of reproach. You have heard of the definition of the three different kinds of religion in the English Church-the Broad Church, the High Church, and the Evangelicals-as latitudinarians, attitudinarians, and platitudinarians. The Evangelical was taunted with being a mere purveyor of platitudes, and the reproach has not been altogether or always undeserved, and Evangelicals have given very much of their strength to mere theoretical aspects of Christian truth, in contradistinction to what our President has called "applied Christianity." I am reminded of a story which it may be in order to tell, which I remember once telling Mr. Sankey, and which I hear he has been telling here, so that I hope it has not become what you call a "chestnut." It is a tale of a coast-guard station on the Italian coast. The Italian coast-guardsman sent a report to the government in the following words: "A large ship was seen in danger of being wrecked off this station last night. We endeavored to give every assistance through the speaking-trumpet, notwithstanding which forty corpses were washed ashore this morning." Now we have been in the past far too busy with the speakingtrumpet, and the other life-saving apparatus has not been used as it ought to be. In fact, it was denied that these other things, which are mentioned upon this programme, were really life-saving apparatus at all. Therefore my astonishment at finding on the programme of the Evangelical Alliance such heretical words as these: "Athletics, stereopticon sermons: What can the Churches do affecting Criminal Administration, and to affect the Labor Problem; to make Political Reforms, to make Substitutes for the Saloon, to deal with Tenement House Reform?" What has Christianity to do with Kindergartens and Chautauqua Circles and University Extension, and Fresh Air Funds, and Boys' Clubs, and Holiday Houses, and Outing Clubs? What has the Church to do with Public Baths, or with Savings Banks and Provident Funds, and Nurses? And yet, to such questions as these, three out of the eight days of this Conference are to be devoted. The proportion given to the social side of Christianity, which, if I am not altogether in the dark about the meaning of Christianity, was Christ's side of Christianity-I say not only the fact that time is given to these, but the proportion of time, is an exceedingly remarkable phenomenon, and marks an entirely new departure in the work of this Alliance. I venture to say that

this Alliance was in danger of extinction, had it not taken up these problems, and the Evangelical Alliance can scarcely express its debt to Mr. Dodge and to Dr. Strong for so splendidly rising to the exigencies of the moment, and including all these new movements within the range of Christianity. The social side of Christianity is in the air in every country. We see that we have been all wrong in narrowing down our conception of the doctrine of Christ to merely dealing with men as if they were souls, as if they were disembodied spirits. Now we see from this programme that the object of evangelical Christianity, at all events, is to leaven society in every direction - moral, social, and even political. And therefore one comes to the work of this Conference with a good heart, believing that nothing but good can come out of it, and knowing that the breadth and liberality and the splendid charity of this programme may become synonymous with the word "evangelical" in the future.

COL. L. ROOSMALE NEPVEU OF THE NETHERLANDS.

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Allow me to speak out openly that I have a feeling of embarrassment to attempt to speak to you in the English language, and I hope that you will be kindly indulgent to me for the many mistakes I will certainly make.

Allow me, in the first place, to thank you for the welcome given to us as delegates. I have to bring you the greetings of the committee of the Evangelical Alliance of the Netherlands. Personally, I have joy in my heart and gratitude to God that I am here as a representative of my country, and my heart is warm with sympathy for the principles of the Evangelical Alliance. I am sorry to say that in my country there remains still much strife between the different churches and parties. Not all are agreed, at least in practice, with the principle of union and brotherly love. But still there remain in Holland many Christians who are desirous that we shall all be one, not only in theory and in faith, but in practice. And I hope that this Congress will be a blessing to us all personally, but also for all countries, and that a new spirit of union and love will come over all Christianity. In

Europe, in America, I believe dark clouds have come over all countries, and although my small country, Holland, is in many aspects much blessed by God, still there are many dark clouds which have come over us also, and it is much wished that Christians shall be more united and thus strong to resist bad spirits, sin and all that comes with it. May we all be here together in the spirit of humility and brotherly prayer and love!

My predecessor has said that he feels quite at home here. It is the first time that I am in America, but I may say I have a sort of feeling that I am at home amid you. Where we are together as Christians we must have the feeling to be as brothers and sisters together and to love one another, even if we have never seen each other before. Oh, may we be all blessed, and be more decided than ever to love one another, and also to try to bring more unity where God has placed us!

I am very sorry, dear friends, that I am a very bad English speaker, and that I may only say what I can, and not what I would.

COMM. MATTEO PROCHET, D.D., OF ITALY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: When, last night, I received a paper in which I saw my name somewhat murdered, I really could not understand why such an insignificant man as myself had been put in with the speakers that have interested you this afternoon. But at last, when I think for awhile, some ideas even in my head come too, and I suppose that there must have been some hope that, coming from Rome, I was bringing in my bag a special blessing from my colleague who lives on the other side of the Tiber.

Well, I am sorry to disappoint you. I have not; though I do not entertain the least bad feeling towards him—not the least. The Tiber is flowing between us and carrying to the sea any bad feeling, if there were any, and I can declare here what I have declared everywhere-that whenever Leo XIII. will condescend to send me an invitation to a social cup of tea I will do my best to go and take it.

But, friends, it is a great thing to speak of the reunion of

Christendom in one family. If there is a subject which has my whole sympathies and my prayers, it is that. But let us not seek for that reunion in a line where a real union cannot be found. Certainly we evangelical members hope we are one; let us then try to bring that other party to understand and feel as we do, so that when we shall embrace each other, Italian fashion, it may be a real Christian kiss, and not the kiss which the unworthy disciple gave his Master. We want sincerity and loyalty, and then the union will be good.

But if I cannot bring you salutation and greetings from the other side of the Tiber, I can tell you that I could, if I had seen him, bring you the salutations of the King of Italy. In 1891 (Lord Kinnaird just reminded me of it) I liked him to know that we were going to gather in Florence, and I said to his Majesty that the Evangelical Alliance was going to meet there. "Evangelical Alliance," he said, repeating slowly the two words"Allianza Evangelica." Well, of course, he did not like exactly to ask what it was, but the wish was very apparent, and even I did detect it. So of course I could not catechize the King of Italy and go through all the explanations, so I simply said, " Your Majesty, we may call them 'The Great Assize of Protestantism.'". Now I do not know whether he has understood that more than the other one, but he declared himself pleased; and that had something to do with the very kind telegram which he sent to the Evangelical Alliance sitting in Florence.

Then I may say, just as Paul said, "They that are from Italy salute you." I represent four fifths of the Italian-speaking Evangelicals of Italy, legally, if I may say so. In a spiritual way I represent the whole of them.

But there is another thing you will allow me to say. I have come to a country with a banner that has stars-the starred and striped banner. Well, sir, I come from a body of people that have had stars on their banners for seven hundred years; and these seven stars, surrounding the candlestick which was placed on the Holy Word of God, were there with this motto, "Lux lucet in tenebris"-"The light shineth in darkness." And that was the motto to which have been faithful the thousands and thousands of Waldenses that have paid with their blood the price of faithfulness. From them we bring you greetings.

Well, I cannot say, as did the good lord (and I envied you when

you came to that point), that I am not a foreigner. You are an Anglo-Saxon, as well as these gentlemen and ladies, you know. I am not, and I am not going to fling at your face that greatest of insults, flattery, and say that I wish I were. I am an Italian, and intend to remain an Italian. But, however, you know one may be an Italian and nevertheless feel at home in America. Now let me say this in confidence to you. You need to be a little more closely known in order to be appreciated. I remember when I landed in America, twenty years ago, for the first time, I was hoisted to the fifth floor of the St. James Hotel, Broadway, New York. Then when I looked all around and down from my windows on that immense metropolis, I did what I generally do when I go to another country-I took the candle and went to read the rules of the house on the door. Just imagine my bewilderment! Amongst the rules I saw this: "The landlord of the hotel is not responsible for the boots left outside." "Dear me!" said I, throwing my hands through my hair, which then was thicker than now, "if the St. James Hotel, which is said to be the cream of the hotels of New York, cannot answer for my boots, if I had fallen into another one I should have been murdered three times before now." So you see the first impression was not a good one. But when I went from place to place, when it was my great privilege to live with many and many an American family, the guest of friends belonging to almost all stations of life in the several states ah, then I have gone back to my country with a far different impression. I do not mean to say that you are angels; no. But certainly there is much of the angel likeness in the way in which your American ladies say to a foreigner coming to them, "Make yourself at home." I wish I could imitate it, but I know that I shall never succeed. And this I have said even to ladies of other countries, where also I have been well received.

So now, after extending to you my greetings from my people and from myself, and telling you how I feel, let me also say that I do wish with all my heart that our Lord may cause His Holy Spirit to descend and to form the atmosphere which we shall always breathe during all these days, so that we may go away with our spiritual lungs filled and our heart expanded, ready for the great work.