Churches counted by thousands and scattered over a country so vast as ours, which hold themselves bound to assert and vindicate their independence as local organizations, will be nearly certain to lose their interest in each other, to imbibe sectional prejudices, to fall into dissimilar ecclesiastical usages, to become in many cases estranged from one another, and to grow weak for want of the power which depends on combination, unless appropriate means are used to counteract the natural tendency to such results. But if ancestral and historic associations be fostered among these churches from generation to generation; if the sympathies which should be engendered by a common faith and a common love of Christian liberty be cherished; if acquaintance with each other, and a recognition of each other as one in the fellowship of Christ and in devotion to spiritual Christianity and simplicity of worship be maintained; and especially if the habit of co-operating with each other in all forms of mutual helpfulness and in all labors for the advancement of Christ's cause and glory be established and made permanent, we believe there will certainly be realized not only an enduring Christian unity, but also a denominational power for good such as no ecclesiastical compactness could bestow. This is what we are to desire and seek, Christian liberty, with purity, unity, and strength. Whether the time has not arrived when some new provision should be made by which mutual acquaintance, common counsels, and fraternal conference and discussion may be secured in relation to the great interests of our churches and the Master's cause, is a question which it may be well to raise. If there was ever any danger that a triennial national conference, constituted so as fairly to represent the churches of all sections, together with the religious organizations which are the immediate and special channels of our own benevolent activities, might usurp authority over the churches, that day has now certainly gone by. The several States are adopting, one after another, the conference system, and find that it is working admirably. May it not now be well to look the matter of a national conference to be held statedly, at intervals of say two, three, or five years, directly in the face? We suggest the matter to the wise thought of ministers and churches. CONCLUDING REMARKS. It only remains that we commend once more, and with renewed earnestness, the general work of the American Congregational Union, and especially its greatest and most pressing work, at the present moment, of aiding the new and feeble churches in providing themselves with houses of Christian worship, to all who bear the name and honor the memory and love the spirit and the principles of the Pilgrims. We desire to fix the attention of intelligent and wealthy men and women in the churches on the fact that, by the giving of so small a sum of money as five hundred dollars to the Treasury of the Union, any person may be instrumental in establishing a Christian sanctuary, in which the pure gospel of Jesus Christ will be preached to the saving and the spiritual training and comfort of many souls through coming generations. Who, in the bestowment of money for the good of the country and the promotion of Christ's cause during his or her own life; who, in the final disposition of his or her property, so that it may perpetuate a good name and influence when earth has been left behind, can do anything better than to provide a place where the words of eternal life shall perpetually be spoken to weary and heavy-laden souls, and the high praises of God shall be sung joyfully by old and young on each returning Sabbath-day? On this memorial year, when with special rites and generous offerings it is proposed to honor the memories of the Pilgrim Fathers, and to kindle in all our churches a new enthusiasm for their faith and their noble aims, we trust that their care for the house of God will be specially borne in mind; and that the Treasury of the Union will receive from individuals and churches more liberal gifts than in any former year. Let the Congregational Union, as an association working especially for the extension of our own churches, and the complete development of our own liberal and liberalizing church polity, have a very prominent place in the thoughts, the prayers, and the contributions of Congregationalists everywhere. At least seventy-five thousand dollars should come into the Treasury before the close of this commemorative year. By order of the Board of Trustees. RAY PALMER, CHRISTOPHER CUSHING,} Secretaries. THE TREASURER'S REPORT OF RECEIPTS. THE following is a complete list of all the contributions received, from May 1, 1869, to May 1, 1870, by N. A. CALKINS, Treasurer, 146 Grand Street, New York. The figure in parentheses () preceding a contribution denotes the number of collections by which the whole amount was secured. The letter (s) denotes that the contribution was designated for a special appropriation. Dennysville, Farmington, 66 66 7.50 Foxcroft and Dover, Cong. Ch. (s) 25.00 Hallowell, Cong. Church (2) (s) 85.00 66 (s $ 145.75) 175.75 66 2d Cong. Church (s) 264.92 Fryeburg, Gorbam, 66 66 19 00 (s) 17.00 Rev. Edward Robie (s) 10.00 96.00 Keene, 66 1st Cong. Church (2) 3.00 (s) 10.00 Lewiston, Pine St. (s) 50.75 66 Norway, New Sharon, Individuals (s) 32.00 2d Cong. Church 10.50 Kensington, A Friend (s $50) 100.00 66 25.00 Oldtown, Sabbath School (s) 7.50 Orrington, East, Cong. Church (s) Patten, Portland, Bethel " Presque Isle, Cong. Church 2.75 6.55 276.70 10.00 66 65.78 3.50 Mount Vernon, "(s) 21.70 Rumford, Saco, (2) 51.17 South Berwick, Cong. Church (2) Stowe and Chatham, Cong. Church 6.00 Cong. Churches (s) 134.84 46 New Ipswich, Cong. Church 13.43 2.35 Portsmouth, Cong. Church (s) 163.00 17.35 Rochester, 1st (s) 5.75 Seabrook and Hampton Falls, Cong. Church (2) (s $ 65.50) 75.50 $782.64 Wilton, East, Cong. Church (s) 10.00 66 100.00 Georgetown, Cong. Church (s) $ 53 50 Newburyport, (s) 27.50 A Poor Widow (s) Groton Junction, 1.00 Ortho. Cong. Church 28.00 Rev. Jas. C. Fletcher (s) $ 15.00 Newton, Eliot Cong. Church 218.00 Newton Centre, B. W. Kingsbury (s) 2.00 Northampton, 1st Cong. Church 672 59 J. P. Williston (s) 25.00 Edwards Cong. Ch. Groveland, Hadley, 7.50 "(s) 27.35 (s) 25.00 "(s) 37.55 66 (s $ 59.53) 112.21 Hardwick, Rev. Mr. Tupper (s) 5.00 Northbridge Centre, Cong. Ch.20.00 Harvard, Haverbill, Centre 46 North 66 46 Haydenville (Williamsburg), Hingham, Evan. 66 66 (s) 88.90 1.00 (s) 122.50 Northfield, Trin. Cong. Ch. (s) 25.50 Cong. Church 56.30 Peabody, 66 แ 66' 66 (s) 12.10 55.35 (2) 66 66 105 91 "S. School " Randolph, Raynham, Housatonic (Great Barrington), 66 Cong. Church 10.45 Ipswich, Rev. A. M. Richardson (s) 2.00 Anonymous 28.00 ($) 66 Lakeville, 66 4.00 Cong. Church 79.75 Mrs. Jane L. Tenney (s) 12.00 Leominster, Evan. Cong. Church (2) (s $52.59) Lexington, Hancock " Ebenezer B. Towne (s) 500.00 Reading, Bethesda Church 64.43 66 Tabernacle Salem, Saundersville (Grafton), 81.39 Cong. Church 11 00 77.34 Shrewsbury, Southampton, 66 50 00 South Hadley, 1st 66 "(s) 19.00 |