CONGO FREE STATE. 279 CONGREGATIONALISM. the Congo Free State, and this example was iollowed by Austria-llunyaiy, France, (ierniany, EngUind, Italj-, llic Netherlands, Portugal, Rus- sia, Spain, and Sweden. The international con- ference on African all'airs which met at Berlin, 18ti4-S5, determined the status of the Congo Free State, which occupies a peculiar position among States because of the conditions surrounding it and the auspices under which it was founded. By the act of the Conference, signed February 20, ISSo, the Congo Free State was declared neutral and open to the trade of all nations, the Powers reserving for twenty years the right to decide as to the taxation of imports: the naviga- tion of the Congo and its aiHuents was to be free, under the supervision of an international commission; religious freedom and equality of treatment of all settlers were guaranteed; and war was declared upon the slave trade. Tlie United States refrained from ratifying this act, on the ground that it would thereby be com- mitted, contrary to its policy, to certain inter- national engagements. The new State was placed under the personal sovereignty of Leopold II., who, by will, four years later, bequeathed it to Belgium. Soon, however, other interests had Ijeen acquired in Africa by the Powers, and they correspondingly lost interest in the Congo enter- prise, which became less international and more Belgian. On .July 31, 1890, the territories of the Congo Free State were declared inalienable, a convention between Belgium and the Congo Free State having already reserved to Belgium the right to annex the Congo State after ten years. In accordance with the tariff reservation in the act of 188.5, the international conference at Brussels in 1S90 authorized the Congo Free State to levy duties on certain imports, in order to provide the needed revenue. IJy the Treaty of 1891 the United States established relations with the Congo Free State, providing for com- mercial intercourse and a consular system, and for the arbitration of any dispute under the treaty. Several separate treaties with the Euro- pean States having colonial possessions in Africa adjoining the Congo Free State have deiined its boundaries. The Belgian Chambers have liberally supported the King in the development of the Congo, and the ultimate transfer of the sove- reignty to Belgium was acquiesced in by the European Powers becaise Belgium, like the Congo Free State itself, is under an international guarantee of neutrality. There is a diiTerenee of opinion in reg.ard to the success of the work done by Belgium on the Congo. The slave trade has been restricted, if not wholly suppressed, but the officials have not been wholly successful in dealing with savage tribes in the interior, and it is doubtful to what extent the authority of the Government may be regarded as estab- lished. Critics assert that Leopold has regarded the Congo State more as a commercial enterprise to be exploited for profit than as a country' to be redeemed for civilization, and that his capital has been insufficient for the expenses of so vast an undertaking. The latter is xmdoubtedly true. There seems to be no doubt, on the other hand, that intertribal wars and cannibalism, as well as abuses arising from the liquor traffic, have been largely reduced in the territories subject to Leopold. Bibliography. Stanley, The Congo and the Founding of Its Free State (London, 1885) ; Burrows, The Land of the Pigmies (London, 1S99) ; llinde. The Fall uf the Congo Arabs (London, 1897) ; Reeves, "The International Be- ginnings of the Congo Free State," in Johns ilopkins Vniversity studies (Baltimore, 1894) ; Boulger, The Congo Stale and the Growth of Cirilizaii-on in Central Africa (London, 1898), extremely laudatory of the Belgian work in this field; Raab, Der alte und der nciie Kungostaat (Hamburg, 1892) ; Gochet, Le Congo hclgc il- lustrd (Li&ge, 1888) ; Kassai, La ciinlisation africaine, 1876-8S (BrusseLs, 1888) ; Blancliard, Formation ct constitution politique de I'vtat in- depeiulant du Congo (Paris, 1899) ; .Jozon, L'etat independant du Congo (ib. 1900) ; Wau- ters, L'etat independant du Congo (Brussels, 1890). See Africa. CONGO PEA. See Pigeon Pea. CONGO SNAKE. A small, eel-like amphib- ian iAtnphiuma means) with very small two-toed legs, and eyes covered with skin. It is found in the rice-tields of the Southern States, where it is much feared by the common folk. It is wholly harmless, and burrows in mud in search of fishes, snails, and insect-larva'. It lays under logs, etc., a mass of eggs, which have a firm, transparent skin, and are connected by cords into a string; these seem to be guarded and kept moist by the mother. {Bulletin United States Sational Mtiseum, No. 31, p. 220.) The Am- phiuma is remarkable as being the only sala- mander possessing a voice ; when angry or ex- cited it gives a clear whistle. See Amphiuma. CONGREGATION (Lat. eongregatio, from congrefiare, to flock together, from com-, together -f gregarc, to tloek, from grex, herd ) . An as- sembly; generally a religious assembly; in its most ordinary sense, an assembly of Christians met in one place for worship. (See Church.) In the Roman Catholic Church it often desig- nates a sort of board of cardinals, prelates, and divines, to which is intrusted the management of some important branch of the affairs of the Church. For example, the Congregation of the Index examines books and decides on their fit- ness for general perusal. (See Index.) The Congregatio de Propaganda Fide consults as to the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion throughout the world. ( See Prop.ganda. ) The Congregntion of Kelics inquire-s into the genuine- ness of supposed relics. The Congregation of the Holy Office takes cognizance of heresies, etc. (See Inquisition.) The Congregation of Rites regulates the festivals and offices of new saints. CONGREGATIONALISM. A term used in two significations at present. It designates a pe- culiar system of church organization and govern- ment, and as such is rightly claimed by a great family of religious bodies, of which that popu- larly called 'Congregational' is only one. In this usage, the word appropriately describes the polity of the Baptists, the River and the Plym- outh Brethren, the Christians, the Disciples of Christ, the Unitarians, and the Hebrew syna- gogues. It properly describes the organization ' of considerable groups of Adventists, American Lutherans, and less numerous religious com- munions, as well as of those churches specifically called by the Congi'cgational name. But the term 'Congregational' is employed no less ap- propriately in a second signification, to denote
