132 



CONGREGATIONALISTS. 



ous usages of the denomination respecting 

 ministerial responsibility and standing, and re- 

 port to the next triennial Council with such 

 recommendations as they may deem advis- 

 able ; pending which inquiry and report, the 

 churches were advised to ascertain carefully 

 before employing any minister that he had a 

 regular standing in some recognized ecclesias- 

 tical connection. A minute was adopted on the 

 subject of Sabbath observance, which, while 

 it did not attempt a specific definition of the 

 work necessary to be done on the Sabbath, 

 and which has therefore to be considered justi- 

 fiable, declared that such labor " should be re- 

 duced to a minimum, and should be able to 

 plead in justification a clear social necessity." 

 A paper prepared for the meeting by the 

 Rev. Dr. Leonard Woolsey, on "The Bible in 

 Schools," formed the basis for action, in which 

 the Council declared that, " whatever system 

 of schools is adopted by the State, there is a 

 necessity and a duty of teaching moral duties ; " 

 and that "in the practical teaching of such 

 duties ethics cannot be altogether dissociated 

 from religion;" and expressed itself opposed 

 to a division of school-funds among various 

 sects, but willing to make concessions, either 

 by the substitution of acceptable versions of 

 the Bible for Roman Catholic pupils, or by the 

 use of a volume of selections from the Script- 

 urea, " which should contain nothing obscure 

 in meaning, or archaic in style, or open to sec- 

 tarian construction, or some other possible ad- 

 justment," to meet the difficulties raised by 

 Roman Catholic parents. A paper was read 

 by the Rev. Dr. Henry M. Dexter on " Church- 

 less Pastors and Pastorless Churches," which 

 was referred, with a resolution to the effect 

 that measures should be taken to secure a fea- 

 sible scheme for the support of all pastors in 

 the denomination, to a committee, to report 

 upon the subject to the next Council. Other 

 papers were read on " Woman's Place in the 

 Religious Work of the Times" (Rev. C. L. 

 Goodsell), "Fellowship Meetings" (Rev. Ar- 

 thur Little), " The Sunday-school " (Rev. Hen- 

 ry Clay Trumbull), on all of which subjects 

 the Council took action, commendatory of the 

 ideas expressed. A report was adopted de- 

 claring that the Sunday-school " is not an 

 organization independent of the Church, hut 

 is one form of Church work," emphasizing the 

 importance of instructing the scholars in the 

 great principles of religion and the doctrines 

 and policy of the churches, and commending 

 the Sunday-school work of the American 

 Home Missionary Society. A resolution was 

 adopted declaring it to be the true policy of 

 the churches, .first, thoroughly to endow the 

 colleges already founded by them in the sev- 

 eral^ Northwestern States, before adding to 

 theiFltmmber ; and. second, to unite cordially 

 in the support of State universities where they 

 have been established, and, in connection with 

 it, a report was approved showing that there 

 was.no necessary antagonism between the de- 



nominational colleges and the State univergi. 

 ties. A memorial was presented from the Gen- 

 eral Association of New Jersey, expressing dis- 

 approval of national Councils meeting statedly 

 to give advice in denominational matters, as 

 subversive of Congregationalism, and express- 

 ing the conviction that such a body should 

 meet only on special call in given emergencies. 

 The Council resolved, unanimously, in reply, 

 that the objects of its being, as defined in its 

 constitution, were of commanding importance, 

 and that it had faithfully and vigorously ad- 

 dressed itself to their prosecution, " illustrat- 

 ing the wisdom of its establishment, and vin- 

 dicating its right to live." 



A resolution was adopted approving the 

 erection of a monument, in the name of the 

 Council, over the remains of John Robinson, at 

 Leyden, in Holland, and a committee was ap- 

 pointed in aid of the object. Action was taken 

 urging each State body of the churches to effect 

 an organization for promoting the relief of 

 disabled ministers and ministers' families. A 

 committee was appointed to take the same 

 subject into consideration, and report at the 

 next session of the Council. The Publishing 

 Committee were instructed to report to the 

 next Council concerning some uniform system 

 of dealing with nonresident members, and mem- 

 bers who have received letters of dismission con- 

 cerning whom the Church has received no ad- 

 vices or has no knowledge ; and with members 

 who have been for a long time absent, and yet 

 refuse to request letters of dismission. A reso- 

 lution was adopted expressing opposition to the 

 use and sale of intoxicating liquors as a bever- 

 age, and urging upon ministers and churches 

 activity in favor of agencies to discourage 

 drinking habits, and effect the removal of the 

 external temptation? which foster them. 



The annual meeting of the Congregational 

 Union of Ontario and Quebec was held at 

 Guelph, Ontario, beginning June 6th. The 

 Union represents about 100 churches, with 

 a membership of 6,189, to which 1,036 addi- 

 tions had been made during the year. Nine- 

 ty-eight Sunday-schools were reported, with 

 953 officers and teachers and 7,893 scholars. 

 The Canadian Congregational Missionary So- 

 ciety reported 36 missionaries engaged in the 

 field, 81 churches and preaching-places sup- 

 plied, and few churches vacant. The accounts 

 of the year showed a deficit of $800, which 

 the society would attempt to liquidate by 

 a special collection. The College of British 

 North America, at Montreal, had been at- 

 tended by 12 students; its income for the 

 year had been $3,500, and its expenditure 

 $4,300. The Widows' Fund had invested 

 $18,045, and the Retiring Pastors' Fund, 

 which had just gone into operation, $2,378. 

 These funds were under the care of the Provi- 

 dent Fund Society. The magazine, the Cana- 

 dian Independent, was paying its way. It had 

 a circulation of 1,250 copies monthly; 1,500 

 copies of the Tear-Book were published yearly. 



