doing such things, it cannot rightly claim to be undenominational. The income from other than Congregational churches, we have been unable to ascertain. As we gave through the Plan of Union over two thousand churches, in origin Congregational, to the Presbyterians, and are still giving them laymen and ministers; and as some Congregational churches are connected still with Presbytery, it is no wonder that some among these should remember with gifts the American Board.

But let us examine more carefully the action taken in 1871. The Home Secretary read a paper on behalf of the Prudential Committee, the year after the formal withdrawal of the Presbyterians, which was approved by the Board, ordered printed and circulated in special forms. This paper contained these words:

"But a part of our constituency has also left us. While many of our Presbyterian friends have kindly assured us of their purpose to aid us hereafter, the number of such must regularly decrease; and in like manner the legacies from this quarter must become less and less. Hence, assuming that our disbursements are to continue undiminished, we shall need larger contributions from our Congregational churches."

He then goes into an elaborate argument to show why the Congregational churches should make the needed larger gifts, saying:

“These churches owe such an endeavor (1) to the memory of their founders, . . . (2) to their own missionary history,... (3) to their polity, . . . (4) to their denominational necessities, . . . (5) to Him who has made them what they are. Such, then, is the duty of the Con

gregational churches."

These heads are drawn out at length. Then it is argued "that it be considered the duty of every church to secure, if possible, a yearly offering from all its communicants."

For which there was needed "some simple machinery," "(1) in every congregation," and "(2) in our conferences and associations." He did not appeal to donors, but to the Congregational churches as such, as the then and future constituency of the Board. The Board by approving that paper placed itself in line with the Congregational churches as their foreign missionary society. And in the light of this official utterance, the Board has been rightly understood and enrolled as Congregational, because "its constituency and control are substantially Congregational." If in the emergency of a contention the officers still hold it to be undenominational, they should proclaim it such in reports, addresses, appeals, lest it obtain money under false pretences. It would be interesting to ascertain, if we might, what income, if any, the Board receives from other than Congregational sources, that is, Congregational churches, and Congregationalists in Presbyterian and other communions.

We affirm our belief that the change indicated in the unanimous vote of the National Council is inevitable. Benevolent and mission work belong to churches as such. It is a common work, to be managed by representatives. Voluntary and close corporations make individuals, and not churches, the units and organs of power, and are repugnant therefore to the constitutive principle of our polity. Other abnormal things have been or are being put away as this principle asserts its controlling power. Our societies will be put away, or remodelled after those of other Congregationalists. This is sure to come. Delay may be occasioned by opposition, but the more quietly and quickly the true adjustment is made, the better. The General Association of Connecticut, in 1759, declared "that what affects all ought to be managed by all." Our churches are independent. They have power to manage all their individual affairs without dictation or hindrance from any. They have power also to manage all their common affairs through representation.

It is their business to evangelize the world. They can do it and through agents chosen by themselves. There is no Presbyterianism in this, no danger to liberty, for it has been tested for a century. A speedy and complete adjustment of our societies to our principles can be effected without loss to charter rights. Let not the agitation, then, be prolonged.

Our societies came into being in an adverse environment to meet specific wants. Their relations one to another, and their boundaries consequently, were never duly considered and adjusted. Generally they began as union societies; but, as every cent given through union channels turns up of necessity in denominational churches, the union societies were soon left by others in our hands. The time has come, it is believed, for adjusting boundaries and relations. It has been said that "the next trial of Congregationalism will be to prove whether or not it is strong enough to guide its missionary organizations to such relations and labors as will commend them to the approval of the Christian business world. The seven societies are the bond which united the Congregational church [churches]; but they are not its rudder."1

The last National Council revealed the fact that the Congregational churches recognize this duty, and purpose to do it. They will guide and control the societies.

1 Rev. Dr. Dunning in the Congregationalist, July 11, 1889.

ARTICLE II.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE LAND OF ITS ORIGIN.

BY THE REV. GEORGE F. HERRICK, D. D., MARSOVAN, TURKEY.

OUR daily press is always in the midst of the throes of a heroic struggle to satisfy the gaping and feverish desire of the public for the news. This desire is voracious and indiscriminating, and is usually fed on wind, on endless details of the petty squabbles of little men, and alas! often on the garbage of the gutters of human society, which, in deference to health and decency, ought to be covered and disinfected, not disclosed.

Ours is not a thinking age, and those who want something better than amusement seek entertainment rather than stimulus to reflection. Yet if we will take the trouble to bring within our vision, not the evanescent scenes of the hour, but the trend of the mighty forces that make for righteousness in the earth, we shall find impressive evidence of that basal and formative truth of human history, without which all historic study and all attempt to write history is mere wandering, viz., that GOD is slowly moulding human development toward truth and virtue. He is doing this slowly, because the conditions of the restoration of a moral being deflected from rectitude-the conditions of his discipline-so demand.

The object of this paper, however, is not at all philosophical discussion: it is the statement of important facts which have come under the observation of the writer during his residence in the East.

Twenty-five years is not a long period in the life of an empire. A nation does not grow into being or fall into decay within that time. History tells of no national decay more rapid than that of the old Roman Empire. Yet it continued through a period of two hundred years. There has never been national growth more phenomenal than that of our own country. Yet we are well started on the second century of our national life.

Occidental life is proverbially rapid; Oriental life, we are all sure, is exceedingly slow. We travel, by express, a thousand miles a day: the Asiatic still plods, on horseback, along a bridle-path, or, more recently, in a springless wagon, over his twenty-four miles in twenty-four hours. He smokes his nargileh and takes no note of time. He scratches the ground instead of ploughing it: he threshes his grain as his ancestors did three thousand years ago. He puts off his shoes and wears his hat when he enters a dwelling: he pulls a saw instead of pushing it: he builds a city with mole tracks through it, and if he has streets subsequently, he burns out the paths to make them in by his watch it is always twelve o'clock when the sun sets.

And with all this, if you would find the portion of our planet on which changes of most significance in the life of races of men have, in recent years, taken place most rapidly, you must leave behind the great cities of this land and of Europe, and pass over into Asia.

I. A GLANCE AT RECENT OTTOMAN HISTORY.

Reference is not now made to the restless and aspiring empire on the extreme eastern margin of Asia. I do not assume to tell of India, where, according to those best informed, English has already become the language of all arms of the government service, of travel, of all schools, the one vehicle of a progress whose silent and bloodless revolutions are in happy contrast to the numberless revolu