II. The following figures, taken from our annual reports, tell the story of the rise and fall of Christian Endeavor since 1890, the first year that statistics of the movement were given:

In the seven years, 1890-96, there was a net gain of 9,961 members, or 215 per cent. In the five years, 1897-01, there was a net loss of 4,078, or 28 per cent.

It is worthy of remark that this decline is not peculiar to our State. In 1900 the Congregational Endeavor Societies of the United States reported a loss of 5,000 members, in 1901 a loss of 12,041 members.

Also that the loss in the Endeavor membership has been accompanied by a loss in the Sunday School membership during the same period of 4,505, or nearly 11 per cent.

III. Your committee finds it very difficult to discover and set forth the causes of this decline. It has no sympathy whatever with the position of some prominent Endeavor leaders who declare that when a society fails it is either the fault of the pastor or of the church.

We would suggest the following as among the causes of this serious loss. 1. The inevitable reaction that comes to all great movements. The novelty of Christian Endeavor has passed away, the enthusiasm of the early days has cooled, a number of the best workers, who are no longer young, have withdrawn. The reaction is upon us.

2. The discovery of the fact that Christian Endeavor is not flexible enough to meet the needs of all parishes. The central idea in Chris tian Endeavor is the testimony meeting. It is a question whether that idea is in harmony with the genius of Congregationalism, and whether it specially appeals to young Congregationalists. In some parishes at least it has been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

IV. In passing, your committee desires to enter a protest against the satire and criticism that has been indulged in of late by some of the officers of the International Society, against those pastors who are seeking to solve the young peoples' problem in their own way. Surely every pastor has the right to modify his Endeavor Society, or to substitute some other organization therefor, if he believes that by so doing he will be better able to reach and help his young people. It is not essential that every church should have an Endeavor Society, but it is essential that every church should make the best possible provision for the training and development of its young people.

Your committee does not feel that it can suggest any panacea for this serious decline. Each parish has its own problems, and they can only be solved by those who are familiar with all the conditions. We have every confidence in the ability of the pastors and churches to meet these problems faithfully, and to solve them successfully.

Experiments are being tried in parishes where Christian Endeavor has not been a success, the result of which will be awaited with keen interest.

1. In some parishes the Endeavor Society has been superseded by an organization in which instruction is the principal feature, and of which the pastor is the leader.

2. In some parishes the Endeavor Society has been superseded by a purely social organization. Where this has been done the religious work of the young people has been merged into that of the church at large.

3. In some parishes the tendency is towards the broadening of the work for young people, somewhat along the lines of the Young Men's Christian Association. The idea is to have an organization that will provide spiritual, educational, and social advantages for the young people without the restriction of the pledge.

V. At the meeting of this Association held in 1900, it was voted "that the association nominate the denominational vice president of the Christian Endeavor Union." This has not been done heretofore. Your committee would recommend that it be done this year.

Respectfully submitted,

THOS. H. WARNER,
W. C. HAIRE,
H. APPLETON,

Committee.

Rev. W. J. Jacobs, of Detroit, was subsequently nominated as denominational vice president of the State Union.

REVIVAL OF BIBLICAL LIVING.

The topic, Biblical Living, was presented by Prof. E. I. Bosworth, of Oberlin.

ELECTION OF TRUSTEES.

The Nominating Committee reported nominations for the Board of Trustees and the nominees were elected. (See page 5.)

The session adjourned with benediction by Rev. W. C. Allen, of Laingsburg.

THURSDAY MORNING.

The Association was called to order by the Moderator and devotional services were conducted by Rev. C. E. Taggart, of Three Oaks.

PLACE OF NEXT MEETING.

Invitations were presented by the First Church of Port Huron and the church at Cadillac for the next meeting of the Association. A ballot resulted in the choice of Cadillac.

The following report on Church Federation, presented by Rev. W. H. Warren of Lansing, was adopted:

To the Michigan Congregational Association:

DEAR BRETHREN:-Your Committee on Church Federation would present the following report:

The object of such federation is three-fold, (1) To secure the united effort of churches of different denominations to reach the unchurched in

our cities, our centers of population. (2) To prevent so far as may be possible, or practicable, the unnecessary and wasteful reduplication of churches in our small communities and to substitute the principle of cooperation for unholy and un-Christlike competition. (3) To bring to bear the united moral sentiment of the community in effective action for the promotion of civic, social and moral righteousness.

The principle upon which it rests is that all christians are one in Christ and members one of another. It recognizes the fact that the business of christians of every name is to disciple those who are not already the fol

lowers of Christ, and not to build up one branch of the church of Christ, at the expense of another. It does not try to break down denominational loyalty, but, on the contrary, maintains its rightful place and claim. This movement towards the Federation of Churches is in some respects, an outgrowth from and a decided advance upon the Evangelical Alliance of days gone by. The first organized effort, so far as I have been able to learn, was in the State of Maine, in 1890, when the Interdenominational Commission of Maine was formed. The object, as quoted from the Constitution, is "to promote co-operation in the organization and maintenance of churches in Maine, to prevent waste of effort in the smaller towns and to stimulate missionary work in the destitute regions." Its statement of principles is worthy the emulation of Christians of different names in other states. Four denominations, the Baptist, the Congregational, the Free-Baptist and the Methodist Episcoal are represented in this movement.

In 1900, ten years after the organization in Maine, the State of New York took a similar step. Its object, as declared in its Constitution is of somewhat wider scope, as follows

The object of the Federation shall be the promotion of effective coöperation among the churches and Christian workers of the State of New York, in order that their essential unity may be manifested; that the evangelization of every community may be more systematically accomplished; that a means may be found for expressing the united Christian sentiment of the State in regard to moral issues; that the various Christian and benevolent activities of the commonwealth may be more completely coördinated, and that other appropriate ends may be secured.

Since the action in New York, Ohio has fallen into line. Quite a number of prominent cities have formed Federations. A national organization has also been effected with Rev. E. B. Sanford, D. D., as general secretary with headquarters at the Bible House in New York. Our National Council at its meeting in Portland, Maine, last autumn appointed a committee to co-operate with representatives of other denominations in efforts looking to the forwarding of this movement.

Workers in other lands are far in advance of us in this matter. The following quotation from an article by Rev. E. P. Herrick gives us a glimpse of the situation in Cuba: "The first conference of evangelical missionaries and native helpers in Cuba marks the inauguration of a new epoch. It was a delightful and helpful exhibition of interdenominational comity, a beautiful object lesson in the essential unity of the Protestant forces at work in Cuba's six provinces. On the platform of the Baptist church in Ceinfuegos sat twenty-five ministers, representing six evangelical denominations. An agreement was reached as to the division of territory and transference of members from one denomination to another.

The Conference thus happily inaugurated, under auspices most favorable, whose sessions were characterized by a spirit of fraternity and mutual esteem, adjourned to meet in Havana next year, and all felt that a session full of spiritual profit and intelligent uplift had been held; one, the first of the kind in Cuba, which will go into history as most important and of far reaching influence. Missionaries of all denominations in Japan are giving this subject very special attention. We can well afford to follow their example, or better still, place ourselves in the very forefront of this movement which is of the most vital moment to the upbuilding of Christ's kingdom on the earth.

On the 21st of last month, an informal conference was held in Lansing, where three denominations, Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, and Congregational, were represented. Rev. Dr. Sanford, secretary of the

National Federation was present. At that conference, it was thought wise to ask the state bodies of the different denominations in Michigan to appoint representatives to convene together for the purpose of further conference and to take such steps as may be thought best looking towards more aggressive action. Your committee recommends that our State Association, at its present meeting, coöperate in this movement by the appointment of a committee of seven to represent our denomination in the State, in the proposed Conference. This Conference will probably be held in the late autumn, or early winter, after all the different State bodies have held their annual meetings.

There may be some incidental expenses in connection with the proposed Conference, and your committee further recommends that our treasurer, at his discretion, be authorized to pay as our proportion of any necessary expense, an amount not to exceed fifteen dollars.

Very respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM H. WARREN,'

Committee.

The report was received, the recommendation adopted, and the following committee was appointed to represent the Association at the proposed convention: Rev. W. H. Warren, of Lansing; Rev. N. S. Bradley, of Saginaw; Rev. H. P. De Forest, of Detroit; Dea. H. E. Baker, of Detroit; Rev. C. S. Patton, of Ann Arbor; Rev. M. M. Martin, of Ovid; Rev. H. A. Putnam, of Hudson.

Rev. W. H. Warren presented a brief statement giving some reasons why it seemed desirable to authorize licentiates to perform the marriage service and recommended that a committee of three be appointed to consider the wisdom and practicability of giving regular licentiates of any of our local associations who are actually serving churches as regular pastors, the right to perform the marriage service, said committee to report at this meeting of the association if found expedient, if not at our next annual meeting.

The recommendation was referred to a special committee consisting of Prof. E. C. Goddard, of Ann Arbor; Rev. H. P. De Forest, of Detroit, and Prof. George N. Ellis, of Olivet.

PLYMOUTH MEMORIAL CHURCH.

The following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

That the State Association of the Congregational churches of Michigan gives its cordial endorsement to the project for a Memorial Church to be erected in Plymouth, Mass., in honor of the 300th anniversary of the