consulting and acting together under the distinctive name of Congregationalists; because, in the present condition of our common Christianity, we have felt ourselves called to ascertain and to do our own appropriate part of the work of Christ's church among

men.

We especially desire, in prosecuting the common work of evangelizing our own land and the world, to observe the common and sacred law, that, in the wide field of the world's evangelization, we do our work in friendly co-operation with all those who love and serve our common Lord.

We believe in the holy Catholic church." It is our prayer and endeavor that the unity of the church may be more and more apparent, and that the prayer of our Lord for His disciples may be speedily and completely answered, and all be one; that, by consequence of this Christian unity in love, the world may believe in Christ as sent of the Father to save the world.

BY-LAWS.

I. In all its official acts and records, this body shall be designated as THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES.

II. It shall be understood that the term for which delegates to the Council are appointed expires with each session, triennial or special, to which they are chosen.

III. Statistical secretaries of state and territorial bodies, ministers serving the churches entertaining the Council, and persons selected as preachers, or to prepare papers, or to serve upon committees chosen by this body, shall be entitled to seats in the session in which they are to serve, without the privilege of voting.

IV. The term "Congregational," as applied to the general benevolent societies, in connection with representation in this body, is understood in the broad sense of societies whose constituency and control are substantially Congregational.

V. The provisional committee shall consist of seven persons, chosen by the Council, with the addition of the secretary, registrar, and treasurer ex officio, of whom four shall be a quorum. This committee shall specify the place and the precise time at which sessions shall commence; shall choose a preacher of the opening sermon; may select topics regarding the Christian work of the churches, and persons to prepare and present papers thereon; shall do any work

which shall have been referred to them by the Council; shall name a place and time for the next triennial Council; and shall make a full report of all their doings, the consideration of which shall be the first in order of business after organization.

VI. The sessions shall ordinarily be held in the latter part of October, or the early part of November.

VII. The call for any session shall be signed by the chairman of the provisional committee and the secretary of the Council, and it shall contain a list of topics proposed by the committee; and the secretary shall seasonably furnish blank credentials, and other needful papers, to the scribes of the several local organizations of churches.

VIII. Soon after the opening of a stated or special session, the following committees shall be appointed:

1. A committee on credentials, who shall prepare a roll of members.

2. A committee of nominations, to make all nominations not otherwise provided for.

3. A business committee, to propose a docket for the use of the members. Except by special vote of the Council, no business shall be introduced which has not thus passed through the hands of this committee.

A publishing committee of five, including the secretary, registrar, and treasurer, who shall contract for and distribute all publications ordered by the Council.

5.

6.

A finance committee.

A committee on each of the national Congregational charitable societies, to which, severally, may be referred any statements from, and any communications relating to, said societies.

7. A committee on the Congregational theological seminaries, to which may be referred any statements from, and any communications relating to, said seminaries.

Committees shall be composed of three persons each, except otherwise ordered.

IX. In the sessions of the National Council, half an hour shall every morning be given to devotional services, and the daily sessions shall be opened with prayer, and closed with praver or singing. Every evening shall ordinarily be given to meetings of a specifically religious rather than business character, and the Council will join in the sacrament of the Lord's supper at some convenient season. The afternoon and evening of Saturday and the

evening of the Sabbath shall be assigned to hearing from such Congregational general societies as may be recognized by this Council." the time to be equitably divided between them; and no other portion of the time of the Council is to be occupied by them. X. No person shall occupy more than one hour in reading any paper or report, without the unanimous consent of the Council. XI. An auditor of accounts shall be appointed at every session. XII. The provisional committee may fill any vacancies occurring in any committee or office in the intervals of sessions, the person so appointed to serve until the next session.

XIII. The Council approves of an annual compilation of the statistics of the churches, and of a list of such ministers as are reported by the several State organizations. And the secretary is directed to present at each triennial session comprehensive and comparative summaries for the three years preceding.

XIV. The Council will welcome correspondence, by interchange of delegates, with the general Congregational bodies of other lands, and with the general ecclesiastical organizations of other churches of evangelical faith in our land. Delegates will be appointed by the Council in the years of its sessions, and by the provisional committee in the intervening years.

RULES OF ORDER.

The rules of order shall be those found in common parliamentary use, not modified by local legislative practice, with the following explicit modifications : —

(a.) When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, except the following, namely, to amend, to commit, to postpone to a time certain, to postpone indefinitely, to lay on the table, and to adjourn, which shall have precedence in the reverse order of this list, the motions to lay on the table and to adjourn alone being not debatable.

(b.) If the report of the committee contains nothing more than matters of fact for information, or matters of argument for the consideration of the Council, the question is: shall the report be accepted? and that question, unless superseded by a motion to reject, to recommit, to postpone, or to lay upon the table, shall be taken without debate. Such a report, if accepted, is placed upon the files of the Council, but, not being an act of the Council, is not entered on the minutes.

(c.) If the report is in the form of a vote or resolution, or of a declaration expressing the judgment or testimony of the Council, the additional question arises: shall the report be adopted? and motions for amendment are in order. Such a report, if adopted, with or without amendment, is the act of the Council, and is entered on the minutes.

(d.) If a report gives the views of the committee on the matter referred to them, and terminates with the form of a resolution or declaration in the name of the Council, the questions are: shall the report be accepted? and shall the resolution or declaration be adopted? and while the report at large, if accepted, is placed on file, that part of it which has become the act of the Council is entered on the minutes.

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL.

OFFICERS FOR THE SESSION OF 1883.

Moderator, Rev. ARTHUR LITTLE, D. D., Chicago.
Assistant Moderators, Rev. CUSHING EELLS, D.

D., Colfax,

Washington Territory; and Hon. FREDERICK BILLINGS, Woodstock, Vt.

Secretary, Rev. ALONZO H. QUINT, D. D., Dover, N. H.

Registrar, Rev. WILLIAM H. MOORE, Hartford, Conn.

Assistant Registrars, Rev. JAMES R. DANFORTH, Philadelphia, Penn.; and Rev. THOMAS E. GRASSIE, Keokuk, Iowa.

OFFICERS FOR 1883-1886.

Secretary, Rev. HENRY A. HAZEN, Auburndale, Mass. Registrar, Rev. WILLIAM H. MOORE, Hartford, Conn. Treasurer, Rev. LAVALETTE Perrin, d. d., Wolcottville, Conn. Auditor, DAVID N. CAMP, New Britain.

PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE, 1883-1886.

Chairman, to be appointed. Rev. EDWARD P. GOODWIN, D. D., of Illinois; Rev. JULIUS H. SEELYE, D. D., of Massachusetts; Rev. HENRY FAIRBANKS, PH. D., of Vermont; Rev. GEORGE F. MAGOUN, D. D., of Iowa; Rev. WILLIAM M. TAYLOR, D. D., of New York; SAMUEL B. CAPEN, of Massachusetts; E. S. JONES, of Minnesota, with the secretary, registrar, and treasurer, ex officio.

PUBLISHING COMMITTEE.

Chairman, to be appointed. CHARLES A. RICHARDSON, Boston; Rev. MARSHALL M. CUTTER, Malden; the secretary, the registrar, and the treasurer.

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National committee on Sunday-school work. Rev. HENRY A. STIMSON, of Massachusetts; Rev. HENRY A. HAZEN, of Massachusetts; Rev. FRANCIS N. PELOUBET, of Massachusetts; MARSHALL C. HAZARD, of Illinois; Rev. SAMUEL H. VIRGIN, of New York.