The steadiness of this advance during the last twenty-five years is remarkable, and encouraging. Although the data for 1854 are not exact, and include semi-Presbyterian bodies not now ranged with us, the obvious fact that the growth of the quarter century has been very nearly 100 per cent. shows that we are now gaining somewhat more rapidly than Dr. Stiles estimated the progress of his day to be.

There are seven benevolent bodies through which the Congregational churches of the United States especially work for the advancement of the kingdom of God; besides largely coöperating with Christians of other polities through such organizations as the Bible, and Tract, Seamen's Friend, Sunday School, Temperance, Moral Reform, and kindred Societies.

The first of these is the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, which was established by the General Association of Massachusetts at its meeting in Bradford, in 1810, and which this year reports 17 distinct missions, including 714 stations and outstations, worked by 156 ordained missionaries, and 260 assistants from America, with a native force of 1,269 laborers, of whom 567 are native pastors, preachers and catechists. It has been permitted to be the means of establishing - not including those at the Hawaiian Islands, which have graduated into self-support, and those which have been passed over to other societies – 272 native churches, including over 17,000 present members on confession of faith. It has also under its oversight 29 training and theological schools, giving instruction to more than 1,000 young men, numbers of whom are preparing for the Christian ministry; 37 schools of the highest order for females, which have

now under instruction over 1,300 girls, many of whom are fitting to be teachers; with 709 common schools, in which over 25,300 pupils are taught. The expenditure of the last year was $627,861.98, of which 931 per cent. reached the missions, 3 per cent. was expended in the diffusion of missionary intelligence, and the remaining 3 per cent. covered all other expenses of administration. The second is the American Home Missionary Society, incorporated under the laws of New York in 1826. It now has nine State auxiliaries, 12 superintendents and general missionaries; and last year employed 1,015 missionaries, who preached regularly in 2,308 stations, and organized 86 churches. This was done with the receipts in cash of $266,720.41, and in supplies of $60,000 some $326,720 in all. Since its work began it has aided in the formation of 4,022 churches — 2,053 of which have come to self-support; but, as, until the Presbyterians retired from it a few years since to the maintenance of their own denominational organization, the society was supported by professors of both polities, many of these became Presbyterian churches.

The third is the American Missionary Association, which, Providentially brought into being by the condition of things preceding the late rebellion, is now doing an admirable work among the negroes, Indians, and Chinese. It last year reported a total of 79 missionaries, 183 teachers, and 18 other workers; with 69 churches-66 at the South, 2 in Africa and I among the Indians; including a total of 4,252 members; and 63 schools- 43 at the South, 11 among the Chinese, 6 among the Indians, and 3 in Africa, having, all together, 8,966 pupils. The total of last year's expendi

ture was $334,450.67, including Hampton Agricultural Institute and Berea College.

The fourth is the American College and Education Society, which was formed in 1874 by the consolidation of the American Education Society, chartered in Massachusetts in 1816, and the Society for the Promotion of Collegiate and Theological Education at the West, which was formed in 1843. The income of this society for the last year was $64,122.96 — of which $38,983.15 was applied to the aid of Western institutions of learning, and $21,800 appropriated to young men in college and seminary preparing for the Christian ministry. The number of such now receiving the society's assistance is 280. Since its founding (1816) this organization has aided into the pulpit 6 734 persons, among whom have been some of the brightest lights of the American pulpit, and many of the most faithful missionaries of the cross. Western Reserve, Illinois, Wabash, and Marietta Colleges, and Lane Theological Seminary received material aid from this source, and ten of the worthiest of the struggling institutions of the Interior and the West are now on its list. The Western Education Society, organized in 1864, and having its headquarters at Chicago, labors also in the same field.

The fifth is the American Congregational Union, or as it should more properly be known, the "Congregational Church Building Society." It was founded as the result of the impetus given to the cause by the Albany Convention of 1852; and does its work by promoting the erection of meeting-houses for Congregational churches which are too feeble to undertake the

labor without help. This help it affords in the shape of a small loan (protected by a trust-mortgage) of from $250 to $500 [the outside limit]; always with the condition that the money be applied to the payment of last bills, so that no indebtedness, other than to itself, remain. Its payments, the last year, were $30,676.46. Since its organization it has thus aided in the erection. of 1,083 meeting-houses, or more than one third of all now standing; and its judicious and timely help has furthered the work of Home Missions in a degree which it would not be easy to overestimate.

The sixth is the Congregational Publishing Society, organized in 1832, and located in Boston, intended to provide such books-including literature for Sabbath schools as Congregationalists need and desire, and which only requires the invigoration which a generous support would give, to enter upon a work which would soon be perceived to be of invaluable benefit.

The seventh is the American Congregational Association, organized in 1853, and especially directing its energies to the collection and preservation in its fireproof building in Boston [Congregational House, corner Beacon and Somerset Streets] of the literature of the denomination, and which has already gathered a library containing more than 27,500 books, and 120,000 pamphlets, with many important manuscripts; and which, with diligence and care, bids fair before many years in its specialties to rival, if not surpass, the most famous Old World collections of kindred quality.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FORMS USUAL TO CONGREGATIONALISM.

HE following forms of the various papers and documents usual in the working processes of

Congregationalism are the result of considerable thought and observation, and are suggested for possible aid to the inexperienced as meeting all the ordinary necessities of such cases. Of course many other methods of phrasing the same ideas may have equal or superior value. Least of all is it to be imagined that such as are here given have any authorityother than may exist in manifest fitness for their use.

FORM NO. 1.

A Confession of Faith.

ARTICLE I. We confess our faith in one God, and in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as His Word to men, revealing our rule of faith and practice.

ART. 2. In accordance with our understanding of that Word, we confess our faith in the three Persons of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; in the Divine eternity, omniscience, omnipotence, and infinite holiness, and in God's righteous Providence over men. We further confess our sinfulness by nature and practice; our trust in the way of salvation graciously provided, for all men who will accept the same by faith, through the voluntary sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ; our obligation to all Christian obedience; and our confidence that He who begins His good work in the hearts of men will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.