wishful that we may have a revolution in the theology of money. I. believe that we have the most excellent doctrine on the question of giving, but that we have not yet reached, and are very far from, the sublimity of a true practice upon the question. I therefore rise specially to appeal through this Conference to our rich men to become richer still by special gifts to sustain this remarkable work. The money so given will be transmitted into channels of unutterable blessings to the givers, and also to those who should be the objects of this evangelistic sacrifice. We speak of our giving as if we did great things, because some of us have reached the minimum of Jewish liberality, namely, a tenth of our income. Why, a pious and faithful Jew gave not merely one-tenth of his income to the Levite, but also one-tenth to the sustaining of feasts, of sacrifices, and of special and extraordinary gifts, as at the erection of the tabernacle, the erection of the temple, until the trumpet had to be sounded out throughout the land to stay the people, because they had already brought enough for the services of the house of the Lord. Oh, Mr. President, when we shall reach a similar spirit of liberality, those works now carried on by Mr. Gibson and his fellow-labourers and others in France, and by Mr. Piggott in Italy, will be amply and sufficiently sustained by Christian self-sacrifice, and we shall no longer be satisfied to sing

"Were the whole realm of Nature mine,

That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so Divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all."

We should go beyond the mere singing, and we should get into the real practice of self-sacrifice for the cause of our Divine Lord and Master,free-will offerings from Christian men and Christian women, who are ready, we trust, to make these sacrifices rather than this work should lack. Zion languisheth for many causes-I wish to say in the fullest utterance I can put into words-languisheth in France, in Italy, in Ireland, in China, in India, in all parts of the world, from want of money. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse," is the language of our blessed great Teacher.

REV. M. LELIEVRE, of Paris (who spoke in French, and which was interpreted by the Rev. W. Arthur), said: In France, as in Italy, we have to-day at one and the same time the Roman Catholics and the Freethinkers. Then arises for us another difficulty. The Freethinkers are very glad to represent us as the allies of the Roman Catholics, and the Roman Catholics, on the other side, represent us as the allies of the Freethinkers. We have on the one hand to deny all solidarity, all fraternity with Roman Catholicism; and on the other hand we have energetically to repel all the advances of the Freethinkers. Our work is to make an appeal to the conscience, and to awaken it in the breasts of men. We have to take our stand upon the ground of the imperishable needs of the human conscience, and we have often experienced this, and we are experiencing it every day, that one never does endeavour in vain to bring the human conscience into contact with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am not by any means of the opinion of those who would interdict us from all polemical discussion; on the contrary there is, in my opinion, an elevated style of controversy which is absolutely indispensable to progress in Roman Catholic countries. But, above all things, the beginning, the middle, and the end of our preaching ought to be essentially the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The one instrument whereby to make the Gospel spread among the disciples of the Pope, equally as among the disciples of Voltaire, is to make our appeal continually to the Holy Spirit, by whose power alone the work of God will make progress in the hearts of those people. And, as a last word, what

ever you do, do not despair of those countries that are Roman Catholic and Voltairean, for it is my profound conviction that at this moment there is preparing a grand harvest of spiritual results in the countries that hitherto have been subject to the Pope.

REV. C. C. M'KECHNIE (Primitive Methodist) read an eassy on The Resources of Methodism for the Work of the World's Conversion, and the Duty of Developing and Employing those Resources.

Methodism claims no monopoly of resource for the world's conversion. As all other Churches share in the work to be done, they also share in the means for doing it. There is, therefore, not so much speciality in the subject assigned to me as may at first sight appear. Of the resources possessed by Methodism for the world's conversion, its own spiritual life may be mentioned as first in importance. All its other resources are subordinate to this, and derive from it their chief value and efficacy. Spiritual work can only be done by the power of the Eternal Spirit, working through the agency of spiritual men. The grandest converting achievements of the early Church were wrought in the almost entire absence of human resource. Without wealth, or culture, or patronage, and in face of the most formidable opposition, the fishermen of Galilee shook the nations, turned the world upside down, and inaugurated a new and better era upon earth. The secret of their success is to be found in the new spiritual life by which they had become inspired-a life of faith, and hope, and love, kindled by personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, and developed and intensified by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It is noteworthy that Methodism, when poor and persecuted, wielded a converting power similar to that of the Apostolic Church, and traceable, as in the case of that Church, to the extraordinary vigour of its spiritual life. Since then Methodism has improved in many respects; but it may be questioned whether its spiritual life is as vigorous, as fervent, as unworldly, as self-sacrificing-whether, in short, it possesses as largely the qualities that conquer and subdue, as in its early days. There is, perhaps, some reason to fear that the very successes of Methodism, and the position of respectability it has won in the world, have produced more or less deterioration in its spirituality. The Methodists are still indeed a pious, God-fearing people, living in fellowship with Him, and making His law their rule of conduct; but, with regard to what I call the conquering qualities of spiritual life-vigorous faith, fervency of spirit, unworldliness, self-sacrifice, the qualities imperatively required for the world's conversion-it may be doubted whether the Methodists of the present day, taking them in general, would not suffer by comparison with the early Methodists. However this may be, we must regard the spiritual life of Methodism as the most important of its resources for the world's conversion, and give to its nurture and development corresponding attention.

Next in importance to its spiritual life we mention its distinguishing doctrines, namely, the unrestricted love of God to our fallen race, general redemption by Christ Jesus, justification by faith, the witness of the Spirit, entire holiness of heart and life. These distinguishing doctrines of Methodism are of a pre-eminently soul-saving nature, embodying the very pith and marrow of that precious Gospel which is the power of God to salvation, and apart from which there is no hope for the world's conversion. Their soul-saving virtue has been demonstrated in millions of instances, and they will for ever retain their regenerating and renewing efficacy.

The propagandist temper of Methodism may be noted as another resource of inestimable value. As soon as a man enters the ranks of Methodism he is incited, in a variety of ways, to seek the salvation of his fellow-men. The preacher he hears, the companions he consorts with, the books he reads, urge him with unceasing iteration to impart freely to others of the grace he has freely received, and to let his light so shine before men that they, seeing his good works, may glorify his Father in heaven. As this duty is impressed upon every nember of the Methodist churches from the very threshold of his membership, and is enforced by the most weighty and constraining motives, it would only be a natural result were every unit of the millions forming the great Methodist brotherhood to become, according to his ability and opportunity, a propagandist, a missionary, an apostle. And, in point of fact, the propagandist temper prevails widely in Methodism-more widely, perhaps, than in any other Protestant Churchand to it are due the various forms of mission-work at home and abroad, which are at once a distinguishing feature and glory to the Methodist communities.

The provision for evangelistic enterprise in the organisation of Methodism may be regarded as affording special resources for the world's conversion. For many years Wesley had no thought of the system he had founded being anything other than an evangelistic auxiliary to the Church of England; and when he at length broke loose from ecclesiastical restraint, and proclaimed the world to be his parish, he not only indicated the career of world-wide evangelism, to which he had devoted his own life, he also indicated his intention that the career of his "helpers" and successors should be, as far as he could make it, similar to his own. Methodism is now something more than a system of evangelism. It has assumed the form and responsibilities and privileges of a Church. Nevertheless, its structure is still of an evangelistic order, and it continues to be animated with the evangelistic spirit. This is seen in its utilising all sorts of available talent for evangelistic purposes, in the vast array of its lay preachers, in the itinerant labours of most of its regular ministers, and in the thousands of its sons and daughters devoted to missionary work. Remembering all this, and remembering further that the Methodist organisation

provides for the united and consentaneous action of its federated churches on occasion of any special opening for evangelistic enterprise, we see how admirably Methodism is adapted by its organisation to take a prominent part in the conversion of the world. It may be here added that the elastic and adaptative power of the Methodist polity, admitting of modification in matters of detail to meet the varying conditions of society in different periods and countries, is another valuable resource. While Methodism is essentially the same now as in Wesley's day, its polity has all along been undergoing changes necessitated by the changing conditions of society. In like manner we may say that while Methodism as it exists at present in England, in America, in Australasia, in India, in Polynesia, in Africa, is in all essential respects one and the same, yet in each of these countries its polity has distinctive, and in some, strongly marked peculiarities. And so, while the several branches of the Methodist family are one in doctrine, in spirit, in tone and temper, and also, for the most part, in modes of operation, their respective church constitutions vary from each other more or less. All this shows the elastic and adaptative power of the Methodist polity, and affords promise of Methodism taking a still more prominent part in the world's conversion than it has hitherto done. The wealth of Methodism may also be mentioned as another resource worthy of note. We have no means of accurately gauging this wealth, but when we consider the amount of money spent yearly on the ministry, on Sunday and week-day schools, on missions, and on the erection and maintenance of chapels, educational institutions, and other church buildings, we cannot resist the impression that the wealth of Methodism must be very considerable indeed. And this impression is confirmed and strengthened when we take account of the large sums contributed again and again in response to special appeals. All this is evidence of considerable wealth; it is also evidence of considerable liberality. And yet we need not hesitate to say that, although in point of liberality the Methodist people will compare favourably with any other Church, what is given by them is little compared with what might and should be given. Who, among the wealthy in Methodism, it may be asked, hurt or distress themselves in any way by their gifts to God's cause? Even when the gifts are of princely munificence there is little or no personal sacrifice made. As a rule, it is those who give the small sums, the odd pounds and shillings, or it may even be the odd pence, who have to pinch and deny themselves. Notwithstanding all that Methodists do in the way of giving, it is undeniable that they grow more wealthy year by year; and we cannot help thinking that were a rich Pentecostal baptism to come upon them, thawing their worldliness and enlarging their sympathies, there would be such an outflow of liberality as would far exceed all their past doings.

I would finally mention the political influence of Methodism as another resource not to be overlooked. The political influence of

Methodism is, I presume, greater in America than in England; but even here it is considerable, and it is a growing quantity. The earnest and united action of English Methodists on any question of practical politics would go far to settle the question. This sort of action, however, ought to be initiated and conducted with much wisdom and prudence. On those political questions about which the wisest and best of men may and do differ in opinion, Methodists should be free to act or refrain from action according to their individual convictions, no eccle. siastical pressure being brought to bear upon them one way or another. There are, however, some political questions regarding which there cannot well be difference of opinion among Methodists, such, for example, as the suppression of the slave trade and the emancipation of slaves; the suppression, or at least the restriction, of the drink traffic; the abolition of unjust and oppressive monopolies-upon these and other questions broadly affecting the rights and liberties and morals of mankind, it seems the solemn and imperative duty of Methodism to bring all its corporate influence to bear upon civil governments, remembering that in political action of this kind it is performing a highly Christian work, and contributing, it may be indirectly, but not the less effectually, to the world's conversion.

That it is the duty of Methodism to develop and apply its resources for the conversion of the world, I have assumed in some of the foregoing remarks. The possession of the resources clearly implies and imposes the duty. Why have they been given if not to be developed and applied? The moral principle involved is of such an elementary nature as to require no argument, none, at least, as far as Methodists are concerned. But while the duty is generally and readily acknowledged, its vast and solemn import, and the tremendous issues connected with its discharge or neglect, are only imperfectly realised; the burden of souls-to use a fine old Methodist phrase-is by no means felt as it ought to be. The grand and awful import of the duty binding us to seek the salvation of men ought to be more deeply meditated and taken to heart. Until this duty rule the conscience so absolutely that all considerations of interest and ease, and all temporisings of conscience and expediency shall be put aside, things will, t is to be feared, remain in the comparatively unsatisfactory condition in which we now find them. The conscience of Methodism requires to be educated until every missionary shall become so aflame with zeal as to reckon even his own life of no account, if by its sacrifice some of the perishing heathen may be converted; until every minister preach with an all-consuming desire to win souls to Christ the Lord; until every Sunday-school teacher shall yearn for the salvation of his scholars with more than a mother's tenderness and solicitude; until every member shall, with spontaneous eagerness, consecrate his all on the altar of God's service. In one word, the conscience of Methodism requires to be educated until every man and woman