Glassites

Glassites (properly Glasites), a religious body popularly so named from John Glas (1695-1773), some time parish minister at Tealing, near Dundee. In 1730, after three years of inquiry, Glas was deposed by the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland for opinions set forth in The Testimony of the King of Martyrs concerning His Kingdom (John, xviii. 36, 37), that National Church establishments are unscriptural and anti-christian in doctrine and persecuting in spirit, and that a congregation of believers in church order (i.e. with bishops or elders, and deacons) is subject to no jurisdiction under heaven. Glas and those who adhered to him formed a congregation, and other churches were formed in Scotland, England, and America. Out of Scotland the brethren were called Sandemanians, from Robert Sandeman (1718-71), son-in-law to Glas, who helped in the work, and died at Danbury in Connecticut. The doctrines professed are taken literally from Scripture. Salvation through grace and by the work finished by our Lord upon the Cross, the helplessness of sinful men to aid in their own salvation, and the necessity for works as evidences of living faith sum up their doctrine. They consider the celebration of the Lord's Supper as the chief purpose of the Sabbath assembly, all else being subordinate to this. The Lord's Prayer is used to begin and end the service, prayers in which the brethren take part in turn, praise in which the Psalms alone are used and the stated reading of the whole Scripture, from parts of the service, exhortation by the elders following. Before the ordinance the 'fellowship' is observed, this being a collection for the necessities of poor members. Bishops or elders are chosen by the marks given in 1 Tim. iii. 1-7, &c., and a plurality of elders is required for the ordinance and for acts of discipline. Deacons and deaconesses have care of the poor and of all secular affairs of the church. All services to the church are given free as from love to the truth. Love feasts are held at mid-day on Sabbath, at which all members not necessarily absent attend. The baptism of members and their children is practised. The law of discipline (Matt. xviii. 15-17) is strictly observed as a means of preserving peace and unity in the church, while eating of blood, the use of oaths as between brethren, the use of the lot for frivolous purposes, and the covetous accumulation of riches are forbidden. The kiss of charity and services of kindness are enjoined. The brethren take no part in worship with any not accepting those scriptural doctrines.