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The answer is, by union; for union is strength. If we will but recognize it, we can be more united and have a truer union than that of which Rome vainly and falsely boasts. Amid all dissimilarities which forbid uniformity, there is one principle that can bring us into true unity. It is to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ in his living and ascended power as the sun of our spiritual system. Round his person we can gather and join hands, united in heart, united in faith, strong in the midst of our weakness, in His strength to work for and accomplish the triumph of His Church in combating this foe. However, let us remember that we are at war only with the system. Against its baleful machinations and ceaseless intrigues we should ever be on the alert to meet and defeat them. To the members of the system our attitude must be that of considerate sympathy. They are under its bondage-not the less real because they acquiesce in it—and our message to them is one of fraternal interest. Our efforts on their behalf should be directed to bringing them under the influence of the Gospel of Christ, especially by disseminating among them the Word of God. This was the instrument under God of our emancipation; by His blessing it will be so of theirs. It is the charter of our freedom; it will be of theirs. May God grant that the Evangelical Alliance may rise to its true capacities for God and in the power of God's Holy Spirit for a practical exhibition of the fulfilment of Christ's prayer and the accomplishment of Christ's work upon the condition of that fulfilment

"That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."

At the conclusion of Dr. Hole's speech, the Benediction was pronounced and the meeting brought to a close.

THURSDAY, 25th OCTOBER, 1888.

MORNING SESSION.

SIR WILLIAM DAWSON, President of the Montreal Branch of the Alliance, occupied the chair.

After a hymn had been sung and prayer offered, the Chairman remarked that this was to be a business session, and that no time might be lost, he would call at once upon the Secretary, REV. W. JACKSON, to introduce it with a paper.

THE DOMINION EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE, ITS OBJECTS, NEEDS AND POSSIBILITIES.

REV. W. JACKSON, MONTREAL.

At the time of holding the General Conference of the Evangelical Alliance in the City of New York, in October of the year 1873, the Canadian Delegates held a meeting in the parlor of the Young Men's Christian Association, at which it was resolved to organize a Dominion Branch of the Alliance. Arrangements were made, at the same time, to hold a general meeting in the month of October, 1874. The officers and executive committee of the Montreal Branch were requested by the meeting to act as the provisional officers and executive of the Dominion Alliance until the time of the said meeting. The Conference held in this city was a most brilliant and successful gathering, being attended by many distinguished men, both from Europe and the United States. At an early period of the meeting, a committee of seventeen persons were appointed by the Chairman to draft a Constitution. This committee, after due deliberation, recommended that the Dominion Evangelical Alliance be formed on the basis recommended by the parent Alliance in England, and that all branches be formed on the same basis. This committee further recommended a list of names, as officers, consisting of a president, twenty-four vice presidents, one general secretary, seven honorary secretaries, one treasurer, and a general committee of forty-three; these officers and committee were authorized to choose and appoint an executive from their own

number, who should have power to transact all business in the intervals of the general meetings of the committee. Patient search has failed to reveal any further facts in reference to the Dominion Alliance. Auspiciously started, as it doubtless was, I fear that it never had any other existence than upon paper. I have, therefore, to deal with the future, rather than with the past; with what may be, rather than with what is. And when I think of the interests that stand identified with this morning's session, or of the issues which may grow out of it, I can only wish that this paper had been allotted to abler hands. However, as this is not the time for excuses or apologies, I must address myself to the task my colleagues have assigned me. For the sake of clearness, I shall attempt an answer to three questions.

I. WHAT ARE THE OBJECTS AT WHICH THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE AIMS?

In answering this question, I imagine, I cannot do better than quote from the original documents of the Organization as laid down in London, in 1846:—

"1. That, inasmuch as this proposal for union originated, in a great degree, in the sense very generally entertained among Christians, of their grevious practical neglect of our Lord's new commandment' to His disciples, to 'love one another'; in which offence the members of the Alliance desire, with godly sorrow, to acknowledge their full participation; it ought to form one chief object of the Alliance to deepen in the minds of its own members, and, through their influence, to extend among the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ generally, that conviction of sin and shortcoming in this respect which the blessed Spirit of God seems to be awakening throughout His Church; in order that, humbling themselves more and more before the Lord, they may be stirred up to make full confession of their guilt at all seasonable times, and to implore, through the merits and intercessions of their merciful Head and Saviour, forgiveness of their past offences, and Divine Grace to lead them to the better cultivation of that brotherly affection which is enjoined upon all who, loving the Lord Jesus Christ, are bound also to love one another, for the truth's sake which dwelleth in them. 2. That the great object of the Evangelical Alliance be, to aid in manifesting, as far as practical, the unity which exists among the true disciples of Christ; to promote their union by fraternal and devotional intercourse; to discourage all envyings, strifes, and divisions; to impress upon Christians a deeper sense of the great duty of obeying the Lord's command, to 'love one another'; and to seek the full accomplishment of His prayer :-'That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."

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"3. That, in furtherance of this object, the Alliance shall receive such information respecting the progress of vital religion, in all parts of the world, as Christian brethren may be disposed to communicate; and that a correspondence be opened and maintained with Christian brethren in different parts of the world, especially with those who may be engaged, amid peculiar difficulties and opposition, in the cause of the Gospel, in order to afford them all suitable encouragement and sympathy, and to diffuse an interest in their welfare.

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4. That, in subserviency to the same great object, the Alliance will endeavour to exert a beneficial influence on the advancement of Evangelical Protestantism, and on the counteraction of infidelity, of Romanism, and of such other forms of superstition, error, and profaneness as are most prominently opposed to it ;-especially the desecration of the Lord's Day; it being understood that the different organizations of the

Alliance be left to adopt such methods of prosecuting these great ends as to them may appear most in accordance with their respective circumstances; all at the same time pursuing them in the spirit of tender compassion and love.

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"5. In promoting these and similar objects, the Alliance contemplates chiefly the stimulating of Christians to such efforts as the exigencies of the case may demand, by publishing its views in regard to them, rather than accomplishing these views by any general organization of its own.

"6. That reports, minutes, and other documents in promotion of the above objects be published by the Alliance at the time of its meetings, or by its order afterwards; and that similar documents may be issued from time to time by its various organizations on their own responsibility."

This quotation will preclude any further remark in the same direction. These objects will commend themselves to the intelligence and heart of every Christian who ponders them: I therefore pass on to my second question.

II. IS THERE ANY NEED FOR SUCH AN ORGANIZATION AS THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE IN THE DOMINION OF CANADA? In my judgment there is; and for three reasons :—

(1.) I deem the Alliance the best existing organization for the promotion and manifestation of genuine Christian union among the members of all denominations. Whatever may be said of organic union, with all our dreams, we are a long way from it yet; and, with the testimony of history before them, many wise and devout people most earnestly pray that such a union may never come. "Better the evils of diversity, manifold as they are, than the evils of uniformity, invariable and deadly as they have been." The diversities which exist in Christendom, to-day, will be likely to continue "so long as men are born of different types, and are environed by different circumstances"; but these diver- . sities present no real barriers to that spiritual union for which Christ prayed. The Alliance, in its meetings for united prayer, its Conferences for the discussion of great questions of interest common to all, furnishes admirable opportunities for demonstrating to the world, that, notwithstanding the differences of opinion which exist among them, Christ's people are one in heart the wide earth over. The gatherings just alluded to have brought to light the fact that no denomination has a monopoly of Christian scholarship or life; and they have demonstrated that there is a deeper bond of brotherhood among Christ's followers than that which arises from a mere agreement of opinion, viz.:—a common relation to Christ and a living embodiment of His Spirit and life. The friendly relations existing among different denominations have been gradually improving for the last fifty years. Instead of looking at each other as rivals, we have come to recognize each other as parts of the one true Catholic Church, and are beginning to esteem each other as brethren in the Lord. Now, I do not

affirm that the Evangelical Alliance has been the sole influence at work in this direction; at the same time it is undeniable that it has been the chief earthly factor in the case. This I put down as one of its grandest achievements. And were there no other motive, this itself would be reason sufficient to lead us to maintain and extend it throughout the Dominion; for to draw the bonds of Christian brotherhood closer is a work the value of which it is impossible to overestimate.

(2.) My second reason is because we have in the Alliance a standing protest against persecution for conscience sake, and the powerful friend of all who thus suffer, regardless of their nationality or of their creed. Having branches in all countries of the world, it is able to give a universal expression to all forms of Christian sympathy, and often its appeals or its remonstrances have been the means of inducing some of the most autocratic sovereigns to give religious liberty to their subjects when all other efforts have been unavailing." I cannot take time to allude to particular instances of the great services of this sort which have been rendered to suffering servants of Christ. Let us bring the matter home. Our French Canadian Protestant Missionaries find one of their chief hindrances in the enforced banishment of their converts by a persecution, which, while it keeps within the law, is none the less real. If we had a vigorous branch of the Alliance here we could efficiently aid these brethren, who are toiling in one of the most discouraging fields on the face of the earth. With the countless forms of infidelity undermining the foundation of society, in the face of a solid and compact • Romanism, marshaled by the subtle agency of Jesuitism, we need a strong and vigorous organization, ready for united action in any emergency that may arise. There seems to be a general consensus of opinion that events are slowly and silently, but inevitably tending toward a crisis in this beloved country of ours. What is its future to be? Is Romanism, with its stagnation and bondage, to be triumphant, or is Protestantism, with its progress and its liberty, to rule? We are face to face with this question to-day, and all the momentous interests that underlie it. We need some efficient organization, independent of all party politics, under Christian control, and including in its membership men of all churches, ready to operate for the relief of any oppressed brother, and in which we may find a swift and sure defence whensoever our own liberties are threatened by any foe. The Evangelical Alliance is just such an organization.

(3.) My third reason is that the Evangelical Alliance is a most efficient combination of Christian men of all creeds for educating

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