THE QUALITIES OF CONGREGATIONALISTS

C. Irving Benson wrote in the Herald in the 1940s:


"The Congregational principle has moulded liberty-loving [people], whose influence has been great. Those accustomed to gather as free [human beings] in the Church meeting to discuss and decide upon spiritual issues without interference or domination of prelate or outside authority are not likely to brook tyranny and despotism in the State . . .

It was such [people] as these who, as the Pilgrim Fathers ventured across the seas to found a new world, based on political and religious freedom, and who, as Independents, were the backbone of the great rebellion against the impositions, duplicities and tyranny of the Stuart dynasty. Congregationalist have no monopoly of social service, but the Puritan tradition of which they are heir has led them to stand for political freedom and for social righteousness."

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A participant stated:

Someone once said to me, “You’ve got an in-built shit-detector haven’t you. You can tell a lie as soon as someone says it.” And I think we can. I think we grew up with people whose truth was spoken and who were people of real integrity who told it like it was. And when we meet people who try to pull the wool over our eyes, I think we can pick it like a shot.

A woman Congregationalist stated:

In the UCA I feel I’m a bit of a rebel now. I think, “Can’t we just do it and forget about all the rules and regulations?”

A man who once installed a billiard table in the church vestry, agreed:

I was a bit of a rebel. I think Congregationalists tend to be rebels.

He went on:

Congregationalists have a lot of initiative. They are prepared to put their feet in the water—they are more motivated than some. I am not pious; I can’t stand structure and bullcrap. But we are people of integrity. We know when we are lied to or deceived. If Congregationalists see injustice or something not right they try to improve it. Congregationalist are great at standing up and having their say.

Throughout this project, stories appeared of independent, admirable people, who were not always easy to deal with. Here are several vignettes:

Armstrong was an old war-horse deacon. On his way to church, he’s pull a hammer out of his overcoat pocket, and walk along the dividing fence nailing up the loose palings.

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In 1956 Sir Dallas Brooks, the Governor of Victoria, attended worship for the church centenary. The cricketers took up the collection. They were told not to go to the governor in the front pew. They went there first. The aide-de-camp put an envelope into the plate. But they were chastised later by the minister.

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Question: Did you go into the Uniting Church?
Answer: Yes.
Question: How painful was the transition?
Answer:Not at all, we welcomed it, but eventually we were persecuted by the
troglodyte rule followers of the presbytery.


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After Church Union there were three churches in one parish. It worked reasonably well. Except that the Methodists would only sing Methodist hymns, the Presbyterians would only sing Presbyterian hymns, the women had virtually no say and we weren’t going to be told what to do.

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This all sounds very Congregational to me.


Next: Chapter 18. Deficiencies and Problems

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