Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/163

Rh the books was 205; in 1870, 7895—the result of steady growth throughout the ten years; in 1880, 17,736; in 1890, 30,861; in 1900, nearly 40,000. As to growth in other ways, I may tell you that under the original constitution the Council, in addition to ex-officio members and delegates from local branches, consisted of twenty-four members, half in Holy Orders and half laymen, annually elected. The system of delegates has been very largely developed by the institution in 1865 of District Unions, which embrace local branches for members within their respective areas, and send up two delegates each to the Council. One striking feature of the organisation of the E.C.U. is that it is governed by an aristocracy which derives its authority from the democracy. Let me make that point clear.

“The Union is governed by a Council consisting (besides Episcopal Vice-Presidents) of elected Vice-Presidents (of whom not less than half must be laymen), twenty-four members (half clerical and half lay), the Presidents and delegates of District Unions and certain branches, and certain ex-officio officers. The President, all the elected Vice-Presidents, four clerical and four lay members of the ‘Twenty-four,’ the Treasurer, Proctor, and Solicitor, retire annually. The Council nominates to the vacancies, but any members of the Union may nominate one member instead of the candidate nominated by the Council. The election rests with the whole body of members.”