HOW TO MANAGE CHURCH BUSINESS.

IX.-Rules for the Business Session.

COUTHON, one of the chief actors in the ill-famed French Revolution of 1794, is reported to have said in advocacy of a measure which was the negation of all law and the destruction of all order, "He who would subordinate the public safety to the inventions of juris-consults and the formulas of courts is either an imbecile or a scoundrel." Few men could express themselves so epigrammatically if they desired, and fewer still, save in the frenzy of universal anarchy and misrule, could find space for such ideas in their minds. And yet it would be no unfair inference which credited many active-minded church members with treating the study of the rules of public business as a sign of imbecility or scoundrelism. They ignore all forms of procedure as if they were poison; and would no more think of devoting a sixpence of their money or an hour of their time to the mastery of "the law and practise" of public meetings, than of purchasing the crown jewels in the Tower.

And yet it is notorious that hundreds of ecclesiastical volcanoes and earthquakes have originated in nothing but wide-spread ignorance of these simple laws; and persons and institutions have suffered for years from the gross blundering of a chairman who knew no more of the true nature of an amendment to a motion, than he did of the culinary practises of the inhabitants of the moon. Not long since I was an unfortunate victim at a meeting convened for the transaction of important business, and composed of men of more than the average intelligence and good sense, but presided over by a gentlemen who was utterly benighted as to the significance of "the previous question;" and therefore plunged two hundred busy men into "Chaos and Old Night" for the space of half an hour, and produced an amount of wrangling and jangling that spread itself over two or three weeks. There is a church in ruins at this hour; and the first blow that loosened her foundations was an act of ignorance, which was unintentionally an act of injustice, performed six years ago by the pastor when in the chair at a church meeting. I know a deacon "out of work" merely because he insisted in his ignorance upon the right to move an amendment to a motion, which was no amendment at all, but a distinctively new proposition. It is impossible to estimate the ill-temper, confusion, misrule, and injustice which have resulted to our churches from the want of a knowledge of the rules of public business in persons whose intentions were the best, and whose purity and unselfishness were unquestioned.

It is often objected that these rules are cumbrous and slow, heavy and wearisome. Why can't we get through the business as we like? What does it matter so long as it is done? Why should we strangle ourselves with red tape? No doubt a "body" is often an inconvenience. Aspiring souls frequently find themselves, to their inexpressible annoyance, “cribbed, cabined, and confined" within the boundaries of "the flesh." The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Still, as far as we know, "weak flesh" is better than none. Certainly for our life it is indispensable; and in like manner the body of law is indispensable as the dwelling-place of the spirit of justice. Civilisation is the incarnation of the spirit of righteousness in public law. Barbarism dispenses with laws; but it dispenses with justice too. It ought to be too plain to need another word that the observance of these forms is absolutely requisite for the just and successful management of church business.

And to observe them, they must be known. Sometimes I think that deacons should be chosen after a competive examination passed in the knowledge of church principles, of church management, of finance, and of the law of public meetings. Any way our pastors ought to know the laws of public meetings as well as their Greek Testament; and if I had to do with our Colleges I should make a mastery of Dr. J. W. Smith's "Handy Book on the Law and Practise of Public Meetings an indispensable requisite for leaving College. Indeed, if a "Deacon" might presume so much on the goodness of the Presidents of our Colleges, he would strongly advise them to moisten their reputedly dry "theological" disquisitions with a vigorous debate, conducted according to the principles which regulate the business of the House of Commons. Somehow or

other the rules in question should be known by every member of the Business Council, and should be observed with unwavering fidelity.

Of course I cannot do more than supply a few of the more necessary of these rules. The book referred to above, which can be bought for a shilling, gives a sufficiently full statement for ordinary purposes, and to that and May's "Law of Parliament" the reader may be referred who desires further information than is here supplied.

I. Taking the Business Session from its commencement, the first point concerns the election of a CHAIRMAN. Supposing there is no pastor, then any member eligible to vote may propose any other eligible member, and another member may second that, and the vote may be taken. In case two or more should be proposed, then several resolutions have to be put to the meeting, the first being "That the chairman shall be chosen out of the following list," mentioning the names of those proposed. Then the following proposition is put:-"Those who are of opinion that A. B. preside hold up one hand;" and so on for each person proposed and seconded. The one having the highest number of votes presides.

II. The next requisite for the meeting is a SECRETARY or Recording Clerk His election should take place at once, and he should be chosen in the same way as the Chairman. His duties are (1.) to make a faithful record of the proceedings of the meeting; (2.) to give information to individuals named in the resolutions of any thing in which they are specially concerned; and (3.) generally to execute the wishes of the meeting, unless others are named for that work.

III. The meeting being now duly constituted, the Chairman will, if the meeting is not one of a series, read or cause to be read the notice summoning the meeting and stating its object; but if one of several, then he will ask the Secretary to read the MINUTES of the last meeting. When read, the Chairman gives an opportunity for objecting to their correctness, and therewith, without waiting for a motion, says, "You have heard the minutes; all who believe them correct hold up the hand;" and this being done he then says, "On the contrary." If the majority are in favour of the Minutes they are "confirmed,” and no further question can be raised upon them. If they are not confirmed, any one may move that they be amended. When confirmed, the Chairman should affix his signature in the Minute-book.

IV. The next point concerns the ORDER in which the business of the meeting should be taken up. This is optional; but it is wise to have a regular procedure. The following is pretty generally followed in the churches with which I am acquainted :

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(1.) New members are proposed and received. Existing members are transferred, or their names erased. Report is made of any members deceased since last meeting. These are fruitful themes; but I must reserve opinion concerning them to some other occasion.

(2.) Business arising out of the Minutes of last meeting.

(3.) New business arranged at Business Council.

(4.) Notices of motion, announcements, etc.

V. MOTIONS.-All business should be transacted by means of a motion made by one person and seconded by another. It is an advantage to have these motions in writing; though not always necessary.

(2.) A motion cannot be spoken to by any one but the mover till it is seconded; and if it is not seconded it drops. But a seconder may reserve his speech.

(3.) When moved and seconded, the Chairman should formally state it, saying the motion is "That, etc." If no one speaks, then the motion is put. The Chairman saying, after stating the terms of the motion, "As many as are of that opinion hold up one hand," and after counting the hands he puts the "contrary;" and then announces the result.

(4.) "Every member may speak once to the question before the meeting, and only once, except by leave of the meeting, to explain. He who is first up has the right to speak first, whether or not he was the first to catch the chairman's eye. In a dispute as to who is first, the meeting, not the Chairman, decides who shall speak first. He who rises next to the first does not thereby

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acquire any right of precedence at the close of that member's speech: but the right at the end of every speech is to the one first up."

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(5.) Any member may rise to address the Chairman on a point of order. But he cannot address the meeting on a point of order, nor can he speak twice to the same point of order during the same speech."

(6.) When no other member wishes to speak, the mover of an original motion has the right of reply.

(7.) "The same question is not to be proposed a second time at any meeting, or at any adjournment thereof; and if a motion is by amendment made identical with any question already disposed of it must drop.

(8.) A motion may be withdrawn by the unanimous consent of the meeting; not otherwise: but consent need not be expressed.

I must leave amendments, etc., to another paper.

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I. TO WORK AGAIN.-The holidays are over once more, and we are back at our posts, it is hoped, with reinforced health and strength. Let us plan wisely, work hard and pray much, and God will prosper our churches in the salvation of men, and in the strengthening and purifying of our churches! Every man at his post. Every woman at her task! The fire and zeal of youth, the stability of experience, the mellowness and wisdom of age, all, all are needed in the Master's service.

II. GEORGE SMITH.-The death of this hard working genius, at the early age of 37, and in the midst of his successes, is an irreparable calamity. It is at very rare intervals such men are born: and even now one does not know where to look for the man to fill his place. To unlock a forgotten language, to disinter and illumine the buried past, is a rare gift indeed. He was born of poor parents, and his scholastic education did not run into sixteen. Apprenticed to the engravers art at Messrs. Bradbury and Evans, he was eager for Assyrian lore. Half his dinner time he would spend in the British Museum, and all his spare money he invested in buying books on Assyrian subjects. Not till 1867 did he enter upon his official life at the Museum: but how seduously he has worked since, and with what satisfactory results. He was the pioneer of Assyrian research, the decipherer of the Cypriote inscriptions, and the revealer of the "Annals of Assurbanipal," and "the Chaldean Account of the Deluge." He died at Aleppo, Aug. 19th; and it is an additional grief that he leaves behind him a wife and a large family of small children.

ing. It has missed the fine rhetoric of Tyndale and Huxley. It has been kept on this side the boundaries of the province of religion. It has been intensely and doggedly scientific; and though contributions to science in its various departments are numerous and manifold, yet the assembly has been quiet and unexciting; in fact, precisely what it ought to be. It was only when the question of spiritualism came to the front that there was a scene." After all, man is of the profoundest interest to man. It is when the questions of natural science touch his nature, his origin, and destiny, that they magnify their proportions, and exert an absorbing influence. Still is the saying, so often quoted by Sir William Hamilton, true, "On earth there is nothing great. but man in man there's nothing great but mind."

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IV. ENGLISH UNITARIANISM.-Our old friend, the Rev. J. C. Means, acting as messenger to the General Baptist Assembly, has taken occasion to offer some strictures on the fact that the leading Unitarian Society has distinctly recognized an anti-supernatural form of Unitarian belief. The strictures are separately published, and will be read with interest and profit by many outside of that Assembly. In a powerfully conclusive way Mr. Means exposes the deficiences of "Anti-Supernaturalism," shows that it alters altogether the essential character of Christianity, and enforces the claims of the gospel on the acceptance and homage of intelligent and reasoning man. The pamphlet can be had at a penny each, or 8d. a dozen, of our publishers.

V. THAT BESETTING SIN! Show it no mercy! Pray about it every morning. Watch against it all day. Take hold of it and "lay it aside" and away from you. Fight it unceasingly if it will recur. Christ fights it; and He works in you to conquer it. Use His power believingly and hopefully, and it will die!

Reviews.

THE DAN TAYLOR MEMORIAL CHAPEL, GAMSTON, NOTTS.

VERY few of our village churches have a more interesting history, than that of the church at Gamston. The exact date of its formation is unknown; but, at the first, meetings were convened in a farm-house rented by Aaron Jeffery, who himself officiated as pastor up to his death, Nov. 23rd, 1729. His son, Joseph Jeffery, upheld the services, and took out a licence for meetings to be held in his house under the "Toleration Act." He afterwards obtained permission from his landlord—the Duke of Newcastle-to build a meeting house. This he built at the back of his farmstead in a very secluded spot, and in 1741 it was opened. Joseph Jeffery was elected Pastor, and in 1763 John Dossy was elected co-pastor with him. It was during this co-pastor -Feb. 12th, 1763—that Dan Taylor and J. Slater unexpectedly entered the chapel at Gamston, and heard Mr. Dossy preach. After the service they introduced themselves, and were invited to stay with Messrs. Jeffery and Dossy until the following Wednesday, when the founder-elect of the New Connexion of G. Bs.-D. Taylor-was baptized by Mr. Jeffery in the river Idle, near to the chapel. In 1778 Mr. Dossy died, and D. Taylor preached his funeral sermon; Jonathan Scott was then elected co-pastor with Mr. Jeffery. In 1787 the church was received into the New Connection, and reported 95 members. On the 14th of March, 1794, Joseph Jeffery died, and on the 24th, of the following July J. Scott died also. The church was then without a settled pastor until October 1795, when John Smedley removed from Melbourne to Retford, and took the oversight of Gamston and Retford.

Most of the above worthy men, and several of their co-adjutors, lie interred in the site of the old chapel-which is now taken down, being unfit for public worship. No spot can be more worthy of a denominational memorial than this; and we ask you kindly to help us in our effort to build a small "Memorial Chapel." There is no other chapel in the village, and at present we worship in a cottage. We have hopeful congregations. Do please help to build up one of our Mother Churches. Surely every church in the denomination will have a brick or a stone in this good work. Contributions will be thankfully received by the Pastor, Rev. J. T. ROBERTS, Retford, Notts.; by Dr. UNDERWOOD, Derby; Rev. T. GOADBY, B.A., President of Chilwell College, Notts.; or JOHN CLIFFORD.

Church Register.

Information for the Register should be posted on or before the 15th of the month, to 51, PORCHESTER ROAD, WESTBOURNE PARK, W.

CONFERENCES.

The next half-yearly CHESHIRE CONFERENCE will be held at Tarporley, on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Business at 11.0 a.m. Devotional meeting at 2.30; Rev. R. P. Cook to read a paper at 3.0 on the "Nature and Field of Christian Work;" or Mr. G. Walker in case of failure. N.B. The Conference is postponed a week because of the Session of the Baptist Union at Birmingham, Oct. 2 to 5.

WILLIAM MARCH, Secretary.

The EASTERN CONFERENCE was held at Long Sutton on Sept. 7. In the morning an interesting sermon was preached by brother Perriam from Psalm 1xxxv. 6. In the afternoon the reports were given, from which it appeared that since the last Conference 75 had been baptized, 32 received, and that there were 27 candidates.

Brethren Allsop and Towler were requested to advise the friends at Stowbridge on the appointment of new trustees for the chapel. The Secretary and brother Taylor were requested to devise means for aiding the church at Yarmouth in obtaining pulpit supplies. The Fleet Chapel Building case was recommended to the sympathy of the churches.

The following resolutions were passed on the Turkish Atrocities, and ordered to be sent to the Foreign Office and the press:

1. That this Conference expresses its sorrow and its indignation at the cruelties of the Turks towards the unarmed inhabitants of Bulgaria, and records its conviction that the rulers who could reward the perpetrators of such vile atrocities ought no longer to be regarded as within the pale of civilization.

2. That this Conference implores her Majesty's ministers to make such strong