CONGREGATIONALISTS. 



as to the necessity for sustentation and for guard- 

 ing the entrance to the ministry to that end, they 

 were divided as to the lines on which a fund 

 should be established; one section of the com- 

 mittee recommended a scheme for the formation 

 .apart from the Congregational Union of a vol- 

 untary federation of churches pledged to elect 

 only ministers approved by a representative com- 

 mittee of the federating churches; and to adopt 

 and support a sustentation fund. The other sec- 

 tion of the committee was of the opinion that any 

 scheme to be effective should be formed by the 

 Congregational Union and worked through the 

 county unions. 



Constitutional Readjustment. The subject 

 of a possible readjustment of Congregational 

 usages in order to give increased strength to the 

 denomination and greater efficiency to its work, 

 and to avoid some of the disadvantages acknowl- 

 edged to accompany extreme independence of the 

 individual churches and the society organization, 

 has been under discussion in the denominational 

 newspapers for more than a year; and some of 

 the Congregational ministers and laymen of the 

 greatest influence have openly spoken of the intro- 

 duction of some of the features of the Presbyterian 

 system. A conference held in London, Feb. 26 

 and 27, for the purpose of considering questions 

 of this nature w T as attended by delegates repre- 

 senting all parts of England. Among the subjects 

 more prominently brought forward was that of 

 the raising of the standard of the ministry and 

 of the provision of more adequate support for 

 ministers, concerning which it was suggested that 

 a federation should be formed of churches which 

 should confine themselves to a list of ministers 

 approved by the representative body, and should 

 raise a sustentation fund to be used only for per- 

 sons on that list; it was also proposed that this 

 body, board, or council be constituted of repre- 

 sentatives of all the colleges. The constitution of 

 the Congregational unions was mentioned as a 

 source of weakness. Under the present system 

 each county or group of counties has its own 

 union, and these several unions have no connec- 

 tion with one another, or with the Congregational 

 Union of England and Wales, while the last body 

 is destitute of legislative and administrative func- 

 tions. The Rev. Joseph Parker, chairman of the 

 National Congregational Union, addressing the 

 meeting, said that, searching for the one govern- 

 ing principle \vhich might be made to underlie the 

 schemes and suggestions that were presented, he 

 found it in the idea of " a united Congregational 

 Church." " When a man said ' I will never sub- 

 mit to authority,' he might see the question in 

 another aspect if he were part of the authority. 

 Here was the gist of the question. In anything, 

 absolute freedom was impossible. We must yield 

 something, in order that we may get something 

 better." The feeling of the meeting was expressed 

 by resolution to be that the time had come for 

 stimulating the common life and emphasizing the 

 common interests of Congregationalism by con- 

 certed action with regard to entrance to the min- 

 istry; a sustentation fund; a retiring fund; and 

 the question of removals. Attention was called 

 during the discussion to the successful operation 

 of the Provident fund of the Scotch Congrega- 

 tionalists, which secures a retiring allowance of 

 60 per annum to each minister. A resolution 

 was adopted asking the county unions "to dis- 

 cuss the question of a closer and more direct con- 

 nection with the Congregational Union." 



Joint Meeting of the Baptist and Congre- 

 gational Unions. Pursuant to arrangements 

 made in accordance with an understanding reached 



at the meetings of the Baptist and Congregational 

 Unions in 1900, a joint assembly oi UK: two bodies 

 was held, for the first tinu-, hi OK- City Temple, 

 London, April 23 and 24. Tin: Kcv. -Joseph 

 Parker, Congregational, was chainiuni of the ses- 

 sion, and said, in opening the nutting, that its 

 purpose was not to discuss the dill'eroiicc -, between 

 the denominations, but to verity and magnify 

 their bonds of union. The Rev. Dr. Alexander 

 Maclaren then delivered his official address a.s 

 president of the Baptist Union, on the subject of 

 the Preacher's Office, its themes, its demands, its 

 possibilities. A resolution was adopted express- 

 ing deep sorrow at the death of Queen Victoria, de- 

 vout acknowledgment of God's loving gift of such 

 an exemplary life, sincere condolence with King 

 Edward VII, commending the King and Queen to 

 the prayers of all Christians, grieving that the 

 new reign and the new century began amid the 

 horrors of war, and praying for the speedy set- 

 tlement of an honorable and lasting peace. The 

 Rev. Principal Rainy, moderator of the United 

 Free Church of Scotland, was introduced, and 

 spoke of the accomplishment of the union of the 

 Free and the United Presbyterian Churches there, 

 and of " the higher criticism." An evening meet- 

 ing in the Queen's Hall,, with Mr. George White, 

 M. P., in the chair, was addressed by Principal 

 Fairbairn, Congregational, the Rev. J. G. Green- 

 hough, Baptist, and the Rev. Dr. Horton, Congre- 

 gational. At a joint meeting of Baptist and Con- 

 gregational total abstainers it was shown that all 

 but two of the students of the Congregational 

 colleges and all of those of the Baptist colleges 

 w r ere teetotalers. A resolution was adopted in the 

 joint assembly urging the churches and Sunday- 

 schools to assist in devising and employing means 

 for the reclamation of drunkards, and to aid 

 in legislative or administrative measures for the 

 prevention of drunkenness. The resolution in ref- 

 erence to education affirmed " that any system of 

 public schools, whether primary, secondary, or col- 

 legiate, should aim as its sole object at the efficient 

 preparing and equipment of the young for the 

 performance of their duties as citizens, irrespective 

 of the interests of a religious denomination or po- 

 litical party. The curriculum should be framed 

 so as not to violate religious equality or allow of 

 any sectarian or party instruction. The train- 

 ing colleges should be equally open, atnd on equal 

 terms, to all candidates for the teaching profes- 

 sion. All public schools maintained from public 

 funds should be represented by public manage- 

 ment." The annual sermon of the combined Bap- 

 tist and London Missionary Societies was 

 preached by the Rev. R. Glover. The Rev. Joseph 

 Parker, D. D., delivered his annual address as 

 chairman of the Congregational Union, on the 

 subject of The United Congregational Church. 

 By that term the speaker implied a general organi- 

 zation of the churches somewhat after the plan of 

 the county unions, under w^hich, without sacri- 

 ficing their independence, they would attain greater 

 cohesion and a higher degree of efficiency for their 

 work. The United Congregational Church, he 

 showed, would, guarding against unworthy bene- 

 ficiaries, establish a ministerial sustentation fund ; 

 would not insist upon a uniform and inflexible 

 way of receiving and recognizing its ministers, 

 but would insist upon some way or some one of 

 several ways; and would preserve the central prin- 

 ciple of Congregationalism which finds expression 

 in the individual church, for " the individual 

 church is the primary and indestructible unit of 

 Congregationalism"; but "individual churches 

 can be related, vitally and effectively related," 

 as are, under their various constitutions, the 



