SDemocracE anb IReligion.

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into which men are born without being asked. Itopened the way to free citizenship from blind sub-jection.

In contrast to the traditional church as aninstitution, the church of the sectarians is a congre-gation of regenerated, a so-called "believers' church,"founded by a covenant with God and its members onewith another. The outcome is equality of all mem-bers, putting also the sexes on an equal footing,and leading to the liberty of women to preach andprophesy, and to the election and the replacementof the preacher by the decision of the congregation.He has no longer the authority of a priest, but asemployee he is under the censure of his employers." One is Lord, even Christ, and all ye are brethren."The congregation maintains the character of aunion of the re-born by the penalty of expulsion,which the church may pronounce. Every suchchurch or congregation, large or small, is indepen-dent in its external relations, and merely in alliancewith similar or kindred congregations without anycentral authority or hierarchical organisation.This is the religious parent soil from which moderndemocracy descends.

The contemporaries were fully aware of therevolutionary tendency which was embodied inthe covenant doctrine. Robert Browne in hisfamous " Book which shows the life and mannerof all true Christians," 1582, was the first inEngland to proclaim that the people constitute thechurch under the immediate leadership of Christ.The mere possession of this book was menacedwith the penalty of death !