receive any of the Presbyteries of the Associate Reformed Church upon the same conditions, and, to make the way to union easier, resolved that fifty Psalms of "Rouse's Version" be incorporated in the new psalm and hymn book about to be published. A delegate from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church appeared in the Assembly, and, though without authority to make any overtures for a union of two bodies, he expressed the opinion "that the time had arrived when some movement should be made in this direction." Upon this hint the Assembly acted, passing a resolution favorable to a union, and, at a later stage, appointed a committee to confer with a similar committee from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Assembly had a long and important debate, as to the future status of the colored race in their ecclesiastical connections. Dr. Atkinson contended that there was nothing in Scripture or the standards of the church to prohibit colored persons from holding the office of deacon, ruling elder, or minister of God, and that in their church sessions and assemblies, they are entitled to a treatment of perfect equality. He contended that it was through the Gospel that caste and prejudice would be broken down, and that any thing that stood in the way of the Gospel should be destroyed. Others contended that innovations would surely result in miscegenation and negro equality. The resolutions adopted by the General Assembly recommend the spiritual wants of the colored race to the particular attention of the Church. The report on domestic missions showed the receipts to be $34,746, and the whole number who received aid from the sustentation fund, including sixteen families of deceased ministers, is upward of two hundred and twenty. It was ascertained that between ninety and one hundred church edifices were either seriously injured or entirely destroyed during the progress of the war, about one half of which were in the Synod of Virginia. The committee reported that not less than $50,000 would be needed for Presbyterial missions, sustentation, and church erection the coming year. The report on education showed that $200 had been contributed to the funds of the executive committee and one candidate received. The publication committee reported receipts by donations and sales, $18,174; and a balance in treasury of $2,299. The next Assembly is to meet in the First Presbyterian church, in Nashville, on the third Thursday of November, 1867, "or whenever or wherever it may orderly be called." The Assembly adjourned on November 28th.

VI. Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in the South.-The Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in the South, held in 1866, declared against a union with the Southern Presbyterian Church, and all negotiations on the subject were, consequently, abandoned. This denomination has nine presbyteries, sixty-six ordained ministers, and eight

licentiates. In 1862, the church seemed quite favorable to the union; but a decided change has taken place since, and at the session of the synod at Fayetteville, Tenn., a majority of the delegates declared against it. Some of the ministers have consummated the union for themselves individually, and a few others may do so hereafter.

VII. Great Britain.-The Church of Scotland had, in 1866, 16 synods, 84 presbyteries, and 1,243 congregations (including parish churches and quoad sacra chapels). The Free Church of Scotland has 16 synods, 71 presbyteries, 846 churches, 3 colleges for the education of students for the ministry. The United Presbyterian Church had 31 presbyteries in England and Scotland, 584 ministers, 592 churches, and 172,752 members. The Reformed Presbyterian Synod ("Cameronians," "Covenanters ") has 6 presbyteries, 45 churches, and 40 ministers. The Synod of the United Original Seceders was dissolved in 1852, and united to the Free Church; 25 congregations, however, refused to join that church, and still continue a separated body, divided into 4 presbyteries. The Presbyterian Church in England has now 7 presbyteries and 105 churches.

The General Assemblies of the Free and United Presbyterian Churches again discussed the union question, and both bodies resolved to send the report of the joint committee down to the presbyteries, and to instruct the committee to review what suggestions they had to make and report to the next general assemblies. In the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland the question of innovations came up, upon overtures from numerous synods and presbyteries, some praying to rescind, and others to correct and explain the legislation of last year. In 1865 the Assembly passed a strong declaration against innovations in public worship, and calling upon presbyteries to take particular cognizance of any cases within their bounds of departure from the law and usage of the Church in reference thereto. Dr. Pirie moved the adoption of an act declaring "that the right and duty of maintaining and enforcing the observance of the existing laws and usages of the Church in the particular congregations or kirks within their bounds, in matters connected with the performance of public worship and the administration of ordinances, belong to, and are incumbent upon the presbyteries of the church, subject always to the review of the superior church courts; " and further declaring it to be the duty of presbyteries, on becoming aware of any innovation being introduced or contemplated, "either to enjoin the discontinuance, or prohibit the introduction of such innovation or novel practice, as being, in their opinion, inconsistent with the laws and settled usages of the church, a cause of division in the particular congregation, or as being unfit from any cause to be used in the worship of God, either in general or particular kirk, or to find that ne

abandoned by France. (See FRANCE.) With the Grand Duke of Oldenburg a treaty was concluded on August 28th, in accordance with which that prince renounces his claims to the Holstein succession, in consideration of the cession to him of a small portion of Holstein territory, and an indemnity of 1,000,000 thalers. With the governments of Bavaria, Baden, and Wurtemberg, secret treaties were concluded immediately after the war, by virtue of which the superior command of the armies of those States, in case of war, was transferred to the King of Prussia. The treaties were kept secret until March, 1867, when they were officially published. The following is the text of the treaty concluded between Prussia and Bavaria:

ART. 1. By these presents a treaty of offensive and defensive alliance is concluded between the King of Prussia and the King of Bavaria. The two high contracting parties reciprocally guarantee the integrity of the territory of their respective countries, and undertake, in case of war, to place at their mutual disposal the whole of their military forces. ART. 2. The King of Bavaria has transferred, for the case in question, the superior command of his troops to the King of Prussia. ART. 3. The high contracting parties engage to keep this treaty provisionally secret.

ART. 4. The ratification of this treaty shall take place at the same time as that of the treaty of peace concluded this day, that is to say, on the 3d of next month at latest.

Done at Berlin, this 22d day of August, 1866. The conflict between the Government and the representatives of the people remained unsettled in the Legislative session which began on the 15th of January. The speech from the throne, which was read by Count Bismarck, announced that bills would be brought in settling the budget, and asked for the supplies requisite for the unchanged maintenance of the military reorganization and the increase of the navy. Supplies would also be asked for the execution of the North Sea and Baltic Canal, and various other measures affecting home administration would be laid before the Chambers. The confident hope was expressed that the commercial treaty with Italy would be ratified by all the States of the Zollverein. The finances of the kingdom were stated to be in a favorable condition. The relations of Prussia with foreign powers were satisfactory and friendly. The royal speech continued:

By the Gastein convention Lauenburg has been united to the Prussian crown. It is my desire, while treating with consideration the peculiar state of things in the duchy, to allow its inhabitants to enjoy all the advantages of union with Prussia. The definitive decision of the future of Schleswig-Holstein has been reserved by the Gastein convention for further negociation. By the occupation of Schleswig, and by her position in Holstein, Prussia has acquired a sufficient guaranty that the decision can only be in a sense corresponding to the interests of Germany and the claims of Prussia. Resting upon my own conviction, strengthened by the opinion of the legal advisers of the crown, I am determined to hold fast this pledge, under all circumstances, until the desired end is attained. Conscious of being sustained by the assent of the people, I hope that the object striven for and gained will prove a point of union for all parties.

The Chamber of Deputies reelected Herr von Grabow, President, and Herren von Unruh and von Bockum-Dolffs, Vice-Presidents, al. three of whom were members of the Liberal Opposition. The President, Herr Grabow, in his usual opening address to the House, sharply criticised the language of the reactionary press, the prohibition by the Government of the Cologne banquet to the Prussian Liberal Deputies, and the measures which had been taken to restrict the liberty of the press, the voting of Government officials, and the meeting of political associations. Herr Grabow deplored the conflict between the Government and the Chamber on constitutional questions, a state of things which had now become chronic and had brought political legislation to a stand-still. He added that liberty was the only thing which could lead to moral conquests, to the solution of the Schleswig-Holstein question, which the Gastein convention had but complicated, and to the federal unity of Germany. The majority of the Chamber soon adopted several resolutions censuring the Government. On February 3d, a motion of Dr. Virchow, declaring the annexation of Lauenburg to the Prussian crown to be illegal until it had received the sanction of the chamber, was adopted by 257 against 44 votes; and, on February 9th, a motion of Herr Hoverbeck, protesting against the decision of the Supreme Court authorizing the public prosecutor to indict deputies Twesten and Freutzel, for their speeches in the Chamber, by 263 against 35 votes. During the discussion of the latter motion the minister of justice threateningly stated that the public prosecutor, in taking proceedings against deputies Twesten and Freutzel had acted upon his order, that it was well known how the Government had determined to do in such emergencies, and that, should contradictory views in the interpretation of the constitution continue to prevail, an authoritative declaration of the king would afford the only means of arriving at a solution. The president of the ministry of State on February 19th addressed a letter to the president of the Chamber, in which he declared the resolutions of the Chamber relative to the Duchy of Lauenburg, the Supreme Court, and the Cologne banquet, to be unconstitutional; that therefore they could not be accepted by the Government, and that the Government for these reasons returned them to the president of the Chamber of Deputies. On February 23d, the Chambers were closed by a speech from the throne, read by Count Bismarck. The speech stated that, in view of the unconstitutional resolutions of the house respecting the annexation of Lauenburg, and the recent decision of the Supreme Court, the Government asked itself the question whether results favorable to the peace and welfare of the country could be expected from the continuation of the debates in the Diet, and had finally come to the conclusion, that through the course adopted by the Lower House the country would be exposed to more serious disunion,