publication of facts and documents, that may tend to stimulate its own
Members and other Brethren, in the prosecution of such efforts as they may
already be engaged in, in other capacities, or which may be suggested by
acquired information or future events. For this purpose, the Alliance will
promote enquiry, and invite information from its various Branches and com-
petent individuals throughout the World, bearing on the general or local
aspects of Infidelity, and Popery, and Superstition ; on Education, Public
Morals, the Observance of the Lord's day, Temperance, Slavery, Christian
Missions, the State of the Jews, the facts connected with the Retardation or
Advance of Christian Union and Fellowship ;— together with whatever may be
intimately connected with the prevalence of Truth, Love, and Holiness, the
glorious coming and universal establishment of that Kingdom of our Lord and
Saviour, which is 'not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost.' "

He said, — May I say, that I am quite ashamed, when I look
back upon the past days of the Conference, and think how fre-
quently I have had the assurance to rise ? I am very sorry that I
have had so frequently to rise ; but I can very sincerely say, that I
have given my attendance here, at almost every Session when I
could, for the purpose of doing what I was able, to make this
Alliance what, in my idea, we all wish it to be.

I beg pardon, if any words I uttered yesterday gave pain to any
Brethren. I did not use the words, " American Question," " Scotch
Question," in any offensive sense. But it did appear to me, from
the tenor of some of the speeches yesterday, that a character was
being given to the Alliance, which would be injurious to its interests,
and prevent many from joining it who otherwise would do so. It



EIGHTH DAT MORNING SESSION. 261

did seem to me as if some Brethren thought, that the beginning,
the middle, and the whole might be, the putting down of Popery in
Ireland ; and I did not like, that it should take that character of
aggression or antagonism in any way. I did not think, that a
World's Association like this, should be engaged in aggressive
movements, or attempt to accomplish, by an aggressive agency, what
individual Associations are doing already. However, seeing that
we have, and shall have, Members in every part of the World, I
conceived, that, through their means, a great deal of valuable in-
formation might be collected on many subjects, immediately and in-
timately connected with the promotion of the Kingdom of Christ
and the glory of God. With this in view, I thought, that the
enumeration of Objects in the Resolution before the Chair, might
be very fairly and properly enlarged; with the full consideration,
that the design was merely that of collecting information upon them;
which being laid before our Members and the World, might produce
such an impression upon our own hearts, as would lead us all to do
our specific work better, and might also assist other Societies in
their particular spheres of operation. £Mr. Binney read the whole
of his Amendment, and then continued.]

This, it will be perceived, includes every thing mentioned in the
Resolution, with the addition of several other subjects.

I feel very much as, I think, my old friend Richard Baxter must
have felt — I know not whether he did — when he believed, that, in
the course of two or three days, he could write something, which
should take the place of the Liturgy of the Church of England.
The man must have had a most amazing confidence in himself, who
could imagine, that, in a few days or nights, he could write a book
to take the place of that Manual of Devotion ; and, with all the
respect I have for the good man, I have felt somewhat ashamed of
that circumstance. But what shall I say about myself, when I have
dared to come forward with a Resolution, which I have prepared in
one night, to take the place of that, which some dear Brethren have
been occupied upon for some months past ! I almost feel ashamed
of myself ; yet, at the same time, from the train things took yester-
day, and from the view I take of what this Alliance is, and what it
ought to aim at, I could not resist putting the matter before you
fully and explicitly in this way.

Several of these additional subjects are of great importance ; and
I should like them to be brought out in our publications. There is
the question of Public Morals. There are many facts, I think, in
connection with Public Morals, which a great Evangelical and
Christian Society like ours might touch upon with delicacy and



262 EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

power. I was perfectly astonished the other day, when a gentleman
put a newspaper into my hands, and said, "read that advertisement/'
I did so, and found it was an advertisement of books which were on
sale, containing very taking coloured plates ; and, from the names
of the books, I am sure they were of the most infamous description.
And yet the name of the person was given who sold them, and the
place where they might be bought. In my opinion, a great Society
like this, might, with delicacy and propriety, introduce something
in some publications bearing upon the purification of society in that
respect.

My dear American Brethren will not be offended when I say,
that I can make statements, which perhaps they are not prepared
for, respecting America, showing the importance of this subject.
When in New York, last year, I stayed at the Astor House, the
principal Hotel in that City. You enter it by two flights of steps,
and upon those steps there are boys sitting all day long, with books
spread out for sale, — many of them obviously and manifestly transla-
tions from the French, of a very infamous description. This I
found to be the case in most of the other large Hotels in the State
of New York. When I pointed out the circumstance to my friend
Dr. Adams, he was quite surprised, and said, " 1 did not know that
such things were ; I ought to write to some of the authorities."
Some of our friends who are here from America, may be equally
ignorant of these things ; but living, as I did, principally in public
Hotels and Inns, I had them before my eyes.

Then, there is the " Observance of the Lord's Day." Allow
me here to explain a remark I made yesterday. When I said I did
not believe in the Fourth Commandment, I simply meant, that I
did not believe in the literal application of the whole of it. None
of you act upon it; at least, not in London. We are constantly
violating it. I believe in the morality of the Lord's Day. I believe
there is a principle of morality in the day which is set apart for
Divine Worship ; and that the First Day of the Week is the day
which ought to be held sacred for the Worship of God. I cannot
say, I subscribe to the not using the horse and the ass. I use a
public conveyance — get into an omnibus; — and I do not think any of
us keep the Fourth Commandment literally, whatever we may
pretend to talk about. Then there is (e Temperance." I am not
a Teetotaler — I do not advocate or practice Teetotalism ; still it is
a very important thing. 1 believe it has done a vast deal of good ;
that it has made temperate men more temperate, and that it has been
a John the Baptist to the Preaching of the Gospel. I believe, some
men could not be converted, humanly speaking, until they first be-



EIGHTH DAT MORNING SESSION. 263

came Teetotalers. I would, therefore, have that subject introduced ;
though I do not go the whole length of many of my friends. 80 of
" Slavery," " Christian Missions," " The State of the Jews," and
" Facts connected with the retardation or advance of Christian
Union and Fellowship." There are many things in which I should
desire to see more of union and communion. Having these brought
forward would much facilitate and promote the great object which
has assembled us together.

Rev. Arthur Tidman. — I do not feel that I need — like my good
friend Mr. Binney — to confess my offences ; for I have not troubled
the Conference up to the present day. Love to the great object of
the Alliance has kept me silent, and I have been quite ready to
continue so. It did, however, appear to me, Sir Culling, that the
strain of the discussion yesterday was very remote from that which
was the primary object, the primary attraction, beauty, and glory of
this Alliance. I thought we were very much in danger of getting
into an Anti-Catholic spirit ; and that the train of remark was too
much associated with certain modes of discussing that question, to
which none of us can be strangers. I think, that, if the Alliance
commits itself to all the practical measures on all the points con-
tained in the Resolution, it will do that which will prove fatal to its
peace and its very existence. Practical measures, on any of those
points, can never be entertained with any efficiency ; and, if they
could, would produce nothing but disagreement among the Brethren.

I am quite sure, with regard to the general principle to which I
am now speaking, that any thing in this Alliance, which should
bear any resemblance to Anti- Popish aggression, would greatly
wound us, and would prevent the co-operation of multitudes,
whom it is desirous to conciliate, and bring into this bond of
Brotherly affection. I see some gentleman shaking their heads,
and I have no right to call upon them to believe what I affirm ;
but I have some knowledge of many who have hitherto held back
from this Association ; and I know, that, were there the slightest
approach to such a character as I think the proceedings of yesterday
threatened, it would go very i-.\r to deprive us of their future
assistance. I should be exceedingly grieved, were we to do any-
thing to excite and keep alive the strong prejudices which exist,
when we ought rather to endeavour, as far as possible, to soften, and
ultimately remove them altogether. All I should wish, in seconding
this Resolution, is, if the Conference so determine, that the whole
should be referred to a Special Committee, for a little re-considera-
tion. I will venture to say, that you have the power to carry by
the vote, the measure now before you ; but I will also venture to



264 EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

affirm, that, if you do so, those in the minority will with pain hold
up their hands against the preamble, and retire — not from the
Alliance — but from this Meeting, with very great sorrow indeed.
I do not at all pledge myself to the details of my Brother's Amend-
ment : — there are many things which, if brought forward in Com-
mittee, I should vote against ; but I vote for the General Amend-
ment, and second that with all my heart, that we may not
act precipitately in coming to any conclusion on the preamble.
Gentlemen smile to hear me talk of precipitancy, after two days'
discussion ; and, by some, this is esteemed a great loss of time. I
maintain, Sir Culling, that any thing which will bring us to an
harmonious conclusion is not loss of time ; and, whatever time may
have hitherto been spent, we are not in the state to come to that
harmonious conclusion. I am a warm friend to this Alliance, and
most cordially would I do what I could, to promote its interests and
extend its power : but the very moment that the Alliance commits
itself to these measures will be fatal to its power and efficiency. I
know some persons will use a term of reproach, and call you "A do-
nothing Society :" but 1 maintain, that the primary object is to bring
us together, and to make us feel as Brethren, and understand
and respect each other's differences. But I think we are going
astray, when we propose to leave this primary object of the Alliance,
and to take up the business of all the Benevolent and Religious
Institutions in Christendom. I hope, before we go to a final vote,
that Brethren will re-consider the matter. I should be exceedingly
pained to hold up my hand against the preamble; but I shall
certainly do so, if the subject is pressed at the present time.

Rev. Dr. Beecher. — I have perceived the deep interest which
has appertained to these difficulties and discussions for two days,
which have been attended with very little progress, and, perhaps,
with some little retrogradation of feeling ; and I have not been able
to understand, why it is, — after the great unity that prevailed, and
when every thing seemed going on without the possibility of any
discordant sentiment, — that we have found ourselves almost swamped.
I beg to ask, whether there is any thing more comprehended in all
these specifications, beyond our merely recommending them to the
attention of individual Alliances ? And I would just ask, why we
feel such a confidence in our own recommendations ? These dis-
tinct Alliances will have to do all the work ; and I should like to
know, whether it is not possible, that they will be able to under-
stand this subject themselves ? Why may we not presume, that the
Providence of God will indicate to each Alliance its most appropriate
work, — without thrusting upon them something which they cannot do?



EIGHTH DAY MORNING SESSION. 265

When I was about twenty-five years of age, I attended the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church ; and we had some Resolutions
concerning the subject of Temperance, and other things in which I
was concerned ; and we succeeded in getting them passed. This I
thought a grand achievement. They were printed in the Minutes
of the General Assembly, which were sent all over the Church : and
that was the last I ever heard of them.

The discussions of yesterday and to-day remind me of an anecdote
I have heard, concerning an old gentleman who lived somewhere in
Old England, who wrote and published a Sermon on the Vices of
the Great at the Court end of London, and got a certain number
printed ; and, when a gentleman sometime after called upon him, he
asked him, if he had seen, since the publication of his Sermon, any
appearance of reform at the Court end of the Town ? I have been
a Reformer, on a small scale, for forty years ; and I do not know but
it was from the guidance of Heaven, that I early came to this con-
clusion, — if I wanted to carry a point, never to tell before what I
meant to do. If I got soldiers enlisted to perform some work, I
never told the enemy by proclamation what my intentions were. I
never issued a declaration of all I was going to attempt ; for, in the
first place, if I did, I should discourage and alarm half my friends ;
and, in the second place, the enemy would be able to concentrate
his forces, and to defeat me. Therefore, I have found by experience,
that I can accomplish forty times as much as I can. threaten or
promise. God has the power, and I hope He will use it, to unite
the hearts of this great and blessed Assembly, in letting the matter
alone, and trusting to independent Alliances, instead of disputing
about it under great disadvantages.

Rev. J. Angell James. — My venerable friend has expressed a
fear, that the Alliance will scarcely survive these discussions ; but
I trust, that the Divine Pilot, who is on board, will keep it from
foundering among the breakers. We are not so much divided in
opinion as seems to be the general sentiment of this Meeting ; and,
indeed, I think we should not have been divided as much as we
are, if my dear friend Binney had placed us under more obligation,
by coming earlier into our Confederation, and had assisted us in
preparing the programme for this Meeting. Sir, none but those
who have been at it, week after week, and month after month, can
understand the solicitude, the painful solicitude and labour we have
had, in drawing up the programme which is now brought before
you. And it is some little matter of regret, that those who could
have helped us, had they been with us a little earlier, have delayed
their assistance till the present moment. We have had two dim-



266 EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

culties to contend with, in preparing the programme for this Meet-
ing. We had to meet, on the one hand, the wishes of those who
were anxious for more action ; and, on the other hand, the senti-
ments of those who did not wish to take action at all. We thought
we had arrived at a happy medium, in the Resolution which has
been submitted to the Chair ; for I maintain, that it is substantially
the same with that which Brother Binney has introduced. The
only real difference is, that he has included more objects than we
thought it desirable to mention. We set out, from the beginning,
upon the principle, — both with regard to the Basis and the Objects,
that our wisdom consisted, — not in seeing how many principles we
could take up, or how many lines of action we could embrace, but
how few : and the amount of action really contemplated, is little
more than Brother Binney suggested; for what is stated in the
supplementary remarks ? " It being understood, that in following
up the enquiries to be thus made, and in promoting these and
similar objects, the Alliance contemplates chiefly the stimulating of
Christians to such efforts as the exigencies of the case may demand,
by giving forth its views in regard to them, rather than by carrying
these views out by an organization of its own." Are we not then,
Mr. Chairman and Brethren, wasting the fragments of the pre-
cious time which still remain for the great objects which have called
us together, in discussing matters which approach so nearly to each
other, as do the programme that has been submitted, and the
Amendment introduced by Brother Binney ? If we attempt to in-
clude everything within the sphere of our limited action, we shall
hold ourselves up to the World, as the promoters of one of the most
visionary schemes which was ever set afloat. The Alliance, accord-
ing to Mr. Binney 's Resolution, would be, as regards Objects, a
kind of omnium gatherum. A few selected Objects are infinitely
to be preferred to all those which ingenious benevolence can bring
within our circle. I do entreat, Sir Culling, that we may soon
come to a vote upon the Question ; and, for my own part, I see,
comparatively, so little difference between the two Motions, that,
if the one which I have had the honour of submitting be rejected,
I am perfectly prepared, heart and soul, to take up that which
Brother Binney has proposed.

Rev. Dr. Baird said, he would like the Resolution better, if the
preamble were merely — " That, in subserviency to the grand object
already intimated, the expectation is cherished, that the Alliance
will exert a beneficial influence on the advancement of Christianity
in various important respects, and especially in promoting their
Common Protestant Faith in this and other Countries." That ap-



EIGHTH DAY MORNING 8ESSION. 267

peared to be enough, and covered the whole ground, omitting the
words — " such as counteracting the efforts of Popery and other
forms of Superstition and Infidelity."

A very distinguished Minister of the Gospel, in Paris, had forgot
to say in his speech, what it was very important should be known,
that the proposition as it now stood, would make the Alliance ap-
pear an aggressive movement againt Popery; a fact which the
French Government would look upon with jealousy, and which
would render the position of Protestant Brethren in France ex-
tremely difficult. By omitting the words in question, a difficulty
would be avoided, and the great objects of the Alliance would still
be stated, namely, the effecting of an Union among Evangelical
Christians, and the general extension of true Religion, at home
and abroad.

Rev. E. N. Kirk. — The difference betwen the original Resolu-
tion and Mr. Binney's Amendment was, that the one said act, and
the other act not. If the Alliance was prepared to go out against
Popery, Slavery, Intemperance, Lewdness, or any other evils, he
would second the attack with all his heart. But it did not appear
to him, that they had come together to promote a new object in the
Church, at least, not an antagonistic one. He had long cultivated
the principle of antagonism : he belonged to an Anti-Intemperance
Society, and to Societies for the suppression of other great evils : but
he now wished to belong to a Christian Union, and to cultivate senti-
ments of Brotherly Love. Never before had he seen such noble,
manly, Christian discussions, as in the Meetings of the Conference : —
never had he seen the grandeur of the movement so clearly as in those
discussions. A hard thing would sometimes drop from the lips of the
speaker ; and then would come the sweet apology, dictated by the
Holy Spirit. These scenes had made him believe, that he had
proved what he had long been seeking ; but the discussions of that
day had made him feel as though, after all, he should lose it. He
was afraid of the Alliance undertaking a war of any kind : lest it
should turn their minds away from the object of love. In their
hearts there were two departments ; one, the department of attrac-
tion, the other, that of repulsion. They had sufficiently cultivated
the repulsive, but not the attractive sensibilities. These he now
wished to nourish and cherish. He wished to dwell upon the great
and glorious subject of Union. In heaven all was Union ; and, in
anticipation of, and preparation for, the Union of heaven, he de-
sired to cultivate Brotherly Love and Union upon earth. And
Union was grand enough, — it was great enough ! Until the Meet-
ing on Tuesday, he did not believe, that the matter of Union was



268 EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

sufficiently noble to engage all their attention : but, after the ex-
perience then afforded him, he did believe it ; and he further be-
lieved, that the grandeur of the subject had not yet been developed.
Another thought. Not only was it proposed to make aggressions,
but also to collect information. The Evangelical Alliance was to
be a Statistical Society ; a gatherer of facts and collector of inform-
ation for other Societies ! As a matter of business, he did not see
why the Missionary, Anti-Papal, Anti-Slavery, and other Societies,
were not more competent to mind their own affairs. These objects
he thought too small to engage the attention of so great an Institu-
tion. Had they come up to London, and met together, to make a
great Fact-gathering and Fact-publishing Society ?

He thought the Alliance would bear much upon the World in
the Conversion of Sinners. It stood as a broad line, marking the
separation of those who did, and those who did not receive the Gospel,
— those who where regenerated, and those who were not.

One other thought, with regard to the Roman Catholics them-
selves. Many of these were watching the movement with the
deepest interest, to discover this one thing, " Could Protestants
unite ? Is Protestant Union a word or a reality ? " But if the
subject of Slavery were introduced, the American Brethren would
take the opportunity of very calmly stating all their views to their
British Brethren. This subject would, he was afraid, split the
Alliance ; and would lead to the introduction of others, which would
make the division still more apparent. They (the Americans)
would like the Temperance question to be included; but how would
this agree with the habits of some ? What were they, then, to do ?
Were they to split the Alliance on the subject ? Therefore, he
said, let them unite in the great matter of Union, and stand there;
let them be satisfied with attaining that position.

Rev. A. D. Campbell, explained, that the Resolution sub-
mitted to the Conference had been drawn up with the greatest care,
and had undergone the careful consideration of various preliminary
Meetings.

Rev. J. Blackburn said, they had arrived within a few minutes
of the time appointed for Adjournment, and the whole morning had
been taken up with verbal criticisms. He would press the question :
— what was intended to be done ? It occurred to him, that the best
course would be, to refer the subject of action to the respective
Alliances, leaving each to determine for itself, what it could do and
what it could not. For he conceived, that a British Alliance might
do what an American Alliance was not able to do; and so of the
German and French Alliances. He proposed, therefore, either that



EIGHTH DAY MORNING SESSION. 269

they should leave the question of action to the decision of the
respective Alliances when formed ; or immediately appoint a Com-
mittee, to take those documents into their prayerful and serious
consideration, and to draw up a separate Resolution, to be presented
to the Conference to-morrow morning. It was essential to the