upon Church Law and Church principle, in such a place as the City of New York, is suffered to pass by unnoticed. Such persons may not know, that, in this instance of disorder, and in other similar ones that have occurred, there has been an evidently studied plan to dodge the letter of Rubrics and Canons, under the pretence that, on these several occasions, the Church was merely loaned for some special Service; full and regular Services for "the Congregation of this Church" having been previously held. And yet in the face of all this, these disorderly services are represented by these Episcopal Clergymen, to outsiders, as specially intended to be an official, public, formal recognition of the validity of Non-Episcopal Orders; and as such they are claimed and gazetted in the Non-Episcopal organs.

Nay, more. These disorderly Church Clergymen are insisting before the public that these services are meant as "the vindication of this right" of "Pulpit Exchanges." At a meeting of the "Christian Union Association," in St. Ann's Church, Brooklyn, on Sunday evening, March 11th, at which meeting a preacher of Socinianism took a prominent part, the Rev. Mason Gallagher (Episcopal), is reported to have delivered himself as follows. He said he had once been a firm believer in the absurd doctrine of the Apostolic succession, but the vision, as that of Peter of the clean and unclean beasts, had shown him that no one whom God accepts as a Minister should be refused."

The Episcopal Recorder, of Jan. 13, 1866, says: "We feel that the Church owes to him [the Rev. John Cotton Smith, D.D.], and his brethren who have vindicated this right, a debt of gratitude. They have shown by their conduct, that the Church does not practically hold the exclusive and unchurching dogma, as they have demonstrated, by their replies to Bishop POTTER, that she never embodied it in her articles or ordinal, as a doctrine. It is a matter of comparatively small moment how extensively or restrictedly this now fully vindicated right of pulpit exchanges should be practised. It is enough for the great cause of Christian Union, that it is now fully and incontestibly established."

So far as this whole question is one of argument, it has been met in previous numbers of this Review. Concerning these late developments, we have now two things to say.

1st. How much such a sort of recognition of Non-Episcopal Orders as this, made under such circumstances, is really worth to the parties concerned, we leave to be decided by the gentlemanly instincts of the Non-Episcopal preachers, who have lent themselves as tools to what they very well know to be a mere faction. Besides, this contentiousness in the Church has revealed several things concerning the denominational ministers of the City. Not a few of them have shown themselves to be Christian gentlemen. They have steadfastly kept aloof from all these attempts to get up a Church quarrel. They understand the Church's position in this matter as well as we do; and they only respect Churchmen the more for their consistency. They say, and say openly, that if we may not look for fidelity to the most solemn pledges here, we cannot look for it any where; and that such things as loyalty to principle, and confidence in men, are an illusion. Some of them, who have been drawn into the game, are understood to have expressed their regret at ever having had anything to do with such a business. Some of these denominational ministers regard the whole question of Orders as of no great importance; whether there are in the Christian Ministry, one, two, or three Orders, or no Orders at all, of course they lose nothing by entering our pulpits, and gain everything; while we lose everything, and gain nothing. Some of these denominational preachers, who have mingled in these broils, evince plainly enough that they hate the Church with intense hatred; and are willing to play into the hands of men, whom they flatter to their faces, but whose inconsistency they despise, and laugh at behind their backs; while, at the same time, they are accomplishing their own partisan and selfish ends.

2nd. The other thing which we have to say is this. This question of the "right of pulpit exchanges," instead of being "now fully and incontestibly established," lacks a good deal of any such settlement. If they who think otherwise, will give a little manliness to their defiance of Church Law and Church principle, so that, in an authoritative and formal decision, the question can be met, fairly and squarely, on its own merits, and where there shall be no chance for quibblings and evasions,

we venture the prediction, that it will be very soon determined whether these gentlemen are right or wrong, in their practical interpretation of Rubrics and Canons. Will they, as honest men, test this question in this way? and so put an end to further strife and contention? We shall see.

REFORMATION OF THE ITALIAN CHURCH.

At the last General Convention, after a warm debate, the following resolution was adopted:

"This Convention learns with great satisfaction, by information from various sources, that there is much encouragement to hope for a return of the Italian Churches to the primitive purity of doctrine, discipline, and worship, together with their revival in Christian liberty and zeal, and that it heartily sympathizes with the earnest members of those Churches, both of the Clergy and the laity, who are laboring to that effect; and that it humbly prays the great Head of the Church to crown the efforts now making in that direction with His blessing."

A committee was appointed to sit during the recess to collect Italian information, and report to the next Convention. This committee, we are assured, are already in possession of facts of very great significance. The subject will be presented more fully in the next Number of this Review. Meanwhile, to show the spirit which rules at Rome, we give the following extract of a dispatch addressed by Mr. Odo Russell to the Earl of Clarendon, dated Rome, February 8:

"Travellers visiting the Pope's dominions should be very careful not to bring forbidden books or Colt's revolvers with them, the custom-house officers having strict orders to confiscate them, and it is not always possible to recover them after the owners have left the Roman States. Forbidden books are those condemned by the Congregation of the Index, books on religion or morality in general, political and philosophical works of every description, and more especially Italian religious tracts published in London. But above all, travellers should be careful not to bring English, Italian, or other Bibles with them, the Bible being strictly prohibited."

The Rev. T. B. Lyman, a Presbyter of the American Church, has commenced Services in a large room under the same roof with the apartments of the American Minister, which are fully attended. At no distant day, an American Church will be demanded and erected at Rome for all who choose to attend. Our own Government cannot too soon have its attention called to such a reciprocal right. We shall then see how the question will be met by Romanists, both here and there. American residents at Rome should petition our Government on the subject.

NATIONAL CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL.

In June and July last, a Convention of leading Congregationalists in the country, was held in Boston, which continued in session several days. Over five hundred delegates were present. The doings of the Convention were very significant, and, as representing the opinions and drift of a numerous educated and industrious body of men, were worth noting. We can only glance at some of the more prominent features of the "Council."

The formal reception of Gov. Andrews, of Mass., was one of its doings; the members of the Council all rising to receive him. He it was who presided at the Unitarian Convention in New York, that scene of ribald blasphemy and heathenism. He of course made a speech, in which he said. "In a common purpose, with a common hope, encouraged by the expectation of good in this life and the promise of supernal good in that which is to come, let us devote ourselves, with one heart and one mind, towards the realization of the highest hopes of humanity, towards the perfection of all that which distinguishes and characterizes us as a free people, that which inspires the song of angels, and adds to the beatitude of heaven." (Loud applause.)

The attempt to adopt a "Declaration of Faith," developed some curious facts respecting Congregationalism at the present day. It was made manifest, in a long and excited discussion, that the great mass of Congregationalists do not really believe anything positive, or if they do, they do not know and cannot tell what it is. The Rev. Dr. Bacon said, "As a Council we agree 'in substance of doctrine,' and

it is our duty to say what we believe. But he protested against imposing a Confession of Faith, or setting it up as an idol, which is contrary to the second commandment. No Confession we can make can bind any body." Rev. Mr. Allen, of Mass.. said, "There was one element of the Congregational Faith which a large portion of the Church regarded as a cardinal doctrine;- there were others who believed it to be cardinally false. He referred to the doctrine of Original Sin. He had long studied this point of faith, and he was prepared to take a stand against it and discuss it historically on a broader platform than this."

At last, something was adopted which was called a "Declaration of Faith" It is a long, adroitly written rhapsody of loose generalities, purposely signifying nothing. A leading article of that "Declaration" runs as follows: "Standing by the Rock where the Pilgrims set foot upon these shores, upon the spot where they worshipped God, and among the graves of the early generations, we, elders and messengers of the Congregational Churches of the United States, in National Council assembledlike them acknowledging no rule of Faith but the Word of God-do now declare our adherence to the Faith and Order of the apostolic and primitive churches, held by our fathers and substantially embodied in the confessions and platforms which our synods of 1648 and 1680 set forth or reaffirmed."

On the subject of Congregational Polity, the Council was as much at loggerheads as in the matter of the Faith. Finally, Prof. Park, of Andover, who belongs to the very newest School of the "New Christianity," offered the following, which was adopted:-" Resolved, That this Council recognizes as distinctive of the Congregational Polity-first, that the local church derives its power and authority directly from Christ, and is not subjected to any ecclesiastical government exterior or superior to itself. Second, that each church is bound to observe the duties of mutual respect and charity, which are included in the communion of churches one with another, and that every church which refuses to give an orderly account of its proceedings when desired, violates the law of Christ. Third, that the functions of the ministry imply no power of governing, and that ministers not elected to office in any church have no official power in or over the churches."

The theological dishonesty which so often sneaks behind the stereotyped phrase "substance of doctrine," was boldly denounced by one of the speakers, but he only fought against the wind. On the whole, we have in the results of this Council, the real status of that noisy system, which a few of our own clergy are trying to en graft upon the Church. It is a Christianity without Christ; a boasted Humanitarianism without the power to be what it aims at. It scoffs at Creeds, and yet Creeds are the forms of life.

A funny feature of this Convention, if anything so serious can be funny, does not for obvious reasons appear on its records. This was a Protest from the openly pronounced Unitarians of that region. It was signed by three of the Unitarian ministers of Boston, as a committee of the Ministerial Conference "-Rev. Dr. Gannett, Rev. Dr. Cyrus A. Bartol, and Rev. George E. Ellis. They complain that the members of their Conference, although Congregational, have not been invited to this National Council. They say that their churches are among the oldest Congregational Churches in the country; and they object to the exclusion, and to the monopoly of the name, Congregational, by the orthodox party. They say: "If we are not Congregationalists, we can not hold seats in the Massachusetts Convention, nor in the Congregational Charitable Society, in the impartial distribution of whose charities we have gladly given counsel and cooperation; nor can those who may, by our death, be left in necessitous circumstances receive aid from the funds of either of those bodies. If this name does not belong to us, the question may be raised whether funds now held in virtue of bequests to some of the churches or religious societies with which we are connected, for the support of the ministry or for parochial relief, can be lawfully retained." They therefore give notice that they shall claim and hold the name and rights of Congregationalists.

CONGREGATIONALISM IN CONNECTICUT.

A Congregationalist in Connecticut, under date of February 17th, writes as follows:-"In looking over the minutes of the General Association of Connecticut, held in 1865, we find that one-fifth of all the pastors in the VOL. XVIII.

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State were dismissed during the year, and that only eleven young men were ordained; that the salaries paid to thirty-three pastors, was $500: nine pastors, $400; one, $300 and another, $200; three, no salary; one hundred and four, $1000; forty, $1,500; sixteen, $2.000; four, $2,500; and three, $3,000. The average sum paid to ministers in Fairfield county, was $1,044; Hartford county, $1,060; Litchfield county, $880; Middlesex County, $819; New Haven county, $1.127; New London county, $848; Tolland county, $728; Windham county, $653. There are now over seventy churches in this State who have neither pastors nor stated preachers."

GROWTH OF ROMANISM IN MASSACHUSETTS.

At a Funeral Sermon, in memory of the late Romish Bishop Fitzpatrick, the preacher said: "When he took charge of the Diocese of Boston, in 1846, there were only forty-five priests and thirty-eight churches in the four States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Now, in the State of Massachusetts alone, they count 109 churches and 116 priests, whilst the number of priests in the original diocese amounts now to 168, and that of the churches to 190."

Concerning the Romanists of Boston, there is this to be said. They believe in their own system enough to labor for its extension, and are not perpetually striving to see how much of sympathy they can extend to other and hostile organizations.

DECLINE OF SECTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

LUTHERANS ON THE DECREASE.-The Lutheran Almanac for 1865 gives the following grand total:-Ministers, 1,543; congregations, 2,765; communicants, 292,723. The Almanac for 1866 gives-Ministers, 1,523; congregations, 2,632; communicants, 286,233; or a decrease of 20 ministers, 133 congregations, and 6,450 communicants.

BAPTISTS IN NEW YORK ON THE DECREASE.-The time has come, says the New York Examiner, when the Baptists in New York State are making no numerical progress. In 1792 we had 79 churches, with 4,895 members; in 1812, 274 churches and 19,242 members; in 1832, 605 churches and 60,006 members; in 1852, 813 churches and 85,923 members. We have since then advanced to nearly 100,000 members, but have declined again to a little less than 90,000.

METHODISTS IN NEW ENGLAND ON THE DECREASE, AND NOT REALLY GAINING ANYWHERE. According to the figures in the Traveller, there has been a falling off in the membership of the six New England Conferences, during the last three years, to the number of 860.

The Methodist (newspaper) of Jan. 27, 1866, contains some remarkable statements. It says: In Bangor, in 1844, we had one strong church with 371 members. In 1864, two weak ones with 456-a gain of 85 only, for the twenty years. Portland does a little better; in 1844 having 650 members, and 1864, 904-a gain of 254; though it has about doubled its population. Portsmouth, N. H., in 1844 had one church with 310 members; in 1864 still but one church with 332-a gain of 22 for the 20 years. In Boston, though the population of the city has very largely increased, and our churches there have the advantage of infmigration from all the other New England congregations, as the tendency of population in New England is to the metropolis, and the large manufacturing towns and cities, our gain has been from eight churches with 1,972, to ten churches with 2,550 members-a gain of 578 only. In Providence, Fall River, Taunton and New Bedford, we have done rather better, but in the flourishing little cities of New London and Norwich we have met with losses, and in the latter city they have been lamentably heavy.

In New York, in 1844 there were 10,474 members, in 1864 11,121-a gain of 647, enough only to make two decent city churches, though the population of the city has trebled. Baltimore, in 1844 shows 12,402 members; in 1864, 12,737-a gain of 335 only, for the twenty years. Albany, the capital of the great empire State, in 1844 had 1,434 members; in 1864, 1,613-a gain of 179 for the twenty years. Buffalo, one of the greatest entrepôts of the immense grain trade on this

continent, shows 681 in 1864, against 480 in 1844-a gain of 201, though I think the population of the city has about doubled in this time.

Even Cincinnati, the Queen City of the West, once so famous for its Methodism, though the seat of our Western Book Depository, with its immense business, the seat of a Wesleyan Female College, and the residence of a Bishop, in 1864 shows but 3,658, against 2,855 in 1844-a gain of but 803, and this gain mostly consists of the three German churches with 681 members. The gain in the English congregations for the twenty years is but little more than nominal.

From the General Conference of 1860 to that of 1864, we lost 50,000 members; and this year, as the result of the labors of 10,000 churches, of 15,000 travelling and local preachers, of 100 schools of learning, of our numerous and powerful presses in all parts of our wide country, and of the expenditure of $626,000 of missionary money, our whole work in all parts of the world shows an increase of less than 1,000 souls. From the immense amount of probationers which we report from year to year, we find that our actual gain amounts to but about one fifth, or twenty per cent. of the whole number. Thus, among our converts, apostacy is still the rule and perseverance the exception, as it has ever been in all ages of the Christian Church. We yet show a powerfully aggressive force, but sadly lack the conservative. Ours is the most awakening ministry on earth, but we sadly fail in the power of culture, by which alone the fruits of our labor can be conserved.

PRESBYTERIANS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ON THE DECREASE.-At a meeting of the Presbytery of Blairsville, held Nov. 7th, the statement was made "that we have six hundred less communicants in the bounds of the Synod of Pittsburgh than we had six years ago! Many, too, who are in the Church, are a burden and a curse to the body, because they are wanting in love and every Christian grace."

RECEIPTS OF THE NEW YORK THEATRES, FOR THE LAST SEASON.

There are in New York City twelve theatres, (including the Museum and the Academy,) six Minstrel or Concert halls, two Circus and Menageries-and the receipts of these places of amusement for the past season, beginning with July, 1864, and ending with June, 1865, amounted to $1,896,051. Counting in the money taken at the doors of the dozen minor shows and occasional amusements, the amount of money paid by the public for "Amusement" the last "Theatrical year" was probably two millions of dollars.

This sum was distributed-(as shown by the returns made at the Internal Revenue office, which claims two per cent. of the gross amount taken in at every theatre, opera, circus, museum, or other place of theatrical, operatic, acrobatic, or musical exhibition opened for the public)-among the following places of resort: