also planned. The pastor resumes evening services in September. The topics of his new series of lectures, on "Heroes of Free Thought," are given elsewhere.-Pacific Uni

tarian.

Reading, Mass.-The Christian Union Church, of which Rev. Frederic J. Gauld is pastor, celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the dedication of the present church building on September 14. An historical address was delivered by Mr. Horace G. Wadlin, vice-president of the American Unitarian Association. The following ministers have filled the pastorate: Rev. J. B. Fairchild, Rev. C. W. Heizer, Rev. C. J. Staples, Rev. D. C. Stevens, Rev. John B. Green, Rev. Frederic J. Gauld.

Salem, Mass.-The pulpit of the First Church will be vacant October 1 by the resignation of Rev. George C. Cressey, who for six years has been the pastor of this ancient church. Mr. Cressey carries the best wishes of his many friends in Salem and vicinity to Northampton, where he is to take up the work of the Unitarian parish.

The sympathy of Rev. Mr. Towle's host of friends is extended to him on the occasion of the sudden death of his brother, George M. Towle, Esq., of Boston.

Rev. G. D. Latimer preached at the North Church, September 6, for the first time since the summer vacation, which he has spent in Paris and the south of France.

The Barton Square Alliance has been active all summer, having held several special meetings and completed some alterations in the smaller rooms of the church. The ladies have been earning money to pay for the alterations; and at a special meeting in September they told of the great variety of ways in which the money was earned.

Plans are being formed for study class and lectures for the coming season.

San Francisco, Cal.-First Church:

The congregations have kept up very well for summer months. Rev. Mr. Eliot preached on August 2, and Rev. Roderick Stebbins occupied the pulpit on August 9. The Sunday-school anniversary was celebrated on the 16th in the usual simple manner. Addresses were made by Mr. Charles A. Murdock and by Dr. Stebbins. As each scholar passed out, a little bouquet was presented as a souvenir of the forty-third birthday.

Rev. W. G. Eliot, Jr., bade farewell to the church on August 23. He declined a farewell reception, preferring quiet hand-shaking at the conclusion of the morning service. Dr. Stebbins preached the sermon, the subject being "Manliness." He closed with a tender and fitting allusion to his associate,

for whom he expressed deep respect and regard.

-The Second Church resumed its services after vacation with considerable enthusiasm. All the societies are under way, with good prospects. In the Sunday-school a new map of Palestine is on the wall, and a faithful corps of teachers present the lessons in the life of Jesus. Van Ness Fraternity has a "testimonial" for its pianist, Mr. Frank S. Norman, set for September 2, at Music Hall. Unity Club is studying Florence, and announces two lectures in September by Prof. Diggs of Stanford University. The dates are September 8 and September 22, and the subjects "A Walk in Florence" and "Selfculture through the Vocation.” — Pacific Unitarian.

Sheffield, Ill. The six weeks' vacation is over. On September 6 services were resumed. During the interval the doors were, however, not closed. Workmen were busy remodelling the parlor, which is under the control of the Ladies' Society. They have spent something like $300 upon the work, but they feel well repaid for the expenditure. The new parsonage, which is to be furnished by Thanksgiving, is already under way. Like most things that the Sheffield church undertakes, it will be a credit to their energy and self-sacrifice. The hard times, though felt here as elsewhere, will not be allowed to seriously interfere with the church work. There is earnest talk of a kindergarten under the management of Mrs. Hunter. The pastor, Rev. S. M. Hunter, has been preaching a series of four sermons on "Beginning Again," "Physically," "Mentally," "Morally," and "Spiritually."

Springfield, Mass.-The doors of the Church of the Unity, having been closed for a month, were thrown open to its congregation on the first Sunday in September.

On that Sunday and the Sunday following strangers occupied the pulpit.

September 20 the entire congregation gathered to welcome the pastor, Rev. Bradley Gilman, on his return from his trip across the water. He gave an interesting tions and reflections during his journey. discourse embodying some of his observa

The evening service and the Sundayschool of the Church of the Unity will be resumed on the first Sunday in October.

Traverse City, Mich.-Early last March Rev. T. P. Byrnes of Manistee, Mich., visited this place to see what interest could be awakened in liberal religion. Two midweek addresses were delivered to small but

interested audiences, and a desire awakened for more of this kind of religious ministration. Accordingly, a temporary organi

zation was completed; and arrangements were made for Mr. Byrnes to carry on a summer campaign in July and August. small hall was secured; and for the first six Sundays about fifty people attended each service with remarkable regularity, considering the heat and discomfort on some of the Sundays. It was mostly the same people that attended each Sunday. They came together as strangers to each other; but they soon became acquainted and bound to each other by the ties of religious fraternity. On the seventh and eighth Sundays four meetings were held in the beautiful and well equipped Opera House, where audiences of four and five hundred people attended. At the close of the eighth Sunday, Mr. Byrnes having to return to his parish in Manistee, the question of the future was discussed, and the almost unanimous opinion of those interested was to go on with the movement.

The following permanent officers were elected: Dr. J. K. Elms, president; Mr. Thacker, secretary; George Hargraves, treasurer. A committee of three ladies and three gentlemen were appointed to solicit for subscriptions to support a regular minister. The owner of the Opera House volunteered the free use of the Opera House for morning service, and only asked for a slight remuneration to pay for the electric lights in the evening.

To sum up, Traverse City is a growing town of eight thousand people, as a result of these eighteen religious services, the distribution of over two thousand tracts at the meetings. There is already a popular interest in liberal religion here, the practically free use of a building more beautiful and comfortable than any church in the place, a nucleus of fifty or sixty enthusiastic people, representing about twenty-five families. These facts make Traverse City to-day one of the most promising fields in the State of Michigan for a man or woman to settle and build up a helpful church.

Westerly, R.I. Although the Church of Our Father is an infant in the Unitarian family, it promises to become a very deserving member of society. Through the untiring efforts of Rev. R. S. Loring of Cambridge, Mass., who was our pastor for the past summer, our church was recently reorganized under its new charter. On August 27 a business meeting was held, and the following officers were elected: E. H. Buffum, president; C. W. Willard, vice-president; George H. Babcock, treasurer; Frank W. Dewey, clerk. The treasurer presented his report, which showed that over a thou sand dollars had been raised and expended. The property of the society is covered by an insurance policy, and its funds are steadily increasing. The Sunday evening services have been well attended; and, as some of

the prominent Unitarian clergymen will preach for the next few months, the congregations will probably be very large. During the month of September we have had very helpful and uplifting sermons by Rev. Herbert Mott of Providence, Rev. Mr. Savary of Boston, and Rev. W. H. Spencer, secretary of the Channing Conference. Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale has promised to preach some Sunday evening at the first opportunity, and we are looking forward to his visit with much pleasure.

Western

Unitarian Conference.Owing to the distractions of the Presidential campaign, it has been thought wiser by most of the State conferences to postpone the fall meetings until after the election. Beginning with the week following the election, we hope to have a series of meetings in the different States that shall help to kindle the religious enthusiasm of our churches. Mr. Batchelor and Mr. Horton of Boston have consented to be present at that time, and we expect other speakers to assist us in getting our gospel before the people.

We hope, also, that the financial condition of our churches will improve as the year goes on. At the annual meeting of the Western Unitarian Conference in May it was wisely determined to prevent any deficit at the end of the year by guaranteeing the necessary expenses for the whole year. The churches and individuals at the conference bravely pledged nearly enough to accomplish this result. Half of the money thus pledged was made payable on or before the 1st of November. Several of the churches have already sent us the sums pledged, and we trust that the others will follow their example.

Wollaston, Mass.-We quote from the admirable little parish paper published by the Angelus Brotherhood:

"The year before us bids fair to be an important one, as much, if not more so, than many of its predecessors. From the time in the early days of 1889 when the ladies were able to pay for the land on which our church stands through the period when we watched the building itself, which, through the strenuous efforts of the gentlemen of our society, we were enabled to see erected, our energy has never flagged. Furnishings for our church and hosts of complete it was our joy and privilege to conother little things necessary to make it tribute. We were always willing, and often able, to reach out the helping hand, and give assistance and comfort outside our church in time of need. When we realize the vast amount of work which we as a so

ciety have accomplished, and note the suc cess which has crowned our labors, we are justly and righteously proud.''

All the great sentiments of the human heart rest upon the same foundations. The basis of the noblest impulses of mankind is unselfishness.

I know that we are often told that if we wish to accomplish much we must appeal to a man's selfish interests. We must show him how he is to profit before he will give us his whole-souled aid. But right here is the distinction. We may have his aid, but not his whole-souled aid unless his unselfishness is aroused. He may work with his mind, and with his strength; but he will never work with perfect liberty and freedom until he works with his heart.

So it is that the service of love must ever surpass that of selfishness. The enthusiasm of self-surrender gives a spirit to an act that selfishness can never know. It is for this reason that I say the great sentiments of the human heart rest upon unselfishness. We may have service and work and aid that do not spring from the heart; but they are not great sentiments, the overpowering and inspiring impulses of life arise from hearts that have forgotten their interest in the interest of the whole. This is what Paul means by the perfect law of liberty, by the spirit of the Lord.

Religion that is intent upon saving itself is not religion of a very high type. It may adopt all the forms and ceremonies and phrases of true religion; but the essence is not there until we forget our own salvation in the larger good of the human race. Religion, at its best estate, is "not a private interest, it is a public concern." It is more

than the success of this church or that sect, it is the success of all high thinking and high living among men.

From the earliest times, religion and patriotism have been associated together. God and the nation have been the ideals to which men have surrendered their wills and their lives. To serve the nation with all one's heart has been akin to serving God. Patriotism, with its flags and banners and drumbeats, has always been the sister of religion with its altars and its prayers; and if patriotism, at times more able than its sister to stir the souls of men, has left the altars cold and the prayers unsaid, religion has replied, "My altars are human hearts, and my prayers the unspoken devotion of human lives." Wherever and whenever that selfsurrender is brought into being, there is the essence of true religion, there is the spirit of the Lord; and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But as religion is degraded and robbed of its high estate when selfishness usurps the throne and seizes the emblems of relig ious power, so does patriotism sink from its high estate when men use its great name as a cloak for sectionalism, party strife, jealousy, and selfish ambition. The danger to our country is lest the larger idea of patriotism be lost in the selfishness of individuals.

Patriotism, like religion, is not a private interest, it is a public concern. Therefore, when any one speaks of the interests of one part of our country as fundamentally opposed to those of another part, he is striking at the very heart of the true

patriotic sentiment of the nation, he is attacking the larger spirit of liberty which loses its life to save it.

It would seem as if the great statesman had voiced this sentiment of patriotism for all time against any attempts to revive sectional prejudice and interest when he declared: "In our contemplation, Carolina and Ohio are parts of the same country, States united under the same general government, having interests common, associated, intermingled. We do not impose geographical limits to our patriotic feeling or regard. We do not follow rivers and mountains and lines of latitude to find boundaries beyond which our interests do not go." But in spite of these ringing words, we still find men striving to alienate the East from the West, or the South from the North, or to make the Rocky Mountains or the great rivers a line of cleavage of sectional interests. And how? Why, by ignoring the great fact of religion and patriotism alike— that no local good can be permanent unless it is also the common good, unless the country has the spirit of the Lord there is no real liberty. So when one section of our country differs from another, no matter how sincere the men may be in the rightfulness of their opinions, it is well for each part to remember that unless it is large enough in mind and heart to embrace the interests of the whole country it has no right to assume the responsibility of governing the whole country.

Another danger that we have to face is the appeal to class interests. The passions of the poor are used as a torch to kindle the passions of the rich; and by irresponsible talk the inevitable distinctions which property makes are deepened and broadened,on the one side by jealousy and hatred, on the other by fear and distrust, and on both sides by genuine ignorance of the real principles of justice and equity which are involved. Forbearance is needed on all sides. But whether rich or poor, every man should have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We are all citizens under one flag, we are all brothers under one heaven; and, as Channing said in his great address on slavery, "Let no man touch the great interests of humanity who does not strive to sanctify himself for the work by clearing his heart of all wrath and unchar

itableness, who cannot hope that he is in a measure baptized into the spirit of universal love."

It does no good to call names, whatever our political convictions. A man may be honest though mistaken. A clear argument is worth all the vituperative language in the dictionary. But even if argument cannot convince, epithets will not. They only arouse the passions, and the indignities men suffer from abusive language but add to the tenacity with which they hold to their opinions.

But in the present condition of affairs, in addition to the dangers from sectional and party interest, if there is one man who, in the secret of his own mind and heart, knows that he is working for his own selfish interest, regardless of any public good, he had better disappear from sight as being unworthy the great trust of liberty. If there is such a man who has joined sections and classes, not because he thinks them right, but because he believes his own fortunes will best be increased in that way, no words can be too severe to describe his moral perversity. But I should not dare to say that I knew such a man. I should not dare to take the responsibility on my own conscience of accusing a man of such a crime. His insincerity must be a matter between himself and his God, and, if he can endure the searching judgments of the Almighty, no little word of mine can avail.

Α

The demands that are made upon American citizenship to-day are enormous. man must be clear-sighted and free from passion. He must be superior to class or party prejudices. He must have generosity, honesty, and sympathy.

We look in vain for an example from history, which may give us encouragement or warn us of our dangers. Greece and Rome furnish us with the classical examples of a Republic. But to neither of those countries came problems of such magnitude and of such diversity as come to us. There were but few peoples known to each other when Greece was mistress of the Mediterranean, or when Cæsar pushed the Roman legions into Gaul. But now, every nation and country of the world sends its citizens to our shores. Interests as wide apart as the countries from which these people come, industries as varied as any that the world pro

duces, are gathered here to be assimilated under one flag. The problem of ruling a city of Greece, or of managing one of the Roman colonies was but a slight affair compared with the tremendous human interests of to-day.

Lord Russell recently said: "Government is becoming more and more, but in no narrow class sense, government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Populations are no longer moved and manœuvred as the arbitrary will or restless ambition or caprice of kings or potentates, may dictate. And, although democracy is subject to vio lent gusts of passion and prejudice, they are gusts only."

It is in this country that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, is having its most magnificent experiment. Never in the history of the world has it been tried on a similar scale. The other nations are looking upon us to learn from our experience. We are making a new attempt at government. If we are to succeed, we must rise above the threatening dangers of class and party interests to the thought of the nation as a whole.

The responsibility that rests upon American citizenship is very great. Every man should feel the duty of informing himself as accurately as he is able upon the wisdom, the integrity, of the differing national affairs. He should feel a responsibility not to speak hastily, vindictively, of men who do not agree with him, but he should accord to others the freedom of opinion he demands for himself.

Above all, he should feel the sacred responsibility of truthfulness in political affairs, truthfulness in representing the position of his opponents as much as in representing his own. Government is a serious affair, and no one should take up its smallest prerogatives, if only to cast a vote, with out a deep feeling of responsibility for the honor and integrity of the country.

But while we see many dangers to our government, we are not without encouragement. We can repeat Paul's words with emphasis, feeling that they are the ones he himself would use were he a citizen of America to-day. We may say with him, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair," because there is always hope when

a nation is aroused and great principles are up for discussion. We expect an outburst of patriotism in times of war when multitudes make the great choice between their personal advantage and that of the country to which they belong. Such patriotism is of so much value that men have been known to advocate war that patriotism might be kindled. We expect it in war time, we have learned not to look for it in peace, and yet never since the sword was sheathed at Ap pomattox has American citizenship meant so much to the man who possesses it as it does. to-day. The cynic may remark that men are aroused because their pockets are attacked, either to fill the empty ones or to empty the ones that are full. This may be an element in the earnestness of the times, it would be foolish perhaps to deny it, but it would be equally foolish to claim that it was the only reason why a man would rather be an American citizen to-day than at any other time for the past thirty years.

I have too much faith in my countrymen to believe that only selfish interests can arouse them. The power of great principles is not dead-the ability to make sacrifices for the common good is not limited to war. The great good and the great reason for hope lie in the present exaltation of spirit. The dangers from sectionalism, from class or personal interests, have at least aroused opposition, and responsibility for the government is felt by increasing numbers of men.

There can be but one meaning to this; namely, that the "Corporate Consciousness" of the country is aroused. No man liveth to himself alone, but private good is embraced in the good of all. Religion and patriotism may suffer an eclipse; but as there are times. when no matter how cold our faith we are compelled to cry "My God! My God! Thee only will I serve," so when national fervor seems dead there come times which fire our hearts anew and our country seems worthy the greatest sacrifices we can make.

This is one of those times, and the country calls for service above all party and sectional strife.

But the country is its citizens. It is we of the cities, the towns, and the States who call upon ourselves; and our only ground of hope is in ourselves. Let us then look within. Are we sincere in our conviction