relationships have been happily set up, while the Unitarians remain
undisputed heirs of the old Parish Churches. It should be carefully
noted, however, that in 1833 the communal support of religion was
abolished, and all religious bodies in the United States have been
dependent since then upon private resources.

In England the orthodox opponents of Unitarianism tried to oust the
heterodox congregations of the old Meeting Houses. A suit for possession
of endowment funds which was finally decided against the Unitarians of
Wolverhampton 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.