rch is complete in itself, and
has, therefore, power to choose its own ministers and to make such
regulations as it deems to be most in accordance with the purpose of its
existence, that is, the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. A
comparatively small section of the denomination maintain that a "plurality
of elders" or pastors is required for the complete organization of every
separate church. This is the distinctive peculiarity of those churches in
Scotland and the north of England which are known as _Scotch Baptists_. The
largest church of this section, consisting of approximately 500 members,
originated in Edinburgh in 1765, before which date only one Baptist
church--that of Keiss in Caithness, formed about 1750--appears to have
existed in Scotland. The greater number of the churches are united in
association voluntarily formed, all of them determined by geographical
limits. The associations, as well as the churches not in connexion with
them, are united together in the Baptist Union of Great Britain and
Ireland, formed in 1813 by the Particular Baptists. This union, however,
exerts no authoritative action over the separate churches. One important
part of the work of the union is the collection of information in which all
the churches are interested. In 1909 there were in the United Kingdom:
Baptist churches, 3046; chapels, 4124; sittings, 1,450,352; members,
424,008; Sunday school teachers, 58,687; Sunday scholars, 578,344; local
preachers, 5615; and pastors in charge, 2078.

At the beginning of the 20th century the Baptist Union collected a
"Twentieth Century Fund" of L250,000, which has largely assisted the
formation of new churches, and gives an indication of [v.03 p.0374] the
unity and virility of the denomination. A still stronger evidence to the
same effect was given by the Religious Census taken in 1904. While this
only applied to London, its results are valuable as showing the comparative
strength of the Baptist Church. These results are to the effect that in all
respects the Baptists come second to the Anglicans in the following three
particulars:--(1) Percentage of attendances at public worship contributed
by Baptists, 10.81 (London County), 10.70 (Greater London); (2) aggregate
of attendances, 54,597; (3) number of places of worship, 443.

2. _The Continent of Europe._--During the 19th century what we have called
the modern Baptist movement made its appearance in nearly every European
country. In Roman