men shall grieve over a thought or word of unkindness far more sorrowfully than they grieve now for a stain upon their honour, they will wonder how such poor, inadequate, misguiding conceptions of unity should ever have blinded their forefathers' eyes, and led their judgment astray.

Seeing then, Brethren, that this earnest desire to be at unity is the very essence of Christian holiness,-seeing that it is a temper of mind, condition of heart, a character, an inward life,what help in the attainment of it shall we have from the conference which is to assemble here to-day? They are flocking together-men of many minds, many various opinions, many conflicting tempers-will their coming together tend to make them more united, with so many elements of disunion at work, such risks of misunderstanding and probabilities of mutual dislike? All depends on one condition. Are they assembled in Christ? It was He who first opened the very idea of unity to men, first brought them by example and precept to wish for it in some measure themselves. Only in the power of His Name, and by the operation of His Spirit, can men wish for it, and grow in it, now.

The success of a Church Congress depends on this. It may seem to depend on the eloquence of speakers, the satisfactory choice of subjects, the attractions of the place of meeting;—on these things, in a secondary and partial way, it may perhaps depend. But its true and essential success rests on each member's union with Christ, and, through this, on his longing for a united purpose, and a united sentiment, among all by whom Christ's Name is named on earth. At this moment, Brethren, the Church of this nation, our spiritual Mother that bore us, is in imminent peril. Not because her endowments are coveted, and her honours are regarded with jealousy; not because there may come a day when the dignity she has enjoyed a thousand years may be lightly set aside; not in these chances and changes does her peril stand. All this, and more, she can endure,—nay, in all this she can triumph, if only her children are at one. It is the growth, the rapid growth, of parties and rivalries among us which makes me tremble for her future, and sometimes half despair of her escape. I long to see men of all parties and schools more intent on the fulfilment of their Master's prayer, more simply and lovingly devoted to Him. I long to have party spirit looked upon as—what it is—an accursed thing. You have seen, in these last

few weeks, the spectacle of a great nation rising in arms as one man, with a simplicity of earnest resolve, first to repel, and then to punish, an invader's attack. In all that mighty host there has seemed to be but one purpose: the murmurs of private interest or individual caprice, if there have been any, we do not hear. And shall the solemn earnestness of an armed nation awe us by its visible unity and its strong concentration of will, while the army of Christ lies scattered, disunited, incapable of energy in heart or act? Strange that there should be such resolute determination, such a bond of fellowship unto death, in those who undertake the savage business of war,-no unity among the soldiers of the Cross!

Brethren, I can desire no better result from this our great conference, than that we should learn to love one another more, be more united in Christ. It may be well to clear our views on the difficulties of Holy Scripture, to discuss the prospects of education, to consider improvements in Church organization, Church finance, and Church Services. But infinitely more important it is, that we should be of one heart. We may use our Lord's word in this connection, and say, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you." Some effect, I do hope and believe, these Congresses have in bringing about the blessed result I have described. It is something for strangers to become acquainted, for adversaries to exchange courtesies, for men of alien tastes and tempers to get their partial views of one another corrected, their prejudices, even for a time, disarmed. But this bond of peace is all too weak, unless the Spirit's unity hold together its sundered links, and give strength to the whole consecrated chain. Within you, Christians, dwells the power of love; for God planted it there, when He made you His own. For your renewed nature He has won such grace, that you may be indeed "one body and one spirit, as ye are called in one hope of your calling,”—one, even-O most awful and mysterious analogy !— even as God the Father and God the Son are One. When I turn from the contemplation of that ineffable Oneness to the spectacle of our broken unity, I am amazed and overwhelmed with shame at the sight.

Blessed Lord, who hast given Thy people so great capacity for love, such an exalted pattern of unity, finish Thine own work in us; make us truly and perfectly one in Thee!

TENTH ANNUAL MEETING

OF THE

CHURCH CONGRESS,

HELD AT SOUTHAMPTON.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON, 11th OCTOBER, 1870.

The Right Reverend the LORD BISHOP OF WINCHESTER took his seat as PRESIDENT, in the CONGRESS HALL, at 2.0 P.M., and delivered the following

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

The inaugural words of one who opens now the sittings of the tenth Church Congress need not be many. On the general usefulness of such meetings, the Church has, by encouraging their repetition, pronounced its verdict: I shall therefore assume, that no defence of them is needed from me. What I would rather attempt to do-after welcoming here all who have come to us from afar, and assuring them that the labours of our Committee are and will be unsparing in seeking to promote their comfort—is to consider with you very briefly how we may best hope to avoid the dangers and secure the advantages of such a Gathering.

For this purpose it may be well first to remind ourselves of the definite Object for which we meet.

It is not to discover new Truths in the sacred deposit of which the Church is the appointed Guardian and Dispenser. It is not even, as to a great extent it is in the gatherings of Men of Science, to promulgate, scrutinise, and register the discoveries which have been made, that we assemble here. For such promulgation, scrutiny, and admission, there are other and more appropriate opportunities.

Our distinctive object (as it seems to me) may be defined to be the increase of the practical efficiency of our own branch of the Church universal:-I. By gaining a fuller understanding and a greater readiness in the use of the various parts of its existing spiritual and moral machinery. II. By (a) increasing, as the result of mutual consultation, the number of our instruments of service; (b) by improving their temper, strength, and edge; (c) as well as their application to our work by

an increased elasticity in our system. III. And, I should say above all, by gaining, as the result of free personal intercourse, a larger, a more trusting, and so a more loving co-operation amongst ourselves, Laymen and Clergymen, in these particulars.

Let me illustrate what I mean by one or two additional remarks. "Conference," says the wise Lord Bacon, "maketh a ready man;' and it effects this end, not so much by increasing his resources as by increasing his facility in using what he already has. For in conference, mind is brought to bear on mind; and not only is the store of one mind, its experience, its acquirements, and its resources, conveyed in large measure to others; but even the collision of mind with mind has its own great and useful effects. In the answering of questions, in the defence of positions, in the meeting of difficulties, half thoughts become thought thoroughly out; uses of instruments which lay dormant and unsuspected flash forth upon us, and we find ourselves possessed of a machinery of the use, or even existence, of which we had formerly no suspicion. Even as to the more outward and material part of our work this is true. It is true as to our power of using the resources of our existing institutions for the relief of the Physical wants of our people, for their education, for their civilization, for their training as citizens of the great commonwealth to which they belong.

But true as it is with regard to these departments of our work, it is perhaps truer still as to its higher branches. As to these we eminently need readiness in comprehending what the present time requires, and readiness in selecting and in using the proper instruments for meeting those requirements. The Citadel may be taken, though its armoury is full of weapons of defence, and though strong men are leagued together to protect it, if its defenders have never learned by practice a dexterous readiness in handling the arms which are provided for them. Now a general activity of the intellectual faculties does unquestionably mark our day. Men may differ widely as to the intellectual depth of the present time, when compared with earlier ages; but they can scarcely doubt that what used to be narrow streams are now wide, though they may be shallow inundations, or deny that a busy intellectual movement pervades well-nigh all Classes. Everything indeed around us seems to speak of the days when "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."

Such a general awakening may be a great gain. Whatever raises the intellectual life above the merely sensual is simply a blessing, to a man or to a people. But all awakenings, especially if they are somewhat sudden, have their peculiar dangers. Lethargy, indeed, is akin to death; awakening is full of life, but its first throb may be too strong for the vessels of the brain: men have, ere now, cast themselves down headlong to death, in the first mighty spasm with which returning consciousness has rushed in upon them. And when the awakening intellect first looks back upon the dull, lifeless, irreceptive torpor in which it has hitherto lain entranced, the revulsion of a natural indignation against the past is not without its perils. Instead of receiving (if that which is little better than passivity can be called receiving) with an impassive, unreproductive listlessness, everything presented to it, by tradition or assertion or authority, it now doubts and questions everything. At such a crisis, unless there be some guide capable of