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General Presbyterian Council.

REPORT

OF

European Section of the Executive
Commission.

KEEPING in view the purposes for which the Executive Commission was appointed, as detailed in "Proceedings" of Belfast Council (p. 528), the European Section reports as follows:

1. Carrying out Decisions of Council.-The chief matter remitted to the Commission under this head was to return answers to all the friendly letters printed in the Appendix to the volume of Proceedings." This was accordingly done by the European

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Section.

2. Publication of "Proceedings."-Having been instructed to superintend this publication of the "Proceedings," this Section would have taken the necessary steps for that purpose, but as the Belfast Local Committee had already made the necessary arrangements, the Section was glad to leave the matter in their hands. Under the editorship of Dr. Mathews, a handsome volume was issued, containing the Proceedings of the Council, with relative documents. The Commission regret that the sale of the volume has not come up to expectations, but doubtless many friends will be desirous to procure a copy at the London meeting.

3. Communications with Churches.-The first written communication of the Section with the European and Colonial Churches was made with the view of ascertaining whether it was deemed desirable to form separate branches of the Executive Commission for the Continent and the Colonies respectively; but the reply was that in consequence of the great distances no practical good could arise from such a step. The Section communicated to all the Churches the willingness of the Executive to do anything within its power that might be considered desirable for strengthening the position of the Alliance in the several Churches, or increasing its influence for good.

The Section resolved to communicate by letter with the following Churches in connection with the events specified, and remitted to the Committee on Work in the European Continent to conduct the correspondence.

R

(a.) To the President of the Commission Permanente of the Synode officieux of the Reformed Church of France, and the President of the Synod of the Free Church of France, in connection with the Bi-centenary of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which event took place 18th October 1685, expressing their profound sympathy with their French brethren on account of the irreparable evils inflicted on the Protestant cause by the revolting injustice and cruelty then perpetrated, their admiration of the spirit in which the French Reformed bore their trials, their gratitude to God for having preserved their Church from destruction, and their earnest desire and prayer for the prosperity, enlargement, and increased influence for good, both of the Reformed Church and the Free Church of France.

(b.) To the Moderator of the Table of the Waldensian Church, and the representatives of the Free Church of Italy, expressing the satisfaction with which they have heard of the proposal for union and co-operation in the evangelisation of the Peninsula, and their prayer that the proposal may be soon carried into effect, and may result in great good to the country whose spiritual welfare is so

dear to them all.

(c.) To Rev. Dr. Brandes, as representing the Conference of Reformed Churches in Germany, to be held at Elberfeld on the last week of August, expressing their brotherly interest in these Churches, whose past services and attainments can never be forgotten, their sense of the manifold discouragements to which they have been recently subjected, the pleasure with which they look forward to seeing them represented at next meeting of Council, and their earnest prayer that the steps to be taken at the Elberfeld Conference may issue in greater outward prosperity and larger inward blessing to all.

(d.) To the representatives of the various Churches in the Australian Colonies now conducting negotiations with a view to a federal union, expressing the brotherly regard of the Commission, and their deep interest and best wishes in connection with that movement.

(e.) To the Synod of the Missionary Church of Belgium, to meet at Charleroi on first week of August, expressing deep interest in their work, and likewise conveying the expression of their sympathy in connection with the lamented death of M. Léonard Anet, who was a member of the Councils at Edinburgh and Philadelphia; who, for his high and consistent character, and life-long devotion to the interests of the Gospel in the kingdom of Belgium, was held by all the Churches in the highest esteem, and whose memory deserves to be cherished with grateful regard.

The Report of the Committee on Work in the European Continent will bring out what has been done in connection with the Bohemia Commemoration Fund.

4. Deputations. The Rev. Dr. Mathews, of Quebec, and the Rev. Dr. Good, of Philadelphia, were present unofficially at a meeting of delegates from Reformed Churches of Germany, held at

Marburg in Hesse, in August 1884. By appointment of the Section, Principal Cairns attended an adjourned meeting of the Conference at Elberfeld in August 1885, and again at Detmold in August 1887. Principal Cairns reported most favourably of both Conferences, and said that an earnest desire was expressed by some of the ministers and elders for connection with the Alliance. There was a difficulty in consequence of the Conference not being a Church, whereas the Alliance is an Alliance of Churches; but it was agreed to recommend very cordially to the London Council that representatives of this Conference or Reformed Bund of Germany, on coming to London, should be recognised as Associates.

Dr. Selkirk Scott and Dr. Murray Mitchell were asked to represent the Section at the Synod of the Waldensian Church in Professor Blaikie was appointed to attend the meeting of the Jubilee Synod of the Missionary Christian Church of Belgium at Brussels in July 1887. The Section would have been glad to appoint deputations to other Churches, but were not in circumstances to do so. The presence of representatives of the Alliance at such meetings seems always to produce an encouraging and stimulating effect. All the deputations named were conducted without cost to the Section.

The Section have great pleasure also in acknowledging the kind service of one of their number, the Rev. Dr. Marshall Lang, during his late visit to Melbourne, as interim minister of the Scots Church there. Before he left this country, as there was no opportunity of calling a meeting of the Section, the Convener and Secretary took it upon them to furnish him with a letter addressed to the friends of the Presbyterian Alliance in the Colony, informing them of the great interest of Dr. Lang in the work of the Alliance, and his valuable services towards it, and hoping he might have some opportunity of explaining and commending its objects. Dr. Lang took occasion of a great farewell meeting to give a full and impressive account of the Alliance, as well as to convey in its name very cordial greetings to the Presbyterian Churches of Australia, thus doing the work of a deputation, though not bearing that character formally. The Section recorded its great obligations to Dr. Lang for this service.

5. Journal. The Commission, embracing the European and American Sections, was authorised to issue a journal, if judged desirable, as the official record or organ of the Alliance, and to employ a portion of its income for the purpose. After much consideration, it was resolved that in the meantime the best arrangement would be to issue a quarterly paper, which should be transmitted by post to the addresses of all who had been members of one or other of the Councils, and to others whose names should be furnished by brethren connected with their several Churches. The Quarterly Register was begun on this footing in January 1886, and it has been issued quarterly since that time. It has been conducted by the two secretaries of the Alliance, printed at Edinburgh, and issued by post to about 2000 persons over the whole constituency

of the Alliance. The postage of so large an issue has been a considerable item, but there being no charge for editorship, and hardly any for contributions, the annual cost has not exceeded £70. The Section is of opinion that the issue of this journal has been of material service to the interests of the Alliance, serving as a bond among the various Churches during the long intervals between the meetings of Council, and communicating the main proceedings of the several Supreme Courts, and other intelligence in which all are interested. Arrangements have been made for carrying on the Quarterly Register on the same footing till the end of the present year. It will be for the Council to indicate what course is to be taken thereafter in connection with this matter.

6. Secretaryship.-The Belfast Council gave power to the Executive Commission to appoint a Secretary, who should assist the Executive in carrying on all its work. It was intended that the Secretary should give his whole time to the work of the Alliance, that he should travel much in its service, that he should visit Churches needing advice and encouragement, conduct the journal of the Alliance, and take all suitable steps for making known and carrying out the objects of the Alliance, and creating public interest in its favour. When the two Sections came to give effect to the permission thus accorded to them, it was found that there were difficulties in the way of an immediate appointment, and that it was not possible to carry on negotiations on the subject in a satisfactory way when the distance between the two Sections was so great. In these circumstances it was proposed that the interim arrangement of the Belfast Council, by which Dr. Blaikie was to act for the European Section and Dr. Mathews for the American, till a permanent arrangement should be made, should continue in force till the London meeting, and this proposal was very cordially accepted by both Sections of the Commission. These brethren have accordingly been acting for the Council since the Belfast meeting. From the want of a permanent Secretary many arrangements formerly contemplated have not received so much attention as was desirable.

7. Aiding and Co-operating with Commiteees.-The Secretary, as ex officio member of the several Committees of Council, has endeavoured to comply with its instructions as to promoting the work of the Committees. In regard to one of the Standing Committees, that on Co-operation in Foreign Missions, the Section very cordially agreed to a proposal that a Conference should be called, to meet at Edinburgh, of conveners, secretaries, and some other members of the various Foreign Missionary Committees or Boards of the Churches in the European Section carrying on missions in foreign countries. It was believed that the great importance of the subject to be discussed, and the difficulty of obtaining a united judgment in any other way, justified this unusual step. The expenses of the Conference were defrayed from the funds of the Section. The Report of the Committee on Foreign Missions will show that the Conference was held, and that it was attended with great success.

8. Programme for the Council of 1888.-The preparation of the

Programme, which is presented herewith, has occupied much time and thought, and both Sections of the Executive Commission have given their best attention to it. In preparing it, the Commission have had regard-(1) to Topics specially remitted by the Belfast Council for consideration; (2) Reports of Standing Committees; (3) Topics suitable for the time; and (4) Topics suitable to the country and place of meeting. It has been endeavoured to find a place for representatives of various Churches, but it is hoped that fuller time for general discussion will be afforded at the forenoon meetings than on former occasions, and that many brethren who are not named will take part in these.

9. Co-operation with Local Committee of London.-The Section have been in close correspondence with the Local Committee by whom the arrangements have been made for the meetings of the Council and the accommodation of members. They very cordially bear testimony to the deep interest shown by these London friends in the meeting of the Council, and to the handsome and most kindly spirit they have shown in the arrangements made both for the transaction of its business and for the entertainment of its members.

10. Rules of Order.-The rules of Order, as sent down by the Belfast Council, have been carefully considered by the European Section. The rules, as proposed by the Section to be amended, are printed along with the programme.

11. Proportion of Representatives.-The Section suggest that in any case when two or more Churches in the Alliance become one organisation, and when the representatives of the united Church would thereby be reduced in number, said united Church shall be allowed to retain the same number of representatives as its component parts had before.

12. Finance. Following out the instructions of the Council, the Section took steps to provide an income suitable for the work which it was expected that the Alliance would carry on. Besides this, it was agreed to raise a sum for recompensing services rendered to previous Councils that had not been acknowledged. The Section took the plan of dividing the whole amount in proportional sums among the several Churches, but they regret that this arrangement has not been carried out in a wholly satisfactory manner. While some Churches made their contributions promptly, others held back. And the effect of the holding back of these was to disorganise the scheme. In consequence of the postponement of the appointment of a permanent secretary, the amount needed for yearly outlay has been considerably less than was expected; but, apart from this, the arrangement has not worked in a comfortable or satisfactory manner. If it should be remitted to a committee, during the sitting of the Council, to deliberate what course is to be followed in regard to a secretary or secretaries, the Section would suggest that the same committee might consider the whole question of finance, and report to the Council what method appears to them best for securing the requisite sum.

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