Seventeen churches are now built in the United States each day. Two-thirds of their members are women, and they will come into their kingdom by the steady evolution whose text book is the Bible and whose culmination the kingdom of heaven.

The two hands are a picture of the contending forces of capital and labour. The left, less skilled, more choice, served often by its fellow, and decked with rings; the right, forceful, ingenious busy, unadorned. Only by bringing them together can harmony be had and a full day's toil accomplished. If they contend, they work each other's ruin; if they combine, they reach each one its utmost. Met for work and clasped in prayer, these hands of capital and labour shall bring that social compact, which it is their office to develop and defend, up to its best estate. Fighting each other, they will but mar and finally destroy the social fabric -and the left hand of capital will first give away under the pitiless blows of labour's strong right hand.

Carlyle said long ago that "the idle man is a monster"; Rousseau declared that "rich or poor, strong or weak, every idle citizen is a knave." It will hardly be another generation until all edu cation will be based upon the training of the hand, and not to know some useful trade or art will be to confess one's self below the pauper-line in intellect. He who is anointed with God's oil "to wrestle not to reign," has gained "the better part."

Where are our carriages?" said an anarchist, as some capitalists drove by.

"Why," replied a red-nosed follower, "to tell you the truth, a saloon-keeper is yonder riding in mine."

The Woman's Temperance Publishing Association.—This is the largest publishing society of women in the world. Its postage bill for the past year was over ten thousand dollars, and it pays ten thousand a year for rent. The number of letters received and recorded as containing orders foots up 61,958, which is 6,316 more than for the previous year. The number of pages printed was 135,000,000; several million beyond any previous year. The amount of insurance carried is $65,000. The permanent property of the office is valued at about $79,000. The cash receipts for last year, $214,000 in round numbers. This year $230,000 in round numbers. The earnings of the printing department, nearly $79,000. The amount of pages of temperance literature sent out during the past year is 235,000,000 pages.

The White Ribbon Temple is the most beautiful office building in the world; this fact has already passed into a proverb, and is as freely conceded in London and Paris as it is freely claimed in the electric city of the west.

THE WORLD'S TEMPERANCE PETITION.

The Polyglot Petition has been endorsed and signed this year by 1,112,735 persons. The present prospect is that with the putting down of all the names thus gained, the petition will be over twelve miles long. Names are coming in constantly from all

parts of the world. Let it be said to the credit of human nature, that a large proportion have been secured by invalids and women. from sixty-five years of age and upwards. The most pathetic phrase that where women sign with these words: "Homeless from drink," and the most hopeful where a woman signs herself, "Mother of six prohibition voters." There is no "homelessness" in that! All the way through one may find signatures from the trembling hand of old age to the strong, determined stroke of the man and woman in the prime of life. Here an old grandmother signs with the phrase, "aged, 87"; "aged, 90"; "aged, 95." Frequently a boy is permitted the honour of putting his name to this "state paper," with the interesting information, "twelve years of age;" others follow their signatures with words like these: " Crush the demon," "By one redeemed," "For our homes and our altars." Often a mother places a short petition in connection with her name "God grant this prayer."

To every White Ribbon woman let me repeat the stirring words of a modern poet. They have touched my heart, they will touch yours, they ought to make us each and every one more earnest and determined not to disappoint those who have put us in our places of honour and of trust. The poem is by Matthew Arnold, and is entitled "On to the City of God":

"See, in the rocks of the world,
Marches the host of mankind,
A feeble, wavering line.
Where are they tending? A God
Marshalled them, gave them a
goal.

Ah, but the way is so long!
Years they have been in the
wild;

Sore thirst plagues them, the
rocks,

Rising all round, overawe :
Factions divide them, their host

"Threatens to break, to dissolve,
Ah, keep, keep them combined!
"Then in such hour of need
Of our fainting, dispirited race,
Ye leaders of men, ye appear,
Radiant with ardour divine!
Beacons of hope ye appear!
Ye fill up the gaps in our files,
Strengthen the wavering line,
'Stablish, continue our march
On, on to the bounds of the waste-
On to the City of God."

In conclusion, my comrades, it is life to look into the faces of the women who dared; it is health to know you never hearken backward along the path of progress; it is heavenly inspiration to hear you sing, as did our Crusade mothers, "Give to the wind thy fears." Here beneath these flashing skies, on the white altar of these hills of God, let us vow undying fealty to the cause of a clear brain and a protected home; to woman's enfranchisement and manhood's exaltation. Wherever these sacred watchwords lead, there let us go. We are explorers sailing on seas unknown; the new world is what we seek; the kingdom of heaven among The White Ribbon ship has all sails set; its prow points toward the untracked sea. We seek a land fit for the planting of our Saviour's cross.

men.

A cordial welcome to the W. C.T. U., at Denver, Col., from a governor who used to shove a jack plane, was followed by an eloquent

greeting from the pastor of Trinity M. E. Church (one of the finest in the land)-who used to handle the trowel-Rev. Robert McIntyre. One of our great American orators has spoken eloquently of the measured roll of England's drum, keeping company with the hours and following the rising sun in its course girdling the globe. Beautiful figure, but what is it that follows the roll of the war-drum? Listen, and you will hear sobs and tears; you will see smoking cities and weeping widows and mourning children. But I will tell you of another belt put around the globe, not the red belt of war, but a belt that goes around the world, the white belt of Gospel temperance, girdling the globe and leaving as it goes no sobbing, no weeping, making no widows, no orphans, no poverty or wounds. This belt goes round the world, binding up bruised hearts and wiping away widows' tears, lifting up the drunkard and whispering hope into his ear, and bidding him brace himself for another trial, another effort to be a man.

Lady Henry Somerset made the first response to the salutations, in her usual graceful and felicitous way. She said: I am almost afraid in England to allude much to America, because I am told that I am infatuated about this country. If ever a woman had occasion to be infatuated about a country, I think I have an excuse, because I have received so many sweet courtesies, so many tender hand-clasps, that when I sailed across the great Atlantic I left a great part of my heart in America. It seems to me it augurs well for our future, not only in our great cause, but for humanity, to see the folds of the Union Jack intermingled with those of the Stars and Stripes. The temperance cause is no more national, it is international. We have clasped hands in this national movement. We in England are fighting the same battle you are here. We are walking the same path, we are meeting with the same difficulties in the suppression of the liquor traffic. There is only one thing which in England I do not wish to adopt, and it is, perhaps, but a little thing. There is only one word which I hope will not become our watchword over there, and which I believe some day you will change here, and that is the word Prohibition. I believe in prohibition, "first and last and all the time," but I would rather you would call it a name that has rung through this land from the lips of one whom we honour to-night, the President of this Association, and call it Home Protection.

REV. GEORGE W. MCCREE,

"BISHOP OF SEVEN DIALS."

BY REV. E. BARRASS, D.D.

THE writer of this article wishes to drop a flower on the grave of his life-long friend. When we were young men, the Church with which we were connected thought fit to put our respective names on the local preachers' plan of Newcastle-on-Tyne circuit. There we remained as true yoke-fellows until both were called into the ministry; the writer went out a few months after his now sainted friend. We were afterwards stationed on the same circuit, and were often associated together at various public meetings, and loved each other very much after the manner of David and Jonathan, and though he afterwards became a Baptist, our friendship still remained unbroken.

Mr. McCree's parents were members of the Presbyterian Church, but they both died before he grew to man's estate. They were diligent in training their children. Our departed friend often referred to his Christian parents, especially his mother, to whose wise counsels he was greatly indebted. Two of his brothers, Andrew and Thomas, were respectable merchants, and carried on an extensive grocery business. In the same department of business, George took part until he entered the ministry.

When the cause of temperance under the name of teetotalism was introduced into the north of England by one of the "seven men of Preston," Joseph Livesy, the father of the movement, the Messrs. McCree, who up to that time had sold ale and porter in their establishment, became convinced of the evils of the drink traffic, and were among the first to sign the pledge. They gave up this branch of their business and poured the liquors which they had in stock into the city sewers, and thus they were freed from the cursed traffic.

While George was yet a boy, the family connected themselves with the Primitive Methodist Church in Newcastle. The brothers already named, soon became useful officials, and greatly aided all the interests of the denomination They have both finished their course, and would doubtless welcome their younger brother to the "better land."

From the commencement of his Christian career, George was a zealous labourer in church work. Being a fluent speaker, and a lively singer, and withal of a youthful appearance, he soon became very popular, and was much called for, both at temperance meetings and Sabbath religious services, in many of the towns and villages in the north of England. Meetings were often held in the open air, and occasionally at least, those who took part were subjected to great annoyance. Brickbats and various kinds of missiles were often hurled at the speakers.

One scene the writer well remembers. Young McCree was preaching in the streets of Newcastle, near what was known as Sandgate, a locality not remarkable for its respectability, when a policeman marched to the front and commanded him to desist. As he did not at once comply with the command of the officer, he was arrested for refusing to obey orders and for blockading the streets.

In due time the youthful preacher was arraigned and pleaded "not guilty." The "prisoner" was of boyish appearance and wore a short jacket. He was surrounded by a host of friends, among whom were many of the ministers of the city. The policeman failed to prove his case, as the friends of Mr. McCree testified that the thoroughfare was not obstructed, and this was the main charge. As there was no case proved, no punishment was inflicted. When the case was dismissed, McCree received numerous congratulations. It is but right to say that the gentlemen on the bench intimated that they had no wish to interfere with street preaching, providing that the thoroughfares were kept clear.

When Mr. McCree had been in the ministry a few years, he left the Primitive Methodist and joined the Baptist Church. The itinerancy of those days required much hard labour and great self-abnegation. Long journeys had to be performed on foot. Those who entertained the ministers were mostly poor, and the remuneration was small. The writer and his friend once compared their receipts, and neither of them had received seventy-five dollars for a whole year's labour. As Mr. McCree spent most of his salary in the purchase of books, his brothers were often obliged to supply his shortage. But what of the poor itinerant who had no rich brothers?

Mr. McCree became pastor of one or two small Baptist churches, and gave himself very assiduously to study and pastoral labours. He also wrote occasionally for various religious and other periodicals. His arduous labours were more than his constitution could bear, and he often complained to the writer that he felt greatly enervated and was becoming unfitted for his work.

The late Rev. W. Brock, D.D., a popular Baptist minister in the city of Norwich, invited Mr. McCree to become city missionary. This was work for which he was well adapted. His earnest temperance advocacy, his kindly disposition, were well suited to secure success. He formed Bands of Hope, held cottage meetings among the poor, established Sunday schools, and engaged in numerous other Christian activities.

About the year 1852 or '53, Sir Morton Peto conceived the idea of a church extension movement in London in connection with the Baptist Church. The first house of worship erected was Bloomsbury Chapel, of which the Rev. Dr. Brock became the pastor. Under his preaching a large congregation was gathered. Sir Henry Havelock, one of the heroes of the Indian Mutiny, was a member of this church, and Dr. Brock preached the funeral sermon of the distinguished soldier.