CHURCH CONGRESS, DUBLIN,

1868.

Ir was decided at a special meeting of the members of the Church Congress, at Wolverhampton, that the Congress of 1868 should be held in Dublin.

There were not wanting those who doubted the success of the experiment, and even foreboded failure. But the result disproved every discouraging anticipation, and more than justified the hopes of the most sanguine.

Immediately on learning the decision of the Wolverhampton meeting, a provisional committee was nominated by His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin, to make the necessary arrangements for convening a public meeting on the subject. A very large and successful meeting was accordingly held on December 9th, 1867, in the Examination Hall of Trinity College, Dublin.

Resolutions were proposed and seconded by His Grace the Archbishop of Armagh, His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin, Rev. Dr. Salmon, Very Rev. the Dean of Cork, Sir Edward Grogan, Bart.; Archdeacon of Dublin, Rev. Dr. Carson, Dean of S. Patrick's, Anthony Lefroy, Esq., M.P.; H. Colley, Esq.; Wm. Brooke, Esq., Master in Chancery.

The project of holding the Congress in Dublin received the hearty approbation of all present; and an Executive Committee appointed, consisting of forty clergymen and forty laymen, together with chairmen, vice-chairmen, and eight honorary secretaries-four clerical, four lay.

was

Subsequently a General Committee was added, to whom the Executive Committee was to report its proceedings, when complete, and with whom they might take counsel as occasion should require. The Executive Committee was sub-divided into

1. A Committee of Subjects.

2. A Committee of Reception.
3. A Committee of Finance.

The first of these sub-committees held twenty-seven meetings, between January and October; the second, eight; and the third, six. In all, nearly fifty committee meetings were held, from December, 1867, to October, 1868.

As soon as the programme of subjects had been arranged, the

honorary secretaries entered into correspondence with the clergymen and laymen who were invited to speak or write.

So large a correspondence involved inevitable delays; and circumstances obliged some who had accepted the invitation of the Committee, to withdraw their consents, so that it was found impossible to circulate any list of writers and speakers as final until the month of September. Even after that month had opened, apologies were sent by some. Particularly the Committee regretted to receive one from the Dean of Norwich, who had kindly undertaken to read a paper on the question, "How the Efficiency of Our Church Services may be increased," but was, unhappily, prevented by indisposition from attending the Congress. In order to give a practical proof that the Committee were influenced in their choice of writers and speakers by an impartial wish to make their selection as comprehensive and as fairly representative of the whole Church as it was possible to make it, a list is given of the clergymen and laymen who were invited, in addition to those whose names appear in the Report prefixed to the several papers and addresses.

In a letter to the Archbishop of Dublin, written by the Bishop of Montreal only a few days before he was taken with his mortal illness, he expresses his sympathy with the

The foregoing list of thirty-six Laymen does not include any of the sixteen who took part in the Congress as writers or speakers; and, though the Committee regret the number was not larger, it is evident that every effort was made to give due prominence to the Laity. It was the real desire of the clerical members of the Executive Committee to have, to the utmost possible extent, the counsel and co-operation of their lay brethren.

The Committee were fortunate in securing for the Congress, on reasonable terms, a building which was in every respect, remarkably well suited. To quote the words of the "Guardian," of September 30th: "Never has the Congress been so splendidly or so conveniently housed. The Exhibition Palace has been taken for the purpose. It is a large building, erected in 1865, and used for the International Exhibition of that year, containing large and numerous rooms. One of these, a concert-hall, capable of holding more than 2,000 persons, is appropriated to the general meetings, while others are used for reception-rooms, lavatory, and refreshments. The concert-hall affords on the orchestra, a convenient platform for speakers; an ample gallery runs round the upper part, and many doors admit to many parts, so that people can move to and fro without inconvenience or disturbance. If the proceedings fail in interest, the audience can stroll out into a crystal palace, adorned with ferns, green-house plants, and cages of strange birds; or, if the weather tempt them still further, into the well-kept parterres of an open-flower garden. Great credit is due to those who have provided so successfully for the comfort and enjoyment of their visitors."

The same paper, in its number of October 7th, says: "The Church Congress never made a bolder venture than when it determined to sit in Dublin; but it has never achieved a greater success."

The number of tickets sold exceeded the expectation of the Committee; it was much larger than that of any previous Congress.*

objects of the Congress, and mentions that he had communicated some information to the ex-Archdeacon of Montreal (Rev. S. Gilson), for his Paper on the Canadian Church. His letter concludes :

Hoping that the Congress may be a great success, and that you may be protected and guided through the troubles and trials you have to contend with,

"I remain, yours very sincerely,

"F. MONTREAL." The Right Rev. G. Smith (Presiding Bishop of the Church in the United States), in a letter to the Archdeacon of Dublin, dated September 10th, explains the inability of the American Bishops to accept the invitation of the Committee, and adds these words : "Permit me, however, to express, what I well know to be the sentiments of all my Brethren, and, indeed, of our whole Church, our gratification at the indications, which are many, and of which this is one, of growing Christian sympathy between all branches of the dear Mother Church of England; and to assure you of an interest in our prayers, in this the day of her trial, in Ireland especially."

*The number of " Congress tickets," sold at the various Congresses, are as follows:

1861. Cambridge, no return.

1862. Oxford, 735.

1863. Manchester, 1,918.

1864. Bristol, no return.

1865.

Norwich, 1,946.

The Committee of Finance, in the month of May, issued a circular inviting guarantees towards the expenses of the Congress. Promises were readily given to the amount of £659. But instead of drawing on the liberality of friends, the Committee found themselves with a considerable balance in hands, which, after mature consideration, they have appropriated in the manner which the balance-sheet, in the Appendix, will exhibit.

The Committee have to acknowledge, with thanks, the cordial sympathy of the Church papers generally, and their friendly criticisms on the Congress. The Papers have been, in all cases, revised by their authors; and the Addresses, with one or two unavoidable exceptions, amongst which is the speech of Mr. Gorst, the corrected copy of which was not received in time for publication. This preface will fitly conclude with a quotation from the English Churchman," which, as giving the impression of an English visitor, may be regarded as freer from partiality than any words of our own.

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"That the Dublin Congress has been, at this supreme crisis of Irish Church history, the most successful of all such Church gatherings which have yet taken place, strikes men with an astonishment which obliges them to look beyond mere human agencies." There was a heartiness, a life, a vigour about the whole thing which deeply impressed all the English visitors, who will never forget the Congress week of 1868."

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England's Church and Ireland's Church are one, and are now felt to be but one. Every shade of opinion consistent with the broad liberality of the Church has been represented. The lowest of Low Churchmen, and the highest of the High, have spoken fully and freely, and to the mutual benefit of themselves and of others. The union of the two Churches has now not alone been confessed, but it is now a reality, the blessed results of which will be felt for years to come. Our own calm opinion agrees to that of all whom we have heard upon the subject, that England now, for the first time, begins to feel, and to rejoice in the feeling, that England's Church and Ireland's Church are one."

H. H. DICKINSON, D.D.
EDWARD SEYMOUR, M.A.

Dec. 10, 1868.