FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK. A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR MEMBERS. T HE result of the United Effort in which we have doubtLess all participa.ted is most gratifying. A consider-ruble portion of the surplus will be utilised in providing bonuses which will help to tide many brethren over the difficult period between now and next March, when the first payments are made on the higher scale, .but it is earnestly to be hoped that our ~ged brethven who a.re on the Annuity Fund will also ibe benefitted.

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... revised Constitution, a,s pUiblished in this number, is the result of very careful consideration and conference and not a little· correspondence, and we hope itt< will result in a large increase in our memJbership. 'Ve trust all our members will see to it that their local " Fraternals " are federated, and in case there is not one in connection with their Associaliion, tha.t they will take steps tCJ have one formed and duly affiliated. The sp€cial artide in this issue for discussion in the various Fraternals cis the anonymous one on " Ourselves and the Lay Preachers," and it is hoped tha;t this impor~nt subject will not only provoke a free expression of opinion in the.se gatherings, but also further articles suita:ble ·for insertion in these columns. There is a widespread misconception which should b€ dissipated a,t once. Many brethren are under the impression tha·t the Editor is simply snowed under with literary contributions to this magazine. This is by no means the case; in fact, scarcely one article is supplied except as the result of a personal request from the Edi,t'Or. Surely many of our brethren have subjects in their minds which would be very acceptable and beneficial to us all. 2 THE FRATERNAL. It is gratifying to know that in spite of the very tJrief time between the issuing of our last number containing the Order of Service for Re-dedication Day and that date, yet over five thousand reprints were sold. The service was much appreciated wherever it was 'llsed. Do all our members realize that they may claim an allowance for the cost of books and telephone when assessed for the Income Tax? At present rates 1t\his means tha.t the actual cost of books will be only two-thirds of the .purchase price. But perhaps the most important is that one.:sjxth of the value of the rent is allOIWed where one room of the house is used a·s a study. We are all very sorry to hear of the illne·ss of both Dr. G. P. Gould and Dr. J. H. Shakespea·re. They seem indispensable at the present time, and we earnestly hope and pray that they may soon be res.tored to their most important and much-loved work. Will brethren who have used the Circulating Library please look amongst their own books and see if any of our missing volumes are there, for about half-a-dozen boxes are held up for want of just one book each which has not been returned. Also Box 16 has completely vani~hed I The Rev. W. H. Pratt, of 235 Selhurst Road, S.E.25, is our new librarian and will be glad to receive these books as soon as possible. Please remember •that all SU!booriptions are due on the 1st of January. I regret to .say that a large percentage of our members have neglected to send in last year's half-crown!