CONOREGATIONALISTS. 



195 



an appendix the facts on the present conditions 

 of religious freedom at tin; seven great public 

 schools and on regulations as to the conscience 

 diiiiM! ; and expressed the conclusion that though 

 there \\a-- a determined attempt further to 

 anglicize tho religious teaching at the public 

 schools, the difficulties in this way have only been 

 brought into greater prominence, and that the 

 discussion made it clear that the schools in ques- 

 tion were not really at present tending toward 

 ecclesiasticism, but "rather toward catholicity 

 in its true sense." The assembly recommended 

 that, in view of tho leakage of members by emi- 

 gration to the British colonies, pastors send de- 

 tails of expected removals to the office of the 

 Colonial Missionary Society for transmittal to 

 ministers in the colonies, that they may look after 

 the persons on arrival. A special representative 

 committee was appointed to consider the subject 

 of Church extension in England and Wales and 

 report upon it as soon as possible. The introduc- 

 tion of the Welsh Suspensory bill was welcomed 

 as a preliminary to the disestablishment of the 

 Church of England in Wales and an affirmation 

 of the principle of religious equality. The in- 

 troduction by the Government of the Local Veto 

 bill was approved as a recognition of the prin- 

 ciple of popular control over the liquor traffic. 

 A special committee was appointed, in which 

 each college should be equally represented, to 

 consider how the colleges may be adapted more 

 fully to the needs of the time either by consolida- 

 tion or by extension by development of inter- 

 nal conditions and by intercollegiate and inter- 

 denominational relationships, the committee to 

 confer with the governing body of each college 

 and report. 



At the autumnal meeting of the Union, Oct. 

 16, a committee was appointed to confer with the 

 council of the Church Aid Society concerning 

 the desirability, or otherwise, of its amalgama- 

 tion with the Union ; of establishing a sus- 

 tentation fund ; or, if these be deemed im- 

 practicable, of modifying the constitution of the 

 Church Aid Society according to such sugges- 

 tions as may have been or may be made. The 

 Christian sympathy of the assembly was ex- 

 pressed with the persecuted Stundists and other 

 Christians in Russia, as well as with all who in 

 other lands are suffering for the gospel's sake. 

 The resolution also expressed the deep concern 

 of the assembly at the " intolerant spirit dis- 

 played by some European governments toward 

 those who, though compelled by conscience to 

 separate themselves from the national Church of 

 the country, are yet known to be peaceable and 

 law-abiding citizens." A resolution was passed 

 regretting the unsettled condition of questions 

 affecting the relations of capital and labor ; la- 

 menting the widespread distress resulting from 

 strikes arid lockouts in the colliery and other 

 trades, and bearing testimony " to the ethical 

 principle that the rights of humanity must al- 

 ways take precedence of those of property " ; de- 

 claring " that alike mining royalties and profits 

 made out of the labors of me'n receiving wages 

 inadequate for the support of themselves and 

 their families are obviously inconsistent with 

 righteousness and fraternity" : and recommend- 

 ing the submitting "of all labor disputes to set- 

 tlement by impartial tribunals." Another reso- 



lution called upon the Government to enforce at 

 once upon all administrators of English law in 

 India an absolute obedience to the will of the 

 Imperial Parliament, and suggesting that "the 

 only effective measure of enforcing the law wan 

 by penal legislation." The approval of the 

 Union was given to what had already been done 

 by the Government in the direction of disestab- 

 lishment in Wales and Scotland, and the trust 

 was expressed that that policy might be pressed 

 forward, at the earliest practicable period, " not 

 only that justice may be done to the inhabitants 

 of those countries, but that the time may be 

 hastened when in England also, and throughout 

 the empire, all Christian churches may be self- 

 sustained and self-governed communities." 



Meetings of the National Council of Congre- 

 gational Guilds and Young People's Meetings 

 were held in connection with the assembly. 



Tercentenary of Congregational Martyrs. 

 The tercentenary of the martyrdom of Henry 

 Barrowe, John Greenwood (executed at Tyburn, 

 April 6, 1593) and John Penry (executed May 

 29 of the same year) was celebrated in Hyde 

 Park, London, near the Reformers' Tree, April 

 8. The procession marched behind a banner 

 bearing the inscription, " In memory of Barrow, 

 Greenwood, and Penry, who died in the cause of 

 liberty three hundred years ago." Mr. T. E. 

 Ellis, M. P., presided, and addresses were made 

 DV him, Dr. Clifford, the Rev. Hugh Price 

 Hughes, the Rev. P. Williams, and the Rev. 

 Sylvester Home ; and a resolution was adopted. 

 That we who are here assembled (representing the 

 free Churches of London) gratefully commemorate the 

 heroic martyrs of our faith who died in vindication 

 of our religious privileges three hundred years ago; 

 that we recognize, with devout thankfulness to God, 

 the blessings won for all the people by their fidelity ; 

 and that we solemnly pledge ourselves strenuously 

 to maintain the heritage committed unto us and stead- 

 fastly to labor for the perfecting of religious liberty, 

 the spread of religious truth, and the promotion of 

 Christian righteousness and brotherhood among our 

 fellow-men. 



The celebrations were continued at the autum- 

 nal meetings of the Congregational Union in 

 October, when addresses were delivered on " The 

 Principles for which the Separatists contended," 

 by the Rev. Dr. Albert Goodrich ; " The Effects 

 of their Testimony on the National Life," by the 

 Rev. Dr. Robert Bruce ; " The Spiritual Devel- 

 opment of Congregationalism," by the Rev. 

 Samuel Pearson ; and " The Relation of Congre- 

 gational Principles to the Life and Controver- 

 sies of To-day, by the Rev. Alfred Rowland 

 The meetings were closed with a united thanks- 

 giving meeting of free Churchmen, Oct. 17, 

 when addresses were delivered by the Rev. J. G. 

 Rogers, Congregationalist ; the Rev. C. H. Kelly, 

 Wesleyan ; the Rev. T. M. Morris, President of 

 the Baptist Union, and the Rev. J. B. Meharry, 

 Presbyterian. 



Home Missions. In the home mission sta- 

 tions of England and Wales during the financial 

 year 1892-'93, 927 churches and missions were 

 aided by grants to the extent of 22,710, in ad- 

 dition to 95.531 raised locally. These churches 

 have supported 549 pastors and evangelists : t liev 

 have 33,728 communicants, an increase for the 

 year of 1,213. The places thus aided afford ac- 

 commodation for 222,290 persons. 



