Resolved, (6) That, to secure a more vigorous prosecution and accurate knowledge of Sunday-school work, a national committee be chosen to co-operate with the Congregational SundaySchool and Publishing Society in getting statistics and laying the work before our churches.

American College and Education Society.

The committee on the American College and Education Society, made a report,' with resolutions. The report was accepted, and the resolutions were adopted, as follows:

Resolved, (1) That all our churches be earnestly requested to make annual contributions to the American College and Education Society, to aid young men in their preparation for the gospel ministry.

Re olved, (2) That, in order to secure this end and prevent repeated applications to the same church, the Council recommend to the society to make such arrangements with the colleges seeking its aid as to limit them to individual benefactions, leaving the contributions of the churches to be applied to the aid of ministerial students.

Relation of children to the church.

The committee on the paper on the relation of children to the church made a report,2 with resolutions. The report was accepted, and the resolutions were adopted, as follows:

Resolved, (1) That the Council hereby commends anew to the attention of the ministers and churches the large and hopeful field of Christian effort offered to them in the young life of their congregations; and asks them to consider whether it ought not to be made more positively than heretofore our settled aim and recognized custom to draw within the fold of the church and under her tender and watchful care the children in whom may be discovered the moving of the Spirit's renewing power and the first dawnings of a new life.

Resolved, (2) That we count it the duty and privilege of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ to use every practicable method of awakening in children the consciousness that the Saviour is calling them to himself, and to train them from their earliest years with the aim and expectation of enlisting their tender hearts in the love and service of the Redeemer; also, to this end, that all fathers and mothers should use the mighty power of parental love; that Sunday-school teachers should affectionately and definitely point and lead the little ones to Christ; and that pastors should from time to time rec1 Page 172. 2 Page 164.

ognize the children in the public services of the sanctuary, and make full use of such methods of private and social influence as the experience of any of the churches in these days has suggested, or as loving, yearning Christian sympathy can invent.

National Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

A communication from the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union was read, to which the moderator was authorized to make response.

Salutations.

Salutations from corresponding bodies were received as follows: Congregational Union of Ontario and Quebec. - Rev. Samuel M. Jackson, M. D.

Congregational Union of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Rev. Thomas Hall.

Response was made by the moderator.

Rev. A. Hastings Ross, of Michigan, delegate, reported attendance at the Congregational Union of Ontario and Quebec, and Rev. William H. Hubbard, of New Hampshire, delegate, reported attendance at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. These reports were accepted.

Committees.

Committees were chosen as follows:

On the pastorate and ministerial standing, to whom were referred the report of the committee of 1880 on that subject, the report of the committee on that report, resolutions relating to the subject, and the memorial from Berkshire North Association : Rev. Robert G. Hutchins, D. D., of Minnesota; Rev. Burke F. Leavitt, of Illinois; Rev. Marshall M. Cutter, of Massachusetts; Rev. Minor W. Fairfield, of Michigan; George B. Barrows, of Maine.

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.

On systematic giving. Rev. Lyman Abbott, D. D., of New York; Rev. Frank E. Clark, of Massachusetts; Rev. George R. Merrill, of Ohio.

Addresses.

Rev. Joseph E. Smith, of Tennessee, a graduate of one of the literary institutions of the American Missionary Association, and

Rev. Joseph W. Scroggs, of Indian territory, addressed the Council.

At 9.45, after prayer by Rev. Joseph E. Roy, D. D., of Georgia, and singing, the Council adjourned till 9 a. m., Monday, October

15.

SUNDAY, October 14.

Public worship and the Lord's supper.

According to arrangement:

D.,

In the morning, at the First church, Rev. Edmund K. Alden, D. of Massachusetts, conducted the opening services, and the moderator, Rev. Arthur Little, D. D., of Illinois, preached from Gal. 6: 14, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

At the close of this service, the members of the Council united the church in the Lord's supper, administered by Rev. Israel P. Warren, D. D., of Maine, and Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., of Ohio.

Other services.

Ministers, members of the Council, preached and made addresses in other churches and assemblies in the city and its vicinity.

MONDAY MORNING, October 15.

At 9, the moderator took the chair, and, after singing, and prayer by Rev. Charles E. Page, of Minnesota, the minutes of Saturday and Sunday were revised and approved.

Theological seminaries.

The following were chosen a committee on Congregational theological seminaries: Rev. Moses Smith, of Michigan; Rev. Henry M. Bacon, D. D., of Ohio; Rev. Charles H. Merrill, of Vermont.

Rev. George S. F. Savage, D. D., of Illinois, made a statement in behalf of Chicago Theological Seminary. Rev. S. Winchester Adriance, of Maine, made a statement1 in behalf of Bangor Theological Seminary. Rev. Samuel B. Forbes, of Connecticut, made a statement in behalf of Hartford Theological Seminary, and offered a recommendation, which was referred to the committee on seminaries.

A letter from Rev. George E. Day, D. D., of Connecticut, was read as a statement in behalf of New Haven Theological Seminary.

A letter from Rev. Judson Smith, D. D., of Ohio, was read and an address was made by Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., of Ohio, giving statements in behalf of Oberlin Theological Seminary.

By-laws.

By-law IX. was amended by adding the following words:

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.

Provisional committee.

It was resolved, That the provisional committee be requested to arrange for the next meeting of the National Council so as to give ample time for the consideration of subjects relating to the pastorate, the fellowship of the churches, and their practical work.

Frederick Billings.

The moderator read a letter from Frederick Billings, expressing regret at his absence.

Credentials.

The committee on credentials made a report, which was accepted and approved.

Disabled ministers.

Memorials from the General Association of Illinois and the Alumni Association of Chicago Theological Seminary, relating to disabled ministers, and widows and orphans of ministers, in want, were presented and referred to the following committee, to report in 1886, on the best methods of providing relief for disabled and aged ministers, and widows and orphans of ministers, in want:

Rev. Martin K. Whittlesey, D. D., of Illinois; Rev. Joseph E. Twitchell, D. D., of Massachusetts; Rev. William H. Moore, of Connecticut; Rev. Richard Cordley, D. D., of Kansas; Rev. William B. Williams, of Michigan.

Devotion.

The Council spent the half-hour from 11.15 to 11.45 in devotion, led by Rev. Joseph E. Roy, D. D., of Georgia.

Publishing committee.

It was voted, That the publishing committee publish the minutes, the sermon, the papers, and all the written reports, statements, and memorials presented to this Council.

Theological seminaries.

The committee on theological seminaries made a report with resolutions. The report was accepted, and the resolutions were adopted, as follows:

Resolved, (1) That this Council would call attention to the provision made for the widest possible range of study, inviting young men of every variety of talent and qualification to avail themselves of the advantages of our seminaries.

Resolved, (2) That we bear especially emphatic testimony to the claims of the work of the ministry upon men of the highest ability, assuring them that they will there find an ample field for the employment of their powers.

Thanks.

The following resolutions of thanks were adopted :

Resolved, (1) That the cordial welcome given to this Council by the governor of New Hampshire for the state, and by the mayor of Concord for the city, are worthy of grateful mention, and that we hereby express our appreciation of this special courtesy, and of the sentiments which accompanied it.

Resolved, (2) That the thanks of the Council are returned to the churches of the city for the sentiments of fraternity expressed by them, and that our prayer shall be that large spiritual blessings may rest upon them.

Resolved, (3) That hearty thanks be expressed to all individuals and families who by their warm and generous hospitality have made our stay here so pleasant; to the pastors, officers, and choirs of the two churches which invited us to this city, and with whom we have been in special fellowship; to the church and congregation in whose house of worship our work has been mostly done, for the facilities afforded us by post-office, telegraph, and other conveniences; and especially to the pastor, Rev. William H. Hubbard, who