13. Next Meeting of Council.-The Section have received a communication from the Toronto Presbyterian Council in the following terms, inviting the Alliance to hold the fifth General Council at Toronto, Ontario, Canada:

"The Toronto Presbyterian Council, consisting of the ministers and elders of all the Presbyterian congregations in the city, respectfully invite the Council of the Presbyterian Alliance to hold the next meeting in Toronto.

"They assure the brethren of a most cordial welcome, and that it will afford them the utmost pleasure to make all arrangements for the accommodation of the Alliance.

"The Rev. Wm. Caven, D.D., Principal, Knox College, Toronto, one of the delegates from the Presbyterian Church in Canada, is appointed to present this invitation to the Council of the Alliance at its meeting in London in July

In conclusion, the Section have to report that all their meetings have been characterised by a brotherly and happy spirit, and that their intercourse with the American Section has been of the most cordial and harmonious character. Looking round, the Section have no hesitation in saying that the spirit that seeks co-operation and union, so far as these can be attained without sacrifice of principle, is steadily gaining ground in the Churches. They gratefully recognise the various influences to which, under God, this result is due, but they believe that this Alliance has had a material share in promoting this spirit within the circle of the Presbyterian Churches. They have no hesitation in saying that not only are the Churches of the Alliance better acquainted with each other, but that there is a kindlier and more sympathetic spirit, more pleasure in meeting, more desire for co-operation, more consideration for each other's difficulties and trials, and last, not least, more of real prayer among them for each other's good. The Section have endeavoured to conduct all their operations with a view to the development and increase of this spirit, and they fondly hope that each successive Council will add to its depth and power, and that the great brotherhood which the Council represents may ever derive fresh impulse from their fellowship one with another, and new energy in promoting the great work of the Lord.

JOHN CAIRNS, Convener.
W. G. BLAIKIE, Secretary.

APPENDIX.

I. Rules of Order.

In the Belfast "Proceedings," page 140, Appendix, the draft of the proposed Rules of Order will be found, sent down to the Executive Commission for consideration. The following is the revision of said draft, proposed by the European section:

1. Each Session of the Council shall be opened and closed with prayer. The order of business at every Session, unless suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present, shall be as follows:

a. Reading and approving the Minutes;

b. The presentation of letters, papers, notices of motion, or matters requiring reference ;

c. The presentation and consideration of Reports from Standing and Special Committees, subject to such limitation as to time as the Council may appoint;

d. Orders of the day.

MOTIONS.

2. No action or speaking without a Motion.-In all matters in which a decision of the House is to be given, the Council cannot act but in virtue of a motion regularly in its possession; and no speaking shall be allowed without a motion, unless it is for explanation or to a point of order.

3. Motion must be seconded.-No motion shall be regarded as in the possession of the Council until it is seconded.

4. Motions reduced to writing.-Every motion and amendment shall be reduced to writing, if the Moderator or any member desires it.

5. Withdrawal of Motions.-No motion which has been made and seconded

shall be withdrawn without the leave of the Council.

6. Privileged Motions.-When a question is under consideration, no motion shall be received except

and these motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are thus arranged.

The following explanations may be added :

A. Motion to adjourn.—A motion to adjourn is always in order, except when the Council is taking a vote, or when a member is speaking.

B. Indefinite postponement.-When any question is postponed indefinitely, the same shall not be acted upon again during the entire meeting of the Council, except by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.

7. Questions not debateable.—All motions "to adjourn," "to take up business," in relation to the priority of business, and "to close discussion and vote," shall be put without debate.

8. Order of the day.-When a question is postponed to a "time specified," it becomes the "order of the day "for that time, and takes the precedence of all other business.

9. Dealing with Motions.-The mode of taking the vote which we would recommend is the third in the Belfast Proceedings, viz. :

:

When there are only two motions before the Council, the question put to the vote shall be-Motion or amendment, or first or second motion? When there are more than two motions, a vote shall be taken successively upon each, and unless it shall appear that one of the motions has a clear majority of all the votes, that which had the least number shall be dropped, and a fresh vote taken on those that remain, till only one shall be left, when the remaining motion shall be finally put to the Council as a substantive motion. 10. Reconsideration.—A motion for reconsideration can be made only by a member who voted with the majority, and, unless by consent of two-thirds of the members present, can be entertained only when offered at the same, or the next subsequent, sitting of the Council.

11. Right of Reply.-Before the vote is taken the mover of the original motion shall have the right of reply, and this shall close the debate.

12. President's Vote.-The President shall have only a casting vote. 13. Mode of Voting.-A decision of the Council shall be given either viva voce, or by a show of hands, or by a call of the roll.

14. Dissents. When a member disapproves of any decision, he will have a right to have his dissent entered on the minutes of proceedings, but if he assigns reasons for his dissent, these shall not be entered without leave from the Council, but shall be held in retentis by the clerks.

General Presbyterian Council.

REPORT

OF

The Executive Commission.

[AMERICAN SECTION.]

DURING the last four years, the Section has met at least twice each year, and, notwithstanding the great distances that separate many members from each other, the attendance at these meetings has been very gratifying.

A variety of matters have at different times been considered by the Section, most of which may be brought before this Council under the following heads :

1. Finance.-At its first meeting steps were taken by the Section to pay off existing liabilities, and to secure an income that would suffice for future expenses. An estimate having been made of the amount that might be required each year, this sum was apportioned among the different Churches of Canada and the United States, according to the number of their ministers. The Supreme Court of each Church was then requested to make itself responsible for the payment of this money. In most cases this has been done most willingly, so that our Treasurer is able to close his Report without any indebtedness resting against the Section.

2. Permanent Secretary.—The question of appointing a Permanent Secretary, who should give his whole time to the work of the Alliance, was considered by the Section also at its first meeting, when it was unanimously agreed, "That such an officer was essential to the efficient working of the Alliance," and "That, from the nature of much of the work to be done, such officer should reside in Great Britain."

No further action however, was taken by the Section, which judged it better to refer the making of such appointment to the Council that is now assembled.

3. Public Meetings.-The Section, believing that something should be done to make our people acquainted with the objects and work of the Alliance, considered the propriety of holding a series of meetings in different cities of the United States.

One such meeting, of a public character, was held in the Brick Church, New York city, in connection specially with the work of the Committee on Co-operation in Foreign Missions, when addresses were delivered by a number of brethren representing different Churches. Another meeting in connection with the Committee on the European Churches was held in the house of Morris K. Jesup, Esq., of New York city, who courteously invited a large number of ministers and others to meet with Drs. Breed, Cattell, and other brethren, in reference to the work of that Committee. Your Section is satisfied that much good would be accomplished if information could be widely circulated as to the nature, aim, and work of the Alliance, and believes that public meetings would be very helpful in this direction.

4. Quarterly Register.-The Section, being convinced that there should be some Periodical published at short and stated intervals, in the interests of the Alliance, cordially approved of the action of the British Section in issuing a Quarterly Register. It has therefore hitherto paid one-half of the expenses of the Register, and appointed an Editorial Committee, which has contributed regularly to its pages.

5. United Presbyterian Church.-Your Section has with deep regret to report that, in 1885, the United Presbyterian Church of North America withdrew from further connection with the Alliance for several reasons stated. The action of the Assembly was taken previous to the making to the Section any intimation on the subject. By this course, the Section, which does not agree with the interpretation placed by these brethren on a certain occurrence, was deprived of any opportunity of expressing its views on the matter involved. The Section could therefore only bow to the decision of the Assembly, though doing so with the utmost unwillingness, and trusting that the time would soon come when we should again see eye to eye.

The Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church also took action in regard to the same incident. Its Stated Clerk communicated to the Section a Resolution of the Church, intimating "that it would withdraw from the Alliance unless the Scripture Psalms be made, as previous to 1884, the exclusive matter of praise at meetings of the Council."

In reply, the Section expressed its opinion on the matter in question, by adopting unanimously the following Resolution:

"That so far as this Section is aware, no formal sanction has ever been given by the Alliance to any special Hymnology, while, as a matter of fact, nothing but the Scripture Psalms have ever been officially employed in praise at the meetings of any of the Councils."

This reply, which states distinctly the position of the Alliance on the question of the matter of Praise, was accepted by the Synod as perfectly satisfactory, and delegates from that Church are present in the Council to-day.

6. Programme for the London Council.-The question of the Programme for this Meeting naturally occupied a good deal of both time aud labour. It was felt by the Section that, when the Council met in