As the last modifications in the Declaration of Faith were hastily made, it was, before adoption, referred to a committee for such changes in words, not in meaning, as should seem to be required; and on the report of that committee, it was solemnly readopted, the next day, in the Mount Vernon Church in Boston.

It will be seen at once that this Declaration has two leading features. First, the reaffirmation of the faith and order of the apostolic and primitive churches, as held by our fathers, and substantially as embodied in the Confessions and Platforms of 1648 and 1680, set forth or reaffirmed. And, second, while preferring and adhering to our peculiar faith and order, the recognition of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, as of the one church or Body of Christ, the confession with them of the fundamental truths of the gospel, and the pledge, in fellowship with them, to go into all the land and into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. This second is a grand feature, and gives the declaration a noble superiority above any other known to us.

As to the first feature, the reaffirmation (not in exact terms, but substantially and with liberal freedom, taking the word of God as the only rule) of the Westminster and Savoy confes sions-there were many in the Council who would have preferred instead a declaration of doctrines according to the evangelical views and the fresh language of the present time. The following words of one of the ablest and soundest members of the Council, President Sturtevant, will express their views:

"I want a declaration of doctrine that goes the whole length of stating, in original living words of our own, in this year of grace, 1865, what our view of that [the evangelical] system is. If those brethren who have reported this document [the report of the Preliminary Committee] will take the language back again, and put their heads, and their hearts, and their prayers, at work for six months, and draw up for us such a document, I will come from my home to another meeting of this Council, and bear my own expenses, that we may have such a document as will actually express the faith of

these churches here and now, with no reference whatever to any past formula,-a document that shall be the sentiment of the Congregational churches in the year 1865, in words of their own choosing.

"One word more. I am sorry for these references to the old standards. I do not know how many will agree with me there. I will tell you why I am sorry. There is language in every one of those old standards which not a man upon this floor receives."

A member. "Substance of doctrine."

Dr. Sturtevant. "I wish to be excused from that phrase when I make a confession of faith. I want a confession of faith to express what I mean; and it will be hard work for me to vote for it if I know there is phraseology in it which I do not mean. In all my controversies with the Presbyterian church, they insisted upon my subscribing their formula for substance of.doctrine. I wanted to be simply an honest man; and I want these brethren to be simply honest men, and to accept a confession of faith which every one of them does in his heart and soul believe, without any phraseology or statements in it which we could wish were away, with no expression to be a stumbling block to every professor of theology, and to every man in this house."

But both the Preliminary Committee and the Committee to whom their Report of a Declaration was referred, judged this to be impracticable. They thought that any such full expression of faith could not be harmoniously adopted, at least without a much longer discussion, and a much longer convention, than the Council would or could afford. We think that they misjudged that they underrated both the capability and the disposition of the Council to harmonize on a confession of faith, which would express not only the common Christian views of the doctrines of the Scriptures, but the distinguishing views of the Congregational churches, the evangelical facts and truths which they believe, without the peculiar philosophies by which different schools explain them. Surely this would have been far more useful for practical purposes, and more in accordance with scrupulous integrity, than an assent,

however qualified by the words "substantially," or "for substance of doctrine," to the Westminster and Savoy Confessions; for such have been the changes during more than two centuries, especially with respect to the philosophy implied and incorporated in those confessions, that no member of the Council, of any school, receives some of their language in its fair and natural sense. We think it might have been done, especially under the lead of the Preliminary Committee, who had six months for their work. That this was not done, is our only cause of regret in the whole proceedings of the Council.

However, it was fully expressed and abundantly understood, that the Council affirmed these ancient formulas only in a qualified manner. The qualifications are, first, that these formulas are of no authority, but that the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice; and, secondly, that these formulas are regarded by those who receive them, with much latitude and liberty of interpretation, as expressing "the system of doctrine," or "the substance of doctrine," contained in the Bible, not its exact truths in all respects; even as they regarded them who made them, or reaffirmed them. The Saybrook Synod expressly say, in the eighth Article of their Heads of Agreement; "As to what appertains to soundness of judgment in matters of faith, we esteem it sufficient that a church acknowledge the Scriptures to be the word of God, the perfect and only rule of faith and practice, and own either the doctrinal part of those commonly called the Articles of the Church of England, or the Confessions or Catechisms, shorter or longer, compiled by the Assembly at Westminster, or the Confession agreed on at the Savoy, to be agreeable to the said rule."

Receiving this part of the Declaration of Faith in this qualified manner, as the best that could be done in the premises, with regret on the part of many, a large majority we believe, that a better thing had not been done in its stead, the Council adopted the whole, conscious and joyful that, on account of its plain affirmation of the common faith of Christendom, its catholic recognition of all branches of the one church of Christ, and its affectionate and enthusiastic pledge to coöperate

with them for the triumph of Christ's kingdom in the earth, it is the most advanced and generous declaration of faith that has yet been put forth by any Christian denomination.

It ought not to be omitted, in this brief account of the Council, that it was characterized by a high degree of harmony and brotherly love. All schools and shades of evangelical opinion within the denomination were represented. All who desired to speak expressed themselves freely. Yet there was no severity, and no manifestation of unfraternal or unchristian feeling, and nothing to disturb the harmony of deliberation or of final action.

And there was, also,-which doubtless was one reason of the harmony-an excellent devotional spirit during the whole session. Every day, at eleven o'clock, when the Council was full, there was, according to an order early adopted, a pause in the proceedings, and a half hour was employed in devotional services, chiefly prayer and praise. The Spirit of God manifestly rested on the Council from the beginning to the end. May the same Spirit inspire the churches for a glorious performance of all its noble plans!

ARTICLE VII.-THE FOREIGN DELEGATIONS TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.

THE crisis in our public affairs, which justified the assembling of a representative body from the Congregational Churches of the United States at Boston, also gave a peculiar significance to the correspondence from evangelical churches, in foreign lands, through their deputies. While the great design and action of this Council related to the extension of the Kingdom of Christ by the churches which had approved the meeting and elected delegates, it was impossible not to review the attitude of those Christian communities, in foreign lands, towards this republic during the sorrows, and burdens, and perils of our civil strife, who acknowledge the communion of these churches, and desire to be recognized in their fellowship. The Congregational Union of Canada, the North Staf fordshire Congregational Union, the Glamorganshire Association of Wales, the Congregational Union of England and Wales, and the Union of the Evangelical Churches of France, were represented by delegates; who, after the presentation of their certificates, with the accompanying communications, were invited to sit as honorary members, and were welcomed in a brief and felicitous address by the Moderator. The delegates responded through Rev. Drs. Vaughan, Raleigh, and Massie, of England; and Rev. Dr. Wilkes, of Montreal; and Rev. Theodore Monod, of Paris; and Rev. Mr. Thomas, of Wales; whereupon a committee of five was appointed to prepare a suitable reply to their salutations.

That committee brought in a report which was adopted by the Council with great unanimity, and will be published in their minutes. This report acknowledged the courtesy of the brethren from the British provinces; and expressed a suitable appreciation of their kind wishes and fraternal greetings. It also testified to the fidelity of the Protestant Churches in France