My first reason for adopting a building program
for the immediate future is because it has not been
done before. It is an addition to our denominational
assets already long overdue. As individual churches
we recognize the value of a meeting house. We build
not only that we may have a convenient place to wor-
ship; but each church building is a symbol of per-

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manence, and inspires faith in the future. The build-
ing itself, or in an older organization the history of its
successive buildings, preserves the continuity of the
church's life. We have erected splendid buildings
which stand today as monuments to our devotion to
the cause of education. We can not estimate their
value to the denomination. Just why we have come
up to the closing years of the second decade of this
twentieth century with no such building to express our
denominational life and unity, I can not say. I have
no fault to find. Our fathers have done well. But
this may go to show that after all we have not given
rightful place to the one distinguishing faith that has
kept us a peculiar people through these centuries. Or it
may be a silent witness to our lack of denominaticmal
unity. It may be simply because no one has put the
matter on the hearts of the people. If in view of this
third possibility some of us now seem over-zealous,
please forgave our earnestness; but do not shut your
hearts to our appeal.
