FEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, an interdenominational organization composed of representatives of the various Protestant denominations. In October 1894 °The Open and Institutional Church League was formed, and in the years immediately following held an annual conference of representatives of many denomi nations. Rev. Charles L. Thompson, Rev. E. B. Sanford and Rev. Frank Mason North were pioneer workers, who especially furthered the cause. There were also several State and county church federations, and other co-operative inter denominational organizations as the Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A., the American Bible Society, the American Tract Society, the Evangelical Alliance and the American Sunday School Union have tended to foster co-operative work among the various ecclesiastical bodies of America.
On 12 Feb. 1900, a group of Federation workers met in the Twenty-third Street Young Men's Christian Association building in New York, and a National Committee on Federation of Churches was appointed. As the result of their work, 5-6 Feb. 1901, the National Federa tion of Churches and Christian Workers was held in Philadelphia_ Thirteen federations were represented by delegates or members. The next meeting was held in Washington in Feb ruary of the following year. The next Inter church conference on federation met in Carnegie Hall in November 1905. This was a very im portant meeting and made possible the great meeting in Philadelphia held early in December 1908, which perfected the organization of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Thirty denominations were repre sented at Philadelphia. It was decided that the body should meet quadriennially and that it should be composed of 400 delegates. In the constitution adopted at this conference the aims of the CountS1 are clearly defined as fivefold.
They are: I. To express the fellowship and catholic unity of the Christian Church.
2. To bring the Christian bodies of America into united service for Christ and the world.
3. To encourage devotional fellowship and mutual counsel concerning the spiritual life and religious activities of the churches.
4. To secure a larger combined influence for the churches of Christ in all matters affecting the moral and social con dition of the people, so as to promote the application of the law of Christ in every relation of human life.
5. To assist in the organization of local branches of the Federal Council, to promote its aim in their communities.
The body restricted its powers by refusing to assume any authority over the constituent bodies and denied itself the *right of all creed making powers. Provision was made for the admission of other Christian bodies. Each de nomination represented is entitled to four dele gates and to one delegate for every 50,000 members or major fraction thereof.
The Council furthered the religious work undertaken at the Panama Exposition. Under its direction the churches of Canada and the United States observed the centennial of peace with Great Britain. The next co-operative work undertaken was the 400th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Council is largely co-operating in much of the war relief work. The body is now highly organized into various permanent working committees or departments, which in turn have several subcommittees. Con sult Sanford, Elias B.,