began in 1817; and a strongly organized attack followed in
1825. A rich fund for ministerial support, Lady Hewley's Charity, was,
after actions carried to the highest court, declared not to be
applicable to the assistance of Unitarians. This decision, in 1842,
looked like the beginning of the end for the tenure of the Meeting
Houses themselves, the Wolverhampton case being now decided on the lines
of the Hewley judgment. But an Act of Parliament--the _Dissenters'
Chapels Act_--passed in 1844 (owing in some part to the powerful support
of Mr. W.E. Gladstone), secured the congregations in undisturbed
possession. The principle of this law applies to all places of worship
held upon 'Open,' i.e. non-doctrinal Trusts; where the congregation can
show that the present usage agrees substantially with that of the past
twenty-five years, it is not to be ejected. At the time of this
litigation the term 'English Presbyterian' came much into vogue among
Unitarians, and for some time there was a marked abatement of
propagandist zeal.

MODERN UNITARIANISM

I. THE COMMUNITIES

Having now followed the fortunes of the Unitarians up to the point where
they obtained a recognized position among religious organizations, we
need not enter into the minute details of their denominational history.
Less than seventy years have elapsed since the passing of the
Dissenters' Chapels Act, and less than a century since the judgment in
the Dedham case. The congregational increase, though substantial, has
not been great; Unitarians claim rather to have influenced the advance
of thought in other denominations than to have created one more sect. At
present their numerical strength may be estimated from the following
particulars.

In the British Isles and colonial centres there are nearly four hundred
places of worship, and a similar number of ministers; in many cases the
congregations are small, and the list of ministers includes some that
are retired and others who are regarded as 'lay-workers' only. There are
about five hundred ministers and congregations in the United States. Two
or three colleges in England and a similar number in America train
students for the ministry, but many join the ranks from other
denominations. Women are eligible as ministers, but actual instances are
rare. Local unions exist to a fairly adequate extent. In England and
America National Conferences meet at intervals; the Unitarian
Associations continuously publis