framed with the aid of Railton Smith, and a few other clever organizers who were attracted to Mr. Booth’s side by the novelty of his methods, and his marvelous success.  In the spring of 1878, the plans were all matured and the new movement became a compact and powerful religious force.  Since that time it has spread throughout England, into several European lands, to the United States, and Canada, to India, Australia and South Africa.  Its autocratic character has been steadfastly maintained.  General Booth has retained absolute control of every officer in his service and has the management of the enormous income of the army.  Occasionally there has been mutiny which has been overcome by tact or prompt discipline, and not until this year (1896), when General Booth’s son, Ballington, who was his representative in the United States, resigned rather than be removed from his command, has there been any formidable defiance of the supreme and despotic government of the world-wide organization.  The methods of the Army are unconventional and are shocking to staid, respectable members of churches, but criticism is out of place in any method which will redeem the masses in the numbers won by the Salvation Army.

CHURCHES DRAWING TOGETHER.

A notable characteristic of the religious life of the century, especially in the latter half of it, has been a desire manifested in various quarters, and in different ways, for union among the denominations.  That organic union could be attained, no practical man could hope.  Uniformity could not be expected, even if it could be proved to be desirable, but friendly association was possible, and there were many who contended that there ought to be a recognition of brotherhood and comradeship, which might issue in some attempt at co-operation.  This was the conviction of many prominent preachers and laymen on both sides of the Atlantic, early in the century.  And truly the condition of the world and of society was of a character to force such a conviction on the minds of intelligent men.  Infidelity was rampant, and intemperance, gambling, unchastity, and other forms of vice were practiced with unblushing effrontery.  On the other side, the churches, which should have been waging war on all ungodliness, were fighting each other, contending about the questions on which they differed, and exhausting their strength in internecine conflict.  Was it not time, men were asking, that the forces that were on the side of godliness united in opposition to evil?  After long discussion, and some opposition, this feeling took practical shape in the Evangelical Alliance.  At a meeting held in London in 1846 eight hundred representatives of fifty denominations were assembled.  It was found that however widely they differed on questions of doctrine and church government, there was practical agreement on a large number of vital subjects, such as the need of religious education, the observance of the Lord’s Day, and the evil influence of infidelity.  An