legislative authority or consents to become a court of appeal. Its constitution is similar to that of the Baptist Union, and consists of three classes of members. These are representative, honorary, and associates. Representative members include delegates from any Congregational church, or any college or society of the denomination; the pastor ex officio of every church which contributes to the Union's funds; and delegates from any 'Union' church—that is, one in which neither church membership nor tenure of office is dependent on opinions held regarding the subjects or work of baptism. Honorary members must be retired pastors who are voted for openly, and associates are missionaries residing temporarily in England, or members of any church competent to subscribe to the Union's funds but which does not do so. Associates may attend and vote at the assemblies, but not at the business meetings, of the Union. The Union meets in May in London, and in autumn in the country. Its general objects are stated to be to uphold and extend evangelical religion primarily in connection with the Congregational order, to promote scriptural views of Christian fellowship, to further the fraternal relation of Congregational churches and the correspondence of Christian churches all over the world, to assist in promoting perfect religious equality for all British subjects, and to advance reforms bearing on their moral and social well-being.

The local Unions in England and Wales number 51, and their functions resemble those of the Congregational Union.

3. The unit of government in every Presbyterian denomination is the Presbytery. In two of the three Churches of Scotland-the Established Church and the Free Church-representatives from the Presbyteries con

stitute a Synod, but in the United Presbyterian Church and in the Presbyterian Church of England there is no intermediate body. In each case the General Assembly is the supreme court, that of the Church of Scotland being presided over by a Lord High Commissioner who is appointed by the Crown. In the Established Church of Scotland are 16 Synods and 84 Presbyteries, in the Free Church 14 Synods and 78 Presbyteries, in the United Presbyterian Church 36 Presbyteries, and in the Presbyterian Church of England 10 Presbyteries. In every instance the General Assembly has complete and final authority over every congregation within its jurisdiction.

4. The polity of the Society of Friends is much more elaborate than is usually supposed. The unit is the Monthly Meeting, which may, however, include a subdivision of Preparative Meetings. The Monthly Meeting often comprises several meetings, and all members are free to attend. Membership of a meeting is granted by the general body of members, who accept the candidate on the recommendation of a few Friends who have been appointed to visit and question him. The Quarterly Meeting includes the various Monthly Meetings, who send representatives to attend it, and has the care of subordinate meetings. It may sanction or veto any suggested alteration, and reports its action to the Yearly Meeting, held annually in London. The Yearly Meeting consists of all the members of the Quarterly Meetings in Great Britain and of representatives from the Yearly Meeting in Ireland; any member of the Society of Friends may take part in the proceedings. The Quakers have no ministers in the ordinary sense of the word; but lay members of a meeting may be recognised as ministers at the discretion of the Monthly Meeting, 'when their

fruits afford sufficient evidence of their qualification for so important a service.' Elders are appointed by the Monthly Meetings. Their duties are 'tenderly to encourage and help young ministers, and advise others as they, in the wisdom of God, see occasion.' 'Age or wealth is not to be an inducement in the choice: but let such be appointed as fear God, love His truth in sincerity, are sound in Christian doctrine, and of clean hands.'

The Ministers and Elders together form a separate Quarterly Meeting and a separate Yearly Meeting. Their Quarterly Meeting is consulted by its Monthly Meeting prior to the admission of ministers, and deliberates on the welfare of the Society generally. The Yearly Meeting has a necessarily wider scope, and one of its functions is to receive and read the answers to the queries from the Quarterly Meetings, so that an opportunity may be afforded of imparting such advice as shall be necessary.

Provision is made in the constitution of the Society of Friends that any member who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Monthly Meeting in any matter affecting himself may appeal to the General Quarterly Meeting, a further appeal lying to the General Yearly Meeting.

In each case the matter is referred to a Committee; but if the matter relates to faith and doctrine, either party may ask for a decision from the Meeting itself.

The position of women in the Society is recognised by a system of Women's Meetings. It is our Christian advice that you do encourage faithful women's meetings, and the settling of them where they are wanting, and may with convenience be settled.' There are also Quarterly and Yearly Meetings of Women. The duties of the Women's Monthly Meeting consist in relieving the wants of the poor of their own sex, in taking cognisance of proposals for marriage, and in co-operating with

the Men's Monthly Meeting in the appointment of Overseers and the admission of members.

5. With the Wesleyan Methodists, as with all the Methodist bodies, membership of the Society is involved in membership of a class-meeting, admission to which is granted by a minister if he be satisfied with the religious condition of the candidate. Class-leaders, local preachers, stewards of various kinds-poor-stewards, chapel-stewards, circuit-stewards-trustees of the Connexional property, and the ministers form the Quarterly Meeting of each circuit; each minister and certain representatives from the Quarterly Meeting constitute the District Meeting, and the District Meeting arranges what circuits are to send delegates to the annual Conference. Till quite recently ministers only were admitted to the Conference, but lay representatives are now permitted to take part in all proceedings of financial interest. The Conference legally consists of only 100 members, who must be 'preachers and expounders,' and to whom, by the Deed of Declaration enrolled in Chancery in 1784, is given authority' to expel and put forth from being a member thereof, or from being in connection therewith, or from being upon trial, any person from any cause which to the Conference may seem fit or necessary.' The election of President and all other officers is located in the whole body of ministers accredited to each Conference. In several of the smaller Methodist Societies much greater prominence is given to lay representation, and even the Presidential chair is not restricted to a minister.

III.

In the trust-deed of nearly every Baptist or Independent church is contained a statement of the particular religious opinions which the minister is to teach and the members to accept. Each trust-deed has necessarily the force of law; and, though its provisions are rarely enforced by an appeal to the civil arm, a recent trial has resulted in the expulsion of a minister who was convicted of contravening them. The terms of the trust-deeds admit of a wide variety of Christian belief. Both among the Baptists and the Independents they variously point towards Arminianism on the one hand, and towards Calvinism on the other, while large scope of view is often permitted on the Trinitarian and Unitarian aspects of our religion. In a few cases perfect liberty of preaching is allowed to the minister, but even among the Unitarians this is rare.

I. There are among the Baptists several confessions of faith, each of them being merely a standard of reference, and in no sense binding upon a particular congregation. The earliest of these is the Baptist Confession of 1688, more widely known as the Philadelphia Confession. It is based upon the Westminster Confession and the Savoy Declaration, and is generally accepted in this country and in America by all Calvinistic Baptists. Its distinctive teaching is contained in the clauses which state that those who do actually profess repentance towards God, and faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus,