During the rebellion in Scotland, the Brethren were exposed to much trouble, as some of them had scruples against taking an oath. They were accused of being Nonjurors, and of refusing to take the oath of allegiance. To disprove this charge, they followed the example of other corporate bodies, and, in 1744, presented a loyal address to the King, which was graciously received. Nevertheless, a rumour was spread by some ignorant or designing person, that the Brethren were secretly Papists, and attached to the Pretender, and that they concerted measures, at their meetings, for setting him on the throne. It was even asserted, that arms and ammunition were stored in their chapels, and that the Pretender was concealed among them. The populace, ever ready to suspect foreigners, threatened to demolish their chapels and school-houses; but by the timely interference of the magistrates and a strict search of their houses, the fury of the mob was appeased, and all further apprehensions were removed. In Yorkshire, however, some of the ministers were imprisoned, in order to compel them to military service. A forged letter, written in cyphers, by some malicious persons, intent on preventing the building of Fulnek, was dropped near the place, and carried to a magistrate. His duty obliged him to cause a strict search to be made in the houses of the settlement, in order to satisfy the evil disposed. The innocence of the Brethren was indeed established; yet tranquillity was not fully restored till after the total defeat of the rebels.

The success, with which it pleased the Lord to crown the labors of the Brethren in Great Britain and her American colonies, convinced them of the necessity of obtaining a public recognition of the claims of their Church to the free exercise of their own ecclesiastical constitution, as this alone could insure permanency to their establishment in his Majesty's dominions, both at home and abroad. For this purpose they, in 1747, petitioned the British Parliament for an Act in their favor. The petition was presented and strongly supported by General Oglethorpe and other members. A bill was framed, allowing certain privileges to the Brethren, which passed both houses, was formed into an Act, and received the royal assent.

But,

as the benefit of this Act was chiefly, if not exclusively, limited to the Colonies in America, the Brethren still met with various impediments to their labors in England. This determined them to present another petition to Parliament, soliciting a strict examination of the doctrine and constitution of their Church, in order to obtain a full confirmation of their religious and civil rights, and a legal sanction and authority for their future undertakings in the British dominions.

On the 20th of February, 1749, the petition was presented to the House of Commons by four deputies from the Brethren's Church. The motion for receiving the petition was supported by Lieutenant-general Oglethorpe, who delivered an extensive speech detailing the origin of the Brethren's Church, its constitution and the leading events in its history, strongly urging their claims on the attention of the House. Being seconded in due form, the motion was opposed by a very eminent and active member, who, in a vehement speech, protested against receiving the petition. He was confuted by five of the most respectable members, in so many successive speeches, who recommended the reception of the petition, and the examination of the points mentioned in it. The petition was accordingly received, and referred to a Committee of forty-seven members, including the opponent. The Committee was opened on the 6th of March, and continued sitting on the 10th and 11th; other members of the House being occasionally present. The Committee having made their report, the petition was twice read in the House, and leave given to bring in a bill; which was prepared and brought in accordingly, on the 28th of March. It then went through the usual forms, and, having received several amendments, was passed, nemine contradicente, on the 18th of April.

More opposition was expected in the House of Lords, especially from the bishops, because one article of the bill stated,

The deputies were Abraham baron von Gersdorf, formerly privy counsellor of war to the king of Poland and eleetor of Saxony; Lewis Schrauttenbach, baron of Lindheim, &c.; David Nitschmann, a bishop of the Brethren's Church; and Charles Schachman, lord of Hennersdorf, &c. Mr. Henry Cossart was appointed Agent.

that the Brethren were an episcopal Church. But it was soon found, that at a meeting at the Archbishop's, after reading the bill, they had agreed not to oppose the Brethren. The old venerable bishop of London, Dr. Sherlock, at first entertained a different opinion; but after reading the Report of the Committee, and having had an interview with count Zinzendorf, he withdrew his opposition, and remained ever after a firm friend of the Brethren.

April 21st the bill was carried by sixteen members of the House of Commons to the Lords, accepted with the usual solemnity by the Lord Chancellor Hardwick, and laid upon the table. Having been read a first and second time, it was referred for examination to a Committee of the whole House, which was held on the 7th of May. The Lord Chancellor, who spoke first, raised important objections to some parts of the bill. He was ably answered by the earl of Grenville, president of the privy council. The same side was taken by the earls of Halifax and Sandys, the duke of Argyle, lord Bathurst, and the earl of Bath, and lastly by the bishop of Worcester, who bestowed high encomiums on the Brethren's Church. The duke of Newcastle, secretary of state, was at first against it; but withdrew his opposition, and moved, that some expressions, which were liable to misconstruction, should be altered, and the final discussion postponed till the 12th of May. On that day, which for more reasons than one, had been rendered memorable in the annals of the Brethren's Church, the bill with the amendments was read a third time. After a speech by the earl of Halifax, and ono by the bishop of Worcester, in which he declared the approbation of the whole episcopal bench, the question was put, and the bill passed in the House of Lords also nem. con. On the 6th of June it received the royal assent; and thus was incorporated as a public Act of the legislature of Great Britain.

The privileges secured to the Brethren by the Act were:

1. The Unitas Fratrum was acknowledged to be "an ancient Protestant episcopal Church, which had been counte nanced and relieved by the kings of England, his Majesty's predecessors." "Their doctrine to differ in no essential ar

ticle of faith from that of the Church of England, as set forth in the Thirty-Nine Articles." And consequently the free and full exercise of their own ecclesiastical constitution was guaranteed.

2. A simple affirmation in the name of Almighty God was allowed to those members of their Church, who had conscientious scruples against the form of an oath.

3. A dispensation from serving as jurymen in criminal cases, was granted them.

4. They were exempted, under certain conditions, from actual military service, in the North American colonies.

In order to guard against the abuse of this act, it was stipulated:

1. That the Advocate or Secretary of their Church in England, shall treat with government, whenever required, respecting the affairs of their Church, and from time to time notify the names and residences of their bishops.

2. That any person, claiming the benefit of the Act, must be furnished with a certificate that he is a member of the Brethren's Church, by one of its bishops or ministers.

These negociations, besides procuring for the Brethren the desired legal authority for their labors in Great Britain and its dependencies, were attended with other important consequences. Many absurd and malicious calumnies had been propagated, the falsehood of which was detected by the strict investigation of their claims before both houses of Parliament, the deputies having been examined no less than eighteen times. The various documents laid before Parliament, in proof of the antiquity of their Church, the soundness of its doctrine, and its scriptural constitution, fully satisfied the bench of bishops; and the many testimonies from America and other foreign Protestant States, in favor of the Brethren, induced the whole British legislature, to grant their petition with a degree of unanimity and good will not often equalled. The speeches, delivered on this occasion in both houses, served to diffuse more correct knowledge of their Church throughout the land, to remove misconceptions, lessen the feeling of animosity which still existed here and there, and "awaken in persons of

all classes esteem and affection for them, as a people sound in the faith, peaceable in their deportment, and willing to use all their energies for the good of their fellow men.

SECTION V.

Labors of the Brethren in IRELAND-JOHN CENNICK joins their Church and comes to DUBLIN-He preaches with great acceptance in the city, and, in conjunction with Mr. B. LA TROBE, collects a Society, which is subsequently formed into a Congregation-He visits the NORTH OF IRELAND, and is assisted in his labors by other Brethren-Societies and Congregations are formed in several Counties-General Remarks on the Work in IRELAND-J. CENNICK visits LONDON, where he dies-Sketch of his character.

THE first instrument, whom God was pleased to employ for, conveying a knowledge of the Brethren to Ireland, was John Cennick, whose grandfather had been a Bohemian refugee. At an early age he had become a member of Mr. Wesley's society, and was for a short time employed as master of a school, established by him at Kingswood for the colliers' children. While in this employ he began to expound the Scriptures to the children and their parents. He soon became a very acceptable preacher, being attended by great numbers, and the Lord blessed his word in the conversion of several persons. A difference on some points of doctrine having arisen between him and Mr. Wesley, Cennick was dismissed from the school; and soon after joined himself to Mr. Whitfield, who had just returned from North America, and built a large chapel in London, which he called the Tabernacle. Here he preached to vast crowds, who were daily increasing. And as the difference between him and Mr. Wesley, originating in a diversity of opinion on free will and election, was daily widening, and reconciliation became more and more improbable, a complete separation ensued. Those persons, who adopted Whitfield's principles met at the Tabernacle. In Cennick, whose popularity as a preacher was daily increasing, he found a very useful assistant in his labors. These were not confined