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says, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you," when Demos is recognized as the practical ruler of the world, when civilization, a complex system of nature, man or society, moves over our country bursting "into States as it goes westward," when the great thoughts of the wise have become the property of the common people, and the passions of the masses have entered the thoughts of the philosopher, there is an imperative demand for the old Gospel as a voice for the new times, and of churches united to give to the world the Cross, whose drops of healing are a cure for all the evils that afflict, the holy spirit of loyalty by which the divergent forces of men are made convergent, the impulse and elevation of a great and corporate sympathy that shall attract men into the society of the Lord.

Brethren: Shall we now, under happy auspices, with appropriate earnestness and charity, acknowledge the high and sacred purpose of our assembly? It is first of all a solemn and joyful declaration of loyalty to our Lord. In our own persons, and in our representative capacity we now confess the beauty, solidity, and authority of the throne, and make the supreme act of this assembly the coronation of Christ as King. With intellectual seriousness, we assent to the dominant belief of the Church that Christ is divine, but more, with Thomas, smitten into faith by the immediate and conquering love of a wounded but undying Saviour, we repeat as a Church," My Lord and my God." Before we look around over the needs of a questioning weary world, or set before our eyes the great thoughts of a Church, whose thoughts of God, sin, redemption, and immortality are like the Kingdom of Heaven, four square,

before we apply our humble and congregate wisdom to the duties and business that will claim our industry and our prayer,-let us look to Him who blesses by commanding. No Church can see far that does not look high; there can be no wise procedure without lofty devotion; no sailor can reach the harbor who does not consult the star. If you are and if you remain a council, charged with the authority of influence, you must bring obedient and worshipful thoughts to the King, for one is your Master.

From this act of devotion to Him we turn to look into each other's faces that we may be interpreted to each other. We learn our nature and destiny from the fatherhood of God, but more from the brotherhood of Christ. In the King as brother is found the motive of our fellowship and the power of our covenant with a

purpose. In the light that shines from Him, we will look deep into each other's eyes, and see the truth as a uniting glory,— we helong to the kingdom of the Lord. We will renew the Kingdom by renewing our pledges of mutual love and of common devotion to the holy duties of the Church. We will join hands all round and enter into a sacred covenant, for, all ye are brethren.

REPORT OF THE PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE.1

THIS Committee met immediately on the adjournment of the Council at Worcester, and made choice of G. Henry Whitcomb as chairman and Rev. Henry A. Hazen as secretary.

On the suggestion of the Finance Committee of the Council in their report, the salary of the secretary was fixed at $1,500 per annum; that of the treasurer at $250 per annum; and that of the registrar at $200 for the three years.

A meeting was held at Memorial Hall, in Hartford, 1889, Dec. 12, at which committees, provided for, but not named by the last Council, were appointed. The payment of bills from two committees of the last Council was authorized. The secretary was also authorized, between meetings of the committee, to fill vacancies in other committees, and to commission delegates to represent the Council.

The committee met in the same place, 1890, Dec. 4, and elected President Cyrus Northrop to the vacancy occasioned by the death of Caleb F. Gates, of Chicago, and Rev. Albert E. Dunning to the vacancy on the Publishing Committee, occasioned by the death of Rev. Henry M. Dexter. Rev. Prof. George E. Day was appointed chairman of the John Robinson Memorial Committee, and Rev. Morton Dexter was named for the vacancy on that committee occasioned by the death of his father. It was voted to pay the expenses of the registrar and treasurer in attending the frequent meetings of the committee of arrangements for the International Council, also the expenses of the secretary in arranging for and attending that Council in London. The Rev. Charles M. Lamson was elected to preach the sermon before this Council.

At a meeting held on board the steamship, City of Chicago, July 1, 1891, the treasurer was authorized, in case of need, to borrow, not to exceed $3,000 to pay the bills of the Council. add that he found no occasion to act on this authority.

We may

Dec. 3, 1891, another meeting was held in Memorial Hall, Hartford, Ct., at which the programme was arranged for this Council. Of this we need not speak in detail, for it is before you. We may properly call your attention to the fact that our duty in that matter

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has been that of arrangement only. The Council itself is responsible for every item on this programme with the possible exception of the extension of time we have accorded to the College and Education Society for the presentation of some emergent features of its work and needs. The outline of work in this programme is full enough and may even now be criticised as crowded, and your committee could not arrange for any special topics and speakers without an extension of the sessions of the Council, for which they were not sufficiently confident of your warrant. They suggest the question, whether it is the judgment of this Council that a longer session should be arranged for in future, or the programme made shorter.

At this meeting, an overture was received from the Congregational Club, of Chicago, in reference to a Congregational exhibit at the Columbian Exposition in 1893, and the committee adopted this resolution: "That in accordance with the vote of the Council (Minutes, 1889, page 49) we hereby appoint Rev. Frank W. Gunsaulus, Rev. James G. Johnson, Rev. Wm. H. Warren, George W. Barrows, and Isaac N. Camp, a committee, with power to name their own chairman, add to their number and fill vacancies; and we authorize this committee to do whatever is practicable to carry out the purpose of the Council, as expressed in the resolution referred to in the matter of the Columbian Exposition; it being expressly understood:

1st. That if the Exposition is to be open on the Lord's day, this committee shall make no exhibit and this appointment shall become null and void.

2d.

That the Provisional Committee incurs no financial responsibility for expenses of this undertaking.

Rev. Mr. Gunsaulus declined to serve on this committee and the secretary, as authorized, named Rev. F. A. Noble, in his place. Of the action and plans of this committee they will speak for themselves.

The following resolution was also adopted :

Resolved, that, in our judgment, the time has come, when the churches should provide, by their annual contribution to the Council, for the payment in part of the necessary expenses of accredited delegates to the Council, so far as such delegates may desire.

In suggesting this important question for the consideration of the Council, the committee, without entering into elaborate argu

ment, ought to name some of the reasons which lead them to this conclusion.

The delegates are sent by the churches, they come in the service of the churches, and it is hardly just that they be left to go at their own charges. The cost of attending the Council is not small, and to many of the delegates it is serious. We cannot afford to miss from these assemblies good men full of faith and Holy Spirit, frontier missionaries, or ministers, whose meagre salaries forbid their coming up to the feast; or excellent laymen whose limited income puts them in the same class. But if this is not to be the practical result, the churches must see to it that the reasonable expenses of such service shall be provided for.

We do not forget that there are difficulties and objections, and that questions of method must be carefully weighed before any such action is taken. For all this it is safe to trust the wisdom of the Council.

One practical suggestion we may add in conclusion. It is that the responsibilities of your committee are much increased by the growth of the Ministerial Aid Fund. For its discreet management, we need the presence on the committee of an expert business man. Such we have had; if the same be not continued, the Council, through its nominating committee, will do well to see to it that nothing less satisfactory is substituted. A good lawyer would also be a useful member of the committee.

REPORT OF PUBLISHING COMMITTEE.1

In the outset we are called to remember the loss of a most important member of this committee, Rev. Henry Martyn Dexter, who slept in death on the night of Nov. 13, 1890. When, in 1877, this Council first found the need of a Publishing Committee, while the novel and serious undertaking of issuing & Year-Book distinct from the former Quarterly was under consideration, Dr. Dexter was the natural chairman and leader; and if he has not since been continuously a member of this committee, the intermission has been more in form than in fact. Other men labored well, but it cannot be far from the truth to say that the churches owe the Year-Book to him; to the resolution and skill which he brought to its counsels and to his labors and sacrifices, pecuniary and otherwise, in its be

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