FOREIGN NOTES.

M. JULES SIMON.

By the decease, at the age of 81, of the venerable Jules Simon, France has lost one of her most eminent sons-a man honoured throughout the world. He was a typical example of a judicious and moderate statesman. His efforts to conciliate France and Germany, in their mutual relations, are well known to our readers, as also his repeated utterances in favour of International Arbitration.

BRAZIL AND GREAT BRITAIN.

A correspondent sends the following translation of the passage which related to the island of Trinidad, in the Message of the President of Brazil, at the recent opening of the Brazilian Congress "As regards the occupation of the island of Trinidad, which took place under the Ministry of Lord Rosebery, the present English Cabinet considered that it could not undo this act, and it instructed the British Representative in Brazil to propose Arbitration as a solution of the question. Seeing, however, that this Representative, as soon as the occupation was known, had proposed the leasing of the island and, later on, had made an endeavour to obtain from the Brazilian Government a declaration that, when once the island had been given up, there would be no doubt (provided fiscal rights and obligations resulting from contracts were protected) about the Government's consent being given to its use for a telegraphic service-actions which amounted to an acknowledgment of the sovereign rights of Brazil—the proposal of Arbitration, which contradicted this acknowledgment, could not be accepted. The Brazilian Govern

ment set forth at length, on January 7th last, its reasons for rejecting the proposal, having, however, well-founded motives for supposing that this incident, in the relations between Brazil and England, will be settled in a worthy manner."

A PEACE VOICE FROM TEXAS, U.S.A.

says:

The Texas Farm and Ranche Journal, Dullas, U.S.A., "It seems that this country (U.S.A.) is now the stumbling block in the way of a treaty of arbitration between Christian nations. England has asked for such a treaty, through a petition signed by 350 members of the English Parliament, and the British Government has plainly expressed its desire for such an arrangement as shall forever prevent a resort to war for a settlement of controversies. France, Belgium and Switzerland have expressed their desire for such a treaty. Men visited this country a few years ago, in the interest of such a treaty, and the senate passed resolutions favouring it. But that was the end of the matter. Demagogues do not want the wind taken out of their sails; they desire food for inflammatory appeals to the passions of men, and nothing stirs the blood or turns the brain of the average American like a rumour of war. When the political pot boils furiously it brings the scum to the surface and then there is a chance for the agitator, the blatherskite, and the jingo to float into place and power. When the political waters are calm they sink to the bottom and there remain until the next ebullition. If only warmakers fought the battles, then would war be a blessing by ridding the nation of the microbes of social disorder. This nation should lead rather than lag, in every salutary reform, and it would, if the sober secon 1 thought of the people governed public action."

NORWAY.

Mr. Walter Morris, a Friend, of Hitchin, Herts, now on a journey in Norway, has been giving a series of illustrated Peace Lectures in that country. Mr. Morris feels that his labours in the cause of Peace are well repaid by the attention attracted to the subject. Serious remarks are often made after the lectures, and tracts are eagerly accepted. Even at the dinner-table, a conversation on the subject is not unfrequently commenced by one or other of the guests. He also receives inquiries how war can be avoided by single persons refusing to take part in it, &c. An officer in the army, met on board a steamer, told him that the Friends in Norway are exempted, by a recent law, from serving as soldiers.

MOROCCO.

Sir Arthur Nicholson, the British Minister in Morocco, reports that the Sultan of that country has granted him permission to build a new iron pier at Tangier and to open a new gate in the town wall. The Sultan has also subscribed a sum of 3,000 dols. for repairing the Tangier sewer.

THE INCREASE OF THE AMERICAN NAVY.

In a recent discussion in the United States Senate, at Washington, on a proposed increase of the navy, there was a majority of four Senators for making the addition smaller than had been originally asked for. And the Richmond (Virginia) Times wisely remarks hereupon:-"We are perfectly satisfied that if this country had had a navy last winter adequate in coping with Great Britain on the seas, we should have been rushed into a terrible war with that country, that would have been a calamity to the human race. We don't need any navy. We have no foreign concerns that can properly embroil us in foreign wars, and no foreign power is going to be mad enough to come here and force a war upon us. Let us fortify our seaports so that we can defend ourselves against foreign aggression, and then have the navy as it is, so that smart officers wishing to show themselves off cannot embroil us in cruel and destructive wars."

GENERAL GRANT, U.S.A.

A good anecdote of this distinguished President of the United States was related by General Fisk, who said:-"I was sitting with General Grant and a number of others, when an officer high in rank rushed in, shouting, 'O, boys, I've such a good story to tell you! There are no ladies present, I believe?' 'No, but there are gentlemen present,' was the curt reply of Grant. The story was not told."

MODERN GREEK IN FRANCE.

The French Minister of Education has authorised the introduction, in secondary education, of the Hellenic pronunciation of Greek, concurrently with the Erasmian system. This announcement that the modern pronunciation of Greek is to be introduced into all French lycées has been received with warm satisfaction by the learned world in Athens, both Greek and foreign. Among foreign scholars who have had an opportunity of familiarising themselves with the modern language, by continuous residence in Greece, practical unanimity exists on this subject. Apart from the academic question, the modern language, from the utilitarian point of view, affords the only means of introducing the uniform pronunciation of Greek throughout Europe.

ALSACE.

The Alsatian maiden combines all the excellent qualities of character and disposition with the more fleeting attributes of grace and beauty. Brought up in the vicinity of a mountainous district, she is accustomed to climbing, and is thus strong and healthy, and full of redundant life and spirits. In appearance she possesses the French grace of figure, with the sweetest type of German features, and in her quaintly pretty costume, after the style of the dress worn before the Revolution, her individual charm of personality cannot fail to impress all strangers to those districts. She has a real passion for dancing and mountain climbing, but withal her strong domestic tastes, and the home life is of the most simple and domestic character. On festal days she delights to don her pretty holiday dress, which is still made after the elegant and picturesque style of the Directory period, for, in the matter of dress, as in the customs of the country, mediæval manners are still affectionately adhered to, and furnish the one touch of association with the old world now almost

passed away. Vivacious, romantic, yet endowed with much good sense, she combines in her nature the best qualities of her French and German progenitors, allied to strong patriotic sentiments and a high sense of duty and honour.

PENNSYLVANIAN MENNONITES.

The peaceful Mennonites of Pennsylvania, who believe that Christians ought not to take oaths, hold public offices, or render military service, have a curious way of electing their bishops. There were three candidates for a recent vacancy. Three Bibles,

in one of which was a slip of paper, were placed on the pulpit of the "meeting-house." Each would-be Bishop took a Bible, and the one who secured the white slip was declared duly elected.

A TINY COMMONWEALTH.-MORESNET.

The Principality of Monaco, with its population of 12,000, the Republic of San Marino, with its 8,000, and Andorra with its 6,000, are all small independent States, but not so tiny as the Commune of Moresnet, which can only boast of 1,200. The Paris correspondent of the Standard gives a most interesting account of this pocket Republic, on the German-Belgian frontier, midway between Verviers and Aix-la-Chappelle. The supreme chief is content with the title of Burgomaster, and the standing army consists of one soldier, who wears a splendid uniform. There is no judicial system, but the litigation is "put out," being disposed of at Verviers and Aix-la-Chapelle alternately. But what attracts us most is the taxation, which only comes to six francs a head! With this the school is supported, and the roads repaired. It really makes one's mouth water to think of a country where five shillings a year sees you quit of all taxes.

PRINCE BISMARCK ON HARMONY.

The Musical Courier reproduces some remarks on music made by Bismarck in the course of a recent interview. "I don't care for music that is paid for (concerts)," he said, "but there is nothing I like better than music at home." He added that he once could play himself, and was sorry that he had not continued, for "music is a faithful companion in this life." Music, again, for its power on the masses, he values greatly. The German song, he considers, was one of the greatest agents in bringing about German unity. And he adds: "Our alliance with Austria would not be so intimate, if Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven had not lived there, thus creating a true artistic bond of union between us."

THE GERMAN MINISTER OF WAR.

On June 2nd, at Berlin, in the sitting of the Budget Committee of the Reichstag, during the debate upon the Bill amending the law relating to the peace effective of the German Army, General Bronsart von Schellendorff, Minister of War, declared that there was no need for clanking the sabre, since peace appeared to be assured for a long time to come.

NEWFOUNDLAND.

The aboriginal Indians of Newfoundland have been extinct for half-a-century. The last of them was a tall woman, six feet high, of a fine presence and handsome features, and of a nature gentle, courteous, and affectionate. A pencil and a piece of paper being given her, she drew a deer perfectly with a few strokes, but began her sketch from the tip of the tail. She was the last of the aboriginal Indians of the island ever seen alive. Even of their skulls, but one is known to have been preserved. It had a narrow escape from being thrown into a dust-bin, but it is now stored in the Museum at St. John's.

EARL RUSSELL AND NAPOLEON I.

In 1814, the year after he entered Parliament, and the year before the battle of Waterloo, Lord John Russell, during a journey in Italy, visited the scourge of Europe, Napoleon I., in his island prison of Elba. In the course of conversation, Napoleon asked about Wellington, whom he described as a grand chasseur. His opinion of war he put into a sentence, which throws a flood of light on the brutal, cold-blooded selfishness of his character:"La guerre," he said, "est un grand jeu, une belle occupation." The man who could utter that sentence was not far removed from being an incarnate fiend. It is interesting also to learn that Napoleon thought that the great superiority of England to France lay in her aristocracy. He was far from pleased at the intervention of Russia in the war, an intervention that brought about his downfall. His verdict on it was that England would one day repent of having brought the Russians so far, and he added the prophecy, "They will deprive her of India."

PARIS. HONOURING FAMOUS MEN.

number of white marble slabs which are to be placed on the following houses-At 36, Rue Rollin, where Descartes lived after his return from Holland; at No. 30, in the same street, where Rollin, who gives his name to the street, resided; at 8, Place des Vosges, where Victor Hugo spent the best years of his life, where he wrote "Ruy Blas," "Notre Dame," etc., and where he brought together the poets of the Romantic School before 1830; at 112, Rue du Bac, which was Chateaubriand's mansion; at 28, Rue des Tournelles, where J. Hardoui-Mansart, architect to the King, had his sumptuous abode. This latter residence, which has never been altered, and is ornamented with oil paintings by Mignard, also had Ninon de l'Enclos for a tenant in 1698.

ICELAND.-AN ISLE OF PEACE.

Madame Sigride E. Magnusson, who founded a High School for Women at Reykjavik, Iceland, is opposed to the recent invasion of that island by the Salvation Army. She considers it an insult to the clergymen. She says:-"There are no slums in Iceland, and for that reason the Salvation Army is not needed. There are only two policemen on the whole island. They are stationed at Reykjavik, but they have very little to do. One of them, in fact, has gained considerable fame in a literary way." What a happy state of things!

CHILI AND ARGENTINA.

The correspondent at whose instance the Peace Society appealed to the Governments of Chili and Argentina, with such satisfactory results, corrects our Note in the last issue, referring to the Arbitration between these two countries, by supplying the information that the dispute between them has been referred to Arbitrators, with the Agreement that a final reference should be made to Queen Victoria, if necessary. Her Majesty has accepted the invitation to act in this capacity, and the Agreement has been ratified accordingly.

THE PEACE UNION.

THE annual meeting of the Peace Union was held in London on the 20th May.

MISS PRISCILLA H. PECKOVER, who presided, showed that Peace Societies had exercised an important practical influence during the past year in averting war at times of serious crisis. The institution of "Peace Sunday," and the yearly letters sent to ministers in connection with it, had prepared the way for the Churches on both sides of the Atlantic to give their unanimous voice in favour of Peace during the late difficulties with America. Also notable have been the efforts of the Peace Societies of Norway and Sweden, at a time when war between those two countries was threatened. In Italy, too, the various Peace Societies have so far leavened the public mind that sympathy has been expressed for the sufferings of the Abyssinians during the Italian war of invasion. The Peace movement is strong because it is in line with the Divine will.

A resolution was then proposed, recommending the speedy adoption of some system of arbitration with America, and condemning the present war in the Soudan.

MR. JOSHUA ROWNTREE, in supporting the resolution, said, we Peace advocates are not content with the low place assigned to us in this world; we are ardent hill-climbers. We are told that we cannot alter human nature; but if uplifting tendencies were not constantly at work, what would become of mankind? Modern society is built upon moral advance. It has been said, with regard to recent events, that we cannot have Peace at any price. Shall we then say we are for justice, but not at any price; for truth, but not at any price?

All of us, it is to be hoped, have had our hearts wrung by the tidings of horror from Armenia. But no one has yet shown that we could have helped the sufferers by letting loose the scourge of war. Our present position involves the most signal confession ever known of the failure of arms and armaments. How could we have been more powerless to help Armenia, if England had adopted the most complete Peace policy? On the contrary, might not a genuine Peace policy have accomplished far more? The present position of England is the result of our great self-assertion in years gone by. Could we have given up self-assertion and have placed Cyprus (which we hold as a pledge to maintain the

JULY 1ST, 1896.]

of the Powers, we could then have asked them to bring their influence to bear on the Sultan. Everyone knows that would have secured the help of France and Russia. It is not by self-assertion that we shall gain ascendancy in the councils of Europe.

We are now opening a new page of aggression in Africa. This is by some described as being a friendly policy towards Italy. There is no real friendliness in it. The Italians have been rising against the aggressive policy of their own Government, and we are throwing our weight into the scale of militarism, which is crushing the life out of the people. Surely we ought to protest more strongly against this wanton act of our Government. The It is a heathenish real difficulty we have to meet in our Peace work is that thoughtful people believe the end justifies the means. idea. Truth must reign over means as well as ends, and this prinFor war will not bear looking ciple undermines the root of war. into; its methods cannot be defended. We must not adopt a merely passive resistance to this great evil; let us each do what we can to give expression to the truth in our own minds and hearts.

MISS ELLEN ROBINSON spoke of the wide-open door for Peace work on the Continent, and the progress already made there; also mentioning the series of women's committees in Europe and America known as the Women's International Peace Union.

MR. WILLIAM JONES said that we must not hold our principles with reserve; if we do they will soon evaporate altogether. We may not do evil that good may come. Speaking from personal observation, he could say that of all possible ways of trying to help suffering people, war was the very worst.

An interesting discussion followed, in the course of which Miss SPENCER, hon.. secretary of the newly-formed Peace Association at Lincoln, spoke of the field open for Peace work in connection with Sunday schools. Miss FANNY REYNOLDS, of Bridport, and others, called attention to the danger that military drill may be more largely introduced into schools, referring to a proposal in one quarter, happily superseded, that girls as well as boys should be drilled by a sergeant. It was agreed that Boys' Brigades have done much harm by encouraging a military spirit; one proof of which (among others) is the patronage of them by military men. Dr. Helen Webb showed that military drill is far from being the healthful exercise it is sometimes supposed to be.

Later,

64 6

"Dear M. le Curé,

"EDW. CANTUAR."

TO THE FRENCH ISLANDERS OF MOLENE. (On their tender care for the living and the drowned of the British steamer "Drummond Castle," June, 1896.)

O France, if ever stung, by your sharp and thoughtless tongue, We have winced at angry words we deemed were better left unsaid,

Yet our hearts go forth to-day, our gratitude to pay,

For your tender-hearted pity for our brothers that are dead.

As on your rock-bound shore, the cruel seas upbore,

The bodies of those strangers whom your strong sons might
not save,

True-hearted women's tears, were flowing round the biers,
That bore our folk uncoffined to their foreign sea-girt grave.

Small thought of West or East, had the kindly village priest―
If valid were our "orders," or of creed or heresy-

As the Requiem for the Dead, in charity he said,

While simple reverent fishers bowed the head and bent the knee.
Yes, hearts of ours that bleed, shall thrill and throb to read,
How the pitying Bretons knelt in prayer-a pious weeping
crowd-

And our tear unbidden springs, as the aged mother brings
Her own dead darling's robe to be the British baby's shroud.

Then if in future days, fierce bigotry shall raise

Harsh discord's jarring voice anew and jealousy's disdain,
Let louder accents still, our grateful memories fill,
And the records of your pity make us brothers once again.
-St. James's Gazette.

"My youngest is very fond of pedestrianism," said Mr. Cawker to Mr. Cumso. "I didn't know it was old enough to walk." It isn't, but it is old enough to know that I can."

ARBITRATION ALLIANCE.-ANNUAL MEETINGS. (Continued from page 91.)

violence always provokes violence, and where violence is used there is sure to be reaction. The principle of our Lord seems to have been that the numerous forces in the world can be included under the two great forces-moral and physical. Our Lord preached the great doctrine of moral force. He laid it down in parable and teaching, and in His sacrifice, that the greatest power is moral power. Now, the great difficulty has always been not only to convince nations, but to convince individuals, that moral force in the long run is infinitely more efficacious than violence, or physical force. If we could only convert the world to that principle, we should not, I think, have very much difficulty in bringing about the results which this Alliance contemplates. But so long as men in this nineteenth century think that the only thing to do is to oppose force by force, and so long as that idea is deepening in our rulers' minds, we are not likely to make much progress. This is an Association of Christians, and the principal idea of Christianity is the idea of brotherhood and fraternity, that principle is the basis of all true social life, progress and political growth. If all recognised one Father, and if the feeling of brotherhood existed as between brothers, all would endeavour to persuade each other in the course which they desired each to go. As Christians we are on golid ground. Those wiser ones tell us that our ideas are visionary. Nearly all great ideas were regarded as visionary at their first inception. I have no doubt that our Lord's ideas were thought visionary, and that it was not possible to carry them out. In my judgment, all that we have to ascertain is, whether a thing is true, whether a thing is right and just. If we make up our minds and prove that a thing is right, and true, and just, we can wait any number of years for that right absolutely to be recognised by all mankind. Why do I say that? If that were not so, there would be no hope of the ultimate development and growth of mankind at all. If we lose our faith I do not know what we have to rely upon. As long as the Christian position is an impregnable one, that the underlying basis of it is the idea of friendship and brotherhood, we can wait for our ideas to prevail. The next point is, that the proposals of the Alliance are not practical. It is very easy to make our position look almost ridiculous. "Do you mean to tell us that these enormous armies, now equipped, are going to be reduced?" "Do you ever think that nations will risk their stability and risk their position?" "No," say they, "give us something that we can rely upon, give us shot and powder, and a great army, then we feel safe." "Do you think that by simply teaching people the ideas of Christianity you are going to alter the world?" What I want to emphasise is this, that this Alliance is not at all visionary. What I ask is, "Why do people go to war?" For all kinds of reasons. Barbarian nations, and nations in a low state of civilisation, go to war to acquire territory, or to plunder. More civilised nations go to war to settle some disputed point of international law, or some unfixed boundary. For Christian nations, and civilised nations to go to war, to decide some question of justice, is absolute folly, for force proves nothing. If there is a question between two nations involving questions of law, or nice questions of justice, surely such questions can be best dealt with by experts, and a competent .tribunal. It does not follow that you always get justice, but you are more likely to get justice than by blowing people to pieces with guns. I do not see how any human being, who is rational, can think for a moment that force settles anything, and 89, as the Alliance says, "Let us see whether we cannot persuade the nations to erect some international court, before which these subjects can be brought, argued out, and determined." very beautiful in theory, our opponents say, it sounds very well indeed, but, as the Chairman has said, supposing a decision was given in this Court, which did not meet with the wishes of one of those in dispute, then that party would instantly desire to resort to force. What I want to emphasise is this, that thousands and tens of thousands of disputes that arise between parties and interests, are now settled by a Court of Arbitration, or a Court of Law: many are settled by private conference or arrangement; but a good many are settled by law. The Chairman said that a judgment of a Judge would not carry much force unless it was backed up by the police, but I have an idea that there is a force behind quite sufficient to carry the

ever

It is

judgment of the Judge to its final issue. Is it necessary to impress upon mankind, or to impress nations, to keep seven millions of men to carry out the edict of a Court of Arbitration? If people got it into their minds, and were convinced that the easy and proper method of proceeding is by arbitration and not by war, they would in most instances be willing to abide by the decision. Many of us have gone to law and have been dissatisfied at the verdict, but the spirit of obedience that is in our hearts comes and tells us that it is far better to abide by what the Judge has said than to put ourselves in a worse position. I am fully convinced that if the questions in dispute were fully argued and the pros and cons. and the facts for and against were clearly stated, such an amount of public opinion would be formed that the judgment of the Court would carry itself by its own force. Now another thing is this: It is no new idea. There have been, and there are at this present time, Courts of Arbitration of this kind, such as the United States Supreme Court, the Federal Court at Berne, and others. (See "Admitted Practicability of International Arbitration," p. 8, which was quoted.)

It is

The idea which is now being broached by this Alliance is an idea which has been practically carried out in the cases I have mentioned. This goes to show that where they have been in operation, they have been effective with beneficent results. The next point I want to insist upon is this, to have some clause in treaties that are made, stipulating for arbitration. When a treaty is entered into between two countries, there should be some clause to state that if any difficulty arises, it should be decided by a Court of Arbitration. I do not know whether that seems wild or unpractical. It seems to be only in the line of common sense and common reason, and, that being so, I am quite convinced in my own mind that in time the more civilised and the better taught, and the more deeply-thinking people of the community will come to that conclusion. Now, another point, with regard to reduction of armaments. not proposed that one country by itself should reduce its armaments; that would be extremely foolish. I always thought that when Coblen and Bright promulgated the sound principle of free trade they imagined that other nations would follow their example, and if all nations were governed by sound reasoning, free trade probably would be the universal commercial law of the world. One has always thought that those countries that do adopt free trade, suffer to some extent. But we, of course, do not dream of making such a mistake as to urge that any nation singly should begin to disarm. For instance, it would be foolish for England to begin to disarm, should Germany, Russia, and France keep up their armies. But what we want to do is to endeavour to get the civilised nations of the world to reduce their armies, little by little, until they become of no appreciable account. Now, supposing this were the view of a few earnest Christians only, it might not carry very much weight with the country and the world. But there is a quotation I should like to read to you, and it is one that surprised me. It is an utterance on the part of Napoleon speaking at St. Helena after the peace of Amiens. He said, "I had a project for general peace by drawing all the Powers to an immense reduction of their standing armies. And then, perhaps, as intelligence became universally diffused, one might be permitted to dream of the application to the great European family of an institution like the American Congress, or that of the Amphictyon, in Greece; and then what a perspective before us of greatness, of happiness, of prosperity-what a grand and magnificent spectacle! However that may be, this agglomeration of European peoples must arrive, sooner or later, by the mere force of events. The impulse is already given, and I do not think, after my fall, and the disappearance of my system, that any balance of power will be possible in Europe but this union and federation of the great nations."

Napoleon was not only a great warrior and a great soldier, but one of the greatest statesmen the world ever saw. If Napoleon foresaw the day when what is called sometimes the "balance of power" would come to an end, he saw a far better substitute for it, viz., a fraternal union of the great nations. If he, after all his experience, realised how dreadful was the ruin and havoc of war, and saw happiness and prosperity as the result of peace, wo may work in the same direction, feeling that even the greatest fighters are of our opinion. There is no evil under the sun so great as the evil of war. It is to me a very dreadful thing, and without

expressing any opinion on the subject of its necessity, that on the eve of the twentieth century we should now be spending in our own Christian country an enormous amount in bellicose armaments. It does seem to me that this Aliance must perform a very important function indeed, if it only draws the attention of the people to what this gigantic preparation for war involves. You can hardly imagine that nearly a million a day is spent in keeping up the armies of Europe, keeping men in idleness for the purpose of fighting at some future time, withdrawing seven millions of the flower of the people from industrial pursuits. We cannot fully realise what folly it is and what ruin it brings about, and for no good purpose at all. The next point is that only to-day we have the report of the meeting of the Cooperative Congress at Woolwich. Now, that congress is composed of a body which represents enormous numbers of the most enlightened citizens and an enormous capital. They have passed the following resolution :-"Seeing that peace is essential to the progress of co-operation, it is the sense of this congress that the cause of humanity and the voice of conscience demand that the English-speaking people, united as they are by race, language, and religion, should settle their national differences without resort to the sword, that any differences arising between the United States and Great Britain which cannot be adjusted by diplomacy should be referred to arbitration, and that a permanent tribunal for that purpose ought to be established between the two nations." That is a resolution passed by a body of men representing one end of the great social scale. Now, there is to be a meeting of the Chambers of Commerce, representing the enormous interests of British capital, on the 9th June. At that meeting, Sir John Lubbock, the chairman, is to move the following resolution :"That in the opinion of this Congress the present gigantic expenditure on military preparations imposes an intolerable burden on national revenues, and an immense addition to human labour; that the settlement of international differences by force of arms is barbarous and unworthy of civilised nations, and that differences or disputes arising between different Governments which cannot be adjusted by diplomatic agency should, as far as possible, be referred to arbitration." I do not know whether there are six or whether there are a dozen societies advocating the great principles of your Alliance. What is absolutely certain is this: that the principle is gaining ground, and if at these two Congresses to which I have referred, these resolutions are framed and passed unanimously, they are the voice of millions of our fellow countrymen who are deeply interested in the welfare, prosperity, and peace of the world. That our meeting is small, makes little difference. principles are great. I earnestly trust and pray with your Chairman that we Christians may not only preach the doctrines of Christianity, but practise them, and that we may use every endeavour, through the platform, the press, and the pulpit, to impress upon the conscience and upon the mind of mankind, that war, bloody and cruel, is no possible means of deciding the great questions of principles and morality; that it is barbarous, and ought to be abolished. I must say that I am a very great believer in the ultimate working out, for good, of fundamental principles, and the fundamental principle on which this Society is based, is certainly so sound, so solid, so good and so deep, that it will bear the superstructure. I hope this meeting will result in making us more fervent and more solid. I trust all who have any influence in high quarters will use that influence, day after day, and year after year, to point out the great principle upon which true greatness stands, that nothing is likely to stand that does not rest upon the high principles of morality and truth. Our nation should be the pioneer of the great doctrine of moral force. If England, with all its vast influence, would only lead the van in this great and glorious crusade of preventing the inordinate increase of armies, by bringing about a settlement of differences by arbitration, it will be conferring a great benefit upon mankind, and the day will come when the prayers offered by thousands of Christians throughout the world will be answered, when peace shall reign, and when men shall recognise each other as brothers, and instead of being jealous of each other, shall endeavour to promote each other's good and happiness. May God hasten the day of His Kingdom of Peace.

Our

Rev. J. SCOTT LIDGETT, in seconding the Resolution, said that it referred mainly to the dispute between this country and the United States. The reference to that difficulty largely

marked out the work which the Alliance had to do. First of all it had to give testimony to that ideal, which was both Christian and practical, and which is growing more and more practical and to be on the watch to find occasions when it could be applied in order to narrow the area and lessen the intensity of the quarrels which divide nations, many of which were essentially trumpery in the extreme. The Society had a great work to perform, as more or less representing all branches of the Christian Churches. We rest under a considerable reproach in this as in other matters, having done so little to form a thoroughly strong opinion against war and in favour of arbitration. Because of this, they had no idea of the inward latent force of sentiment on the side of peace which could be raised in the hearts and minds of Christian people. When the dispute was at its height, a public man in London wrote a letter to the representatives of different churches asking them to do their level best to raise some amount of sentiment on the part of the churches in the country which might have an effect on Christian sentiment in America. He said, "I do not suppose that Christianity counts for much in such matters as this." He (the speaker) received that letter on a Saturday morning, and immediately wrote asking the gentleman to wait and see, and when Sunday had passed and the pulpits had spoken in the two countries, he would see that Christianity counted for a great deal more than he had any idea of. After that Sunday was over the worst was passed. The country was constantly at the mercy of waves of unenlightend feeling which constituted a very great national danger. The work of the Society through the churches should tend to correct this feeling, and they need not cry alone in the wilderness, as Statesmen on both sides of the Atlantic had spoken of the desirability and the practicability of referring the disputes between us and America to some permanent Court of Arbitration. Those Statesmen must be made to feel that they had the solid intelligent and moral opinion of the great mass of the community at their back. Constant attention should be called to the subject by the churches whose great work was, by the help of the Holy Spirit of God, to regenerate humanity. However much might be said about the social problems at home, unless they began to do justice in these international problems, they would not be fulfilling the end of preaching the Gospel. Rev. E. G. GAUGE proposed the following resolution: "This meeting desires to express its gratification with the work already done by the Arbitration Alliance, especially in completing the British contribution to the United Petition from the Christian Churches in favour of Arbitration, and in bringing the matter before the Protestant Churches of the Continent; it expresses its conviction that there is both an opening and a necessity for the work of this Association in promoting a practical alliance of the Churches in behalf of International Arbitration and amity; and it pledges its sympathy and support in the prosecution of that work." He said it was melancholy to think that all Europe should be like an armed camp, and many nations were literally staggering beneath the cost of armaments. The National Debt of this country was all piled up by war, and so with the other nations of the world. This country was at the present time spending enough money in waste, as would enable every poor old person to receive a pension in the peaceful evening of life. On that ground they ought to do what they could to make war impossible. Thousands of men were ordered to certain death. A more immoral thing could not possibly be imagined. In olden times, when a man was insulted, he challenged his adversary to a duel, but it did not follow that the man who was in the wrong would be punished; very often the man wronged was himself wounded or slain. War was an international duel, and it did not always follow that the nation which had right or justice on its side would come out victor. The Society appealed to the higher arbitrament of reason, righteousness, and common sense, and without blood being shed. He remembered the tension there was during the Alabama controversy. Mr. Gladstone said at that time, "We both belong to proud nations. Let us set the nations an example of appeal not at the cannon's mouth. We are not going to fight each other; we are not going to fly at each other's throats, but the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes will wave side by side." That arbitration had left behind no bitter legacy of hate. different was the state of things between France and Germany? Wars never settled anything, but one war produced another, and the whole thing was wicked. We worship a God who is a God of

How