a scheme adopted by the Congregational churches of New England in order to extend the privileges of church membership and infant baptism beyond the pale of actual communicants at the Lord's table. Stoddard, of Northampton, vindicated it, and Jonathan Edwards opposed it. This struggle caused Edwards's removal from Northampton. It is now abandoned by the orthodox Congregationalists. — Hurst, Rationalism, p. 538; Upham, Ratio Disciplinae, 21. (See CONGREGATIONALISTS); (See EDWARDS, JONATHAN).