
audiobook
The work offers a vivid portrait of the English church in the tumultuous years surrounding the Glorious Revolution. It follows the swift shift in power after William and Mary’s arrival, tracing how the new regime reshaped ecclesiastical authority, the oath of allegiance, and the everyday life of clergy and laity alike.
Drawing on an impressive array of primary material—parliamentary bills, House of Lords journals, a rare diary from Dr. Williams’ Library, and records of missionary societies—the author reconstructs the heated debates over the 1689 Comprehension Bill, the fate of the nonjurors, and the re‑organisation of Convocation. Readers also encounter vivid sketches of religious societies, theological disputes such as the Trinitarian controversy, and the social rhythms of the clergy during this period of rapid change.
Listeners will find a balanced, meticulously researched narrative that brings the era’s political intrigue and spiritual concerns to life, while preserving the scholarly impartiality that guides the author’s interpretation.
Language
en
Duration
~14 hours (814K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United Kingdom: Hodder and Stoughton, 1874.
Credits
Emmanuel Ackerman, Karin Spence and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2022-03-28
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1807–1897
A prolific Victorian Congregational minister and church historian, he wrote widely on English religious life, from the Puritans and the Church of the Restoration to memoirs, devotional works, and historical studies. His books combine a preacher’s warmth with a historian’s eye for character, conflict, and belief.
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