easure, makes it all the more interesting
to remember that the report, when brought in at Philadelphia
three years later, was signed by every member of the committee
then living. This Philadelphia report recommended very numerous
changes in the direction both of "flexibility" and "enrichment,"
and by far the greater number of the recommendations met with the
approval of the convention. There is, however, a very wise provision
of our Church constitution, a provision strikingly characteristic
of the Anglo-Saxon mind, which, by way of making allowance for
second thought, requires that liturgical changes, before being
finally adopted, shall run the gauntlet of two successive conventions.
Much was accepted at Philadelphia; it remained to be seen how much
would pass the ordeal of its second reading at Chicago three years
later.

Into the war of words waged over the subject during that interval
period, I have neither the time nor the disposition to carry you.
The three years, while they gave opportunity for reaction, also
allowed space for counter-reaction; so that when, at last, the
question came once more before the Church in council assembled
whether the work done at Philadelphia should be approved or
disallowed, men's minds had sufficiently recovered balance to
permit of their exercising discrimination. Accordingly in 1886
some things were rejected, some adopted, and some remanded for
further revision. But why should I confuse your minds by an attempt
to tell in detail the whole story of the movement? No matter how
clear I might make the narrative it would be difficult to follow
it, for in the progress of the work there have been surprises many,
successes and reverses not a few; enough that, at last, the long
labor is ended and in this Columbian year the ship comes into port.

As to results, their number and their quality, opinions will of
course differ. In connection with this, as with all similar
undertakings, there are many to cry: "Who will show us any good?"
Certainly nothing that could be called a radical change has been
brought to pass; but then, is there any reason to suppose that
radical changes were either sought or desired by those who have
been active in the movement? Certain distinct and indisputable
gains may be counted up. The recovery of the great Gospel hymns
come under this head. There are some of us who think that only to
have succeeded in replacing the _Magnificat_ and the _Nunc Dimittis_
in the Eve