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separately constituted; according to our earnest recommendation, repeatedly indorsed by the Assembly. At least one hundred and seventy-five Synods and Presbyteries in this country are in communication with us through their local committees. Almost invariably their Chairmen are brethren of earnest and intelligent convictions on this subject. They spread information, and urge systematic and proportionate giving, not merely within their own bounds, but widely through the Church. For example, the committee of one Presbytery, eager to reach the streams of influence in our Church at their sources, sent printed matter to every student in our Theological Seminaries, calling his attention to the subject of systematic giving, and suggesting that he begin the practice while in the Seminary.

We believe that in no other way can the work with which we are charged be so effectively done as by the co-operation and largely through the agency of such local committees in every Presbytery and Synod. We have learned to prize them as practically indispensable. An increasing habit among them, one most encouraging and commendable, is their tabulation in printed form of every church's contributions to all benevolences, compared with previous years. It proves no little stimulus to growth in good works.

A profound financial depression has prevailed over our whole land during the year, threatening the serious curtailment of receipts. Hence, during the latter half of the church year, the only period open to our organized effort for the reason stated, we have aimed our chief efforts at immediate influence upon pastors and sessions, to secure contributions for the Boards during the months commended by the Assembly for that purpose. In prosecution of this plan, we have several times reached every church in our body, not only with our own reminders and appeals, but by the personal application of two Presbyterial Chairmen in each Presbytery, who have cordially indorsed them with their own signatures and effected their distribution, and to whom our hearty thanks are tendered. We have received abundant testimony of benefit accruing to the general cause from this method of procedure. Many churches have been roused to give who never gave before. Some evident impulse has accrued toward our grand ideal-the regular, frequent, proportionate giving of every member. In approach to this we see the surest hope for abundant means in the Boards' treasuries.

A hand-book for information of committees, pastors and sessions, as to practical plans for the development of systematic giving, has

been in preparation, under direction of this committee, by one of its most experienced members. We greatly regret that his recent illness has postponed its completion.

The last Assembly referred to us Overture No. 27, of the Committee on the Polity of the Church, being an overture from the Presbytery of Cleveland, asking for an amendment to the Directory of Worship, "So as more distinctly to enumerate benevolent offerings among the enjoined acts of public worship." We accordingly adopted a form of Overture, and recommended it to the Presbyteries through their respective Committees on Systematic Beneficence. The expense of this movement was borne by one of our committee. We have been advised of favorable action, or suggestions of amendment, by many Presbyteries, and have asked that these overtures thus sent down may be referred to the Standing Committee for consideration and subsequent report to this Assembly.

More than 17,000 copies of documents issued by this committee, and fortified by personal appeals of Presbyterial Committees, have been sent lately among the pastors and sessions of our churches.

In some Synods, East and West, the study of ways and means for securing the temper and results of benevolence, has been manifest in a way not dreamed of before the organized agitation of this subject in our Church. Our largest Synod, New York, heartily adopting the report of its Beneficence Committee, resolved upon the earnest endeavor to add nearly 50 per cent. to its contributions, and raise a million dollars within the current year. We shall see next autumn how far the intelligent determination of such a body has stimulated faithfulness. We meet many instances where such elevation of the target has secured certainty in the aim. The Presbytery of Westchester in that Synod has previously found this method greatly successful, and has renewed it the present year. Methods adopted within that same Synod, for awaking the churches to their opportunities and delinquencies, are worthy of all praise. Its resolution following is precisely in the line of your committee's effort, and meets our warm approval.

"That each member of the Church be urged to set apart regularly a certain portion of his income to the Lord, thus making proportionate giving a part of his Christian life; that church sessions, and especially pastors, being responsible for the teaching and training of the people, be directed to instruct their churches in the duty of systematic giving, and to introduce into them some plan of beneficence which will con

form as nearly as possible to the apostolic rule-'Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.""

Efficient Synodical Committees can be of greatest service in this work by arranging for printed addresses and popular meetings, and insuring the appointment of a good committee in every Presbytery within the bounds of the Synod.

Our reports from a majority of the Presbyteries indicate a pronounced advance in interest for this cause, a far more practical acceptance of systematic and proportionate giving than ever before, and an increasing conviction that the grace of liberality is worth praying for. In several Presbyteries half a day has been given to popular conventions or institutes for instruction in the principles and modes of Systematic Beneficence In Newton Presbytery, New Jersey, the addresses upon such an occasion were printed in the form of a pungent, interesting synopsis, and sent to every church member with acceptance and good effect.

In the Presbytery of Brooklyn the members at their last meeting entered impressively by a rising vote into a solemn league and covenant, to instruct their people, and do what could be done to secure their contributions.

Western Presbyteries are advancing in their interest and their gifts. In benevolent contributions, the foremost Presbyteries of the Church proportionately to membership are Oregon and Cleveland. The Presbytery of Montana, while during the year its membership increased 27 per cent., enlarged its benevolent gifts 261 per cent.

From nearly every quarter testimony reaches us of blessing upon faithful, energetic labor to raise the standard of giving in our churches. Many churches in Missionary Presbyteries are giving to all the Boards, not stintedly either-an invariable sign of early self-support. One of the Minnesota churches has made great advance in benevolence, while yet securing all church support by voluntary contributions. Their system is one which we recommend as among the best in cases like this—namely, an alternation of Sabbaths in some arranged proportion between self-support and the Boards, with definite information and appeal concerning each. It is too much to say that giving for church support is not benevolent, since the evangelizing influence of every live church's worship goes beyond itself. The pastor of the church referred to writes: "We find that personally we are greatly blessed