and its superabundance of sensational, blood-curdling accounts of crime it is responsible for a great deal of vice. On the other hand, however, it must not be forgotten that, though newspapers may differ as to the actual character of public men and institutions, they do not seriously differ in their standard of morality. Lying, fraud, dishonesty, profanity, licentiousness and all such evils are almost universally denounced and exposed. Not a few of these papers may indirectly undermine public morals, but probably none of them will avow such a purpose. Thousands of them, especially of the weekly papers, are edited by men of the purest character and the deepest religious principle. We cannot easily overrate their value as conservators of public morals and antagonists of covert crime. They efficiently promote every genuine public charity and philanthropic movement, and even their criticisms of ministers and denominations, though oftentimes unjust and severe, are not specially unhealthy. He does well who uses his influence for the purification of this press and uses the press as an organ for the promulgation of philanthropy and religion. If the press was prayed for as much as it is denounced, it would probably be improved.

With this century along side of this secular press have grown up the religious weeklies of this country. It is capable of demonstration by figures, that the religious press is growing in its circulation more rapidly in proportion than is the secular. That growing circulation is proof of the increasing religious character of our people and of the tremendous power Christianity wields through that same religious press. He has a large congregation who as a preacher is heard by two thousand people per week. That is an utterly insignificant newspaper which is not read by twice that number. When, therefore, we are considering our resources for that century on which we this day enter, let us enroll on the very forefront of our efficient agencies the religious papers published in the interests of the denominations here represented.

In all that has been thus far said, no word has been uttered that was intended to disparage the importance of our sister evangelical denominations in the Christianizing of this American Home Mission field. These sister denominations are our allies, our friends and loyal soldiers under the common Captain of our salvation. We greet them well to-day. We rejoice in their success and call them to rejoice in ours. United Protestantism is doing a workingman's day's work every day in these United States. "Each hour for ten hours of every day a new congregation is gathered and a new pastor ascends a new pulpit to speak for God and humanity, for temperance and for law, and above all and beyond all to call sinners to

repent and believe in Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls." In view, therefore, of what we are doing, the question as to what is wanted for the future has but one answer. The future calls for simply the intensifying of the aggressiveness of the past. We want no new Gospel and no merely sensational machinery as a substitute for "the old story of the cross" and the divinely appointed messengers and means of grace. These have shown ample flexibility in adapting themselves to every new device of Satan and every new form of work. The territory of this land is covered with Presbyteries made up of ministers and churches thoroughly alive to the needs of the age and with keen eyes to see and seize each point of strategic importance. The men whom God by the voice of His Church has called to organize and push this Home Mission work in our denominations are of the Bismarck style of ability in adminis tration, and of the Von Moltke type of generalship in the field, and thoroughly loyal to their heavenly King. We occasionally hear charges of needless competition in small fields as between the denominations here met together, but remembering that we are all human the extreme rarity of these charges is proof positive that they are mainly groundless. The whole ministry and membership of both Churches are on the eager watch against any needless waste of funds. If there was anything in the charge the clamor would be persistent. When a whole forest is thronged with hunters and only at very rare intervals a chance-shot is heard and then no wild meat is bagged, you may be sure that game is scarce in those woods. Men who have hard work to raise money are sure not to waste it on needless territory. Brethren, we are able to furnish the cities, towns and sparse districts in this land abundantly with the preaching of the Gospel, and so long as no large population is neglected let us not be mean toward small

towns.

To do that work completely but three things are needed, the Holy Ghost, the living men and the means to send them.

The only place where there is danger of lack of zeal is in the matter of pocketbook and bank account piety. The providential indications are most assuring that this too is coming. Wealth is rapidly learning that city missionaries are a better protection than policemen, and that the converted are neither anarchists nor communists. If for no other reason, self-preservation is compelling mission work in cities and in rural districts. On every side the rising tide of benevolence proves that pentecostal liberality was only the prophecy of its culmination in this passing dispensation of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the present spirit of the Church within and the present providence of God without justifies the confidence that

the benevolence of the past in this land shall be outshone in the triumphs of the future, and that the Church of God will really take and possess this land. The men and women for the work as missionaries and teachers have always been on hand in larger supply than the secretaries were able to send. In the name of the young men and women of our Presbyterian Church, I protest against every insinuation that the missionary spirit of self-sacrifice and that crusade spirit of chivalry which covets opportunities to bear hardship for the Master are wanting among them. You have but to let them know that means for a living support are provided and you can go through the colleges and female seminaries of our Church, and the summons of your slogan will bring after you in trooping crowds the brightest, the best and the strongest of our sons and daughters anxious for this work for the glory of God.

The one supreme need of the Church is, however, that promised gift of God's Holy Ghost. To give that is in His plan and promise. In geologic ages He built this continent. In time's fullness He filled it with His Church. He will not let His purpose fail for lack of "power from on high on that Church in this work. And more-His purpose for this land ends not in this land. He made the American Church what it is for that large work it can do, and has to do in obedience to Him, in the conversion of the other lands of the earth from the darkness of heathenism to the noonday of the Gospel. Right gladly, therefore, do I resign this platform to my brother, who will lay before you that plea in the name of God for the nations of the earth.

FOREIGN MISSIONS.

BY REV. MATTHEW HALE HOUSTON, D.D.,

Baltimore, Md.

THE

HE honored brother who has so kindly presented my name before you has in fitting terms introduced to us the great work of Foreign Missions as the culmination of the work at home. It is indeed the glory of the home Church that the grace of God received in any part of her borders speedily flows out with blessing to the very ends of the earth. Men see, as they never saw before, that the riches of gladness and peace, placed in their hands by their glorious King, the ascended Redeemer, constitute them by His command debtors to those who are the poorest of the poor on the earth-those who have never heard His name, and from north and south, from east and west, are seen the feet of those who hasten forward bearing the priceless treasure that the debt may be discharged. As the gift of God's grace at home carries with it grace to distant lands, so every awakening to life and hope in those regions where only the shadow of death has reigned sends hitherward a blessing to us. The thrill of a new spiritual creation on the Congo, in Tokio, in Madagascar, in Fiji, is passed round the globe, as an electric flash, for the increase of our faith and joy.

In

The scenes that we have witnessed to-day spring from the influence thus borne back to us from the foreign work. the fields beyond the sea the divisions of the great Presbyterian army first saw clearly that their work for Christ is one. Confronting the broad entrenchments of heathendom the videttes thrown out from these sacramental hosts first learned to march shoulder to shoulder--the laborers began to work hand to hand. We turn our eyes to Japan. We see there missionaries of the Northern Presbyterian Church, missionaries of the Southern Presbyterian Church, missionaries of the two Reformed Churches of this country, and missionaries of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland sitting together in the same Presbyteries and coming together in the

same General Assembly, all coalescing with seven thousand Japanese Presbyterians to form the United Church of Christ in Japan. As our noble congregation, brethren, view the delightful affiliation, as they say in their hearts, "Behold how good and how pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity," they can scarcely resist the gentle invitation to come and cast in their lot with our men, thus putting into one compact organization more than one-half of all the Protestant Christians of Japan. When this has been done, when the walls of spiritual truth now rising in that bright land have been thus buttressed and cemented, what chance will there be over there for fine-spun and noxious theories of a probation after death? Going further east, we see all the Presbyterians in China arranging to unite under one General Assembly, so that there shall be in that vast empire but one Presbyterian Church. Then, from where we now stand, turning southward we see the same unification taking place in Brazil, and the General Assembly which met in St. Louis last year passed a resolution approving of its missionaries in that field, combining with the missionaries under the care of the General Assembly then in session in Omaha to form with the native Christians one Brazilian Presbyterian Church. It is these lights flashing back to us from far-off shores which have revealed distinctly the truth that our work is one. Whether there shall be in this land of ours two Assemblies, or whether there shall be a single Assembly, we need only fix our gaze on the broad enterprise among all kindreds and tongues and tribes, and we see that in heart, in hope, in endeavor there is among us a true, an indissoluble union. Would we strengthen, would we knit closer these bonds of union? Then, as we clasp hands here to-night in token of the unity of the Spirits, let the full outpouring of every desire, let the high purpose of every soul be-the whole world for Christ.

To each of the two Churches whose representatives are gathered here, it has been given as a crown and chief glory to take a full part in this work. As we learn that before the august Assembly holding its sessions in this city report is made, that the gifts cast into the treasury of this cause during the past year amount to more than $900,000-exceeding those of any other Church or society in this land for the same work -our hearts rejoice; and as we see the missionaries under the care of this Assembly in many lands-in China, Japan, Corea, Siam, Laos, India, Persia, Syria, Africa, South America, Mexico, Papal Europe, and among the Indian tribes of our own land-504 men and women, joined with 1044 native preachers and teachers, making known the unsearchable riches of Christ in many tongues, we bless God for the abundant