Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, May 19, 1878, Page 9

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY.. MAY 19, 1878—SIXTEEN PAGES i . : 9 " RELIGIOUS. The Papal Encyclical---Leo’s First General Mis- sive. 3 Beview of the World's Present Con- dition—--How to Remedy the . Sins of Humanity, glax Muller’s Lecture on the Origin of Re- ligion. 1t Is Founded on the Per- ception of the In- finite. A Broad Denial of Alleged Romish Tendencies in the Episco- pal Church. General Notes---Personals---Announce- ments---Pious Smiles=--Services To-Day. TIE ENCYCLICAL. ZEST GENERAL MISSIVE OF POPE LEO UL TO THE CHURCH. Landon Stardard, April 30. The following is 2 translation of the full text of the Encyclical Letter of Pope Leo XTIL.: TESERABLE BRETHREN, HEALTI AND APos- goric BESEDICTION: Although only a short pme clevated, in the inscrutable designs o1 God, and without any merit on our own part, to the Apostoiic gicnity, we feel oursclves im- pelled by an ardent dcsire, and, so to speak, Fren 2 necessity. to- address you by letter, not slone for the purpose of mauifesting our fecl- inrsof deep affection for vou, but also in the fulfillment of tue charee which God has intrust- ed to us, with the object of encouragzing you who are calfed on to share our solicitude, and of confirmipe you in the struggle with the dresent 1g¢, wuich, in common with us, you ought to eastain for the Church of God and the satvation of souls. Tn fact, from the very first hours of our Pon- tificate_there was forced on us the sad gpectacle of the evils which on all sides overwbelm the buman race. We see the general subversion of the supreme truths on which human society i3 bascd as cn a foundation,—the ‘stubpornness of mind which cannot endure any Jegitimate anthori- 15,~the_perpetual desire of dissension. from wiich rise intestine quarrels and cruel ana san- inary wars,—the rejection of the rules which sovern morals and Insure the carrying out of jus- tice.—the Insatiable 1ust for transitory pleasures an¢ the forgetfulness of things which are eternal, toth extended to sucha dezree of insc st frequeatls unbappy beides dure 1o | Rande even on themselves. We see ngain the in- corsiderate go\‘er{xmenl of Sl!ile‘:‘, thehllnrl;“n ex- citare snd ma ion of the pablic funde, e impudence uf those o from tne moment that ther commit the worst treason endeavor to pass for eaapons of liberty and of all the privileges of amanity. and finaily the knd of deadly pesti- Jeate Which, penetrating into the very marrow of heman society, leaves it no repose, and threatens fteven Ki‘“‘ iresh revolntionsand the most cslam- fous results. TOE REVOLT AGAINST TIIE CHURCI. Now, we arc convinced that the principnl source taose cvia 12 the contempt anu rejection of the Loly zud 2ugust cuthority of the Charch whicl gresides in the name of God over the human race, a8 which ie the support and maintenance of ail Jesitimate anthority. The foes of public order arc rlectly well aware of the fact, and consequently ggy Eave considored that nothing could aig more uplming the foundations of society than to Wige A l0GCeant wir agalnes cie Ghurch of Giod. torender 1t odious and bateful by ecandalous cal- amni¢s, such as representing it to be the cnemy of troe civilization, 10 Weaken its strength snd au- thority by contingal_attacks, and (o destroy the 1npreme poswer of the Rowan Ponull, wito s bere below the protector and interprezer of the cternal sna tmmatable prnciples of rizht and justice. it i¢ m accordunce with this belief that we unhappily fnd Jawe subvenive of the divine conxitation of the Catholic Church promulgated in the greater number of States. This is the rea- £on of the coniempt of the Episcopal power and the dulicalties thrown in the way of the exercise of the ecciesiastical ministey, the dispession of the relie- dous orcers, 12 confi<cation and public sale of the properiy which served to support the servants of the Courch and feed the poor. From this canse arise tne measures leadin:t 10 the removal of public institulions devoted to charity und beneficence from the salutary dircction of the Church, as well £:1ne pobridled freedom of teachin aud puolish- ingul toatin evil, whiie, on the other hand, toe nght of the Charch 1o instruct and bring up the youth is violated and oppressed in every possiole maener. 1t is no other cause which has led 1o the ‘t-lr;wil’(rion‘n_ :fntne e, pgmdl wrincipality whicl l{: e idence accorded ceaturies ago to the Bishop of Rome. so that he might excrcise freely nd wizhontbindrunce ihe pover confecred on hitn ¥ Jetns Christ for the eternel salvation of the ople. e have reminded you of this melancholy ac- cumtiation of evile, Venernole Bretaren, it is not forthe parpose of ' increasing the sorrow which fuch 2 deplorsble stute of allairs must in itselt aronee in your breacts, but it is because we betieve thatat its mere mention you wiil ciearly perceive gfis‘fim‘du e itudtion which calls for our ¥ and our zeal, and with what assiduous care swe mnst Isbor with all our streneth, especially in these reverae times in which we live, 10 defenil £ to vindicate tho Cliurch of Jesus Christ and the H"z;l_lj )92&%;; tolic Sec, which is the object of es. WIAT THE CHURCR HIAS DONE. i an evident and well-known fact, Vencrable Brethren, that the canse of civilizanon is wantina Inatqlid foundation if it does not rest on the eies- 2alprinciples of trath und on the unchanzeabie lawsof nghe and justice: 1f a e:ncere friendship does ot pervade ihe sentiments of men, and render moderate the motives which regulate their recipro- @laues. Now, who will dare deny that it is the Gy il s Dreacling the Gospel amons the 3 carried the light 1h into the midst of populations who \x'e=nl: sa?.’i.’,:r ol fl.bulgd Eé;ahmim: fi!n pcmti‘iiun*, and which has broaght K the ki viedge in gelvest Who willsay it was not the Chnrch which, in ewppreesing the calamity of slavery, recalied Banto ie pristine Gimity of his nobje nature? Wae 1t ot the Church which, by raising the stand- ard o redemption i _cvery parzof the worid, by grawing toward it and covering with it protection the arts and sciences, by organizinz those admi- Table inetitutions of charity 1 which every misery its s b 304 by 1< foundation o:'l nli“c of ever; s civilized the hum mace in ts pirivate and public. :5’e‘|a§.'5‘d1§£§|,r?c‘é"s? out of s docradation. and, by every cfort of care and solicitude, has led jt'into & way of life con- formableto the @igmizy and nopes of man?t And Jow, If 2man of common sense compares the ‘aze In which we five—an age soimmical to religion aud .he Chorch of Jesus Chinst—with thuse bappy tmes i which the Churcu was honored as & mother, he will be fully convinced tkat_tais pres- ot beriod, {ullof troubles and of ruin, rushes directly and rapialy 1o ity destruction, and tnat those former centurics have been the more Hoarsh- ing inthe excollence of their institutions, the tranguillity of hife, in richness and prosperity, as {hepeople showed themeelves more submissive t of s porimmeut ef the Church and more observant 54 TRCE AND FALSE CIVILIZATION. the numcrous berefits of which we bave Just feminded you, and which owe their origin to_the Ministry of the Church and its ealutary dnfinence arepells the recals which_humzn ‘m—nmfio& 2 uce and glory in, it cannot be sai 1aal the Church of Jests Chriot abaors civilization ::flrepu;aes its advances; for it is to the Church. e contrury, that enifely belunzs the Lonor of g 1S6,its patroness, its mother. Further- jaore, the kind of civilization whick, on the _con- Tarould be repugmant 1o the hoiy docirines s0dlaws of the Churca would be ouly sttva i ap- Pescance, and ehould be Jocked on as a mere name ithout substance. We have a rewmarkable proof o thiramonz the populations on which the izt ol the Gospel tas' nov spone. In their Hfe a secles of Whe exterior culture may ve preceived, ot otbe real and eolid adventages of civilis Blion are’ not to be found. It cannot angesarded 43 a perfection of civil life 1o sce an in ons disdain of all legitimate puwe 5s¢ falute by the name of lioerty the pu: ) fiemmaceful end_uubappy course leadingz t0 the crrors, the unhingered ions, the Impunity with and Encnecked propagation of l‘l;lf{m:er ihe worst passi e Cnmes may be ' committed, Prection of Lonest citizens of every | e falee, crroy tne op- Thes verfect, or in making it more *ain maketh nations uiccrable. it i» cbrolutely nevitable that havinz corrupted ihe spirit and € contra: Lhese princip) oy their awn natural inflnence, precin- rary, . L“m I8¢ peopic into all =orts of misfortuncs, that o verse all Jegitimate order. und touz, frsper ot dater, Tead to Ui finzl destraction of thw 1e3nd of the yublic tranqmillity. Hmz WORLD'S DEBT TO THE PONTIFFS. Pk, o the other hand, the works of the Roman ntificate are contemplated, what can be more > Quious than to deny how well and novle the atfls inve deserved of all civil society? Our estors, desirous of contrivuting to the wel- d"'q! the people engaged in etroggies of evers ereapuon, empported the eeverest trials, and Bever hesliated 1o expose themselves to.the most arduons dificalties. With eyes fixed or Heaven they never bowed the head Gefore the - threats of the wicked or debased themselves 8o far asto con- £ent to be secuced from their duty by promises or Hottery. Itwas the Apostolic Sec which sath- ered p the remains of aucient soci ich beon desrroyed, and reunited them. That See was 2120 the friendly torch which 1lluminated the civil- ization of Christian times, the anchor of safoty in themidst of whe most terrible tempests which ever tossed about the human race, the holy bond of concord which united far distant natfons of different customs, and, in fact, the common centre at which were sought advice and promises of peace a8 well as the doctrimes of faith and instraction in religlon. And more, it has been the giory of the Roman Pontiffs that thev constantly and unccas- ingly opposed themselves 25 3 wall and & rampart azainet the return of human saciety into the degradation of the ancient superstition and barbar. ism. Would that God had grupted that this salu- iary authority had never been negiected or re- pudizied! Tke civil power in tiat case would as- surcdly not have lost the august and holy eclut which it formerly possessed from religion, aod which alone renders the state of obedience noble and worthy of man. There wonld not have been £0 many of these revolutions and wars which have dezolated the earth by rapine and marder, and g0 many ktagdams ut one time flouristing, but now fallen (rom the height of their prosperity, would ot lie crushed under the weizht of tuch srievous miseries. We have an instance of the misfortunes caused by the repudiation of the authority of the Church in the peoples of the Enst, who, having broken the mild bonds which united them to the Apostolic See, have lost the splendor of their ancient reputation, the glory of science and art, and the dignity of their Empire. 5 THEIR SERVICES TO ITALY. Nov, these precious advantages which the Apos- tolic sce bas expanded all over the world, and which are evidenced by the most flllustrious monu- ments of every age, have been epeclally felt in this country of lialy. which has recelved much more abundant benefits from the Holy See on ac- count of its natural situation. Itis certainly to he Roman Pontiffs that Italy ought toattrivute the tangible glory khe has ‘achieved and the preat- ness which nas distinenished her,over all other nations. Their authority and patérnal care have often preserved lier from the attacks of her ens- mics, aud have given her the encouragement and help’ necessary for the full msintenance of the Catholic faith In the hearts of the Halian people. Thiese merits of our predecessors, not to mention suy others, are attested by the history of the times of St. Leo tae Great, Alexander IIL, Tn- nocent IIl., ot. Pus V., 'Leo X.. and other Poutifls, by whose care and under whose auspices Italy escape the total ruin with which she was mensced Dy the Dbarbarians, comserved intact the ancient faith, und an the midst of a darkness and parbarism of an ienorant age doveloped the light science the splendor of the arts, X ishing condition. They nre testitled as well by thie holy city. the seat of the Pontiffs, which has drawn froin them this great aavantage of not only being the stronzest citadei of ihe faith, but still more of Daving giined the admirstion and the respect of the entlre world in becoming the asylum of the sinc arts and the home of science. As the grent- uess of these facts has been transmitted to the eternal rememorance of posterity by the monu- ments of hustory, it is easy tounderstand that alone 2 hostile mmd and an outrageons calumuy could, with the object of deception, pretend by epeech or writing that the Apostolic See has been an vbsta- cle to the civilization of the peaple and the lupoi- ness of Italy. 1f, then, ali the hopes of Italy and of tiie entire world are based on a force o fuvora - ble to the well-veing and usefulness of all under the authority of the Apostolic Sce, aud nader the fust boud which unjtes all the faithfal to the Roman Poatitf, we are uware that we ought to have Dothing £0 much at heart 1o maintain intact und in its intearity the dignity of the Chair of Peter, and 1o draw more closely together the members and the head,—the s0ns and the father. THE TEMPORAL TOWER. Therefore it is that in order to maintsin above all, and to tue best of our power, the rights and freedom of the Holy See, we shall never cease to use our authority 10 femove the obstacles which 1a- terfere with the free exercise of our ministry and our power, and tv vbtaining the reinstatiou of that position of afiairs in which the dictates of Divine wrisdom had formerly placed the Roman Poniiffs. And it 18 nelther by a passion for ambition nora dexire for domination, venerable brethzen, tuat we seek this restitution, but solely on acconnt of the azties of our charge, ana by the terms of the oath which binds us. in addition, we are actnated not only by the consideration that the temporal power is Tiecessars to_ us, in order to defend and protect the full fréedom of the spirtual pover, but also because it1s clearly ehown that in the sovereien temporality of the Holy See is involved the puolic well-bemgz and the #afely of human society. Con- sequently, in virtue of the dutics of our mission, which obliges us fo defewd the privileses of thé loly Cnurch wnen the temporal power of the Apostolic See 15 in questwm, we canmot avoid remewing and contfirming in these letters all the prowstations and declarations that our predcessor, Pius 1X., of noly memory, has on muny occasions made and reiterated s much against the occupation of the tcmporzl power as against the violation of the rights of the Cawolic Church. But at the same time we sd- dress oursclves (0 the Princes and_suprewe heads of the nations and asi them urgently by the ansust name of the Almighty God notto reject the aid which the Church offets Them al a time when it is so needful for them to receive it We them to draw near in un amicable spirit of concord and peace to the source of authority and safety. and to become united more and more with the Holy Sce in the bonds of o deep love and respect. May ft please God thar they shall recoznize tne trath of what we have & trine of Jusus Clirist, as St i erved 13 tnc great safely of the countey and that the public peace and safety as well 3¢ their own_are contained in fthe s ecurity of the Church and the obedience given toft. Aay they devoie their thonghts and their carcs 10 the relief of the evils with which the Courch and its visole head are aillicted, and may it be finally it about that the people whom they I Baving entered on the waysof peace and justic may enjoy a4 happy ern of prosperity and tran- quillity. THOE DUTT OF THE CLERGY. Besides 1big, wishing that the concordof the entire Catzolic flock Wwith the Supreme Pastor ehould be strengthened day by day, we address to you here an espectally affeciionate ‘eppeal. vener- aole brethren. d ‘warmly exhiort you by your sacerdotal zeal and pastoral vizilance to inflame the lave of religion in the hearts of those intrustea 1o yourcare, su that they may be attached more closcly and intimately to this eeat of truth and jnstice, that they muy receive all its doctrines with The dedpest suvmission of #pirit and wiil, and abso- Tutely reject ali the opinion: pread. which uy be opposed 1o the teachings of toe Church, Xeuiembert 2 words of >t. Ianl, Beware lest any man cheat you by plilosoply and vain deceit; accorcing fo the irsditions of men, accurding 1o the elements of the world, and mot ‘according to Cirist,“—Roman Pontiffs, our predecessors, and 1 particular Pins IX., of holy memory, 1n the Council of the Vaticsn have never omitted, when ii was necessary, 1o reprove the current errors, and condemn them with apostolic Following in the footsieps of our cors. we ~ confirm and renew all thosc condemmitions from our _ &pos- tolic sce of trath, and ai the same time we fersent- Iy pray to the Fither of Liznt to rant that all the fulthful, fuily united in the *ame feelings and sen- tunent, may think and *peak in accord with us. It is your duty, venerable brethren, to devote your asslduons cares to scatter afar 1n the field of the Lord theseed of your ceiestal doctrines, and to cause the C 0 pen- etrate_carl he faithfol, so th they may nush their roots deeper and be preser: in that eheltes frow tae contazion of errors. The greater the efforisof the enemies of religion tu Yresent to inexpericnced persons. and especially to soutn, tenebings which inay obscure their minds nd corrupt their hearts, the more must you labor zealously for the success, not alone of a'rood and solid method of education. but especially to make the teaching itsclf coafo: in ecience and dis- cipline to the ic faith, especially m phil- uphy, on which depends ina vreat mauner the just direction of otber sciences, and which, far from tending to destroy the Divine relation, is likely ratherto smooth Lhe way-for it and to de- fend it against its enemics; as has been taught us in the example and writings of the great Anzastine andotaer doctors of Christian science. THE CHURCIH AND THE FAMILY. It is, however, necessary that this escellent edn- cation of yonth. in order toinwure the veritable faith_sod” relicion, and be o real safezuard o morais, should commence with the earliest years and in the very interfor of the fanuly. Now, that family, so deplorably disturbed in our time, can be re-vstadlished in its dignity by no other nieans than by the laws, according 1o which the Divine Staker himselfl estalished it in the Church. Jesus Christ. in clevating into the dienity of a sacrament the coremony of marrtage, Which he wished to use 2y 8 symbol of 1is uniou with the Church, has not oniy rendered more holy the conjusal union, but bas preparcd for the parents as well ss for the children tke most eidicscious aids by which they may more readily arrive in accomplishing their muttal duties at the possession of temporal and eternal felicity. But when impious laws, having no recard to the respect due to this great sacrament bave placed it in the same parely civil contracts, the r consequences at. the dignity of Christian mar- riage bemng vloiated, the Citizens have substituted lecal concubinase jor the legitimate union. the mazricd conple have neglected their mutual duties of fdelity, the children have not observed the re- pect ana obedience which they owed to the pa- rents, the ties of domestic affection ha en re- Iaxed. and, whatis o most detestable eample, the ‘ravest prejudice to pubic morals, pernicious and Tearetable separations have vers oiten succeeded 10an insensate Jove. It iz impdssible. venernole bretiren, that the sih! of thes: iamentable calam- ities »hould not awikca our zeat, and should not incite you to recommend seriously and constuntiy 10 the Taithiul condaed to_your vilgilance, to lend adocile car to the doctrines which treatof the savciity of Christian marriaze, and to obey the Inwre by’ which the Churen resulaics the duties of rents and children. P4 thus you wil bring about the desirable re- form_in the morals and manner of living of cach i for as an unxound tree produces it, the sod blot which depray a canse of vice and sin 1 contrary. if the family is governed by the rules of Christian life, each member of it will gradualiy become accustomed to cherish religion and piety, 1o reject with horror false and pernicious doctrnes, to practice virtue. tv render obedience 1o tue au~ 10 repress the ipsatiable ezotism and enfeedles human na~ ture. b ueeful to carect and encouraze those associations which. bave principally been estadlished of late years to the grent advantage of Catholic interests. Those matters which are embracea in oar hopes and wiehes are immense, Yenerable brethren, and abore humsn etrength; bat 23 God bas founded Hia Church for the salvation of the people, promising {0 aid them even unto the consummation of the worid, weare firm in the conidence that the hu- man face, stricken by 60 many woes and calami- ties, will end, thanks to your efforts, by sceking safety and prosperity in sabmieslon to the Churca and in the infallible ministzy of this Apostolic Chair. BETTER TIMES AT HAND. And now, venerable brethren, before closing this letter, \wefeel the necessity of communicating to you our joy at seeing the admirable nnion and concord which reipn among you and unite you 0o thoroughly to thix Apostolic Sce, and we are really ersuaded that tbis porfect uuity js not slone an imprecnable bulwark against the aseaults of our cncmiee, but also a happy presage of better times for the Church, 1t givesns a great encouragement in our wealkness and raises onr spirits in 2 wonder- 1{ul degree, by assisting us to sustain with ardor the difficuit mission which we have received, and ail the fatigues end labors on behalf of the Charch of God. Neither can we geparate from these reasons for joy and hope that sve have manifested to you the dectarations of love and obedience which in. the commencement of our Pontiflcate you. venera- ble brethren, have offered to our humble person, as well a8 #o many priests and faithful, proving this by the letters seut tous, by the offerings made, the pilerimages accomplished, and so many other marks of piety that that devotion and charity which you had never ceased to witness toward my worthy predecessor stili remain constant, stable, and firm, and have not been weskened by the coming of a sy ssor who 80 little merita this heritage. At the sight of such eplundid_testimonies of the Catholic faitn we must humbly confess that the Lord is good and merciful, and to you, venersble Drethren, and all the dearly beloved chiidren from whom we have received them, we express the deep feclings of gratitude which flood our heart. full of the confidence that in the digtress and difficnities of the present tine your zeal and affection, as well a8 tnose of the faithiul, will never bs wanting to us. We have no doubt that these remarkable ex- amples of filial plety and Christian picty will pow- erfully touch the heart of the all-merciful God. and will canse Him to cast a merciful eye on 1lis flock, and grant peace and victory to the Church. Bat as we arc convinced that that peace and victory will be more readily and easily accorded to s if the faithful constancly 2d- dress their prayers to God to ask Him for it, we cexhart you ardently, venerable brethren, to ex- cite the zeal 2nd fervor of the faithlul by request- ing them to scek the mediation at the Throne of God of the inmacalate Queen of Heaven, and as intercessors, St. Jozeph, thu celestial patron of the Church: the holy Apostles, Peterand Paul, to whose powerfal patronage we recommend our Wumble porsons all the orders of the ceclesiastical hiscarchy, and a1l the flock of the Lord, In addi- tion, we desire tha those days when we celebrate the ‘solemn anniversary of the resurrection of Jesns Christ may be blessed and full of holy joy for you and for ull the flack of the Lord, and we pray God who i3 s good to biot out the sins which we have committed, and so mercifally remnt the pun- ishments we have deserved by the virtue of the blood of the Immaculate Lamb who has eifaced tho stain of our condemnation. —Benedictio Del, etc. Given at St. Peter's, Roie, Easter Sunday, 21t Aoril, 1578, the first year of our Pontidcate, Lro XIIL, Pope, ORIGIN OF RELIGION. {LECTURE BY PROF. MAX MULLER. Loadon Tymes, A i Yesterday the opening discourse of the first series of seven lectures on “the Origin and Growth of Religion, as Lllustrated by the Re- ligions of India,” was delivered by Prof. F. Max Muller, M. A, of Oxford. With the sanc- tion of the authorities it was read, as will be the rest, in the Chapter-Housze of Westminster Abbey, both morning and cvening, and each time before a large audience, including dig- nitaries and other clergy of the Established Church, and eminent Nonconformist divines of various persuasions. Among those present to hear Prof. Max Muller on one or other of the two oceasions may benamed the Bishop of Ade- laide, the Dean of Westminster, Canons Farrar and Duckworth, the Rev. Dr. Martineau, Messrs. Robert Cust, A. J. Ellis, W. 8. W. Vaux, M. A, I, Tyler, M. A,, Moncure Conway, T. G. Iry- ing, C. E., and of the Hibbert truste: . Jerom Murch, of Cranwells, near Bath, writer of the memoir of the founder of the Trust excerpted in our columns yesterday; his son, Mr. J. C. Murch; Messrs. W. P. Price, James Heywood, F. R. §.; P. H. Laurence, C. J. ‘Thomas, and T. Warren, with the Sccretary to the Trust, Mr. Percy Lawford. It deserves re- mark that at least one-half the audience were ladies, severat being titled. Of the 1,500 ticket- holders about one-teath are clergymen. The Jecturer was warmly cheered both morning and evening on rising and on resuming his seat. The first Hibbert lecture was on *“The Per- ception of the Infinite:” but in its opening sen- tences Prof. Max Muller at once brought his audience face to facewith the problem to be handled throughout the whole course,—the origin of religion, The metaphysics of sensa- tion, perception, imagination. reasening are familiar to the student of Plato, Aristotle, Hume, and Kant: but the startling question, why we believe in things we can neither per- ceive with our senses nor conceive with our reason, though scemingly more natural than any other, has setdom received, even from the greatest philosophers, the attention 1t merits. When Strauss asks whether we still have a re- ligion, statistics answer that hardly one out of 100,000 professes to be without a religion. Supplementing Schifemacher’s old defini- tion of religion as a feeling of absolute dependence with Feuerbach’s, that its essence is covetousness shown in prayer, sacrifice, and faith, Strauss concludes, from there being less prayer, crossing, and attending masses now tuan in the Middle Asgcs, that, therefore, there is little left of real picty. Yet neither Strauss nor anybody else has proved that true religion menifests itsell in praver, crossings, and attend- ing wmass only. and that all who do not thus show it biave o longer any religion and no be- lief in God. But it we read on, s was proved by a striking quotation, Strauss bimself exem- plifies Al. Renan's remark,—that those poor Germans try very hard to be irreligious and atheistical, but Tnever succeed. Klsewhere Sirauss, asking himself whether he still has a religion, can only answer, *Yes, or mo, according as you understand 1t.”? But thisis thevery point he ouznt tohave ecttled at the outsct. But to understand what religion fs, we must begin by secing what it has neen. Accordingly, the audience were reminded that religion is ng new invention, but, at least, as old a< the world we know. Herder rightly traces ull higher culture to religious tradition, literary or oral. * Before the Aryan languages separated—mang thoasand years Defore tie first Vedic hymn, or Ilomer's first line, in the family ‘tongue there was the adjective deva (bright), whenee the Ltalian dewr, for God; and sinee in the Vedns deva came to mean God, it follows that something bevond the meantng of bright- ness” had attaclied itself to_ the old adjective before the ancestors of the Indians and Italiuns broke up from their common home. Thus, whether we go back to the roots of our own culture in the for- gotten past, or climb the lofilest heights of modern speculation, everywhere religion is a power that conquers even those who dream they have conquered it. Such a power did ot escape the keen-eved philosobners of ancient Greece, and with their thivkings about it be- gins the science of rcligion. Feuerbach’s theo- ry is a radical evil, inherent in mankind, was an- ticipated by Herakleltos, in the sixth century B. C., when he called {t u disease, though a sacred disease, though the lecturer doubted swhether there was in the savings of Herakleitos the same hostility azainse all religion as in Feuerbach. Herakleitos certainly blames those who run after singers and pray to idols, as if they were to gossip ~wiith the walls. Epikouros does the smme. But Herakleitos nowhere, like Epikouros, denies the existeuce of invistble gods, or of the One Divive. Ouly he marveled at séeing people be- lieve what Homer and Héstod told them about Zeus and tiera, Hermes and Aphrodite, and set it down to mental disease, which the phvsician might try to heal, but could never hope to stamp out. Hence,in o sense, the science of religion is no more a _modern invention than relizion _itself, a philosophy of \hich begins with_children’s asking its why and wherefore. ‘The lecturer thinks religion sugeested the first problems of philozophy, and the saying of Tha- les that water was the beginning of all things, far trom being so childish in that day as geems 1o us now, was the first” bold denial that the gods had made the world, and the first clalm pur in that the thinkers had as zood a_right as the bards to speak of the gods. Herakleitos, however, did more than show the crowd to be wrong. He asked himself the why and wherefore. ~ What is the origin ot relizion? How i3 it we belicve what cannot be furnishied us by our senses or estab- lished by our reason? It was the same question they were asking themseives at that hour. Doubtless Herakleitos meant by *‘oiesis,” or belief, something very different from what we mean by religion, on the. ditferent senses of which word and the great fmportance of defin- i t the lecturer next spoke. Ile discussed its ctymolomxical meani adopting Cicero’s de- rivation from redegere—to gatber up again, take up, consider, ponder,—opposed to nec: tigere, to neglect. Passing theuce to the his- torical aspect of religion, the Professor asked who has a right to say religion shall be restricted to its etymological meaning or to any ope given scnse only. 'Tic mere savage may not cven have a name for religion; still when the Papua sounts before his karwar, clasping his hands over his forchead, and asking himselt whether it §s right or wropg to do 2 certain thing, that is to him relizion. Again, when a recent philosopher, atter antiquating gods and God, falls down before a beloved memory, dedi- cating all his powers to the service of humani- ty, that was to him religion. The mien, pos- ture, smiting on the breast, and prayer of the publican were to him religion. Thales preach- fng that.all things werefull of the gods, Buddha denving devas_or gods altogether, were both stating their religious convictions. -The young Brahman fs religious when lichting the fire on his altar at the rising of the sun, and praying the oldest prayer of the world, *Lighten thou our minds*; nor does he ceasc to be so0 when in later years he dis- cards such rites as uselcss, -nay, as hurt- ful, and silently buries his ownself in the Eter- nal Self. Schiller from religion professed no religion. How shsll we, then, take in all these phases of thought fn defining religion? The definition given by Kant, that religion is moral- ity, was then compared with that of his “imme- diate successor Fichte, Who says itis never practical and was never intendedito infiuence our life. According to him practice belongs to morality, and it is only a corrupt society that has to use religion as an fmpulse to moral action. Religlon is knowledre answering the hizhest questions, harmonizing and hallowine our mind. The Jocturer protested against either Kant's or_Fichte’s being taken as a sat- isfactory definition. There could be re- ligion with or without worship. The hatives ot New Nursis, in Western Australia, believe in Motogon, an Ompipotent befng, who breathed saying ‘*Earth come forth!” and the earth was made. They imagine him a very tall, powertul, and wise man of their own country and complexion. Confronting this author of good is Cienga, the author of evil, unchainer of the whirlwind and storm, slayer of their chil- dren, whom they fear exceedingly., But the Roman Catholic Bishop of Perth, after studying the religions life of these peeple for three years, has never observed any act of external worship, nor any indiecation sugpesting the ractice of any internal worship, Amorg the Jidatsa or Grosventre Indians of Missourl is found the very opposite’state. es the “Qld Man Lnmortal,” “Great Spirit,” or “Great Mystery,” they worship everything In nature. Who shall” say hich of these two savage races is the more truly re- lizous? Yet the definers of religion are always ruling out other definers. - Kant would call much of what other people call religion halluctnation; Fichte would call Kant’s own re- ligion mere lezality. The brilliant services in Chiuvese temples or Roman Catholic cathedrais many would call mere superstition, while the faith of the sllent Australians and Kant's half- uttered convictions would:be classed as-not far from atheism. Schleiermacher’s definition of religlon as dependence was next contrasted with Hegel's, who says it is or ought to pe per- fect freedom: for it is neither ‘more nor less thap the Divine Spirit becoming consciuus of nimsel{ through the finite 8pirit. The one step requisite from’ this point to making, not only the subject, but also the object of relizion and worship, was taken by Feuerbach in Germany, and by Comte in France. Comte aua his d ciples often preached this Worship of humanity with solemn and sublime cnthustasm. But Feuerbach breaks this last idol, man, thinks seif- fsh the only mntural hunan motive, and charges the priests of humanity with decefving either the world or themselves, This vast di- versity of definitions of relizion showed the dif- ficuity of framing oue strictly applicable to ail that has ever been called relleion. The lecturer expressed his belief that the task is_impossible, tor the reuson that religion is still passing through an historical evolution. Hence all we can do is to follow it up to ils oririn, and then try to comprebiend it in its later developments. What is possible is to give some specific charac- teristic which distluguishes the objects of relig- fous consciousness from- all other. objects, and at the same. time .distinguishes our conscious- ness as applied to relizious objects from our consciousness when dealing with objects sup- plied to it by the senses and reason. Lt was then shown that- religion is a Sub- jective facugJty for the apprehension of theInfinite. . Prof. Max Muller here reproduced This definition of the subjective side of relizion, or faitn eiven in bis Royal Institution lectures on the ¢ Science of Relizion” in 1873, saving how far he agreed with the criticisms it had called forth, both in this country and abroad. **Relig- ion,””'he had said, *is a mental faculty which, independent of, nay, in spite of, sense and rea- soun, enables man to apprehend the Infinite under different: nanes and various disguises. Without that faculty, no religion, not even the lowest worship of idols aud fetishes, would be possible; and if we will but listen attentively we can hear in all religions & grosuing of the spirit, a struggle to conceive the incouccivable, to utter the unutterabie, a longing atter the Infivite, a_love of God.” The lecturer first quietly dealt with the objectious raised against his speaking of religion a a faculty, expressing his perfect willingness to say “ potential ener- ey " instead. The mext objection dealt with was that there is sowething mysterious in the Professor’s ‘vicws or relizion. He could not see that in admitting, besides thc sensuous and rational,” a third function of the conscious sclf for apptohending the Intialte, we introduce & mysterkom = ' chology. One of the ese, utax relieious knowledee is ths admission of beings which can neither be apprehended by sense nor comprehended by reason. Heuce. sense and reasop could not account for the facts Lefore us. Sensuous perception itself is the real mys- tery of all mysteries. Reason, too. certain hi- losophers have represented as altogether in- comprehensible; yet reason i3 but u develop- ment of sensuous perceptiov. The same is true of religion on its subjective side, as faith. After further explanations'on this head. the lecturer proceeded to weizh the objections raised agaiust his use of the term infinite as applied to all objects of relizious consciousuess, and cleared up the meaning’ of that term, or any other which might scem preferable. tie denied that auy abstraction from the finite could give us any idea of the influite, and traversed tho assertion that the infinite is simply a negative abstraction. If no more than that, it would be aword formed by false sualogy, and siguify nothing. The denial by the positive philosophy of the possibillty of any relizion whatsoever, on the eround that men, being finite, cannot com- prehend the infinite, was then boldly challenged, and the battle between those who believed iu something transcending our senses and our rea- son, who ¢laim for man a potential energy for apprehending the infinite, and’ those who reject that elaim on purely psychologi grounds, it was admitted must end in the L[O?‘ of one and the surrender of tbe other party. The con- ditions accepted on both sides in this life or death strugzgle are sensuous knowledge, begin- .ning with sensuous perception, and conceptual knowledge, consisting of collective and ubstract concepts by the process of thinking, aud differiog from seosuous knowledge not in_ substance but in form only. As far as the materfal is concerned noth- ing exists in the Intellect save what existed be- fore in the senses. Prof. Max Muller maintained that religion, if only we are left iagpossession of our senses, such a5 we really flhd them, not suchas thcy have been defined for us, so far from being_impossibic, is mevitable. The only eift clatmed is pereeption, tbe only reyvelation historical evolution, as history 1s now termed. Not, indeed, from the very beginning of our history is_the idea of the infinite found ready- made in the human mind; to wmillions the very word would be uwmntelligible. But the werm, the possibility, the not-yet of the idea lies bid- den in the earliest sensuous perceptions, and as reason is evoived from what is finite, so faith is d from what, from the very beginning, is infinite in the perceptions of our senses. Positive philosophy -imagines that all sup- plied to us through the senses is by s very nature finile, and the very word infinite 8 mere jiule. 11 reason draws all her capital from the senses, who has a right, it asks, tospeak of the infinite! In answer it is not cnough to appeal to tne facts of the relizious consciousness; they must be explained. It will be the object of these lectures to note these fucts, as illustrating what Homer says, that ** As young birds ope the mouth for food all men crave for the gods,” although this historical de- velopment of religious thougnt will be traced in one stream orly,—namely, in India. But first the preliminary and more abstract question ad 0 be answered, Whence comes that something else, which nefther sense nor reason can supply? Whese is the rock for him to stand on who de- clines to rest on anything but what is called the evidence ot the senses, or to trust in anything but the legitimate deductions derived from it oy reason, and yei maintains his beliet in sometbing transcending both sense and reason? With this view it was shown that materiats furnished by the senses are not finite_oniy, but that among them are notions of the intinitely great. Where man’s eyesizht looks down there presses upon man, whether he lkes it or not, the percention of the unlimited or intioite in space. Ifit be 00 bold to say man actnally sees the invisible, say he suffers from the invisible, and this invis- ible is but a special name for the intinite. The- ology begins with anthropologr. We must begin with @ man liviog in hizh rmountains, or in a ‘vast plain, or on a coral island without hills and streams, surrounded on all sides by the endless expanse of the ocean, and acrecne ve by the unfathomable blue of the and we shall then understand how from the images thrown upon him by the senses, some idea of the infinite wowd ari in_ his mind earlier even than the conception of thie finite, and would 1orm the omnipresent back- ground of the faintly-dotted picture of bis mo- notonous life. In like manner it was shown we can apprehend the infinitely small. We may, if we like, postulate an atom, although our senses admit of noreal atoms, nmor of imponderable substances, ‘*immaterial matter,” as Robert Mayer called these last gods of Greece. And what applies to sbace applies equally to time, to quality, to quantity. Neither “colors nor sounds, though they seem to do so, move e~ tirely within the finite. Where does blue end and green bemin? Or green end and yetlow be- 2in!” As soon put our clumsy fingers on the poiut where onc millimetre euds and another begins, The notfon of color was followed in its protean forms half over the zlobe and from the Bible, the Vedas, and Zendavesta, Homer, the Romance, and Teutonic tongues to the litera- tureof the Chincse. So of sounds. Oar car begins to apprehend tone when there are thirty vibrations a second, ~gad ceases to apprehend it when there are 4,000 Frof. Max Muller hoped he should not be understood as holding that .the religion of the lowest savases begins with the barren idea of the infinite, and with -nothing else. He en- tirely rejected such an opinion, and at present was acting on the defensive only. It is in answer to that powerful school of phiOSOphy, which on that one point has made craverts even smong the most orthodox defeaders of the faith, that he felt ft necessary <o point out, at the very outset, that their feets are no facts, but that the infinite was present from the be- ginning In all finite perceptions, just asthe blue color was, though we tind no name for it, any more than for the infinite In the dictionarics of the Vedas and Papuas. The fact that there is no finite without an infinite was dwelt on, illustrated, and followed outf to its mo- mentous Jssue fn ts beadngs on the relizgious history of the Aryan, Semitic, and Tucanian races, the chief place being, of course, assizned to the ancient Aryuns of India, whom the lecturer rezarded os in inany respects. the most wonderful race that ever livea on carth. The growth of their relizion, he sald, is very different from the growth of other relig- ions; though each relizlon has its own peculiar growth, the seed from which they spring is everywhere the same. That eecd is the percen- tionof the infinite, from which no one can escape who does not willfully shut his eyes. From the first flutter of human consclousness, that perception underlies all other perceptions of our senses, all our imagininys, all our con- ceptions, and every argument of our reason. It may be buried for a time beneath the fragments of our tinite knowledge, but it is always there; and if we dig but deep enough we shall always find that burfed seed, as supplying the living fnp to the fibres and feedersof all truere- izion. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TOE REV. G. F. BUGDEE DENIES THAT IT HAS ROMISH TENDENCIES. Cincinnatt Commercial, May 12, The Rev. Georae F. Bugbee replied Iast even- ing from the chancel of St. Jobn's Cburch to the charges of Romish tendencies on the part of the Episcopal Church, preferred by the Rev. P. B. Morzac on the occasion of his retirement from the Rectorship of St. John's Church two weeks ago. A large audience was present, and the speaker was listened to with close attention apd manifest approval. . Istand here to-night at the request of the vestry of this Church to reply to the statements recently made in this place, charging the Epis- copal Church with Romish tendencies. The motives that prompted these statements we are bound to believe were honest and sincere, and we cannot question the speaicer’s right to take the step he has. But, after carefully constder- ing his utterances, I cannot bring myself to be- lieve that he fully realized the import of what be was saying. I shall reply by claiming first that it was a breach of propriety to say what he did fn the place he did, and, second, that his statements are incorrect. s No one will dispute me, I think, in saging that to make such statements from this pulpit before his rectorship had expired was a breach of trust. A soldier, Intent on deserting to. the enemy, would not do a more ungrateful thing were he to fire .upon his comrades before leaving the rank: slate as Good Friday evening, in my own hearing, Mr. Moygan urged many to come for- ward fato the fold of the Church, and on the day of his retirement from the rectorship of the Church urged the members to hold together. I find it diflicult to make this action seem con- sistent with his utterances on the evening or that day. It seems to me to have been almost cruel to have thus trifled with the feelings and affections of his people in thus urging them to come into and hold firmly together in a com- munion so corrupted by Romanism as he has charzed. Such condjpet scems to me to be char- acterized by the miost marked inconsistency, and this much of personal criticism I cannot forbear from uttering. But to Mr. Morzan's statements. He says, first: 1 do solemnly afiirm that the ° doctrines and practices pecaliar to the Roman Catholic Church are, one and all, save the sapremacy and infallibil- ity of the Pope, held, tausht, and practiced with- out let or hindrance {n the go-callea Protestant Episcopal Church. The charze has both truth and untruth in it. e aamit tht the above crrors of the Catholic Church are held and aflirmed by some pastors in the Episcopal Church, but I am satisfied it is not by more than a dozen of the entire 3,000 within the Church. That the great body of our clergy are against such practices is capable of the clearest proof. The late pastoral letter of the House of Bishops cautions our people acainst the worship of the Salnts and the very things of which Mr. Morzan complains. Ii was also nflirmed that the word * rezenerate » does not have the same meaning as used by the Enmiscopal Church that is given to it by Catho- lics. Certain practices in the celebration of the Holy Communion were also condemned, and it was ordered that it any Bishop knows of a npastor within his jurisdic- tion who is in the habit of " elevat- ing the emblems in _ sight of the people, or permits bowing down before the em- Dlems, cr anvthing else not authorized by the Book of Common Prayer, it shall be the duty of that Bishop to admonish such minister, and in case he still continue those practices, to bring him to tral therefor. Ierewe have a specitic deeree of the Church that these thingsshall not be sanctioned or tolerated, and the Church in the enactment of this law, thouzh no one has been called to an account under it, has erected a great barrier in the way of these Romish prac- tices. The refusal of the Church to confirm such men as Bishops as are believed to be Ritualists is another disproof of the above charze. Dr. Seymour, the sccond time he was chosen Bishop, affer long discussion, and a letter from him ex- plicitty denying that he was u Rftualist, was confirined. ~ The confirmation of Dr. Seymour can not be construed as a step toward Ritualism on the part of the Church, for he has denjed that he is a Ritualist, and any proof to the con- trary would onlytend to prove him to be a falsi- fer. If there is any way of making such a_ thing clear, it bas certainly been shown that our’ Church is determined po Ritualist shall be a Bishop. Thepclmrse that at the last Convention a vote was taken by which it was determined that these things should now continue unmolested under the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1 declare to he false in fact and false in spirit. It requires the concurrent action of the House of Bishops and the House of Depu- ties to make a deeree. If 3 proposition passes one house, but is rejected in the other, it is re- jeeted altogether. “The vote upon the matter 1o which reierence is made was postponcd by the House of Deputies. That such postpouc- ment cannot in fairnese be construed as above is clear, when we consider the character of the men who composed the House. Among those who voted for the postponement were many who it is well known would never advocate auricular coufession or the elévation of the emblems, and their vote cannot be taken as meaning aporoval of such practices. There, was great confusion in the minds of the Depu- ties as to what was best to du, aud near thetime of adjournment the matter was referred to a special committee, to be reported upon at the next Convention. N The charze that in the adjustmect of the ionary Board the most advanced men have been placed in positions of trust, to the ex- clusfon of moderate me, is easily refuted. Of the eleven men composing the Board, Dr.'Dxx is the only one who can be characterizedas “‘ad- vanced.” Dr. Hoffman is perhaps something more than moderate, but all tne others are elther Moderate Churchmen or Low Church- men. And this 15 the Board of Missions that drove our brotier out of the Church. He must have wanted to go, and was pushed nard for reasons for his action. 1t is charzed that the Church does not require Catholic pricsts to be reordained upon Rom: cn:‘c: o her ministry. A Roman Catholic priest is uot reordained upon entering the ministry of our Chureh for the same reason that a member of the Greek Cnurch is not, viz.: because he bas already been orisined in the manuer pre- seribed by our Chnreh. But let it be borne in mind chat he is required to renounce publicly the errors of the Catholic Church, and declare his free.und full acceptance of the doctrines of the Episcopal Church. Ministers from other Prot- estant denominations are not required to re- nounce errors previously held, but are reor- dained for the reason that the Episcopal Church has a form of ordination that sbe believes should be adhered to. We rejoice in the godly character, learning, and carnest zeal of the clergymen of other de- nominations. and in the work they are doing. As regzards the inviting of themintoour pulpits, thereis a diversity of opfnion, come holding that it is unlawful, otbers that it i3 inexpedient, and still others that it is both. In conclusion, let me recall some of the char- acteristics of this grand old Church. ft is the only Church that was ever reformed, and the Jnly one that retains the fosts, and feasts, and | progress of the year. It hasa Litargy that ex- presses the purity of the English tongue. It recognizes that there must always bediversity of opicion, and exbibits, as is done by no. other communion, that true catholic spirit, that com- prehensiveness, without which there can_never be such a thing as Christian moity. It is and always will be the ereat Protestant Church ol the earth. Itis a Bivle-reading Church. More than any other Church does it placc an open Biblo before its members. Once every year onr people hear the Bible read throush. Tt was an open Bible trat. hrought about the Reformation. This grand old Church gives herself wholly up to the work of teaching the Bible to her chil- en. If a Bible-reading and Bible-teaching Church is in danger of lapsing, what has become of the power of the Word of God? He has said: My Word s truth.” If we are in danger, [ see no course that promises hope and safety for the future. 2 But be not deceived. This grand old Church is pot becoming Romanized. The splendid stand she has made acainst Rome in the past will be repcated through the futurc. This is our Church, the Church of our fathers, the Church of grand relations to the race, and of tender memories for it. We will give this Church to our children in all the integrity and purity in which it was handed down to us. GENERAL NOTES. A sodality of colored Catholies has bern or- ganized in Providence, R. 1., under the title and patronage of Saint Augustine. It wumbers about fifty members. Mr.R. A. Arnold estimates, in an article fn the Nineteenth Century, that were the Church of En- fgland disestablistied it would retdin o surplus of £120,000,000 after all claims had been met. Bishop Stevens, of Pennsyivania, has recently, gone through the formula of *“deposing from the ministry” the Rev. William Newton, of Philadelphia, who withdrew trom the Protestant Episcopal and joined the Reformed Episcopal Cnurch. € Bishop Stevens, fn his late address to the Penosylvania Episcopal Convention, spoke of Communism as an ¢vil, which “can be met, not by argument, not by legisiative action, but coly by physical force, to quell its outbreaks or even handle {ts movements.” It was in an unguarded moment that the pas- tor of the Ashland Avenue Presbyterian Church cast a reflection upon Smith street, for the name “Smith Street Presbyterian Church” will be likely to attach itsclfto his church for some time to come. The dailies help the matter along.—Aliiance. ‘The Deutscher Merker has positive information that the Vatican decrees have not heen promul- fatcu in Portugal, and that the relations of Pius X. to the Bishops and priests of that country were unfricndly to the last; while in India the Porturuesc priests and congregations retuse to acknowledge the authority of any of the Bish- ops appointed by the late Pope. The English Ritunlists have started another organization withi aims and metbods substan- tially akin to the Society of the Holy Cross or the Confraternity of the Blussed Sacrament, both of which, having been uxposed, have beer condemued by the publie. The new Order Is called the ** Order of Corporate Reunion.” It recognizes the orders and sacraments of the Church of England, and hopes, on this basis, to promote and_ultimately to effect orzanic union between the Roman, the Greek, and the Angli- can Churches. The Council of the Union of American He- brew Congregations will meet at Milwaukee in July, and it is believed, says the Jewish Afessen- ger, that *“a sufficient number of congregutions in the Atlantic States™ will attend ** to realize the expectations of the joint committe¢ repre- senting ”’ the Uuion and tne Board of Delegates, and “‘virtually to eflect the barmonious co- operation of American Israclites in a movement primarily designed to promote Jewish educa- tion.” ‘The Conucil will be the first national assembly of the new orgavization. Articles of incorporation have been filed in the Recorder’s office of Cook County by the Central Christian Church, meeting in Campbel} tall, corner Van Buren street and Campbell avenue, changing its name to that of “The Second Christian Church of Chicawo.” This congregation was organized a3 a mission, about six years ago, from the First Christian Chursh at Indiana avenue and Twenty-fifth street. A new church building {s now being erected on Oakley avenue, near Adams street, and will be reaay for occupancy within the Dext two or thorec months, when the Second Christian Church will remove from its present place of worship to the new home. A remarkable coaversion occurred at Spring- ficld of a Japanese priest who attended Mr. Moody’s meetiugs in that city. The young man’s experience has been of a most striking and satisfactory character, and the chanzewhich- it has wrought in alt his views and plans of life is complete. Mr. Alpheus Hardy says that the - young mav has been to him not only radiant With joy and peace on his own account; but filled with zeal and eolicitude for the 200 or more of his countrymen here Wwho are not Uhristians, urging that special efforts be mage to enlizhten and save them, and offering to payall expenses. One of his first acts was to report to the Japanese Ambassador at Washinzton, who has also become a Christian. The recent procecdings of the Episcopal Con- vention relative to 8t. Clement’s Church cause much excitement in Episcopal circles in Phila- delphia, and the subject bas attracted attention throughout the country. It was doubtless de- sired to make this a test case in the matter of Ritualistic practices in the United States, aud the differences ot opfnion in the Church upon the value and advisability of these extrcie forms are honest and deep. The Convention showed by a preponderant vote that it was in by far the greater part opposed to the St. Clement’s Church practices, and it formally resolved to appoint 2 committee to “investizate” the doings at that church. This action the St. Clement’s autliorities declared was tyrannous as far as it was not simply foolish; in other words, they hela (1) that tie Convention had no right to make such an investization, and (3) that {t was quite impossible that snything prac- ticable would come of it, should it be made. Not the less was the Convention determined. and adjourned, leaving the investigation to be pursued in the interval before the next annual meeting. ‘The most perplexing question with which the Southern Methodist General Conference Las to deal is the embarrassea condition of the pub- lishing house atNashville. 250,000 in It is @2 debt, and though its assets are Jargely in excess of its ,liabilities, they consist of real estate, presses, electrotype-plates, and copyrights and bills receivable, upon which, probably, enouzh ‘which lasted over an hour. the dripping candi- Baptist Church, made a short address, and Mr. Brooks offcred o prayer, after which the latter waded out into the stream watil he was waist deep. and the candidates were broueht out to him successively,—~two always on the way out whilz two were being immersed, and twwo more on the way in,—the Elders assisting, Therc was not much of a sensation when the men were be- ing baptized, but when the women were about being dipped much interest was manifested. There was however, not so much of ascene a3 was expected, most of them merely exclaiming, as they came up dripping, *Bless God, I'm {ree;™ *Thank you, Jesus. you've washed mv sins away.” At'the conclusion of the service, dates, well wrapped, were placed in the omni- buses and returned to the church on Vermont avenue, when the subsequent services werekept up nearly the entire day.— Washington Star, May 13. PERSONAL. The Boston daily papers are discussiog the question whether Mr. Sankey ever sold soap or patent medicine in the streets of this city. The Rev. J. B. Rideout, because of ill-health, will spend the summer in the Rocky Mouantain country, making his headquarters at Sonth Pueblo, Col. 3 The Rev. N. W. Miner, D. D., of Oshkosh, Wis., has, on account of the state of his wife's health, felt obliged to resign his pastorate, and is now at the East. The Rev. Mr. Saitonstall, formerly a broker in Wall street, New York, was recently ordained and institated Rector of St. Mary’s Protestant Episcopal Chureh, Dorchester, Mass, The Rev. Dr. Putnam, of Boston, who recent- ly died, was asked in his ol age to enzage a col- leazue. He replied, *“ No, I would rather preach poor sermous myself than listen to them from otners,” and so continued to fill his pulpit until within'a very short time. The Rev. §. J. Carroll, when he closed a three years’ appointment at the Methodiss Church'in Willimaotie. Cong., a fet weeks ago, reeeived the bigh honor of a parting salute of artillery. There’ were_some men in the town who were clad that he left, and made merry over it. They were rumsellers and drinkers, whose business and practices Mr. Carroll had persistently opposed during his pastorate. ‘The American Sunday-School Unionaunounces that Rev. Dr. Richard Newton retires onaccount of the pressure of pastoral and other duties, and . the Society hasappointed the Rev. Edwin W. Rice editor of "its perioaicsls. Mr. Rice orizinated the blan of the “Scholar’s Handbook” (the first belp ot that kind issued), and bas edited the successive volumes upon the [nternational Serfes of Sunday-School Lessons, which have bad such a wide and favorable reception. Pope Leo XIIL displays towards the members of his family the same reserve 8s his_predeces- sor. His brotner, the Rev. Giuseppe Pecci, who 15 one of the priests most esteemed of the Ko- man clergy, because of his learning, has just besn appointed Scribe of the Vatican Library This is a very modest position, and it is very modestly remunerated. It gives no influence at Court, but it is admirably adapted o the per- sonal character and labors of the Abate Peeci. Of the last graduating and present senior class at Andoger, Mr. Kidder, of Saugus, sod 3r. James H. Pettee, of Manchester, N. H., zo to Japar in the fall; Messrs. James L. Fowle, of Woburn, and John P. Jones, of Shenandoah City, Pa., to the Madara Mission, India; und Mr. George H. Gutterson to the Zulu Mission, Af- rica. The American Board also sends Mr. Rich- ard C. Hastings, who craduates at Auburn Seminary this vear, to Ceylon, to reiuforee his * father, the Rev. E. P. Hastings, Siuce the death of Father Bohem, who crossed the centeonial line, the Rev. George Harmon, of the Central New York Conference, has been supposed to be the oldest Methodist minister in the warld. Mr. Harmon has now departed this 1tfe, at the age of 95 years, and vow Dr. Lovick Pierce, of Georgfa, who recently celeorated his 94th birtbday, is the next in the Methodist apos- toliz succession. When Mr. Harmon entercd the itinerancy of the Methodist Church therc were only 400 ministers in it and less than 130,- 000 meiabers. He served in the ranks forty-ona years, retiring from active duty thirty-two yearr ago. - ANNOUNCEMENTS. The Michigan Universalist Association will meet in Hinsdale, June 5. The Revs. Hanson and Ryder, of this city, are expecied to attend. The Rev. Edward Sullivan, D. D., Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, will at this morning’s service celebrate the tenth auniversary of his Rectorate. Next Sunday aiterncon Bishop MeLaren will visit the parish of All Saints, of which the Rev. H. G. Perry is Rector, and confirm 2 class ‘of candidates for the holy ritc. Last Suaday five baptisms were administercd by the Rector. The meeting of Universalist clergymen in this city on Wednesday and Thursday, May 20 and 50, promises to be one of special interest and profit. The main study with the brethren present will be in reference to the nature and office of the sermon. The Revs. T. N. Glover, A. Laiug, S. W. Sutton, and others will submit. sermons for discassion and eriticism. The Rey. Charles Flubrer will read an essay before the mecting. Public_meetings will "be held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, with ser- mons and addresses. The American Sunday-School Unlon will hold its fifty-fouth anopiversary on next Tuesduy evening, May 21, in the ‘Academy of Music, Philadelphia._The Rev. Arthur Mitchell, D. D., L. Z. Lelter, Esq., E. E. Linckley, Esqs, and F. G. Ensian are expected to attend from Ch Addresses will be delivered by -the Roy. Mitchell of Chicazo, the Rev. William M. T: lor of New York, and the Rev. Dr. McViear of Philadclphiz. Ino the last seven years this Soci- ety has established over 8.0C new Sunday- schools, aud given over 70.000 Bibles and Testa- . meuts to those who were destitute of them. The State Sunday-School Convention willmeet at Decatur May 2Uand 23. The programme i3 full of 1rood things, and 2 number ot our best workers are_dowa for addresses. The listin- cludes President Anderson, C. 3L Morton, M. C. Hazard, the Rev. Richard Edwards, e the Rev. W. M. Paxton, the Rev. J. D. Wilson, Mr. W. F. Crafts, Miss Lucy J. Ryder, Miss Frances Willard, and others. ~ Deleates must have ecrtiticates from one of the oflicers of their county association to_secure the reduced rates over the railroads. Tickets for the round trip must be purchased in advance. None but dele- - eates are promised hospitality. but ail such «whoso names are sent to J. R.Gorin, Decatur, before the Convention, will be provided for. could not be realized to liguidate the debt. Dr. A. H. Redford, the agent, has been indefatiza- ble in his efforts to save the house from bank- ruptey, and bas a large personal estate pledged as securities upon its paper. While there arc those who attribute the embarrassment of the concern to bis lack of skill, the better informed seem tothink thatbut forhis extraordinary satch- fulness and persoual sacrifice the bouse would have gone into financial ruin long azo. How to relieve this state of affairs is the problem now batlling the financiers of the Conference. That 800,000 Southern Methodists ought to be com- peteat to lift this burden in a month no onecan 1ai) to see, as it would only take an asscssment of less than 40 cents to the member to relicve the pressure and gmive it a handsome margin upon which to operate. A Boston carrespondent of the New York Worid suys that in that city *the number of converts to Catholicism is legion, and the wass of them are not from the Episcopal Church, but Methodists, Baptists, and Unitarians. Sowe of the most prominent positions in the Church here are filled by converts. Father Metcalf, Chancelior of the Diocese, is ason of Judze Peron Metealf, and connected with some of the proudest familics of the Commonwealth. Father Welch, of the Immaculate Conception, became a convert at Harvard Colleze. Heis a Jesuit of the deepest devotion, a ripe scholar, and connected with the best of Boston society. The Rev. Phillips Brooks is his_intimate friend, the two being much together. Father Bodtish, a curate at the Cathedral, who much of the time acts as Rector, is from Mayflower stock, and his kindred are still piilars of the church from which he has depacted. The late ¥atner Har- Kkins, who devoted himself with so much zeal to the fnterests in his charze, was changed from Pro*estanttsm by listening t the late Ur. Ly- man Beecher’s sermons upor che Catholle reliz- jov. And the list might be extended verv reatly by enumerating the lesser lights who §nve entered this communion, a niece ot Prof. Longdellow being among the Jatest.” A GREAT BAPTISM IN THE FOTOMAC. Yesterday morninz the sizht of larze num- bers of colored peaple, on foot and in_vehicles of every description, Zoing toward ¢ The Syca- more " on the Potomac (above the Lonz Bridge) attracted many white people there, and it was not long before there was a crowd of about 2,000 people on the river banks. many seated 1n wazons, and some o boats on the river. Ata few minutes before § o'clock several omnibuses drove down, and the candidates (from the Fifth Colored Baptist Church), to the nurmber ot 127, mostly all of them with thelr heads covered with white caps or handkerchiefs, disembarked, and, headed by the Rev. J. H. Brooks and the Elders, wmarched to the point seiected, and remained fo a_line at the water's edge. The Rev. Mr. Winston, of the Seventh PIOUS HUMOR. Did Kimball ever try to raise anything next door to the man who owns hensi—Danbury News. ‘Talk about the mild countenances of the old monks! Why, one way of recognizing a monic was by his cowl. 01d Nebuchadnezzar was no lover of card- playing. The Goud Book says he came down flat-footed on ** all-fours.” “Go out, young man, she’s not here,” said a Kentucky preacher in the midst of his sermon to a youth hesitating in the doorway. A correspondent wants to know: “Can a Christian go to the cifcus?” Why, yes, he can o to the circus casily enoughs but it will cost nim a quarter. The prayer of the Norman might suit the' spirit of our own time. It was: “Kind Heaven, I do not ask for wealth; only to bo laced within arm’s length of some mun whp as it."” * Will rou please insert thisobituary notice?” asked an’old zentleman of a country editor. I malke bold to ask it because Iknow the deceased had a erear many {riends about here who'd be ©lad to hear of his death.” Relizious papers are discussing the question, “ How shall we interest the younz at chu; Offer tickets, zood for admission o the first . circus of the season, to such bofs asare most punctual and regular in attendance. A Sunday-schocl teacher was tellinz hes scholars the other Sunday about a bad boy who stole 3100, when she was™ interrupted by oze of her auditors with the query: *And how the dickens did he gret such a bully chance#'” “Who was the doubtinz Disciple?” asked the Sunday-school teacher. * Peter,” promptly re- Dlied the smart bad boy. * No, Thomas,” said the teacher. **Then what do peopie always say Petered out’ for?” asked this bad smart boy. One was a Baptist and the other a Congrega- tionalist. ‘fhe walter asked them what they would order. “A little dipped toast,” said tho Baptist. “ You may give mc toast, also,” said the Congrezationalist cheerfully. **But don’t dip it Only sprinkle a littic butter.” There was a little fellow who knew Mother Gogse better than he knew his Bible. One Sun- day hewas asked inhis class, ** Who were thrown ioto the fiery furnace?’’ That was too much for him. The question was passed; the augwer came progptly, ** Shadrach, Meshach, and Abcdue- go.% "This was a mortification to the little