Page 64 - Pilgrims in Georgia

V The Presbyterian “Dissenters”

From England to

Savannah, Georgia

“The Independent Presbyterian Church was organized in 1755. The first meeting
house stood facing Market Square in Savannah, between what are now St. Julian
and Bryan Streets, on property granted by King George II for the use and benefit of
those dissenters who were professors of the doctrines of the Church of Scotland
agreeable to the Westminster Confession of Faith.”

Like the Scottish Highlanders these colonist were also adherents to the

Presbyterian branch of Protestantism as outlined in their Westminster
Confession of Faith. But unlike the Scots these colonist were
recognized by a different term, “dissenters”, whose spiritual ancestors
Independent Presbyterian Historic marker because they we in England had a different set of struggles.
Going back to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth some reformers in the Church of England began to advocate for the return of
church government to that of congregationally elected Elders or Presbyters instead of a hierarchy of offices controlled
from the top down. Presbuteros is the Greek word in the Bible meaning 'elder,' hence the description of Presbyterian for
those who believe in this church government. However, as time proceeded it included differences with the English state
church concerning its relationship to the Monarchy and control of the church, forms and patterns of prescribed worship,
the Book of Common Prayer, and others. At first those who disagreed with these elements where merely called “Non-
Conformists”, but after the English Civil War and the Act of Uniformity in 1662 was passed they were officially identified
and labeled with this term. This Act required all churchmen in England to carry out all the ceremonies and rites of the

Church Of England in worship and church life as found in their church’s constitution “The Common book of Prayer”, and
to be ordained in their church in order to practice legally. Those who would not comply were removed from their
ministries and subject to a set of strict religious test known as the Clarendon Codes for which one could be arrested. This
excluded a substantial section of English society from public office, civil service careers and benefits, including
certification of university degrees, for well more than a century and a half.” Some estimate that as many as 2500
ministers were “ejected” from the English church in what came to be known as “The Great Ejection”. In addition to
Presbyterians, this also included Congregationalists, Baptists, and other less organized groups. Finally, during the reign of
William and Mary in 1689, in The Act of Toleration, Non-Conformists, now referred to as “Dissenters” were allowed the
freedom of worship, their own places of worship and teachers, if they had taken oaths of allegiance to England and King.