M.W. Treasurer-Anson Nelson, of Tennessee.
M. W. Chaplain-J. A. Cornish, of Missouri.
M. W. Conductor-J. Shelby Harris, of Mississippi.
M. W. Sentinel-T. J. Qliphant, of Arkansas.

At this session the words "Most Worthy" in the titles of the officers of the Supreme Council were struck out, and the word "Supreme" inserted.

In concluding this sketch, it is but proper to allude to two features that are peculiar to this Order.

Each Subordinate Council is composed of the Council of Temperance and the Council of Friendship. One of the meetings of the Subordinate Council each month is devoted to work in the Council of Friendship. Thus, a Subordinate Council holds its first, second, and third meetings in each month in the Council of Temperance and its fourth meeting in the Council of Friendship. Persons initiated in the Council of Temperance are entitled to advance to the Council of Friendship at its first regular meeting without ballot. This gives a very pleasing variety to the meetings, as the two Councils have different officers, different ceremonies, and transact business of a different character.

Another feature is the Benevolent Degree. This is the keystone of the Order, in which, by a simple but effectual plan, an ample fund is provided for the families of deceased members. This degree is incorporated and managed by a Board of Directors. The amount provided to be paid to the family of the beneficiary is limited to $5,000, and by small fees of twenty, thirty, and fifty cents on each death, the Order accomplishes a vast amount of good, frequently when needed most, without any considerable draft upon the purses of the survivors. The motto of the Order expresses emphatically the objects aimed to be accomplished -Temperance, Friendship, and Benevolence. The Order is now firmly established in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

NATIONAL CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE ALLIANCE.

BY REV. D. C. BABCOCK, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

ORIGIN OF THE SOCIETY-CONVENTION TO ORGANIZE-OBJECT OF THE ALLIANCE AND METHODS OF WORK-FIRST ANNIVERSARY—AUXILIARIES-OFFICERS FOR 1876-7.

ONE good result of the Woman's Crusade, that opened in Ohio during the Christmas season of 1873, was the awakening of many churches to a clearer and deeper sense of their accountability for the sad results of drinking, and to a better conception of their duties in relation to the cause of temperance.

The General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church had this question before them at their annual meeting in Monmouth, Illinois, May, 1874. After careful deliberation upon the relations and duties of the Christian Church to the cause of temperance, they decided to make their deliberations effective by taking measures to organize and unite the churches of the nation for aggressive Christian temperance work. They appointed a committee of seven to confer with ministers and leading men of other churches, and, if assured of their co-operation, to issue a call for a convention to organize a National Christian Temperance Alliance. Meeting with such encouragement as they thought would justify action, and having an invitation from the Christian Temperance Alliance of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, to hold the convention in Pittsburgh, they issued the call.

Pursuant to their call, the Convention was held May 12 and 13, in the Second Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh. Only a few States were represented, but the interest manifested in the proposed work was remarkable. Every meeting during the two days of the Convention was large and full of zeal for the cause of temperance.

Rev. R. W. French, of Illinois, was chosen temporary

president. Rev. E. E. Swift, D.D., of Pennsylvania, gave an address of welcome to the Convention, which was responded to by Rev. W. T. Meloy, of Ohio.

The Committee on Permanent Organization presented Rev. R. A. Browne, D.D., of Pennsylvania, as president, with Rev. William D. Howard, D.D., and several others as vice-presidents. Rev. W. H. Locke, D.D., of Ohio, Rev. B. T. Woodburn and Rev. R. F. Miller of Pennsylvania were presented as secretaries, and all were elected.

Committees were appointed on resolutions, on constitution for the Alliance to be organized, and on nomination of officers for the ensuing year. The resolutions reported by the committee were vigorous utterances against the liquor system. After free and full discussion they were adopted with a few changes.

The "object" of the Alliance and its "methods of work" are given in the second and fourth articles of the constitution, as follows:

ARTICLE II.-Object.

The object shall be to bring the influence of the whole Christian Church and all friends of humanity to bear directly and steadily against every part of this vile "liquor system," until the principles of total abstinence and prohibition shall universally prevail.

ARTICLE IV.-Methods of Work.

It is not the aim of the National Christian Temperance Alliance to effect an organization outside and independent of the church of Christ, but to organize and unite the churches themselves in aggressive temperance work; and it is, therefore, expected that the National Christian Temperance Alliance and all its auxiliaries will labor zealously and persistently, untrammelled by denominational preferences, to advance this important part of Christian work; by private, family, and public prayer; by personal effort with those who have fallen, and to prevent others from falling; by the careful training of the young in the principles of total abstinence; by the widest possible distribution of temperance papers and publications; by such prayerful and careful use of the suffrage on the part of those entrusted with it as shall place only good and reliable friends of the temperance movement in positions of public trust; and by any and every other means that enlightened and consecrated minds and hearts may devise for securing the triumphs of this cause.

The officers elected were :