of the meeting to absent members of the committee; that the thanks of the committee be extended to the pastor, Rev. Nehemiah Boynton, and the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church, for the use of their parlors for this meeting.

FOURTH MEETING, Boston, Mass., December 23, 1908.

It was voted: That the Committee on Incorporation of National Council be requested to insert in Article 2 two words, "and purposes," following the words "general interests that the Secretary be instructed to communicate the action of the committee to the chairman of the Committee on Incorporation; that the matter of raising funds for the maintenance of the Federal Council be referred to the Secretary with power; that the election of five American representatives in the Interim Committee of the International Council of Congregational Churches be deferred, and that the Secretary of the National Council be empowered to act until such committee shall have been appointed; that the Publishing Committee be requested to secure and publish in the Year-Book the amounts received from states by the Congregational Board of Ministerial Aid; that the Rev. Charles L. Morgan represent the churches in the Board of Trustees of the Anti-Saloon League of America; that the session of National Council, 1910, be held in Boston, Mass., and, that it be recommended to the delegates to said Council to avail themselves of the cordial coöperation and hospitality of the people of the Congregational churches of Boston and vicinity; that the Committee of the Conference of the Representatives of the Suffolk North, West, and South conferences, the Young Men's Congregational Club, and the Boston Congregational Club be advised by the Secretary of said action.

Circular letter dated December 29, 1908.

By circular letter, the following-named persons were appointed members of the committee from the United States in accordance with the provision of the constitution of the International Council of Congregational Churches: President William Douglass Mackenzie, the moderator of the National Council, the chairman of the Provisional Committee, Rev. Albert J. Lyman, the Secretary of the National Council.

FIFTH MEETING, Boston, Mass., September 16, 1909.

It was voted: That a committee of three be appointed by the Chairman to consider the request of the Disciples of Christ for a union service on the occasion of the National Council in Boston, 1910; said committee were appointed: Rev. Asher Anderson, Rev. Joel S. Ives, Rev. Charles L. Noyes; that the name of Rev. A. Z. Conrad be substituted for that of Rev. Alexander Lewis in the membership of the Provisional Committee; (the Secretaries of the National Societies being present) to arrange for the dates and sessions of the National Council and National Societies (see Program); that the Rev. Washington Gladden, Rev. W. Hayes Ward, Rev. A. E. Dunning, Rev. A. T. Perry, and Moderator T. C. MacMillan be appointed delegates to the Disciples' Convention at Pittsburg; that the report of the Committee on Union Services with the Disciples, stating that such a service would for obvious reasons be impracticable, be accepted; that communications, as presented by the Secretary, be sent to the chairman of the committees respectively; that the Secretary be instructed to continue his appeal to the churches for funds for the maintenance of the Federal Council; to adjourn to meet Friday, October 22, 1909.

SIXTH MEETING (Adjourned Session),

Boston, Mass., October 22, 1909.

It was voted: To reimburse Rev. A. T. Perry for expenses in attending Disciples' Convention at Pittsburg, Pa.; to substitute the name of Rev. S. Parkes Cadman as member of Interim Committee of International Council, Rev. A. J. Lyman declining; that the telephone service be continued in office of Secretary; that any deficit in the funds for maintenance of Federal Council at the close of the year be paid from the treasury of the National Council; to refer a communication from the secretary of the Congregational Brotherhood, requesting that a column be assigned in the Year-Book for reporting membership, to the National Council for consideration; to refer to the National Council a communication from the secretaries of the benevolent societies in which it was requested that the columns of beneficence in the Year-Book be arranged with the purpose of reporting the beneficence of the churches to the societies as

such and in particular, and that all other beneficence be included and reported in column marked " Other Charities."

Circular letter dated January 1, 1910.

It was voted: That the bill of the Congregational Brotherhood, amounting to $200, be paid by the Treasurer.

Circular letter dated January 18, 1910.

It was voted: That the services of a publicity agent be secured for the work of the National Council.

Circular letter dated January 19, 1910.

Communications having been received from the chairman of the Industrial Committee, in which it was asked that an allowance of $50 per month, or at least a sum of $300, be appropriated for the use of the Industrial Committee in preparing their report for the National Council, and afterwards the amount named being increased to $900, it was voted that the condition of the treasury would not warrant the expenditure of so large a sum for the purpose of the committee.

CHARLES A. HOPKINS, Chairman.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY.

Our report would not be complete did we not consider the spirit that is in the churches making for an order and a method different from anything ever known in our fellowship. This becomes very clear to such as learn the facts.

We cannot study the Congregationalism of to-day without noting the marked changes which have entered into its life, as compared with anything of which the spirit and method of the past may inform us. Colonial Congregationalism was individual, and abundantly sufficient unto itself. The local church stood quite alone, only holding and teaching a system of doctrine which for its rigorous Calvinism would not be identified by the theological formulæ of this present time. In the mothercountry they were pleased to be known as Independents, a name which could have no close application to a body of worshipers in a new land, no longer resisting a king and a bishop. In the administration of affairs, the church, as Dr. Bacon declares, writing about Plymouth, was rather Presbyterian. Still, the same mind that opposed control was in evidence when an attempt was made to form an association of ministers, for the reason that not a few feared, lest, discoursing too much upon the conditions and needs of the churches, some would assume to dictate policies not acceptable to all. It was only when the defenses of doctrine were in danger that a synod or a council would be called, and, again, when out of dire necessity, because of low spiritual life, the brethren sought in assembly to arouse the churches to more faithful preaching of the Word and a deeper inquiry into the cause of religious decline.

As far as geographical conditions allowed it, there was considerable fellowship. It was because of distance more than anything else, probably, that the churches waited for two hundred years before the first Congregational conference was held at Buxton, Me. The value of such an association of churches was apparent at once. Others of the kind soon followed. New England remained provincial. Even the wisest of the leaders saw no reason for planting Congregational churches west of the

Hudson River. Nevertheless, the New Englander was in the West, and Congregational churches multiplied. To the spirit of these western churches was owing the Albany Synod in 1852. A new and a larger life began. The Church Building Society came into being. A home missionary zeal filled the hearts of the brethren. The churches came more closely together. Local and state organizations increased. Fellowship was deepening and widening. In this lay the reason for the National Council, which was organized, as a fitting sequel to the Boston Council in 1865, at Oberlin, Ohio, in 1871. Its object was: To declare the unity of the churches; to strengthen the bond of fellowship; and to give the best possible expression of the mind of the churches as related to the need of the day. The idea of a National Council was strenuously opposed, on the ground that ere long it would assume to do business for the churches. Yet, finding its place, it has won the affection and loyalty of the Congregational fellowship.

Until the session of 1901, in Portland, Me., the National Council was ever disposed to keep within the limits fixed by its promoters at Oberlin. In 1904, however, at Des Moines, Ia., a new and a different spirit manifested itself. This spirit was thoroughly evangelistic in its temper and aim. A high altitude was reached. The outlook became greatly widened. Optimism ruled the day. We expected great things. If all has not been realized, the failure may be attributed to a lack of wise direction. The work which was done was too largely individual. The initiative rested with the local church. We were able to see as never before that if permanent results were to be reached, such work should be done from an authorized center. But of centralization there is great fear lest local prerogatives be invaded. Des Moines, Ia., however, made us ready for Cleveland in 1907. There it was learned that the churches were really "one body." Those remarkable meetings at which Tri-union was so earnestly discussed made us all to feel that we were not so many churches, each one with its selfish parochialism, but one body. We heard a great deal about the Congregational Church. It was a misnomer, of course, but it discovered the "unity of the churches." Such had been the trend of the churches' life for a long time. All of our societies recognized the mutual interest involved, and have sought the counsel of the churches, through