Though there were also other reasons why the church union movement came into being, organizationally it was launched by meetings held in Bristol in the early to mid-1840s on the subject of education. The Bristol Church Union was initially a lobbying body devoted to the defense of Church schools. When they were formed, the London Union on Church Matters and other unions took up this cause as well. To a large extent, the status and influence of the Church rested on its importance as a provider of education and its continuing involvement at all levels, elementary, “middle class,” and university. Were this responsibility to be taken away, there would be huge ramifications in its other fields of activity. Unions were therefore motivated by fear—that the Church would lose power and relevance—but equally, there was pride—that the Church was accomplishing so much in education, serving the nation and improving the people.