Newspaper Page Text
RELIGIOUS. Sylvan Worship and the Sah bath-School Convention at Round Lake. , toman's Criticism on “ What Is A the Bible?” from a Lib eral Standpoint. in,e Theory of Divine Justice Bel ativeto That “Test Case.” 'What the Religious Press Ex pect from the Berlin Treaty. An Interview with the Rev. Arthur * Tooth, the Famous Rit ualist. (taenl Notes Personals Frivolous Piety— Services To-Day. SYIiVAX WORSHIP. SCENES XT BOOSn LAKE. fnm Our Own CorrcnMmdtnt. Knew Lake, S. Y„ July 25—There are " worthy people liere who rise every morn teiotte tune of the 6 o’clock chimes,and take .More-breakfast pilffrimaco to the Holy * , At 8 o’clock they go to morning service. {St M boar later they drop in to see how the duldrta’s meeting prospers. At 9;SO they uteslesseninthe normal class, and put their bawled#: against that of the quick teacher. Keren o’clock finds them fresh for the morning fZtaxt, to which they give dose heed, perhaps ♦■ting copious notes. By noon they are willing to devote an hour to eating, and another to reitiag the Biblical Museum, or to gathering troand the brass-band stand, or to friendly converse. At 2 o’clock they listen to the after noon lecture. At 4 they are again in the nor mal class-room. An hour before tea Is given to Zoning friends the wonderful city of Jerusa lem, or the points o! Interest within the camp ground. At 6 o’clock they attend the evening service, commonly hearing a sermon. At 9 there is a praise-meeting yet remaining to be put out ofthe way; and at 10 o’clock the night , hells warn the‘faithful to their couches. ■ Daring nine days these good people have foI- Jowcdthis programme nearly to the letter. What they will do to-morrow, when there are no more meetings to at tend, does not now appear. They might fish on the Round Lake, only fiat there arc few fish to catch, and that they donot care to fish. They might do half a dozen things, which probably they will not. They might grf away, and probably most of them will, they possess staying qualities for going to meeting, and make that their chief occupation, recreation, and amusement, all lu one. The Assembly, with its full programme, has delight ed them. Presently Chaplain McCabe and those eminent revivalists, Hammond and Pay ton, are coming for a week of their warm. ami rousing work. A little while later the temper ace clans will gather under the leadership of lands Murpbv, who seems to have the fire of lather Mathew in bis veins. So these an nouncements will draw the meeting-goers back, tad Round Lake will, with a fortnight’s inter mission, be a busy place—busy in its own pecu lar way—until September. At whatever time, life here ts not much dis tracted by variety. The first day usually ex iuastfi the features that may be considered Mvel, and the second day often exhausts the visitor's desire to remain. Ou the other hand, the quiet and the freedom from the common vear and whirl arc the very Inducements that lead men to seek rest in this grove settlement. This life differs from that of the country village la that the inhabitants of the camp have raffling in particular to do. They form a toemmnity of idlers, where each can follow bis irflifio laf as the facilities at command trill allow. In such case, where holiday reigns and the idea of earning one’s subsistence is put into the background, no wonder there Is a sort of Unreality about it, and a relief that makes peo ple content, lorget.ful for a time of everything prfogon outride the camp-ground fence. Add ed to this is the purpose of study and of ad vincemeut in religious lire. T.» s’uch as seek circitiscment and pleasure, this is not an attractive abiding-place. Jtwas not Intended lor them; audit by chance they stop to sec That manner of spot it Is, they soon go on snin. Bound Lake is cot merely a camp- Qcctiogground, however. Many cottage-owners bring their families hither early in the summer tod remain through the warm season. When there are no meetings the place does not look deserted bv anv means. Year by year tbe Dumber of’ permanent summer residents in creases. There is also a small population rcsi- Oeuttbronghout the year. Tbe site is health ful, there is plenty of playground lor children, aod all who choose this as a summer home are astored of protection in peace and quiet. To many there is ever a charm in the idea of living is the woods. It may not be real campiog-out, but it is as near an approach as comfort will tolerate for anv length of time. The Asso caUoa l& Methodist, but tbe grounds arc not run ou a sectarian basis. At this Assembly, just dosing, half a dozen denominations were . represented bv the lecturers, teachers, and preachers. Die utmost liberality ts shown, and everybody is welcome to come and enjoy -what ever is provided. Tbe Sundcv-School Assembly, which doses with a farewell meeting to-morrow morning, is the beginning of a distinctive work not hitherto undertaken here, a work in pursuance of the idea so effective)v illustrated at Cnautauqua, in fids State, at Atlanta, Ga., and in the Sunday school assemblies at Lake Bluff. The purpose is to make the Round Lake Assembly a perma nent institution, supplied with every facility for ttpdy. The course adopted is the well-known course of Sunday-school normal study arranged at Fair Point in 1870 by a committee of gentle men representing ten different denominations. This course is covered each year by lecturers, normal class exercises, conversations, address es, and sermons. At the close of each Assem bly a competitive examination is held, and the successful candidates receive diplomas, bccom feg Urns the Round Lake Alumni Association. The course includes forty lessons, covering such as tbe place and purpose of the ghbath-scbool, tbe inspiration of the gh’e association of the Sabbath-school, “hie history and chronology, the teach- JJ 8 office ’and work, Bible geography, institutions, and interpretation, dil hcnitiea and mistakes in teaching, practice in JfiUvtting memory, and other lessons bearing on the teacher’s work. There arc three three years arc required to com pete the course, which will recommend itself ttoncc to any teacher o» worker in this im portant field. The fiist assembly has been very successful in accomplished. Dr. Vincent, who was « charge, is too well known in Chicago as a worker io need further mention. as he was the leader in originating and perfect ly toe international series of lessons, so lie bas the chief in promoting these assemblies at He brought an able corps of as trained in their special departments of teaching. Among these was Frank the caricaturist, who has a largo talent JwflJnfitrations in chalk and charcoal. The list ®i keturers and preachers contained the names oi eminent and able men, and their discourses been, without exception, of a high order, only thing wanting to fulfill the hopes of yW®* engaged in the movement bas been wbtoj—more people by hundreds. Yet v_ “ remembered that it took three •f* i our years to secure a large Ueodancc at Chautauqua, and there f«2? reason for complaint. Then, through the l of the people in this neighborhood that and consequently religious places, la Lhe thoroughly free, the charging of an n to® kept’away hundreds who have habit of visiting the grounds. Fri m ***** at *** e cotreaty of the railroad com- J* 0 /* the was removed, and charge was zfy® instead to the park of Palestine. This 4 pretty sure way to realize tbe same Jjnoont of money, since few would fail to see attraction that was added to the PJ 6 ® with sDedal reference to the Sunday studies. The mistake will not be made Mother year. Yet the managers at £hatauqua vfT 6 always charged an entrance fee, and the umi blUDts there do not appear to take offense outfay Cetfmc repayment for large The meetings of the ten days included, amongthe more Interesting features, lectures oy the Kev. Dr. Townsend, of the Boston Unl ink 00 u The Bible a Miracle”; by the Rev. J*uP e^!ttTalma g < Vo n “The Bright Side of Things”; by the Rev. Dr. Darling, on “The Development of Divine Truth in the Sacred ScriPtm-"”; by the Rev. Dr. EdwardEggleston, Christian EndeavorMcthods”; bytheßev. Dr. Newman, on “Original Truths in Christian -5 by the Rev. Dr. Cbadboume, President of williams College, on “Sermonsin Stones’*; and by the Rev. Or. Fowler, on “The Bible the Prophet of Science.” Dr. Newman’s lecture w « OQ c of the ablest he has yet written, and will probably form part of the book he is said to be writing on the same subject. Dr. Eggles ton was thoroughly interesting in his descrip tion of the methods employed so effectively by him in his Brooklyn Church of “The Christian Endeavor.” Other interesting features were the lectures of Prof, Van Lennep, together with an Oriental exhibition. Daily lectures in Palestine Park and Jerusa lem were given by Dr. Wythe, their builder, Prof, van Lennep, and Dr. Newman. The latter, who lived for some months in Jerusalem, expresses his , unqualified admiration of the manner in which the model is constructed, and says he can not only pick out the house Id wnich he resided, but see the very window from which he was wont to throw orange-peel into the court below. This model of Jerusalem is indeed a work of art, and awakens general enthusiasm. Dr. Wvthe began work upon it in January, as sisted by his daughter, and was engaged nearly five months in its building. The iuclosure is sixty feet square; the scale one foot to 150 feet. The surveys made hy the English and French Governments form the basis of the models, the buildings being taken from over 200 stereo scopic views and from ground-plans. The city was laid out with the utmost accuracy, and Dr. Wythe tells me that not a street or building in the modern city is omitted in this model. It is easy to see why Mark Twain pronounced it the “ nobbiest ” city he had ever seen. Jerusalem, seen at this size, is thoroughly picturesque. The prominence of the public buildings, the hun dreds of little domes dotting the houses, the tiny flags of the Consulates, the splendid square of the Mosque of Omar, all help to give a ro mantic effect, aided strongly by the high and massive-looking walls. The Holy Sepulchre, the palace of the Latin Patriarch, the Armenian and Roman convents, the Rothschild Synagogue, the Via Dolorosa, the tomb of David, with the little American cemetery hard by,—these and many other points of interest are easily to be found. The walls and buildings well represent the limestone, quarried beneath the city itself, of which Jerusalem is built. The environs ap pear to sufficient extent to show the interesting places across the valleys of Jchoshaphat and Gibon, such as Mary’s tomb, Absalom’s tomb, the Mount of Olives. Getbsemanc, the pool and village of Siloam, the pool of Gihon, and the Russian settlement. This model convevs an Idea of the Holy City such as can be obtained in no other way save by a visit to the original Palestine. Among the visitors of the week was the Rev. Mr. Van Meter, forraerlv of the Howard Mis sion in New York, recently of the Vatican Mis sion in Rome. Mr. Van Meter gave me an in teresting account of his labors in Protestant ism, almost under the walls of tbe Papal Palace, and says he intends to return this fall to carry on the work. First, however, Chicago will be’included among the cities where he will try to find help toward spreading the Bible in Italy. His return to this country was caused by the hard times, tbe Society under whose aus pices he was working finding it impossible to keep up Its collections. Mr. Van Meter will re turn under the direction of an independent Board, composed of gentlemen of hign reputa tion, who have been deeply interested in tbe progress of bis labors among the Italian children. After to-morrow this city in the grove will be a place of thorough quiet for a week. It is a good place in which to wait for something to turn up. fl. D. WHAT IS THE BIBXjE 9 a layman’s criticism on a new commentary. What la the Bible? An attempt to answer rhe question in the light of the best scholarship, and in the most reverend and catholic spirit- Bv J. T. Sunderland. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, No. 182 Fifth avenne. New York. This is the title-page of a book, the advance sheets of which have lately come to my hand. Having carefully read the work, I am prepared to say that the author, as he desired, has ap proached the subject in the most reverent spirit, and let shine in his little work the best lights in modern Biblical literature, calling to his aid the works of such men as Matthew Ar nold, F. C, Baur, Davidson, Ewaid, Muller, Stanley, Tide, and others. The reader of this book will find a list of these writers in Its care fully-prepared appendix, which, by tbe way, is not merely a list, but, being somewhat on the stvleof Spurgeon’s “Commentators and Com mentaries.” it gives in a lew and pointed re marks the main features of each writer; with this difference, however, that the author com mends the writers Spurgeon might condemn. it is evidently intended that this shall be a handbook, and that not merely for those inter ested in theological studies, but fora larger class which Las little time for such study. I trust that this is the herald of a large number of handbooks setting forth the claims and doc trines of the liberal faith. Now to the review of the book. The first chapter treats of the “ origin aud growth of the world’s sacred books.” Similar to the Old Tes tament, manv of these books are compilations of the writings of different authors, centering in no particular person: others, though com pilations, centre in • some person, as the New* Testament in Jesus. All, however, owe their sacredness to time. “ What the fathers prized, the children venerated, aud the children’s chil dren lifted up into the miraculous and the divine.” —P. 10. Were it not for tbe sacredness given bv time to the Bible it would be difficult to conceive how men who question everything else bend before this booic without a word, hold to the delusion that a cunning Jacob, a blood-stained David, and an adulterous Solomon were favorites of the Holv God,—how they see errors in the accounts of creation as given bv other sacred books, and yet hold to the equal) v erroneous one of the Old Testament, or how they reject the miracles of the monks, but build tocir faith on those of Elijah, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. There is one point In this chapter upon which a volume might be written, —and, indeed, should be written, —viz., the practice of reading be tween the lines in the sacred books. Hitchcock finds in the first chapter of Genesis a true geo logical account of creation. Christlieb, in bis chapters on Natural Religion and the Trinity (“Modern Douots and Christian Belief”), reads into the Bible ideas which would startle the authors of that book. Busancll finds there his theory of “ Vicarious Sacrifice.” No one else could do so, and Peter and Paul would wonder bow be ever managed to so twist their words. This may explain how it happens that the Bible is an inexhaustible well (?}• .Wc take the waters out of the deep wells which Clod is opening for Himself in our inner consciousness, and pour them into these Bible wells; then, drawing them out again, cry: “Behold fresh waters from the old wells.” In closing this first chapter, oir author gives passages from the Vedas, the King, and the Zend Avesta, calling our attention to their similarity to passages in our Bible. From this similarity our author concludes that “Religion is as universal as sunshine, or love, or God. Its fountains are in every land, its prophets dwell under all skies. It has given mankind not one sacred book, but many.”—P, 39. Tbe second chapter Is occupied with an ac count of tbe origin aud growth of our Bible. Our author calls the Bible a collection of He brew literature. This leads him to speak of the chief characteristic of this people. He finds that “in war, in politics, in art, in philos ophy, in literature other than religious, thev did not excel. But religiously they were most remarkable.”—P. 44. The Greek was ever ques tioning; we have therefore Plato and Aristotle. The Roman was ever at war; we have therefore Scipio and Cmsar. The Englishman is a re former; we have therefore Richard Cohdcn and John Bright. The Hebrew was a religious thinker; wc have therefore Isaiah, Jesus, and arc next asked to consider the authorship and chronology of the different books of our Bible. After giving the conclusions arrived at by tbe best Biblical scholars be refers us to their works, letting us know by the way thaw we know little or nothing as to the persons who " rote the nooks of the Bible, or the time when thej wrote them. Iu this chapter serious oDjection is taken to the manner iu which our New Tc.-ta ment canon was settled: _ . First— On account of the great disagreement about what books were and what were not canon *C^!’*eco7uf— It is not agreed upon by what Coun cil the canon was settled, Laodicca, Carthage, or that of Trent. „ , , . Third— After these Councils, books in the canon were objected to by such meu as Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin. , _ Fourth— The ignorance and credulity or tne age in which the canon was settled. Evidently our author does not entertain tne notion of some that tbe ancients possessed all the learning. Indeed, wc are inclined to believe that, he would call tbe “ lathers ” vest-pocket editions, and compared with whom . the scholars of our day are encyclopedias. In this chapter we are led to Be lieve that the canon of Scripture will neyerclose; that inspiration is not spool out THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUIVDAY., JULY 28,,. 1878-SIXTEEN- PAGES. of which a few drank and it was dry, but a river which flows on forever. To the question, When will the canon be closed! our author, if we may judge from the hints in this chapter, would answer: “ When there is no soul In being, ana no. God to speak to it; when the everlasting snringshave become a dry well; when the in finite God is exhausted, the soul having ab sorbed all there is in Him, then may the canon be closed with an anathema before which not only you and i, but also He, may tremble. Unci) then let us hear nothing of the closing of canons or anathemas.” ~ In the third chapter our- author asks himself the question. Is the Bible infallible! H<T ob jects to answering this in the affirmative, be cause— First —lnfallible transmission Is as necessary as infallible origin. Second —The Hebrew language was written in consonants; we, therefore, need inspired men to supply the vowels. Third —Wc need infallible translators. Fourth —Not only must one book be inspired, but sixty-six. Fifth— This doctrine has no support in the Bible. Sixth—' The doctrine did not appear until modern times. When wc come to the study of the Bible we find there much that is very far from favoring the idea that it Is infallible. Wo find: First —lt contradicts Itself (Comp. 3 Sam., xxiv., 1, with 1 Chron., xxi., 1; 2 Sam., xxiv., with 1 Kings, xv., 5; 2 Kings, ii., 11, with John, iii.. 13, etc., etc.) Second —There are in it many historical and scientific errors. Third— lts representations* of God are often not only childish but immoral. It may be said that these objections have all been answered. To this our author returns answer: “They have been replied to, but never answered,” nor in the nature of things can they be. If, however, the Church desires to bold to the infallibility of a book which makes God a being worthy rather of our pity, hatred, and execration than of our adoration (Gen-, vi., C; I Sam., xv., 11; Gen., xi„ IS-21; Dent., xxxii., 41-2; Psalms, Iviii., 10-11; Jos., vi.,21, viii., 2), it docs so at its peril. In the fourth cnaptcr we have the author’s parting words. Here he gives us to understand that he is a firm believer in “inspiration ”; that be believes that much in the Bible is God insplrcd. He cannot think, however, that it contains all the sayings and doings that are thus Uod-gircn. Indeed, he doubts whether the world has books enough to do so. Ho would have us bold fast to the good an I reject the bad, on iu the words of minors, treasure up the gold while'we throw away the dross. And this is not as difficult os wc may atfirstiraagine, for not only do we find truth,’but truth finds us. it conics nine-tenths of the way toward us. Wc see, therefore, that he is very far from following the absurd advice of our orthodox friends to accept all,—wheat and chaff,-—or, the equally absurd one of our infldcl friends, to re ject all. For, if we find in tbe Bible Deu teronomy, xxxii., 40-3, or Jos., vi., we have also there the parable of the “ Good Samaritan.” If wc find there 2 Samuel, xxi., we have also there the parable of the “Prodigal Son.” If it contains the 10D Psalm, it also contains the Ser mon ou the Mount. If one of its characters is a cunning Jacob, another is the open, noble Peter. If one be the voluptuous and selfish Solomon, another is the suffering and self sacrificing Paul. If one be the blood-stained David, another is Jesus, the Prince of Peace, the Christ. German. THAT “TEST CASE.” TUB QUESTION OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT. To tfte Editor of The Tribune. Ottumwa, la., July 23.— The Tribune pro posed a few months ago a test case of the ortho dox faith in everlasting punishment. The case was substantially this: “A violently wicked man snoots a respectable but unrcgencrate neighbor. Now, if orthodoxy hold that this good neighbor is sent to hell by that murderous shot, and that the murderer by availing himself of offered salvation during the few remaining months of his life gain Heaven, then it must be false.” This is truly a test case. It involves all the argument that can be brought forward against the orthodox doctrine of hell. The Bible and analogy are on the side of this stern doctrine. There is little with which to oppose it but sup posed cases. These cases are made up in such a way as to make it appear chat the ope scot to Hell should have been taken to Heaven, and vice versa. By such a supposition orthodoxy is proved false, or God unjust. These cases always prove two things, and no more. First, that the opposition to the doctrine of future punishment is based largely upon human likes and dislikes; second, that man is not qualified to sit in final judgment upon his fellows. It is easy to suppose cases iu which it would be diffi cult for man to decide what ought to be done. Orthodoxy does not claim that he can. Churqh membership and personal profession are not the final arbiters of destiny. Christ says, “Judge I not.” Orthodoxy holds that the character with which a mau goes out of this world will deter mine the future condition, and that tbe Judge of all the earth will do right. This mystifica tion that comes to man in his low plane of per sonal sympathies—narrow and often wholly erroneous Judgments as to character—docs cot come in the way of the final Judge. He does not see men with uncertain and mingled charac ters and of mixed relations to Himself. He makes no mistakes in dividing the sheep from the goats. He is not reduced' to any doubtful decisions in winch a very indistinct shade of difference in moral characters opens the door of Heaven to one aud shuts the other in Hell. lie looks at tbe very essence of men aud says, “lie that is not for Me is against Me.” They seem very near each other in our vision, but to the all-seeing Eye there appears a rocky moun tain range dividing them, and carrying the very outflow of their natures to opposite destinies. The wheat and tares grew . together, and per haps looked alike, but were entirely distinct. They must come to certain separation and wide ly-separated destinies. The righteous are called wheat, the wicked chaff, so distinct do they ap pear to the great Judge. Wc may rest assured, that not u single germ of truly righteous char acter in this strarigeiy-mixcd world will fail to be garnered in the skies. The chaff will as cer tainly be driven away. Orthodoxy truly holds that depravity runs through all the generations of man by reason of tne sm of Adam, but it also bolds that grace came by Jesus Christ sufficient to supply all of man’s needs and help him to righteousness and heaven. The propagation of the race was predicated upon the great fact that as sin abounded grace did much more abound. This grace meets every child that comes into the world and constitutes it a mem ber of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is thus se cured from Hell until it deliberately rejects righteousness and chooses sin. The great and Invariable law is laid down by Christ Himself, when he says: “ This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light.” No one will be doomed to Hell who does not deserve it, and consciouslv deserve it. The heart passes the first sentence of condemnation. Even of the heathen it is said: “Their conscience also bear ing witness.” The judgment of that day will be a righteous judgment. Nor will one be ban ished from the Divine presence who has the elements of righteousness in his soul which will qualify him for Heaven, or even make it de sirable. As righteousness • attracts some men here and repels others, so will they go to their own place at the final judg ment. In regard to the supposed case, Orthodoxy does believe that if the murdered man had lived in disobedience to God, in the rejection of Christ, and died in bis unre generate state, that he will be among the num ber “turned into Hell.” On the other hand, that the murderer, if he tmly repent,—believe in Christ, aud thus receives pardon and regenera tion, —will he saved in Heaven. What is there in such an adjustment of the case to make even those who have monopolized the thinking of tbe age to stand aghast! It was not the bullet that sent the man to perdition. It was his sins. Tiie murderer did not kill the soul. It is not a particle worse for the mau than it would have bccu if a thunder bolt had rifted him, a falling house crashed him, the ponderous train mangled him. It is no worse for bis destiny than it would have been had sudden congestion seized his brain, or even lingering consumption have eaten un his life while flattering his lyjpcs. If the man must be kept out of Hell because murdered, what is to be douc with him i Docs the fact of his being shot change his moral character.—readjust his relations to God, give him affinities for holiness, or an aptitude for Heaven! if so, the shotgun has a great moral as well as political significance. Many ministers might better be armed with suen mighty weap ons instead of the “ Word,” and go forth to people Heaven oy shooting down the multitude of pleasant but * unregenerate persons about them. Advanced thought has certainly achieved a wonderful feat when it removes from the Judg ment-seat character and substitutes the ad ventitious circumstances of each man’s taking off. A new study is opened to the age in which inquiry is to be madeinco the agencies of fevers, contagions, railroad-disasters, wars, murders, in determining the moral destiny of men in the life to come. On the other hand, is there any thing so strange and unjust in the supposition that the murderer might be saved? This salva nion in uo way adds to tbe penalty that bis un repentant victim suffers. In human govern ments it is not an uncommon thing for crimi nals who manifest a spirit of repentance and reform to be .pardoned. They sometimes very ; quickly undergo a radical 'change in their char acter, and are welcomed back to sodety and re ceive the smiles of the best citizens, while their victims suffer on by reason of the irreparable wrong they inflicted noon them. .There are mur derers, who violently sent - their. victims into eternity, who have not only reformed but have become great reformers. The public loves to speak their praise and do them honor. Liberal minded preachers hasten to congratulate them, and often hold them up before their congrega tions as examples to incite others to reform, while at the same time they are thrown into theological spasms in supposing that murderers may repent and be saved while their victims may be lost. They also continue to preach re pentance and remission of sins, to the worst of their congregations, some of whom are guilty of as great sins as murder. They welcome them to the privileges of the to them the holy sacraments, and lead them along in * their new life, while tfaci** innocent victims are the loathsome and suffering wrecks of humanity. The princi ple implied in the supposed case which is ex pected to explode Orthodoxy, would sweep away a moral government, in which mercy is extended totheguiltv. It would forever shut the door of hope and reform against humanity. It would silence the preaching of “repehtance and remis sion of sins.” Thus the argument of Liberalism against Orthodoxy will, if'pushed to its logical sequences, expunge mercy from the Divine Gov ernment, and shut man up in inexorable fate. Thus extremes meet, and such absurdities must ever follow the dethronement of a just and merciful God, and the substitution Ibercfor of the little petulance aud vindictiveness of tbe human heart. J, W. McDonald. THE BERLIN TREATY, WHAT TUB RELIGIOUS PRESS EXPECT FROM IT. The religious press is filled with the praises of Lord Bcaconsflcld and his tactics at the Berlin Congress. The editors eulogize him not because ol the political power aud glory that has come or may come to himself and Great Britain by his shrewd diplomacy, but ratber because of the opening up of Asia Minor and Persia and the districts thence on towards India to Christian missionaries. Tbe Christian- Advocate says that with Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar in tbe hands of the English, tbe Mediterranean Sea is little more than a British lake; that India will be reached from the Ameri- can churches in less than twenty days; that there will spring up a chain of mission stations from the heart of the Anglo- Saxon Church to tbe heart of heathendom, and missionaries who have been working tor forty years in the neighborhood of old Babylon and Nineveh can be reinforced by a large number of new toilers for the building up of Messiah’s Kingdom in man’s first home. This new thrust ing of the sword of peace into the dead religions of heathendom, the Advocate suggests, will pro aucc such scenes as often occurred during the first evangelization of Northern Europe,—name ly, whole communities becoming Christian at once. Something like this has already occurred in one of the famine-districts of India, Tiune vally, where a series of villages, comprising 18,000 people, have thrown off heathenism and askea for Christian teachers. The outcome of the Berlin Congress, the Advocate insists, is more clearly religious and ecclesiastical than political, though no religion was meant. The Examiner and Chronicle takes substantial ly the Advocate's view of the Mediterranean being a British lake, but thinks that Gibraltar and Malta arc of small account compared with Cyprus, the possession of which opens the way to the Euphrates and India, and is, therefore of much greater value than the long-covetec; prize of Egypt. Aside from all other aspects of the case. It is pleasant to think of Cyprus being once more in Christian hands. Bible students think of it as the home of Barnabas and Mna son, and as the scene of Paul’s first missionary triumphs. In English hands it may be expect ed to gain rapidly in population and in produc tiveness. And ’ the influence of a strong Protestant power, so near to Asia Minor and Syria, will unquestionably be of great advantage to the Christian communities of those coun tries. The Christian Union calls the attention of students of prophecy to the fact that Great Britain owes her acquisition of the Eastern Mediterranean to a Jew. But no prophet, it says, can venture to foretell the effect which this acquisition may have on England’s Eastern commerce, or on the future civilization of .Egypt, the oldest Empire of the world, or on Palestine. The Christian provinces of Turkey have gained a troublesome but an invaluable boon, —libertv. They are rid of the Turkish yoke. Dd tbev know enough to plow without a yoke and a brad! Liberty is the great school master, and the liberated Christian provinces arc admitted to this school. So far from be lieving that the war waged between Rnssia and Turkey amounted to nothing, the Evangelist considers that, judged by its results, it bas been one of the greatest campaigns of mod ern times. If the English people, who arc so elated bv the acquisition of Cyprus, fully understood all that it involves, they might not be quite so loud In their shouts of triumph. However, whether it bp a good thing for En gland or not, the Evangelist believes it is a good thing for Cyprus and a good thing for Turkey, The changes accomplished and others which seem likely to result from the new posi tion of England In the East will be a great gain to the cause of humanity, of good government, and of Christian civilization. The Observer looks upon the occupation of Cyprus bv the British Government as more oi an event* than at first sight appears. Its geo graphical situation makes its possession by a distant Power a formidable menace to the rest of the world, and it would not be strange if Russia, Franco, and other nations, perhaps Austria aud Italy, should find that the old bal ance of power Is disturbed by the preponder ating influence of England In the centre of the Eastern seas- All the power she (England) employs will be lor the advancement of Chris tian civilization, and the religions world will re joice with thanksgiving that the same Govern ment which has so long been beneficent in India, will, for the present, at least, be felt for good where the despotism of “ the unspeakable Turk” bas been for four centuries supreme. Thus the Kingdom of God is extended as the powers of darkness arc put down, and the reign of righteousness and peace established In the earth'. The difficulties which England will en counter are indeed great. It will be often de feated in its attempts to secure order, and honesty, and religious liberty; but, so far as the terms of the treaty will justify its interfer ence, we know that the new power will be ex erted for the progress and happiness of the people who have been for ages under the iron heel of tbe false prophet. The Christian Inic'tiqcncer believes in a Provi dence In human affairs whose logic is irresisti ble: “Turkcv has long been weakening, has been sick and readv to die. Now comes m the strong arm of Great Britain at the right moment and offers a protectorate. The Turk ish Empire has run its coufsc. It goes into bankruptcy. : Its goods and effects, such as they are, need no administrator. Now that England takes' the guardianship of Asia Minor, wc may be assured that tbe Protestant missions of that vast region will be sate to prosecute their work. Should Palestine be made a free and independ ent State it will be a justice to the Jews. If Egypt becomes an English colony no lover ol human progress ought to be sorry. When a railroad shall have been run through Aleppo to Bagdad and on to India, old Asia will begin to awake from the stupor of ages and the seats of long vanished Empires will be stirred with the pulses, of new life, God takes no step back ward.” ... The Catholic Ticv'cw sees in Lord Bcacons field’s diplomacy the dements of audacity and genius, and thinks it more than probable’ that momentous religious and political consequences will follow bis extraordinary stroke of diplo macy. But the Jicvlew appears to be altogether too sanguine of what may be the ultimate out ertneo! these Important movements. Herds what it save: “ Among the Provinces of which England thus becomes in name tbe protector, in fact the ruler, is Palestine. The Holy City, the holy places—Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Mount of Olives, Calvary—all the spots made sacred by the feet of our Lord and memorable as the scenes of His teachings and His suffer ings, will pass for the first time under the control of a Christian Government. \Vhat the Crusades failed to accomplish diplomacy has done, Bcaconsfield has proved more potent than Richard of the Lion Heart. If England were a Catholic country now, the future would be plain. But, non-Catholic as she is, she is guided to a degree of which she is un conscious bv her surviving Catholic instincts and traditions. The Holy Land is still precious to millions of her people who are aliens from the Church which was established in Jerusalem, and which sent from there her first Pope to es tablish bis See in Rome. The time is not very distant, perhaps, when England shall return to her first love and become Catholic again, as she was lor a thousand years before the wretched apostasy of Henry and Elizabeth tore tbe faith from her. Then tbe cradle of the Church, re stored to her bv the hand of her repentant daughter, would become a Christian city, and Jerusalem again would be tbe joy of the*whole earth.” Oar Jewish exchanges are equally jubilant with our Christian. The Jieformer admits that Lord Beaconsfield’s desire to Place the Holy Land under English protection admits of no doubt, and that the effect of this would oc to improve the condition of the Jews residing there is perfectly sure. It would also make the Holy Land a desirable place of residence for the oppressed Jews of Russian Poland and the Danubian principalities, who would no doubt settle there Inlanre numbers. But that Lord Beoeoosfield or any other sane person should think of restoring “the laws of Moses and the old Jewish system ” and of reviving the Jewish; : nation is out of the question. Such a restora tion could never be brought about by human agencies, ana is not looked for or wanted by the Jews tacmselvcs. * The Jews are now so numerous that Palestine could .not hold one half of them. The old Jewish system is alto gether-unfitted to the age in which we live. The laws of Moses, as far as they affect the question of civil government, are and must forever remain obsolete; they were admirable in their day, but their day has long since cone by.* Says the Jewish Messenger: * * The world moves!" Religions liberty is now a principle of international law.- Where it Is de nied the Great Powers may intervene for its en forcement. Ko part of the triamph at Berlin Is of such universal consequence as this declaration of human right. America was a century in advance of Europe, and America, while she did not sign the Treaty of Berlin, had previously, through her Con sul at Bucharest, secured the concurrence of the European Powers in action, which anticipated the conclusions of dinlomacy. For the first lime in the history of man a nation's claim to existence as a State .s made dependent upon its acceptance of the "rcat principles of religious equality for all creeds. Thirty years ago but one of the Powers represented at Berlin accorded the Jew fall civil rights; and successively in Great Britain, Austria, Germany, Italy, and Turkey, have the barriers been swept away that separated tne Hebrew from bis neighbors. Can Russia long delay the conces sion in her own dominions of civil and religious equity, which her veteran Chancellor sustained as the right of the Jews In Roumamu, Bulgaria, and Scrvia? Our ont-of-town religions exchanges arc editori ally pitched to the same key. They look to the building of the Euphrates Valley Railread and the opening up of Asia to Christian influences and Christian .missionaries ns never before. One of them—the Jiaphat Outlook of Brooklyn—looks upon the action of toe Berlin Congress ns the un conscious fulfillment of the prophecy. Russia has stopped “the way of the Kings of the East,” the children of God and ocitcvurs in oar Lord Jesus Christ have been prepared. The British flag waving over Cyprus makes all Turkey tribu tary to England, ani secures for the Gospel a wide and effectual door of entrance into the lands where the Moslem's sword has alone huncrio been the law, Rcferrimrto the articles of the treaty which declare religious liberty, the Out/ooisays: “Thus the River Euphrates is dried up. The Turkey of the past is gone. Thought has met thought: will has come in contact with will; but above all and through all the band of God is seen. Noiselessly the prophecy recorded lu Daniel, si., 44-45, has been fulfilled. 11 ARTHUR TOOTH. - AN IKTERVJEW "WITH THE FAMOUS HITDALI3T. Sew York World. Tlie Rev. Arthur Tooth, whose trial and im prisonment in London, Eng., for violating the Public Worship Regulation act raised such a controversy, arrived in New York yesterday. He was found at the Windsor Hotel, and although suffering from illness and exhaustion cpnseouent upon his long journeying, talked freely with a reporter. He is slender, of me dium bight, and has dark hair cut dose, and large dark eyes, shadowed by dark lashes. His face, smooth-shaven, is an ova), decreasing rapidly towards the lower portion, the chin be ing small. His complexion is naturally dark, bronzed, no doubt to some extent by his six months’ stay in the tropics. In speaking he is very animated, gesticulating gracefully, and never hesitating for a word, 44 1 am on my way. home to London,” said Mr. Tooth, 44 after a vacation of six months, whHi I have spent in Japan and the Philippine Islands. I came direct Across the continent from San Francisco, and shall take steamer for Loudon to-morrow. Things at home demand my presence; the aspect of affairs warns me to make all the haste possible, You would like to know what I think the signs portend as to reli gious matters in England? Well, I have but little hesitation in saying that Disestablishment will come about within tbe next ten years, and I am convinced tnat it wiU be a happy day for the Church when it is accomplished. It is not necessary to point out the evils which are, as a matter of course, entailed by the Establishment. Look, lor example, at many of tbe clergy, forced- into their positions from - motives of expediency and accepting livings in the gilt of rich families without any thought of consecration. Such a man is a fagot of inconsistencies; as soon as the bond is severed he goes to pieces. For the last 150 years the State lias been making encroachments upon the ChurcH. Slowly at first, feeling its way and careful not to' arouse suspicion; bat latterly these encroachments have become more bold, until tbe fact became so patent that the alarm was sounded. Take my own trial as an exam ple. When 1 was summoned for trial I informed mv Bishop that I would gladly appear before an ecclesiastical court, and would bow to its decis ion, but that I would not submit to any decis ion rendered by a civil court whose authority to interfere in ecclesiastical matters 1 did not recognize. Well, the Bishop would not grant me the trial 1 demanded, and X was brought before Lord Penzance’s Court. You know the story of my trial, conviction, and imprisonment, and it is not necessary for me to go into details as to that. OX course, I protested. My ease was brought before three Judges, and they decided that the law under* which I was convicted, the court in which 1 was tried and the Judge who sentenced me were all creatures of a recent cre ation. and upon a technical point I was granted my liberty. Now this very law, ‘The Public Worship Regulation act,’ is, in my opinion, un constitutional. It was passed in spite of the protest of the Convocation, which is the voice of the Church. What right has tbe House of Commons, in which Jews, infidels, and dissent ers far outnumber the Churchmen, to make laws for the Church? The Church had laws of its own. It had courts aud.Judges, and yet all these were declared illegal by this new' act. In addition to all this, and as if to insult the Church and degrade the clergy as much as pos sible, Lord Pen&ince was made Judge of this Court. Now, Lord Penzance was Judge of tbe Divorce Court, and accustomed to hearing the most offensive details of family troubles; be sides, he will have a chance to appear in a di vorce court soon, if he gets his deserts, not as a Judge, but as a defendant. Such a man as that was appointed to decide on matters of Church politv, and to administer ecclesiastical law. This encroachment of the State upon the Church is sure to bring about dissolution sooner or later. The movement towards disestablishment began in Ireland, spread to Scotland, and is now active In England. The opposition to me and to those who think as I do, and who are known as High Churchmen, does not come from earnest evangelical Christians, but is the out growth of ignorance and prejudice. The moD that attacked mv church was an ignorant mob, anil, more than' that, it was a hireling mob. One of tbe members, who was badly injured by being trampled upon, was taken to the hospital, and while there confessed that he and his com panions had been bribed to join in the disturb ance, being paid 5 shillings a day for their serv ices. Thus it is we are persecuted by men of no religion, led on bv malcontents in the Church.' Wc are fighting a State-made court, and our battle is against the encroachment of the State rather than any law or dogma of the Church. , Now, as to Ritualism, the altars, and the caudles, and the vestmentsabout which so much is said and so little is understood. Why, one of the men who oppose me the moat violently characterized "Whitsunday as an excrescence of Catholicism! Ills ignorance unon the signifi cance of that festival should hare kept him silent. If the festival of the Holy Ghost is to be abandoned, why not abandon Christianity and have done with it? Now, no one cares less about the Ritualistic movement than I do. I have never enjoved myself better than when I have preached in a Low church in a black gown. Of course. I would not officiate in my own church without my chasuble, but I would preach without a gown at all and in any Protestant church if “invited to do so and if it were consistent with my .other labors. I am Broad Church enough for that, I wear the vestments and conduct the service in the manner which I believe to be set down in tbe rubric, which plainly commands, it appears to me, that the vestments and services, should be those em ployed in the second reign of Edward VI. This is plainly a matter of history, and I follow what I believe to be the requirements of the vow I made when I took orders. I think the High Church movement is growing in England. When I first took my parish, nine years ago, the income was about £3OO a year; now it is £3.000. I mention this to show the increased zeal of the people, disclaiming that is is solely the result of my personal labors. opposi tion against us will fall from its own Inherent ■weakness. That is the conclusion to which I have come. Even if wc had not the right In this controversy, the opposition would fall from its own inherent weakness.” GENTBRAIi J^OTES. A conference of Universal ists will be held in Fort Atkinson, la., in the course of lour or five weeks. The next Conference of the Illinois Uni versalis ts will be held in Peoria on the first Tuesday in September. The University of Japan at Toklo has 800 students and twenty-five foreien Professors, the most of whom are unbelievers) In the library of 35*000 volumes there is no copy of the Script* ares. Draper's Conflict Between Science and Helicon” is a text-book. f The*thirtieth animal session of the Universal-, ist Convention of Indiana will beheld at Fort Wavne, commencing Wednesday, July 31, 1878, at 2p. m: The sessions of the Convention' usually continue until Friday, that Saturday and Sunday maybe devoted to religious serv ices. Intelligence from India shows a remarkable increase m the number of converts. The Bishop of Madras reckons about 80,000 baptized natives in his diocese, though there were not 50,000 In 1863. In China some progress is made, but in Japan there are only eighty-eight native Chris tians. There is such a thing'as making haste slowly. There ore now more than 200,000 Mennonites In the United States, distributed through per haps a dozen States. They are a people of thrift and energy, and by their good conduct commend themselves to'those among whom they live. Their religious beliefs approach more nearly to those of the Quakers than any others. They refuse the Old Testament, and deny that there is any original sin. In Great Britain there is an ordained minister for every 673 of the inhabitants. In this coun try about 700 is the number that falls to each preacher. China would require more than 400,000 ordained missionaries to stock It in the same proportion. Dr. Dull estimated that to fully supply India would require the entire min istry of Scotland, and many pious laymen be side. It is well that the true mission policy seeks to grow the chief supply on the ground." In addition to Profs. Rcusch and Friedrichs, Profs. Langen and Mcntzcl have withdrawn from the Old Catholic Synod on account of the action giving priests permission to marry. The number of Old Catholics In Germany is 51,864. showing a slight decrease since last vear. . The bulk of the decrease is in Baden and Bavaria. There is an increase in Prussia. . The priests re main the same as last year—flfty-flve in num ber. Six have been removed or have resigned, but there are about the same number of ac cessions. There has been a serious outbreak at Kallsch, in Russian Poland, between Jews and Roman Catholics. Recently the practice of the Jews to inclose their houses on the Jewish Sabbath with a wire fence to indicate that no one might pass our or in was prohibited by the Govern ment. The Jews blamed the Roman Catholics for this interference, and when the latter bad their procession on Corpus Ohristi Day, and had free way, with altars at nearly every street corner, the Jews became indignant and excited, and made an attack on one of the .altars. The Catholics retaliated, and destroyed the Jewish synagogue, and compelled the Jews to take refuge in .their own houses. Twelve persons were killed, and much property was destroyed. TUB BEATIFICATION OF PIUS IX. The Roman correspondent of the Unita Cat fo?ic« states that the process.for the beatifica tion of Bius IX. will commence forthwith. Innumerable petitions, disclosing prodigious facts, arrive at the Vatican from ail parts of the world. Wherefore, the Holy Father appears disposed to give a special authorization; for the Sacred Congregation of Rites, by dispensing with the prescribed rules, can immediately initiate the process for beatification. The docu ments arc so manythat it could not be retarded; they cannot, probably, be examined in less than three or four vears. The process will be opened by Cardinal ilartinclli. Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites. The modest tomh of Pins IX is the resort of a large number of de vout pilgrims; and especially on the Feast of St. Peter great crowds were to be seen there offering up their prayers. The Monde, the Papal Nuncio’s organ, states that the Vatican has had to moderate the ardor of persons who, too cage** to promote the beati fication of Pius IX., have asked for the suspen sion of the ordinary canonical rules. Memo rials were addressed direct to the Pope, but, ac cording to the regulations of Benedict XIV., the bishops of Simgaglia, Imola, and Spoleto, where Plus IX. was born, or spent most of his life, must collect evidence of his virtues or miracles, and the usual inquiry must then be made by the Vicarial, before the Pope can an thorizc the introduction of the cause and decide on its results. THE CONSOLATIONS OF CLERGYMEN. From the Cincinnati Commercial: If members of the sacred profession have a weakness, it is for good things to eat. This in firmity is a pardonable one. The world gen erally looks on it in the light of an amiable fulling, which may readily be forgiven in a body of men who have almost no other infirmity. Sb‘ many of the consolations of common men arc denied ministers that they surelv ought to en joy the best of whatever the good Lord made to eat. The relief of wicked language is denied them, even when the thermometer is in the nineties. A minister may not shake his light : fantastic toe, or indulge in any of the exhilarat ing amusements which lift the heavy spirits of other men. The sinful horse-race is denied him. He may not take pride in his good clothes, and to admire his good looks in a worldly mirror is an abomination. He may not raakcjiaste to be rich. He may not forsake a poverty-stricken congregation to accept the call of a wealthy one. That would be deadly. There are drinks that are not permitted. What, then, may the good man do? lie may cat. Yellow-legged chickens would appear to have been created with a special view to the needs of ministers. REFORMED EPISCOPACY, The American Bishops now in England took a prominent part in a meeting of the’Society for the Propagation of the (iospel held.in Oxford on the 19chof June. The lirst speaker was Bishop Bedell, of Ohio, who offered the follow ing resolution: “That the multiplication of religious divisions furnishes additional reason for Churchmen throughout the world to draw more closely the bonds of unity among them selves ;” and made It a text lor some -critical remarks on the rise and progress of the Re formed Episcopacy. We quote from the report in the London Guardian: He was grieved to say that one of the latest ex hibitions of this sect spirit had occurred within a certain portion of their own body, who called themselves “ Reformed Episcopalians,” who were a great deal more Protestant than Protestantism, and certainly very much Jess Episcopalian than the lowest type of Episcopacy which had ever been seen in the Anglican Church, These Reformed Episcooalians did not piuch disturb Churchmen in America, and he hopea they would not much dis turb Churchmen in Encland. How singular it was that in ihc midst of the illumination of the nine teenth century members of any church which held the pure truths which had been handed down to them by the Church of England should find it nec essary to invent something more suitable! There was already a sect within this new sect, aud it was probable that in six or eight years there wonld be ten or twenty. It was not a sect of this kind that could ever have any real influence; but it illus trated the absolute necessity there was for those who loved the truth to know each other, to have their hearts bound together by love and charity, to pray more’earnestly for the powers of the Holy Gh»st to Keep them more close to the foundations of that Rock on which the Church was planted. tub “hookers.” The name of Amish or Ornish quite frequent ly appears In the press of the country; few per sons who see it know much about it, except that It belongs to a religious body of German origin, whose members wear books on their clothes in stead of buttons, and hence are often called “Hookers.” The Amish, who number only about 10,000 in the United States and Canada, meet annually iu conference, which is their most important ecclesiastical event. They are a branch of the Mennonites, originating in Ger many, and derive their name from Jacob Amen, a rigid Mcnnonite preacher of the seventeenth century, though it was first applied to them in this country. The Amish adhere to the Men nonite confession of faith, and differ but little from the regular Mennonites. This year the Amish Conference was hefd in or near Eureka, 111., in June. On the first day some 400 or 500 people met together in a chapel four miles from any town, or rather, iu a large shed, for the church proper was occupied bv women and babies. This was their Sixteenth Annual Conference, and it continued iu session four days. Not withstanding the unfavorable weather and the almost impassable roads, the attendance was good. The meeting-house being too small to accommodate the people, a huge shed, covered with fencing boards, was erected at one side; and in the centre of this was a platform, occu pied bv the preachers and a few of the elder and elect women. The listeners were carefully separated. The women and girls, with heads covered by tidy black silk caps or stltlly* starched sunbonnets (none wear hats), meekly and modestly looked up to the preacher from the rough-board seats on one - side of the platform, while the men and boys, with coats and vests fastened with hooks and eyes, occu pied the scats on the other eider and with hon est and attentive faces gave heed to the spoken Word. A young preacher, when asked why pc wore hooks and eyes, replied.* “For the sake of the old people of my congregation. X never wore them until I began to preach.” The new Amish do not wear hooks and eyes. # This is toe greatest difference between the bodies, the doc trinal differences being insignificant, w ben the meeting broke up,-the brethren ail saluted ope another with the holy kiss. They regard the “kiss” as an ordinance of equal importance to the Lord’s Sapper, baptism, and feet-washing. The Lord’s Supper is administered twice a year, —in the spring and in the autumn,—and it is on these occasions that the ceremony of feot-wash ing is ooserred. PEBfcjOKALS. The Bishop of Ossory(lrishEpiscopal Church) succeeds bis father, the late Dr. Gregg, as Bishop of Cork; defeating Canon Jellett in the election. The Rev. R. H. Davis, of Granby, Mass., goes to Japau as a missionary. The Rev. Fred. Adkins has received a call to the Baptist Church in Goshen, Int}. The Key. A. W. Ring-land. of. ML Pleasant, la.; has accepted a call to Belmont. lit The Rev.* W. Swartz, of Kenosha, Wis,, has gone on a missionary tour through Minnesota. The Rev. G. D. McCulloch has taken charge of the Presbyterian Churches at Paw Paw Grove and Wyoming, lIL The Rev. E, A. Reed, of Springfield, Mass., has accepted a call to the Madison Avenue Re formed Church, New York. The death of the Rev. L. C. Marvin, a promi nent Universalist clergyman, is annouacci He died at Clinton, Mo., aged 71. The Rev. Joseph H. Twitchell, of Hartford, has gone to Europe in company with “-Mark Twain,” who pays ail expenses.. The German Moravians have elected John F. W. Kuhn as Bishop in the room of'Bishop Reichci, deceased. Ho becomes a member of the mission department. The pastorate of the Rev. Charles Wood, who for five years has ministered to the Central Presbyterian Cborcb, Buffalo, has closed by tho resignation of Mr. Wood. The First Presbyterian Church of Peoria, 111., have engaged the Rev. John Laird, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Huntingdon, to supply them until the Ist of October. Mgr. Valdiviezo, Archbishop of Santiago do Chili, died last month. He was born in 1804 in Santiago, und was created Archbishop in 1347. He is to be succeeded by Paula Solar, Bishop of San Carlos, Chill. The Rev. Ezra Tinker, of New York. Is In tho city, and an effort is being made to secure him for the Oakland Church. Mr. Tinker has had great success as a preacher, over 400 conversions resulting from his preaching last year. Dr. Mitchell will take a vacation. Whither he wilt flee from'the presence of his work wo do not know. When he wakes up from his rest under the juniper tree be will order his cake from a bill of fare, and give the angel a quar ter to sec that it is well done!— lnterior. M. Wadalngton, Prime Minister of France, is a Protestant, and an active , member of Pastor Fisch’s Church, in Pans. Five of the nine heads of Departments in the French Government aro of the same religions belief, —a goodcomoliment to the worth and brains of the Protestants of France. TUB REV. I*. W. BACON DECLINES. The Rev, Leonard W. Bacon has declined.tho call recently extended to him by the Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg, Pa., to be come its pastor. In bis letter, which was writ ten from New Haven, Conn., on the Ist lost., he says: The reason for this decision Is not the pecuniary loss or personal Inconvenience that U would ham cost me to accept yonr call. These would bare been well compensated by vast opportunities of useful service in the ministry of the Gospel. Neither have I any apprehension that my ministry in the Third Chnrch would have been hindered hr lack of unanimity among the people. Some of tho minority were among my nest helpers while I was with you, and doubtless would have been ogam. I have never found any sign of a factious spirit in the church, in any quarter. It would have been easy to disregard or resist a factious opposition; hut the sober conviction of some of the most faith ful friends of the church, interested in every way in its prosperity, that lam not the best man for the work, cannot but weigh with me in making up my mind, especially when they hold their opinion with entire personal good will toward me. Only a clear and unmistakable case of duty could have instilled me in removing toPittsburg; and the de liberate negative opinion of some, and the sig nificant abstention from voting of so many more, make the case, to say the least, a doubtful one. The decision of the matter on these grounds makes it unnecessary for me to go into tho ulterior ques tions that would otherwise have arisen. It is with reluctance, and after conscientious hesitation, that I turn away irom a field of labor so arduous, but so full of promise. I earnestly pray that the man exactly fitted for the place may soon bo found, and the great work of the Gospel committed to Che Third Church suffer no delay. INDLINAPOU3 DIVINES. The Indianapolis correspondent of the Cincin nati Gazette, writing under date of the 19th, says: And now Dr. Withrow denies that ho has tho least idea of locating in Chicago, or that ho re gards Boston as a cold Unitarian city. The vari ous items on this topic may be summed up os follows: Dr. Bartlett la well, never better. Dr. Bartlett was spoken to about the Presidency of Hamilton College, but very informally, and by no One having authority to speak. Dr. Bartlett Jyonldn’i think of occupying such a position for love or money. He's too old, and too devotedly attached to the work of the ministry. Dr. Bartlett doesn't intend to leave Indianapolis nor tne pulpit of the Second Chnrch.' His people are pleasant, and bis salary large enough for a modest man. Exit Dr. Bartlett. Dr. Withrow has no thought of bciiur recalled to the Second Church m this city. Dr. Withrow goes to Chicago on financial business, and has consented to preach for Dr. Kittrldge, a Presbyterian minis* ter. Dr. Withrow knows nothing of any Congre gational church in Chicago, nor any member con nected with any Congregational church in Chica go. Dr. Withrow never corresponded with any Conifregational church in Chicago with a view to location. Dr. Withrow knows nothing about tbo chilliness of Boston in a religions nomt of view. On the contrary, ho never lived in a church or city where the people arc more alive to the questions o f belief and right living than in Boston. Dr. With row, daring his pastorate of Park Street Church, bos added *250 to its membership, has cleared off all its debts, and bos not the slightest idea of a change. Dr. Withrow left for Chicago to-day noon. Exit Dr. Withrow, and may Heaven for give . your corespondent for discussing a mare's neat of preachers. YKXYOIiOUS PIETY. A little 3-ycar-old girl, in repeating her prayer to her mother every night, insists on praying to be made “ a flood Epislopalion Wcpubttan.” ' “ What Is the outward and visible sign In baptism!”, said a person to his Sunday-school class. The baby, sir,” was the prompt reply. In the way of worship in hot weather, a man thinks be is doing well enough when he allows his wife to go to church. —Xcw Orleans Picayune* So many cities claimed Homer as .a resident and citizen, that we incline to the opinion that he was aMethodist preacher.— Burlington Hatek eye. The Rev. Dr. Marilnean says that in one of the scenes of a German play Adam is represent ed as running across the stage on bis way to the Garden of Eden to be created. It is well to look at both sides of a fan. On a ‘‘heated” Sunday in Philadelphia the other day, the minister was fanning himself, vigorously. He did not see, but the congregation did, that the reverse of his fan boretheinscription, “Bay Boggles* Bitters.” —Boston Transcript College Professor (to Junior, who has been taking advantage of his absent-mindedness): “Young man, I find, on looking over the rec ords, that this makes the fifth time in two years that yon have been granted leave of ab sence to attend your grandmother’s funeral.” At Westfield, Maas., a man was caught steal ing meat from the market, in reply to bis pica to be let off, and his declaration that, God help ing him, he would never steal again, the one who detected him said: “God helping yon! Why, you scoundrel, If I hadn’t caught you stealing, you never would have, known there was a God!” A plain-speaking country minister was asked one day how it happened that, considering the good example snoposed to be set before them, so many ministers’ sons should tarn oat ne’er do-wells. “That’s easily accounted for,” said the divine. “You see the devil kenohe cannot get hand o’ the geese, so he just Brakes grab amang the gaisllns! ” It is not always a successful operation to teach a S-ycar-old child its pravers, however intelli gent it may be. The other day a young mother was showing oil the early piety of her offspring to some callers, the result being muchly as fol lows: “ Gorbesspaoa, Gorbesamamma, Gorhess bahy. avycrgotanycandvl ” That infant thought religion was sweet, anyhow. Epitaphs do not always tell the truth. When a citizen, greatly given to beer, but otherwise wortlir, was suddenly taken off. Us friends erected a monument to his memory, and bad in scribed on it, “Take him lor all in ail,” etc. A surly critic objected, saying that it wonld be better to have it read, “Take him for balf-ond- ■ hall, we shall not look upon bis like again.” A minister’s life Das frequent disappoint ments. Daring the " great revival a stolid, matter-of-fact farmer went into the Inquiry room, and was at once taken in hand by aoxions and zealous workers. He seemed to he visibly affected by the hymn that was sung, and after the prayer one or two tears were apparently dfe covcrcd. When asked, “Brother, do you feel anv change!” he made a rapid and Instinctive movement of his hand in the direction ol his vest pocket, and then settling back in his chair with a sigh, replied, “Hot a cent; that’s just what I’m after.” church: SERVICES. . EPISCOPAL. , Cathedral Free Church SS. Peter and Panl, cor* net of Weet Washington and Peona etreeta. The Rt-Her. W. E. McLaren, Bishop. The Bar- 3. H. Knowles, priest In charge. Choral morning prayer and celebration of the Holy Communion at 9