"1. We are agreed that the formulated statements of doctrine as held by each of these bodies at present are essentially the same; and we affirm them all as expressing 'the truth as it is in Jesus.'

2. We are agreed that these bodies shall retain their present name and their autonomy in respect to all local affairs, but that they add to their official title the words, 'in affiliation with the General Council of the United Churches.'

"3. We recommend that these bodies authorize the creation of a General Council, composed of representatives elected from their respective bodies, on the basis of one representative for every five thousand members.

"4. The powers of the General Council shall be advisory, and any recommendation it may make shall be referred to the constituent bodies for approval.

"5. A committee of three from each of the general bodies represented shall be appointed to arrange for the time and place of the first meeting of the General Council.

"6. At the first session of the General Council, a temporary organization shall be effected by the election of a chairman and secretary; and the council itself shall determine the officers it may need and the manner of permanent organization it may prefer.

7. The purposes of the General Council shall be:

(1) To present, so far as we possibly can, a realization of the unity which seems so greatly desired by Christian churches.

(2) To promote a better knowledge and a closer fellowship among the Christian bodies thus uniting.

(3) To secure the co-ordination and unification of the three bodies in evangelistic, educational and missionary work.

(4) To adopt a plan by which the three bodies may be brought into co-ordinate activity and organic unity, a unity representing some form of connectionalism.

of

(5) To prevent the unnecessary multiplication churches; to unite weak churches of the same neighborhood wherever it is practicable, and to invite and encourage the affiliation with this council of other Christian bodies cherishing a kindred faith and purpose.'

The General Council met at Dayton in accordance with this plan, and held a subsequent meeting at Chicago March 19-21, 1907. The printed programme at Dayton, as adopted by the three committees, and also by the Council, called for the appointment of a Committee on Constitution as a part of the opening business of the Council; but the Council was thrown out of the orbit of its adopted programme, and never returned to it; and discussion centered about the proposed Act of Union. As the Act of Union has not been adopted by the three denominations, but has been referred back

to the General Council, it is not itself a constitution; and the charter under which the Council will govern itself in case of future meetings will be the above, pending the adoption and approval of a more complete and permanent basis of organization.

Under this plan the delegates already appointed hold; but the Provisional Committee of the National Council has power to fill vacancies. The Congregational delegation would be about a hundred in addition, to the moderator and Provisional Committee of the National Council.

In case there should be arranged a meeting of the General Council at the same time and place as the National Council, the vacancies in the Congregational delegation would require to be chosen, under the Des Moines vote, from members of the National Council and by the State delegations. The following resolution is still in force:

6. Resolved, That the delegates to this General Council of the United Churches be chosen from the members of the National Council, should they meet at the same time and place; and be chosen by the several State delegations, according to a numerical scheme of assignment to be made by the Provisional Committee of this Council; the moderator and the members of the Provisional Committee to be ex officiis included as delegates; and that the Provisional Committee be authorized to take all such other action as may be necessary to arrange for the meeting of the General Council. -National Council of 1904, p. 473.

The practical difficulties in the way of the General Council were found to be so great, that in all probability any future overtures looking toward church union may be expected to begin on some other basis: The Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America. This body is organized on a plan recommended by the

Inter-Church Conference of 1905, under a constitution adopted at Philadelphia in 1908. The following churches are represented at present, and others may be admitted by two-thirds vote: The Baptist Churches of the United States, the Free Baptist General Conference, the National Baptist Convention (African), the Christians (the Christian Connection), the Congregational Churches, the Congregational Methodist Churches, the Disciples of Christ, the Evangelical Association, the Evangelical Synod of North America, the Friends, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, General Synod, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church (South), the Primitive Methodist Church, the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America, the Methodist Protestant Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the General Conference of the Mennonite Church of North America, the Moravian Church, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, the Presbyterian Church in the United States, the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist or Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, the United Presbyterian Church, the Protestant Episcopal Church, the Reformed Church in America, the Reformed Church of the United States of America, the Reformed Episcopal Church, the Seventh Day Baptist Churches, the Swedish Lutheran Augustana Synod, the United Brethren in Christ, the United Evangelical Church.

The officers of the Federal Council are a president one vice-president from each denomination, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, a treasurer and an executive.

The management is in the hands of the Executive Committee, consisting of the above officers, and one representative from each denomination; and in case of the larger denominations an additional representative

for each 500,000 communicants or major fraction thereof. All ex-presidents are members of this committee.

This Executive Committee has power to represent the Federal Council in the promotion of the following objects:

"I. To express the fellowship and catholic unity of the Christian Church.

"II. To bring the Christian bodies of America into united service for Christ and the world.

"III. To encourage devotional fellowship and mutual counsel concerning the spiritual life and religious activities of the churches.

"IV. To secure a larger combined influence of the churches of Christ in all matters affecting the moral and social condition of the people, so as to promote the application of the law of Christ in every relation of human life.

"V. To assist in the organization of local branches of the Federal Council to promote its aims in their communities.

"This Federal Council shall have no authority over the constituent bodies adhering to it; but its province shall be limited to the expression of its counsel and the recommending of a course of action in matters of common interest to the churches, local councils and individual Christians.

"It has no authority to draw up a common creed or form of government or of worship, or in any way to limit the full autonomy of the Christian bodies adhering to it."

The Federal Council does its work through committees of not less than twenty-five members each. The following are provided for in the by-laws:

a. A Committee on Foreign Missions, to which are

referred all matters relating to the administration of missions in the foreign field.

b. A Committee on Home Missions, to which are referred all matters relating to the evangelization of our own country.

c. A Committee on Literature and Education, to which are referred all matters concerning publications, educational institutions and plans, and Sunday-school work.

d. A Committee on Finance, which prepares the budget for the Council and performs such other duties as may be assigned to it.

e. A Committee on Social Service to coöperate with similar church organizations, in the study of social conditions, and to secure a more natural relationship between workingmen and the Church.

f. A Committee on Family Life, to which are referred all matters relating to marriage and divorce and the development of family life.

g. A Committee on Sunday Observance, to which are referred all matters relating to a better observance of the Lord's Day.

h. A Committee on Temperance, to which are referred all matters relating to the suppression of the drink traffic.

Members of these committees, not elected members of the Executive Committee, become corresponding members of the Executive Committee and enjoy all of the privileges of that committee, except that of voting.

The Federal Council meets once in four years, beginning with 1908, on the first Wednesday in December, at 8 p. m. Members of this Council are appointed as

follows:

Each of the Christian bodies adhering to this Federal Council shall be entitled to four members, and shall be