CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (THE), frequently called "Independent."-The declaration of faith, Church order, and discipline adopted at the annual meeting of the Congregational Union, May, 1833, begins by saying: "Disallowing the utility of creeds and articles of religion as a bond of union, and protesting against subscription to any human formularies as a term of communion, Congregationalists are yet willing to declare, for general information, what is commonly believed among them, reserving to every one the most perfect liberty of conscience. Upon some minor points of doctrine and practice they, differing among themselves, allow to each other the right to form an un-biassed judgment of the Word of God." The principles of religion thus alluded to are twenty in number, of which it is not necessary in this place to quote more than the first, which runs as follows: "The Scriptures of the Old Testament, as received by the Jews, and the book of the New Testament, as received by the Primitive Christians from the Evangelists and Apostles, Congregational Churches believe to be Divinely inspired, and of supreme authority. These writings, in the languages in which they were originally composed, are to be consulted, with the aids of sound criticism, as a final appeal to all controversies; but the common version they consider to be adequate to the ordinary purposes of Christian instruction and edification." The government is founded upon "the principles of Church order and discipline," thirteen in number. according to No. 5 of which "The only officers, placed by the apostles over individual Churches, are the bishops or pastors and the deacons; the number of these being dependent upon the number of the Church; and that to these, as the officers of the Church, is committed respectively the administration of its spiritual -. and temporal concerns-subject, however, to the approbation of the Church." The same principle of freedom from external control is displayed in the constitution and laws of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, which recognize the right of every individual Church to administer its own affairs, and affirm that the Union shall not in any case assume legislative authority or become a court of appeal. The Union consists of representative members, honorary members, and associates. Two general meetings are held in each year, called respectively the annual and autumnal meetings, the former in London in May, the latter in the autumn, and generally at some other city or town in England or Wales. The headquarters are at the Memorial Hall, Farringdon-st, E.C. The Secretary is the Rev. R. J. Wells, to whom all - communications on the business - of the Union are to be addressed. The London Congregational Union (Rev. R. J. Evans, Sec.) also has its bead quarters at the Memorial Hall. "The Congregational Year Book," published by the Congregational Union, price 2s. 6d., gives all information in regard to the Congregational Churches.
    The following is a list of the principal Congregational Churches in London and suburbs, with the dates of their original foundations:
    Acton, 1817.
    Balham, 1880
    Barking. 1662.
    Barnet, High, 1669.
    Barnet, New, 1870.
    Battersea, 1867.
    Beckenham, 1878.
    Bermondsey, Jamaica-rd, 1662.
    Bethnal Green-rd 1662.
    Bexley Heath, 1850.
    Blackheath, 1854.
    Bow, Hanley-st, 1837.
    Bow, North. 1857.
    Bowes-pk, 1898.
    Brixton, 1870.
    " Loughboro-pk, 1860.
    " Trinity, 1828.
    Brockley, Lewisham High-rd, 1842.
    Bromley (Kent), 1790.
    Bromley by Bow, Bruce-rd, 1866.
    Brompton, West, Edith-gr, 1859
    Camberwell-green, 1780. 
    Camden Town (Park Chapel), 1846.
    Chelsea, Markham-sq. 1856. 
    " Radnor-st, 1859.
    City of London- 
        Bishopsgate-st, 1700.
        City Temple, 1640.
        New Tabernacle, Old-st, 1832.
        Whitfield Taberl, 1753.
     Clapham, Grafton-sq, 1645.
    " Lavender-hill, 1879.
    Clapham-rd, Claylands, 1835. 
    Clapton, Lower, 1850.
    " Park, 1804.
    " Upper, 1815.
    Crouch End (Park Chapel). 1845.
    Croydon, George-st, 1662. 
    " Addiscombe, 1882.
    " West, 1863.
    Dalston, Middleton-rd, 1847. 
    " Pownall-rd, , 1662.
    " Shrubland-rd, 1878. 
    Deptford, High-st, 1660. 
    Dulwich, Emmanuel, 1889.
    " Grove, 1879.
    Ealing, 1800.
    East Ham, Little Ilford, 1897. 
    " Plashet-pk, 1888.
    " Wakefield-st, 1886.
    Edmonton, Angel-rd, 1879. 
    " Lower, 1852.
    Enfield, Christchurch, 1793. 
    " Bush Hill-pk, 1889.
    Finchley, East, 1815
    " North, 1864.
    Finsbury-pk, 1864.
    Forest Gate, Romford-nd, 1878. 
    " Sebert-rd, 1856.
    Fulham, Dawes-rd, 1879.
    Gospel Oak, 1865.
    Greenwich, Maze-hill, 1786.
    Greenwich-rd, 1750.
    Gunnersbury, 1873.
    Hackney, Cambridge Heath, 1862.
    " Devonshire-rd, 1800.
    " Adelphi, 1790.
    Hammersmith, Broadway, 1662. 
    " Dalling-rd, 1774.
    Hampstead, Lyndhurst-rd, 1880.
    " Cricklewood, 1885.
    Harlesden, 1901.
    Haringay, 1894.
    Haverstock-hill, 1849.
    Hendon, 1854.
    Highbury Quadrant, 1878.
    Highgate, 1662.
    Hither Green, 1899.
    Holloway, Camden-rd, 1802.
    Holloway, Upper, 1864.
    Ilford, High-rd, 1892.
    Islington, Union Chapel, 1799. 
    " Upper-st, 1815.
    " Harecourt, Canon-bury, 1648.
    " Gifford Hall, 1871.
    " Offord-rd, 1855.
    Kensington, Allen-rd, 1793. 
    " North, 1871.
    " West, 1858.
    Kentish Town, 1807.
    Kilburn 1859.
    King's Cross, 1850.
    Kingsland (W), 1790.
    Lambeth, South, Wheatsheaf Hall, 1884.
    Leyton, Grange Park-rd, 1874. 
    " Union-rd, , 1660.
    Leytonstone, 1827.
    Muswell-hill, 1899.
    New North-rd (Barbican), 1688.
    Norwood, Selhurst-rd, 1862. 
    " South, 1857.
    " Upper, 1864. 
    Notting-hill, Horbury, 1849. 
    Old Kent-rd, Marlborough, 1833
    Paddington, Marylebone-rd, 1813
    Peckham, Asylum-rd, 1858. 
    " Hanover, 1657.
    " Linden-gr, 1857.
    Pimlico, Eccleston-sq, 1857.
    Plaistow, 1801
    Poplar, Trinity, 1842.
    Putney, Ravennard, 1860.
    Queen's-pk, Harrow-rd, 1887.
    Shepherd's Bush, Oaklands, 1858.
    Sidcup, 1879.
    Southwark-br-rd, 1806.
    Stamford-hill, 1872.
    Stepney, Latimer, 1672. 
    " Meeting, 1644.
    " Wycliffe, 1642.
    Stockwell, 1796.
    Stoke Newington, Abney, 1662.
    "  Raleigh Meml., 1871.
    " Rectory - rd., 1865
    Stratford, 1868.
    " Bnickfields, 1662.
    Streatham, 1892.
    Streatham-hill, 1829.
    Stroud.green, Mount View, 1888.
    Sydenham, Church in the Grove, 1854.
    Tollington-pk, New Court, 1662. 
    Tolmers-sq, Hampstead-rd, 1834.
    Tottenham, High Cross, 1867. 
    Victoria-pk, Approach-rd., 1862
    " Trinity, Broadway, 1823.
    Walthamstow, Marsh-st, 1672.
    Walthamstow, Trinity, 1861.
    Wandswonth, Earlsfield, 1887. 
    " East-hill, 1573.
    Westminster Chapel, Buckingham-gr, 1841.
    Wimbledon, Worple-rd, 1872. 
    Woodford-gr, 1815.
    " George-la, 1875.
    Wood Green, 1862.
    Woolwich, Rectory-pl, 1852
    There are also the following Missions-South London Mission, New Kent-rd, S.E.; Claremont Hall, Pentonville, N. Whitefield's Tabernacle, Tottenham-ct-rd, W.C.

Charles Dickens Jr. et al, Dickens Dictionary of London, c.1908 edition
(no date; based on internal evidence)