethren, who had lived in privacy and concealment, in the enjoyment of religious liberty.