Tindale. The persecutions suffered by the reformers were inflicted by the national and not merely by the clerical leaders. Throughout the Reformation we find men who dissented from the opinion then dominant in the councils of the nation, either going too far in their Protestantism or declining for conscience' sake to follow as far as the national government had gone. In 1558, on the ascension of Elizabeth to the throne, English Protestantism took virtually its present character, and the national church in its independence was firmly established. In 1563 the 39 articles of the English Church were made the test of conformity. Since then a dissenter is any Englishman who boldly asserts that those articles are not in conformity with the Bible and, therefore, are not to be accepted. As the reading of the Bible spread, the number of those who found cause for dissent increased and came to include all classes of people. These were known by the common name of Puritan; and they found their most perfect expression in the stern yet cultured mind of the poet, Milton, and in the fervor of the “inspired tinker,” John Bunyan. It was dissenters who formed the backbone of the party that overthrew Charles I, and it was dissenters who established the colonies of New England and Pennsylvania. The extreme spirit of dissent is found in the Quakers. The Independents (Congregationalists), who included Cromwell, Milton and most of the great Puritans, upheld freedom of belief. The Presbyterians desired a national church and general conformity, but to the opinions which they held and not to those current in the Church of England.
The Independents have developed both into what are now the Baptist churches and into the Congregationalists. In 1730 the Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Baptists united for the protection of their civil and religious liberties, under the name of the Three Denominations. In 1739 John Wesley inaugurated the movement which rescued millions in England from the drunkenness and debauchery that were then sweeping the country, bringing them to the fold of the Christian church through the gates of Methodism. For the Church of England was then closed to all missionary zeal; and John Wesley was compelled to organize a separate church. Methodism not only added immense numbers to the ranks of dissenters, but it gave them renewed spirit. The Methodists are now the most numerous of English dissenters. They have been a powerful factor in giving England Sunday-schools and common schools.
The dissenters aided greatly in the expulsion of the Stuarts and in the establishing of a Protestant and constitutional monarchy under William III and his successors. Since the Church of England still possesses certain peculiar privileges, such as sending its bishops to the House of Lords, the dissenters are determined to secure the disestablishment of that church and the placing of all religions on an equality before the law.
Distilla′tion, a process by which substances which are made into vapor at different degrees of heat are separated from each other, or those which can be made into vapor are separated from those which cannot. The usual method of distillation is by means of a covered boiler connected by a tube with a condenser. Suppose that it is wanted to separate two substances from each other, it being possible to heat one into vapor but not the other. The substance being put into the boiler and heated, that part which can be vaporized rises and passes through the tube at the top into the condenser, which is a box kept cool. The coolness of the condenser lowers the temperature of the vapor and it condenses into liquid, just as steam does on the inside of the cover of a kettle. This principle is used in preparing alcoholic liquors, the more easily vaporized parts of the fermented juice of fruits and grains being separated from the rest, in the form of alcohol, which keeps the flavor of the juice from which it is made.
District of Colum′bia, the territory containing the national capital (Washington City), is bounded on the north, northwest, east and southeast by Maryland and on the west and southwest by the Potomac River and Virginia. Its area is 60 square miles, though originally the area was 100 square miles. It was originally ceded to the United States by Maryland and Virginia in 1788 and 1789. The Virginian portion and the city of Alexandria were given back in 1846. Slavery was abolished in the District in 1862. The affairs of the District are now managed by three commissioners under the direction of Congress, and the citizens have no vote. Half of the District's expenses is paid by the general government, the other half being raised by taxation on the property of the citizens. There also are a court of the District of Columbia, with six judges, and a police-court with one judge. The climate is generally healthy, though fevers are somewhat common in summer. The soil is comparatively fertile and farms are numerous. Manufactures are not common, printing and publishing being the chief industry. Besides the public schools, there are many educational institutions of different sorts, most of which are in Washington. Among them are Georgetown College, Columbian University, Howard University, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum. Population, 331,069.
