is the title assumed by a body of Christians who were represented by a convention at Columbus, Ohio, in 1863, and whose organization was effected in 1865. Their fundamental principles, as officially stated by themselves, are:
(1) The unity of the Church;
(2) Christ its only Head;
(3) the Bible the sole rule of faith and practice;
(4) "Good Fruits" the one condition of membership;
(5) the avoidance of all controversy;
(6) self-government of each local Church;
(7) no partisan politics to be preached.
They hold very liberal views of Church affiliation; require no particular creed; practice baptism as a mode of admission; are open-communion; and fraternize with all evangelical Christian bodies. They are chiefly found in the Western States, where they are said to number about thirty thousand members, with a following of more than one hundred thousand. They hold state councils yearly, and a general council every fourth year. One newspaper, The Christian Witness, is published by them at MacArthur, Ohio, and they have issued a number of books and tracts.