CORRESPONDING SOCIEIIES. 577 



with soiuetliiug uf the splendour of a i-evelatioii, I tried to prove that, properly 

 interpreted, it would not only solve the Irish question and pave the way to a 

 really United Empire, but by gradual and easy stages lead to a series of similar 

 federations and culminate in Tennyson 'e sublime ideal, ' the Parliament of 

 man, the Federation of the world.' 



But my imagination ' grew with what it fed upon,' and, ' following the 

 Gleam,' I saw this simple principle not only uniting the nations without in any 

 way obliterating their nationality or interfering with their own traditions and 

 their local freedom, but gradually linking up the churches, and leading to a 

 Christendom in which genuine unity was consistent with infinite diversity, and 

 the church catholic was something more than a name. 



A good deal of water has flowed under the Tyne bridges since those early 

 years, but I am more convinced than ever that all these things and more may 

 be accomplished by the right interpretation of the magic word. 



Events, indeed, have justified my faith, for, since that date, we have seen 

 the principle applied with great success in Australia and South Africa, and found 

 men of every party feeling towards the simple truth that federation is the only 

 way to solve the riddle of these islands consistently with the satisfaction of the 

 claims of the various parts of them to what is popularly called Home Rule, and 

 to organise the future of our far-flung Empire on a basis which will harmonise 

 the interests of the King's dominions as a whole. And, to give one instance 

 only in the realm ecclesiastical, the various Nonconformist bodies in the country 

 have long ago drawn close together through the medium of a Free Church 

 Council, and are rapidly advancing towards still closer union on the eame elastic 

 lines. 



And the principle is so simple and so absolutely logical that it cannot 

 fail to make increasing headway as the years go by. Why should not any 

 group of nations, or of churches, unite in the pursuit of the things on which 

 they are agreed, retaining their full liberty of action in the things on which 

 they differ ? And why should the principle be limited to nations, or to 

 churches, or, indeed, bo limited at all '! The wisdom underlying it has perco- 

 lated into ever-widening channels. Capital and Labour are largely organising 

 on these lines; and though, even yet, not many really understand its meaning 

 and its implicatione, it has, almost unconsciously, extended its increasing sway 

 to almost every field of human activity, and its peaceful triumphs grow from 

 day to day. 



Encouraged by the rapid strides which everywhere the new idea was making, 

 in 1905 T, ventured to pursue it further in an address which I had the privilege 

 of delivering to the members of the Warrington Literary and Philosophical 

 kjociety. ' The interest in intellectual topics, if we gauge it by the average 

 attendance at our meetings, has not,' I said, 'kept pace with the growth of the 

 town. And it is dispersed among a dozen small societies instead of being con- 

 centrated in one really strong, and representative, and energetic body capable 

 of drawing to its meetings all the best life of the place.' I pleaded for a 

 ' general home, a joint committee, an interchange of meetings and amenities,' 

 suggesting that the Old Academy, the headquarters of the Society I have the 

 honour to represent (wdiich set out with a similar ideal in 1898), might well 

 become the nucleus of such a scheme, and went on to say : ' But even more 

 important than a common meeting-place is a common policy, a principle of 

 mutual assistance and co-operation. We want to bring together all the folks in 

 Warrington who really take an interest in intellectual pursuits. To merge the 

 whole of these societies in one great organisation is neither practicable nor 

 desirable, perhaps ; but it would surely be easy for them to federate ; to each 

 send representatives to a general council, which would reg"ulate their pro- 

 cedure, avoid any overlapping, or any clashing of dates or of subjects, secure 

 an interchange of lectures, and arrange occasional joint meetings. In matters 

 intellectual as well as militai-y, " union is strength." .... 



' I helieve that each particular society would benefit by such an arrange- 

 ment as I have sketched, and I am confident, however disappointing individual 

 societies may seem, that, organised upon this basis, and properly encouraged 

 and supported our collective force would be a revelation. But, if a federation 

 of local societies is desirable, why not a national federation of a similar kind ? 

 Nearly every organised interest in these days has its central council, its 



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