GEN. O. O. HOWARD, OF THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES.

MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLMEN, BRETHREN: I have had Dr. Prochet at my house, and I have been drinking in a little of this praise that has come from him so freely, and I rejoice greatly. I just asked a friend of mine, a very learned man, if he could talk as well as that in Italian. I wish I could talk as well as that in English.

My heart responds very strongly to that last sentiment, of the descent of the Holy Spirit of the living God. Once an infidel

put in my hand a book and asked me to read it. It was a book that he had been reading and pondering for years-magnificently written; but he had come up to the point where he had found that all he had done had been unsatisfactory to his soul, and a friend had been conversing with him, and he came to me and gave me that book and asked me if I would read it. I remembered what Mr. Moody-whom you in this city so honor and who has done so much in the last several months in keeping the spirit of the Lord constantly before the people—said to me, as an infidel tract was put in my hand,-" Don't read it." He took it and tore it up and threw it on the ground. He said, "General don't take poison into your system." So I said to this infidel friend, "I do not want to read it. I want to be a Christian. I would rather be a Christian. That man may be stronger than I; I would rather not read the book" Then he said, Won't you read it for my sake?" I said, "If you put it on that ground, I will." I took it and went away and read it. And I wrote at the bottom of about the second page, "What is needed here is the Holy Spirit of the living God." I went through a little further, and wrote again the same thing at the bottom of another page; and I believe I wrote it once more, and I gave the book back to him. In a few days he was standing up in a meeting, very much like this of the Evangelical Alliance, and with trembling lips asking the brethren to pray for him. He was an orator, and he could speak no more. But in a little while he came out of the darkness into the light, out of the sorrow into the joy. God grant that the spirit of the living God may conduct us until we shall conquer the nations in His name!

PRESIDENT C. K. ADAMS, LL.D., OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.

MR. PRESIDENT AND DEAR FRIENDS: It was hardly fair that the warning did not come to me at least two minutes before I was expected to appear upon my feet. I came here without a thought that I should be asked to say a word, and I will say only this that I am in most hearty sympathy with the work of the Evangelical Alliance. I have been accustomed to know something of the work of the Christian Association in the United States, especially in its relation to the colleges and universities. We there see brought together young men, and in some institutions also young women, from the different churches, uniting for the purpose of doing the Lord's work, and I conceive of the Evangelical Alliance as doing for the people at large what the. Christian Associations in the colleges and universities are doing for the young men, in bringing people of all creeds and denominations together for the purpose of doing something for the advancement of Christianity. I hope that these meetings may be successful. I am sure that they will be, if we can regard the meeting this afternoon as an augury of what is to occur in the course of the six or seven or eight days to come. I wish you all God-speed, and if we are united, and if we carry out from the meeting the spirit which here prevails, I am sure we shall all have been benefited by our coming.

CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS.

BY WILLIAM E. DODGE, PRESIDENT EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE FOR THE UNITED STATES.

CHICAGO, SUNDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 8, 1893.

THE Evangelical Alliance for the United States, under whose auspices this Congress has been called, has during the last fifty years held various great Conferences. The meeting in New York in 1873 was International, and one of the series held in the leading capitals of the world by the Associated Alliances of all countries. It had a great influence and was a distinct power for good.

The Conventions held in Washington in 1887 and in Boston in 1889 were National-studying the social and religious conditions of our own country. They called together many earnest men, and have resulted in practical and successful Christian work in all sections of our land.

The object of the present Congress is simple and direct. We wish to reaffirm our belief in the essential unity of all believers, and repeat our assurance that they can only come closer to each other as they come closer to Christ, and to all those for whom He died.

But we are especially met to study the present position of Protestant Christendom, to learn the new conditions which are affecting the social and religious life of the world, to know the wonderful opportunities for good which are open to the Church, and which afford development for its unused power and resources to feel more keenly our duty and responsibility, and we hope to suggest such practical methods as may enable Christians of all names to work gladly and in hearty co-operation, and this without at all interfering with their loyalty to the several denominations to which they belong.

In gathering here we leave for a time all party names.

We

try to forget, for the moment, the points of doctrine and dogma and form of worship on which we are accustomed to place peculiar emphasis, and meet alone as Christian brothers, devoted to the same Father, and to the dear Lord and Master who has honored us alike, by calling us to His friendship, and asking us to work with Him and for Him.

There is a peculiar fitness and charm in the time and the place of our gathering.

As Americans we have asked all the world to join with us in celebrating the discovery of this new continent. We remember how the Old World was started into new life from the stagnation of the Middle Ages, by the reports of the voyages of Columbus. The lust of conquest and of new empires, the opportunities of sudden and fabulous wealth to nations and individuals, and above all, the hope of extending the true faith to a new continent, gave a fuller impulse to the life of the world, changed the policies and fate of nations, and laid the foundations of the new civilization which makes the world of to-day.

In this newest born but most vigorous of the great cities of the world, this beautiful metropolis of the West, genius, courage, and marvellous working force have founded in this commemorative year an Exposition illustrating the material progress of the world. For beauty, fitness, and superb daring, for successful overcoming of apparently impossible difficulties, for architectural audacity and genius, and for landscape grouping, this Exposition has a charm beyond anything ever attempted in the world.

The hearty and easy co-operation of statesmen, architects, painters, landscape gardeners, and men of affairs in bringing about this wonderful result is a lesson to us, who, as Christians, are spending so much of our strength in pulling apart from each. other and insisting so intently upon our peculiar views and dogmas.

But magnificent as has been the material advance of the world, we all believe that modern civilization means something deeper and fuller. This has been recognized by the wise and strong men who have directed the Exposition, and for the first time the advance of man as man has formed an integral part of their plan. A series of great Congresses was arranged, and has been successfully carried out on a broad and comprehensive scale. These Congresses have illustrated the advancc in Science, Art,

Philanthropy, Social Economy and Religion, and in everything which tends to elevate, develop, and instruct our race, to mitigate suffering, to increase knowledge, and bring the world nearer to a common brotherhood. The facts, statistics, and exact knowledge gathered at these Conferences will be of greatest value, and will give a new impulse to the world's life.

In this special Congress we hope to gather the information, statistics, and facts which have been presented in all the various Conferences of the summer, so far as they relate to the religious and social conditions of the times, and to draw from them practical lessons of real value. We propose to study the present wonderful liberty for Christian work in all parts of the world, and to pledge ourselves anew to defend by all proper means and influences the freedom of religious thought and life in all lands.

The religious condition of all the Protestant countries will be presented by able and distinguished men who have honored us by their presence and sympathy. Christian union and co-operation, its possibility and absolute necessity, will be fully discussed. But especially we shall consider the relations of the church to the social problems and needs of our times.

A new feature of this Congress will be a large and carefully prepared series of section conferences, which will constitute a school of instruction in practical and successful Christian work. A new life is rapidly coming into the church, and earnest and devoted men are everywhere ready to engage in unselfish work as fast as opportunities are offered to them. We recognize how few have the gift of initiative, and how many fear mistakes and failures.

These sectional meetings will not present theories, but those who have carried out practically and successfully Christian work along many lines will tell of their methods in a simple and direct way, and answer questions as to all points of interest. Many of these friends have come from long distances, with much self-sacrifice, to inform us as to their work, and we believe what they have to tell will be of the greatest value. Direct and practical information will be had in these meetings, which will enable many of us to go home and commence like work without difficulty or fear of failure. We shall be delighted and surprised to find by how many avenues, and in how many ways,