Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 19, 1879, Page 9

._THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. JANUARY 19, ISTU—SIXTEEN PAGHS RELIGIOUS. Episcopal Clergyman Starved to Death in Canada. An gdvice Given to the Churches There by a Toronte Paper, Religious Awakening in Rus- sia---Beecher on the Sabbath. Facts Concerning the Bible-=-Mrs. Swisshelm on the Pope and the Commune. Revising the Standards—Notes and Personals—Church Services To-Day. STARVED TO DEATH. THE TRIALS OF THE CLERGY. Toronto Mait. Tt was publicly stated in {at least two of our orincipal charches on Sunday thata clergyman of o promincat city church, ministering to one of our wealthy Episcopal congiegations, died 1ast week in want of the very necessaries of life. Sacha statement deliberately made, and doubt- Jess with a full knowledee of the facts of the case, sugaests some very painful reflections, and calls sternly for comment on the part of the press. Toronto boasts itself, and not with- ot justification, as the City of Churches. Visit- ors from the 01d country are taken round, with pardonsble pride, to view the handsome and Jusurious ecclesiastical edifices. The stranger js bidden to motice the streets on Sundays throuzed by serious-lovking and well-dressed people wending their way amidst the chiming of bells to their respective places of worship; £nd bis attention is called to the Sabbath still ness of the aeserted thoroughfsres during the bours of service. There is no ecity in the Dominion, we tell him, even if there be onc in Great Britain or on the planet; where the Lord’s Dayis so strictly obscrved as Lere. “Observe my Iriend,” we say to him, #“how admirably the voluntary system works in this great country—freer than your own. Look st this city of ours, with a church for every 600 jnhabitante,with its Roman Catholic, Anglican, Wesleyan, and Presbyterian Cathedrals, for they "deserve the name. Here we have no arrogant State Church,—all denominations are free to emulate one another in Christian rival{; and Debold theresult! We have a body of clerzy who will compare, and not unfavorably, with those of the metropolis of the world,—clergy supported by large and enthusiastic congrera- tions who pay them, not as elsewhere, starva- tion wzges, bat stinends which would make the . sveraze English vicar's mouth water. Look in at our overflowing Suday-schools, our Youne Men’s Christian Associations, our broad and liberal edus nal institutions, and nobie charities; and when you o home you can tell them that vou found across the Atlantic a na- tion worthy to be Enpland’s fairest danghter; thst you have witnessed the publication of the first volume of a new and improved edition of the annals of the race.”” Let us modestly pause in the midst of this sclf-zlorification.” It is not all empty boasting, but this is the silver side of the shield,—and, like Mr. Cartwright's, it has a vers dark copper one. Wemean 10 speak:some very plain, and, it may be, unwelcome truth on this subject. Amidst all this outward ecclesiastical prosper- aty, a clerzyman in charze of oneof our fash- jonable congrezations dies in want of the neces- saries of life,~a clergyman who has spent 2 life- time {o the gervice of the Church in Ontario. Surely this is a arim skeleton at our banquet. “ Can such things be?” we may well ask, “and overcome us like a summer cloud, without our epecial wonder?” \With reference to the spe- cial case which bas promoted oir remarks, we Lear that the congrezation were unaware of the facts, and that, at the last moment, charitable bards sent in to the dying mau_ample store of comforts and Juxuries. But this is no excuse. ‘They ought io bave known; and a very slight acouaintance with aritbmetic would have suf- ficed to show them whether they were paving their pastor a living stipend, while the church- wardens’ accounts would have testifled to the fact whether the stiped promised bad or had not been paid. We read of the miseries of clergymen in the backwoods, avd we are sorry, but_mot . aslonished. We read of socielies in England to supply old clothes and blankets to starving curates, and we shudder and thank God that we manage things better here. Do we really manage things better, or are our self-congratuistions tinged with phari- saism? We have heard of clergymen throwing up their charges in Toronto becanse they could not, zet their stipends paid, snd_trusting them- eelves in preference 1o the charities of the backwoods. We know of pastors of fashionable congregations whose salaries arcat this moment heavily in arrear. We know of able men who have to bear the crushinz burden of financial embarrassmeat as they go about their arduous ministerial duties. ¢ know of others nomi- nally in receipt of a handsome stioend who are expected to return a large portion of it to the congregation in beavy subscriptions to church objects. Nearly all our churches are scrambling along, living from band to mouth, stecpea to» 1be lips in debt, very proud if they can in any fashion pay their own way, and doing wonder- fully little for any objects outside their own four walls. No wouder that the whole head s sick and the whole heart faint. The time has come to tell the truth in this matter sternly and un- flinchingly. The cause of ali such scandals as those on which we arc commenting is the rech® less boildine of churches on credit. A dis- rontented cligue in 2 coneregation are dissatisfied with their minister, they intrigue agaiost him, and, if defeated, shiake the dust off their fec* and build a church for themselves, —with other people’s moner. The residents m = neigbborhoud dislike a ten minutes’ walk on Sundsy, ana they build a church nextdoor,—on credit. Apain, an Anglican church, or a Pres- byterian, is built, and the Weslerans insist on Eltllue upa competition buiiding, or vice versa. ence the city is dotted with churches, bardly one of which is out of debt. For, be it observed, buildiog_on credit leads to wanton extrava- gance. The projectors of a church are not con- tent with 2 modest and inexpensive edifice. It must be an architectural ornament to the city. It must contain all the newest improvements. It must be expensively warmed, lavishly lighted, luxuriously cushioned. The organ niust be a splendid one. The bell must be more sonorous than any within a radius of half a mile. There must be 2 fashionable or intellectual preacher. Andso on. To attract an able minister a larze :gm%’ mus& be nfl'iur\:d‘ iWcu,f Illlm 'paswir is gaged, and everything Is in fall operation. The church is ope-ied With a flourish I\;f trum- gfls and a galaxy of ecclesiastical stars. The ills are spread over a Jong time, buy after a Ylile they begin to fall duc. The minis- ter soon finds that he must loyally share his psople’s embarrassments. e submits sllently to o practical reduction of salary. Soon the aid of the ladies is invoked, o great bazonr is held, and fair Saces, bright eyes, protty trif 2d barefared pambling wheedle and inveigle the dollars gut.of the pockets of vainly resist- ing mec. - The ball-d,szusted males submit to fleceed. The Jadies fill the'r houses with great barmains iu anti-macasears, which are dear atanyprice. The bank clerks, or an equally Soft ciass of the community, are delicately fed and decorated with slowers, and pay with cash, and are repaid by flattering swiles. Then come the churcy entertainments, Wno can refuse to buy a ticket and pav a quarter? Hordes of girls—dear little” highwaywomen—infest the strects and kidnap the unwary, and flood the Danks and offices. and pester the merchants. e penny readiag grows stale, and is succeeded by tebleaux and nantomimes and amateur thes streals. Somchow ihe churchstrugzleson; but the foad of debt is never lifted. The elerzyman £rows disheartened, the coneregation desbond- €ent, and then thiey quarrel, apdat Jast anew and JFounrer and more fashionable pulpiteer is en- #ared, and the old round and the old strugwie Tecommences. Then the pastor is oid and Tusty, und if e cannot be induced to rotire he Inust be starved out—and, as we see, literally is Sumetimes starved out and dies. Men of busi Dees grow sutky at a religion which is alwa; botl:ering them and alway begging. The figure of the Ciurch scems o be afways holding tho t, and, as the shipwrecked sailor said when he ¥anted to do something religious, * Let us take Up a collection,” so giving secms to be the Synonym Imlec!. +, Religion will néver really flourish amongst us, the churches will pever stand fast and be sf-flgfi; Ull the congregations determine to give up dishonest extravagance, and conduct their af gns on straichtforward business. rinciples. No urc!) should bebuilt tll it can gc paid for— fixd when a new church is imperatively needed, 1 :Esulr'est sign thereof will be that the money is fortheoming. Then the current revenues will 1ot be absorbed ju the sinking fund; the pastor will be llben\ll{ and punctuaily paid; the con- sregation will wot™ be pestered with fm- portunate begging WHL - mover | aceths to lewd to any resnlt; and there will be more real “work doue and more real L'hl.\ritb' shown. Missionary operations will flourish, aud pastors will not, to the disgrace of the community, die in want of the necessaries of life in the n:idst of an energetie, a rich, a charitable, and a religious peaple. The nevws- papers - have tried in vain to colleet from the church autboritics a statement of their indebt~ cdness. They dare uot submit th figures to the public, because they are too gizantic and avpalling. “We speak tlie trath, 4nd truth, if Ditter, is wholesome. We shall revert to this subject again, Mean- while, we beg our rer “ers’ carnest attention to what we have said; and, in the best fnterests of religion, we urze the people of Canada to stead~ ily ‘refuse subscriptions to new church enters prises for some vears. This is the only sound remedy. Hard times arc the incvitable result of over-production. Manufactures must cease untll the markets are no longer glutted. Weo are suffering from over-production in churches. Let no more be built on any pretense until the shame and scandal of a minister dove to death by poverty is no longer possible in our midst. RUSSIA. A RELIGIOUS AWAKENING—EVANGELIZATION AT THE CAPITAL. Eztract from a recens Prizate Letter from St. Peters- ¢ Jurg. We have meetings twice a week for the preaching of the Gospel: on Monday at 9p. m., sud on Sunday at2p.m. All the meet ings take pluce at one of Mr. P.’s Jarge rooms. Also every Sunday Mr. P. preaches the Gospel in the evening to a considerable number of persons, belonging to all classes of society, who come from all quarters of the city to hear. This'meeting is held in the great Music Hall. “ 1 must tell you there is now throughout the whole of Russia a remarkable movement. The awakening has becuo felt above all in St. Peters- burg. It is marvelous. We see cach day miraculous concessions—~things which God alone could produce—in all classes of- society. The feel the need of knowing God, and of re- ceiving His pcople. Itis above all among the common people that this thirst for the Gospel is most strongly maniiested: it is also they who accept most readily salvation tlirough faith, aud who testify afterwards by their conduct that they are really converted. This dear Mr. P.is the instrument God has raised up to preach the Gospel among the peo- ple. He first brought together crowds of cab- men, hundreds of whom are truly converted, and in their turn preach to their comrades and hold prayer-mectings, where the most instructed read the Sceriptures for the benefit of those who caunot. I cannot tell you how much I Jove these poor Russian bretaren. 1t is touching to see these poor, ignorant peasanis, so despised by the uspcr classes, accept. Christ as_their Savior and rejoice in Him, - It gives me joy to think how soon they will laave their poor-rags behind, and Jay down their Jife of Jabor and suf- fering, and, clothed with the robe of Righteous- ness, enjoy,, in the prescoce of the Lord, eternal Test In that place where ranks and classes are at an end. There are, every morning and evening, public Gospel-mectings for laborers and coach- men, but to waich come and join themselves a crowd of ladies and gentlemen. Thanks to the Prefect, who is a friend of Mr. P., much freedom is grunted him. Heis also authorized by the police to distribute tracts, and also Bibles, in the streets, and to have meetings in his house, and in, various quarters of the great city, for common people. Dear Mr. P. is “indefatigable, and works from morn till night for his Master. He is one of those faith- ful servants who will be made a oillarin the temple of God. He devotes sl his time be- tween the hospitals, the sick, and public meet- ings. He has had often three meetings, one after another, inasingle cvening, and re-, turned home_at 2, or even 3, in the mornive. But how much God blesses his lzbors! and how many souls has he not brought to Christ. 1 have often accompanied Mr. P. to his meet- ings for the common peaple, but where are also found scveral Jadies aud gentlemen, who_Lelp him: and I assure you that, all the timeI am there, my heart rises in thankfulness. Ob!if you conld sec what these meetings are! In a ow, stinking room, heated to excess, in which the impure air makes your head swim, there is a closely-packed crowd standing; they scem to fock you in o ail sides, and alnost preseut your moving asingle limb. But,if vou could “see the radiant cxpression on these faces!—if you could hear the praye:sand thanksgivings which these dear brothers send up to God, and how, on going out, they thank you and entreat’ yoa tocome again. You can have no idea of .the misery and poverty of this great city. There is much sick- ness and fever, induced by Jack of food, clothas, and_cleaniiness,—~above “all, by the crowded dwellings. You see whole families crowded in- t0 a single room, which serves for night and day. They have the habit of never opening the windoirs, 50 that the air is most jmpure and difficult to breathe. It is in these dwellings, or hovels rather, that all the dear Christians, fol- lowing the example of Mr. ., hold meetings. Une mects hiere Wwith no opposition, oue secs so clearly that God is acting by His spirit. Num- bers of souls find peace. There is still a lack of workers, but God will hear the prayers of Iis children' and laborers. ‘Few of the people can read, and, as to the Bible, it is 50 new to them they devour it more readily than they learn to read it. Mr. P. has had thie whote Bible printed iu the Russian tougue, and distributed at his own expense throughout Russia. 5 SUNDAY. MR. BEECHER’S VIEW OF IT. Brookiyn Eugle, Jan. i3. “* And He s2id unto them the Sabhath was made for man, and not mav for the Saovatn. "—Vark, . Mr. Beecher seid: This was an additional clause to the passage already read, and more fully recorded in Mark. The preacher would return to the thought in due time. Mr. Beecher had hitherto taken o general view of Genesis and Exodus without stopping to attemp?, to un- fold all of interest in tbe light of medern science. 1f the history of any people was the more romantic and acceptable, the internal facts of its existence were the more important. The Mosalc economy must strike the reader as a jumble, compared with our modern law, where all the fnterests of all classes were treated with prreat exactitude and care. In the Musaic econ- omy one thing trod on another without any log- jcal method. They touched each other withoat cohering. The preacher would wish Lo draw out some of the great Mosaic institutions which lay at the root of human bappiness. It was sur- prising at how early a date many of the best esteemed ‘ institutions of modern society had i, their foundation. Moses stood as the vast images stood before the tcmples of Eaypt, hiding the temples themselves. This was the first attempt to orzanize society sround an idcal and invisible God. Some had called it a theocracy. It was the attempt tu es- tablish a Republic with no head but an invigible one, which was to be the object of faith. There was to be an influence in the whole framework of their governuent drawing them to Heaven. Happisess was the end sought,—happincss through righteousness. There was no more sublime motto than that given in Deuteronomy in Moses’ last testimony: * Thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God.- The lord hath chosen thee to be a special people to Himself.” Nothing engraven on a shield with a raging lion or a soariug eagle, but * thou art 2 holy people.”? The tirst thing to be looked at was the Sabbatb, the setting apart of a seventh part of time for rest. The first mention of a Sub- ‘bath was after the escape of Israel from Egypt. They were to gather manna on the sixth day for the seventh. Before the Israelites received the law the seventh day was observed. How far back this went no man could tell. All efforts to show that the seventh day had been observod from the beginning were futile. There was nothing to show it had been observed Oy the patriarchs or id Egypt. It came first to our notice and to our authoritative establishment when it was'given as onc of the Ten Command ments. Why the seventh day was chosen had given rise to some discussion. Some nations had held the fifth, some the tentb, but the most of them observed the seventh. Why was this? That God’s resting the seveoth day was the cause of this was merely a legend. In early days the skepherd's life predominated. Sea- men became familiar with many things which we did not understand. Judians saw much that we never observed. Peoble living a pastoral life out in the country became familiar with .the stars. The changes of the moon, averaging once in twenty-eight daye, would maturally at~ tract the attention of a vastoral people, and by dividing it by four, or into quarters, they got seven days. - Around this was developed other reasous, and amoug them the lezend of crea- tion. In the law given by Moses there was & marked difference between that ziven in Exodus aud that in Deuteronomy. In the latter there was, “That thy servant shall rest as weH as thou; for thou shait remember that thou wust a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord delivered thee. Therefore, thou shalt rest.” Moses in one case left out the creative season and instrted the otber. The true season, however, for the Sab- bath lay in the -nature of the thing. One- seventh part of o man’s time was to be redeemed from toil. Rest, rest was the vrimary fdea. Contiumty within bonods was guccess, beyond them it was rail- ure. A man could oot be a wheel and revolve perpetually and be a man. So one-third of every man’s life was to be a Sabbath, a rest—a rest unto man, unto nu- ture, and as—God said it—unto God. Experi- ence lad showed that one day’s rest in seven did not embarrass industry, aud that the human system required about that rest. While we had one day of rest, 5o far as the Ten Command- ments went, there was not 2 word of worship, Our idea was thut we must wash and comb, aud 20 to church and keep the day as straight as possible; derlving the tdea from the Puritans stralued through New England. This was not the Jewish ides. Rest from workwas the prim- itive injunction. It carried with it, however, more than the mere cessation of toil. It was the foundation on which was to be built protec- tion to the sacred rights of individuality. ‘The Ear(luul:lrily was observable: ‘ Thou—the cad of the family—nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man servant, nor thy maid servant,” and it went on to,have humanity on the iuferfor vreation. Having thus given one- seventh fmmunity to all the man’s bouschold, aud his horse and dog, then came the stranger who was to Ue treated iu that respect the same as ourselves. The kitchien and parlor stood on the same foot- ing. The democracy of Mount Sinai was one which would male 4 great revolution if spread abroad. They were to have compassion and re- member that they were strangers in Egypt. This was the spirit, not only of Moses but of the Hebrew people. All through, there were rising of proplicts aud judges who dwelt on the hu- manity of the la. Read in Amos, eighth chy ter: ' Hear this, O ye'that.swallow up thc needy, even to make the poorof thé lund to fail, saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may scll corn? and the Snbbath, that we may set forth the wheat, making the cphah small and the shelcel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? That we may buy the poor for silver and the needy fora pairof shues; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? Shall not the Jana trem- ble for thist” Tremble for what? . For a feeh- nical vivlation of the Sabbath? No, but fora violation of {t to oppress the poor and needy. There was never a book so anti-monarchical as the OId Testament. It was true it was like an old pasture field, that required to be plowed, but ;)_nly]thut we might get more out of it. [Sensa- ion. Jesus Christ rose and condemnued the inhu- manity of a technical observance of the Sabbath. ‘* My father worketn kitherto ™ on Sund: and ¢ not all the activitics of pature going on day? It wasaday for the work of hu- manity, not of eare, of the cverlasting grinding of industries, but to give the poor workingman rest. Mr. Beecher wouldn't stop to tell them about the nonsensical wrangling that hud taken place as to when the Sabbath bean and ended, and what o man might do end not do, and so on. Oune-seveath part of time was defended against greed and toil. When Sabbath came father and son were alike before "God, the poorest man was the equal of the richest, and he stood up in his full manhood, y seyenth duy God said to the great overworked - classes, *Lrelease you, and thisis rour rest.” There were muny ways in which 2 man_mieht be op- pressed. ~ The Confession of Faith and the catechism might make a man sweat as well as the plow and the s, Mr. Beecher’s early Sab- baths were {ull of beauty, so far as nature went, and if he could have Leen taken and led by toe Thaud into the fields he would have been blessed indeed; but alas for the catechism, and the din- ners he didn't et beeause he coulan’t leurn it and the room he was shut in until he did Jearn it, and the lttle leps that daugied over the long bench and the weary sermon. However beautiful the Sabbath eun rose, there was no aas that said to it az its close with greater glee than Mr. Beecherdid: “Good riddaace to vou.” Nature, when once we understood that it was the voice of Gdd, came to us with the power of dramatic utterance and said, “Rest.”? Asto the questfon whetherSaturday or Sunday should be obeerved, it must be noticed that it was not. the special aay, but the seventh part that was to be observed. 1t was desirable thag it should fall oo one day in a pation, and that the law should. protect it, but it was of no. importance on what day it fell. The only obligation to ebservea Sutiday was that which came. to us thronsh na- turc, for the sake 'of oarsclves, our children, our servants; and the stranger. Civilization had wade tne rest more needful than cver. It was not now mercly the bone and muscle, but the brain and the nifvetion. The indostry of the world was such that the vast majority were em- pioved in drudeerics, Men were working like machines, They had no capital. All they got was bresd and water and roimeut. They drove the shuttle and saw the garments come forth, bat not for them. There never was & time \when the workingman more demanded a rest; when the meo could come out from the mine, and the smithy, and the mill, and the dusty clods, and breatbe the pure There was absolute remorselessness in these great cities. Industry was so vast that it was like a trendmill—ivmust go on. Everybody was worn and jaded, until the face wore out. There was nothing necded more than rest. But rest did not of necessity mean non-laboriousness. Beegher did not hold Puritan views of Sun- When Le was asked to siza a petition Zainst Sunday railroads he refused, because he did not wish to shut ofl the country from city toilers. When it was proposed to open libraries and picture galleries ou Sunday. he advocated it. He believed in a larger Sabbath. He did not belicve that rich people did well who lived so high on a Sunday as to give no rest to their servants. Ile did not mean that botels should not be Lept open, or that traius should not run, but there shonid be relays. This rile was ob- served by the ferry company, who therein set a good example. Eyeryservant, every cook, every boy should have part of Sunday and a whole day's'rest some day in the week. It was often ssid that it was better for the Jaborer i go into the country om the Sunday than to chureh. If it was a choice be- tween staying shut upin agarret or a cellar and the conntry, let bini go. But was that the best way for a laboring man to rest? Whut we ‘wanted for rest was variety,.to develop that not develooed through the six days. To give the man who bad to work cuch duy somethiog to think about was the idea. The gathering of men for worshin, its social aims and its sonas, were of great value. Men, howerer, were not to be ticd up. Christ went to a feast on the Sub- bath, but now Ie wouid be turned out of the Presbyters, or a council of ministers would e called to diseipline Him. How goed it was, aur- ing the rest of Subbath, for a man to be Dbetter acquainted with bis children and w Some ot up early tions, then o church, then to Sunday-school, T-meetiny, theh to chureh, and the s burdened wjth observance. This of a lack of distribution. We were to base the Sabbath on an expericnee four thou- sand_years deep. Circumcision had mone, the smoking sacrifice had gone, the claborate service of the temple bad gones but, likethe piliar of fire, this day of rest continaed and led on to civ- ilization. 1t came to us with an intcllizence greater than the vojces of Sinaj, and it was for us to send it down the ages uniil the carthly Sabbath should be blended with the rest of eter- nity. THE BIBLE. SOME INTERESTING FACTS. Thomas J. Bowditeh in the Troy Times. The name Oid Testament first ocenrs in St. Paul’s second epistie to the Corinthians, written in A.D.55. The oldest of the Old Testament is the Septuagint, traslated into the Greek, ac- cording to the tradition of Aristeas, B. C. 277 by seventy-two Jews. The work was undertaken at the desire of Ptolemy Philadelphius. 1t con- sists of 39 honks, divided nto 829 chapters, con- {aining 25,214 verses, 592,436 words, and 2,707,100 Jetters. The Old Testament is supplemented by the Anocrypha, which contains 14 books, 153 chapters, 6,051 verses, and 152,185 words. The middle book ot the Old Testament is Proverbs. The middle chapter is Job xx. The middie verse is Sccond Chronicles, Chav. xx., Verse 17, The Jeast verse oceurs in Chironicles, Chap, 1., Verse 1. The middle cbapter and the Ieast ja the whole Bible is Psalm 117. The middle verse s the elght ~Psalm, 118, The word “and” occurs, in the Old Testament, 5,654 times; toe word ““Jeliovah,” 6,855 times, and the word “Sstan,” 34 times. The 21st verse, Chap. 1, of Ezra, has all tae lettersof the alpbabet. The 19th chapter of the Sccond Book of Kinus and the 37th chapter of Isaiah are word for word alike. The same is the case with re. spect to the last verses of the Second Book of Cphmnlr:lcs and the first verses in Ezra. In the Old Testament dancing is mentioned twenty- one times, and {n the New Testament five times, —namely: Mutthew, xi., 175 xiv., 6; Mark, vi., 22; Luke, vii., 32; Xi., 25,—where dancing wes .an opservance connected Wwith worstip. The “first, letter of which we have any record of i that written in the O)d Testament by David to Joab, directing him to place Uriah in front of the battle; A bad beginning, surely! Angels are first mentioned in the Bible when one pass his addresses to Hagur in the wilderness (over 3,000 yeurs after the Creation). . Hugo de Seancto Caro, & Dumninican {riar and 2fterwards a Curdinal (who flourished about, 1240 and died in 1262), compiled the first concordance ol the Bible, divided the matter into sections and the scctions into under divisions, and these seetions are now chapters. Psalms were alrcady divided, as at proscnt.. Robbi Isaae Nathan, in 1H5, introduced regular verses. These altera- tions have since been much improved. The books of the New Testament, written in Ilelien- istic Greek, were first collected about the middle of the third century. The New Testament is divided into twenty-seven books, containing 265 chapters, 7,950 veries, 151,958 words, and 533,330 letters. _The middle book is Second Thessulo- niaus. The middfe chapters are Rowans, 13 and I+ The middle versc is Acts Xvii, yerse 17. The least verse is Jobu i, verse 35. The word “and » oveurs 10,634 times. The whole number of words in the Bible, 8,718,665, Martin Luther excluded Hebrews, James, Jude, and the Apoca- ]{p. from the New Testament, but afterwards the entirety were received 48 cauonical, ‘The words ** immortal soul,” ** deathless soul,” “ deathless spirit,” “undying soul,” “gdisem- bodied soul,” * disembodied spirit,” “ eternal torment,” “eternal suffering in conscious misery,” “everlastine woe,” ‘“unending tor- ment,” * endless woe,” “never-dyivg soul,” and all their kindred words are words that never, in usingle instance, arc found in the Bible. But from the copious_manner in which these words are passed to us from the pulpit, aud through the press, oue would think without cxamining the Bible that it was, full of them. The word “immortal” occurs but once in the whole Bible. The English verston of the Scriptures now in use Is itself the result of repeated revisions. In the preface to the Bishop's Bible, 1503, a distinct reference is made to carly SaXon versions, and there arestill extant parts of the Biblein Saxon, translated by Bede, aod by Zlirice, of Conter- bury, The first compleic translation of the Bihfn was made by Wyeliffic about 1350. It ex- isted only in maunuscript for many years, The work was regarded witn grave suspicion, and a bill was introduced into the House of Lords for suppressing it; but tbroush the influence of John of Gaunt this was rejected. In 1408, how- ever, in a convocation held at Oxford, it was resolved that no one sbould translate any text of Seripture into English, s a book or tract, and that no book of the kind should be read. This resolution led to great persecution. The first printed edition of the Bibie ‘in En- sish was pblished by Tyndale, the New Testa- wment in 1526, and the Bible in part in 1532 “Tunstalf, Bishop of London, and 8ir Thomas More took great pains to buy and burn the im- pression, but with the effect thereby of enabling the translator Lo publish a larger and improved edition. ‘The first Bible priuted in Scotland was in 1576, The earliest edition of the Bible print- ol in this country. was in the langnage of the Nonatum (Naticj Indians. The translation was by one man, known as the Apostle dohu Eljot, who labored as a missionary among the Indians. He was for many years engaged in'the labor of transiation. It is at all times a taskc of great dificulty to render the Bible into s foreign - lan- guage, even if the language is a written one; But fusuch dnngunge as that of the Indians, which was never before written, the labor was gigantic. None but 4 religious enthusiast such as’ Eliot would ever have attemoted jt. The printing of this Bible was bezun in 1660 and fin- ished 1 1664, The edition was 1,000 copics, of which not more than fiftecn are known to be preserved in the Unitcd States. Twenty coples were sent to Eneland, in which there was o Xed- {ation to Charles 1L - A second edition of this Bible was called for, and the whole work was reprinted at Cambridge by Samuel Green, the printer of the first écition, in 1635. The work roceeded slowly, as there was but one man, the ndian printer, who was able.to compose the sheets and correct the proofs. The Indian title read as follows: Mamusse wunnetupanatamwe up Biblum God nanecswe Nukkone Testament Kah wonk wasku Testament, cte. ‘The first Enzlish Bible in America was print- edin Pniladelphia by R. Alken™ in 1782 The first German Bible in Amerfca was orinted in Germantown, Pa., by C. Saur, in1743. All the books of the Bible in' French were first printed in this country in 1815, in Spavish o 1824, in Portuguesc 1 1850. The first American edition of the Hebrew Bible without points was printed in Philadelphia in 1814. Tn 1879 there will be complcted the entire translation of the Bible into the Japunese language by the Protestant misssion of Japsn, The DBible, especially the Old Testament, abounds with obsolete phrascology and with single words Jong since abandoned.” The errors of some editions ‘of the Bible are most innu- merable. In one of the editions of-1611 s the following: *““Then cometh Judas: with - them unto a place called Gethsemane.” A folio of 1717 has reccived its name of *‘The Vinegar Bible,” from a misprint in_the heading of the parable’ of the vineyard; -sad an cdition in 1688 makes tte heathen vex.the Israel- ites, ot with their “‘wites,” buu with cheir “ywives,” and -one in 1640 ‘“‘rulers” in the wilderness was substituted for ** mules.” In St. John's Lodge, No.1, A. F. and A. M., of Newark, N. J., there is an old black-letter Bible printed in 1548, This Bivle is of Matthews’ translation, a folio iu the rothic levter, and was used in the ceremonics when Marquis Lafayette was made 2 Mason. The Book of Job is superior to all of the ea- cred writinge. As a composition it is sublime, beautiful, and scieptific, fuil of sentiment and abounding in grand mnetaphorieal description. The writer may be said not to describe but to render visible whatever he treats of. In the Jast act, where Jehovah interposes and ad- dresses Job out of whirlwind to decide tue con- troversy between him and Elibu, is an idea as grand as poctical imaxination can conceive. The Book of Job bears undoubted marks of antiqui- ty, as the following astronomical allusion will show. It saye, where God s made 1o say to Job in the style of reprimand, *Canst thou bind the sweet influcnces of Pleiades?” In the Book of Issiah there s sweetoess in the poet- ical composition of the sentences. As many people believe in dreams, we shall conclude this article with the first two verses of the thirty- fourth chapter of Ecclesiasticus: The hopes of man vold of understanding are vain and false and dreams lift np fools. \Whoeo regardeth the dreams is like him that catcheth at a shadow and followeth after the wind. THE *STANDARDS.” SOME AMENDMENTS. The Edinburg United Presbytery bas adopted several amendments to the “Declaratory State- ment,” The first article, relative to the free offer of salvation to all men was amended by owitting the words ‘‘as taught in the Standards and in consistency therewith,’” and substituting for them the words “including the doctrine of God's special love to ktis owa people anad in con- sistency tberewith.” This was doue on the groand that the doctrine of the free offer of salvation is not comsistent with the dispropor- tionate pronsinence given in the Standards to the other view of the doctrine—namely, its restrie- tion to the elect. The second article, concern- ing the doctrine of personal clection, was al- lowed to stand without change, on motion of Dr. Thompson, who said: *They all believed in the doctrine of uncouditional personal election. After makinz a brief refercnce to the doctrine of eleetion, the article proceeded to say, what had always been held by the Church, that this doctrine was cousistent with the fact that God would have it that all men be saved. They tbourht that, in the state of opinion and of con- troversy in this country and this age, it was nec- essory they should make a clearer statement on this subject than perhaps had formerly been made; aod they bad been led to bring iuto addi- tional promingnce the general application of the death of Carist. Thew confession would ua- doubtedly have been a far better and more per- Teet confession had iy miven clearer expression to this truth,” Thethird article, in reference 1o man’s totul depravity, it was proposed should be omitted, on the ground that it was an affront to the Standards. No oneseconded the mation, and by unanimous vote the article was passed over unchanzed. A motion was made to omit from the fourth article, which treats of the salvation of the beathen, the words *and peristing for lack of knowledge.,” on the ground that the Chureb had no right to prejudice the fuure des- tiny of the heathen. It was decided, however, not 10 cbanze the article. Subsequently the Presbytery accepted an amendment to the fol~ Jowing effect: Instead of tbe concluding words, “nor does she bind those who accept the. Standards to hold that God in no cuse saves without the use of the ordinary means,” the following were nccepted: “Nor does she bind those who acespt these Standards to eny judg- ment concerning the final destiuy of the heathen, which wilt be determmed by the rizhteous Judge according to the light they have possessed in this world.” Some changes were made in the fifth snd sixtlh articles, and the seventh, respecting liberty of opinfon in the Church, was so amended as to conclude thus: “ Agare not essential to the system of doctrine coutained therein; the Church guard- ing against the abuse of this liberty to the injury of its unity and peace.” Mr. Wardrope gave notice of a motion to overture the Synod 1or new and simpler symbols of faith. THE POPE AND THE COM- MUNE. - THE RECEFT ENCYCLICAL. To the Editor of The Tribune. CHICAGO, Jan. 18.—Let me warn and entreat every lover of Republican institutions to secure 2 copy of the Pope's encyclical letter, read it, and file it away for reference. No other kind of e literature is so ephemeral as syllabuses, bulls, and letters issued by his Holiness; and no oth- er kind of literature has so lasting an effect np- on our political ana social life. They are written for the guidance of the faitbful, and the power- ful organization of the Church carries them to the eur and presses them upon the memory and conscience of all its trusted members. They would, most probably, be enttrely withheld from the knowledge of heretics if the spirit of the age permitted it; but it has been found quite safe to publish the boldest declarations of war on all governments of the people, because such publications can easily be suppressed when it is desirable to suppress them, snd the careless peoplc will forget thiem, or accept any explana- tion or version which the Church may think best to give. Thus the syllabus of the last Pope, which acted like a huge galvanic battery in shocking the heretics of this country, and which called out Gladstone's able defense of the authority of the State, was so quickly withdrawn from circulation that six months after its publication .1 searched Pittsburg in vain foraicopy! Neitaer in book-storcs nor public or private libraries was it to ve found! I found several persons who had purchased it and supposcd they still had it or one of Glad- stone’s books on the subject; but, come to searck, and they had disappeared. The Catholic book-stores had plenty of an- swers to Gladstone and comments on the syllabus, but the syltabus itself was not for sale. At lenzih, I'found it in a Protestant family, who lived fn the country and kept no servant. It may all have been” aceidental, but it was such a short time after large cditions had been fssucd and coples for sale in_ every news- depot and book-store that one could not help wondering what bad become of the syllabus and Gladstone’s comments: and it occurred to me that maybe Bridget and Paddy mizht ren- der to the Church the service that used to be performed by the publicexecationer in disposing of hereticat publications. Of course the syllabus was not heretical ; but if pradence required its withdrawal from cir- culation it could easily be disposed of by an orianization which has one or more agents in almost every house. So I would advise those who may take an interest in the Pope's :recent letter to get u copy and keep it whers it will not. beapt to be taken for starting fires. To show that Ido sometimes read coming. events by the light of those that are past, I re- mind you that, more than a year ago, 1 stated, iu your columaus, that the danger to our Gov- ernment from Romanisi would be neutralized by Communism: and that all the Republic had to do was to enact and enforee justice between these contending factions; the despotism of one ‘man and that of the mob. Up to that time I had not been able to see how the Governinent could survive the machin- ations of Popery, Democracy, and the Lost Canttse, bound together, as thev were, in death- less hute to Kepublicanism; but when the Com- muae reared its hydra-head 1 recoznized it at once as the vitro-giyeerine which was to seatter our foes; the counter-irritant whichwas to draw the national disease to the sarface, and make its curg comparatively easy. 3o I, for one, thank God for the Commune, and préfer its reign 1o that of the Uhurch; for 1t would soon rain it- sclf out, and even if it brought a deluge, it would be better than a ten-century foz and drizzle. # But, as I said long azo, all that the Republic bas £0 do is to hold the balance even, and let these opposing fa.tions setttic their difliculty, and this cannot be done 5o Jong as Communists are.compelied to support the Chinreh and afd her in acquiring control of the country throngh her vagt accumulations of real estate. ‘Tne Republicis not just to the Communist, nor to any other workingman, so long as it taxes his bome, to exemut the Bishop’s molace and the stately cathedral from their share of the vublic burdens. 8o long as the members of one chiurch usd no church must be tithed to supoort all, so long the Republic is faithless to its own professions and to every principle of justice. That the Church does not render to the Stute quid pro quo for the material gid she receives in her cxemption from taxatiou is abundantly manifest, not only by our criminal ana - pauper statistics, but by the bistory of every public omubreals, cvery popular uprisng upainst law and order which has aiscraced the country since our anti-slavery mobs, and, even of these, the Irish hate to the negro furnished s large ele- ment. z £ That the Mother Caurch, so fur from being a traioer of rood citizens, is2 nursery of crime, and paupecism, and mabocraey, is evident from the fact that we have no better elass of citizens thau the Protestant or North of Ireland emi- grants, while we misht slmost close our prisons and almshouses if it were novfor the inmates furnighed-by the South of Ireland. As-the ple of that region have been under the care of tie Church so Jony that history runneth ot back to the contrary, We must, conclude that she is a bad educator. 3 The draft riot of New York wasan {rish Cath- olic uprising. against tie Government. The Pittsbure riot of July, 1877, was an Irish Catho- lic rfot. The Mollic Maguire combination, which has cost Pennsylvania so many valuable lives and an_incaleulable amount of capital, is an Irish Catholic orgenization: snd, while the Chureh was rockad $o its contre to prevent thr burial of a man’s body in the lot e had bought and paid for, becanse he had belonged to an or- oanization which circulated & book of which the Pope disapproved, every blood-stained murderer of thut Irish Catholic band of murderers is recoznized as 3 ood Cathotic; and, when jus- tice overtakes one, he is sent from the gallows tothe reward of the righteous by the Church, and by ber accorded all the honors of Christian burial. How can auy frank, feir-minded minis- ter of that Church fail to see 2nd acknowledge her hostility to law and order under a Repubfict But his Foliness charges Communism upon the Reformation. Was it Luther, and Catvin, and Knox, who instituted religious houses, . ., monasterfes, nunnerics, and abbeys, every one of which was, or is, a_Commune? Did Protes- tantism first teach that the hignest plety divests the individual of all vroperty rights and vests all personal right to estates, and sll reward for Iabor, in the Order or Commune to which the pictist belongs? Was it not the Mother Church swho began, 1,200 years ago, to teach Comnun- ism s the most perfect form ol soclety, and who keeps up that tcaching even unto this day? Wae It the Reformation wiich made every tribe of North American Indians a Commuune?” Was it Protestantism which camne over with LaSalle anted missions sll over the Northwest, Christions out of savages, without any change io their laws, customs, aod erimes. No sect and no administration has ever ac- quired over the Indian the influence wielded by the Mothier Church, yet no oue can see that their (- anism or ‘crume has been decreased by ti:a: influcnce, and, before his Hofiness can i the peovle of this country to seek refuze fr,a Communism in the arms of the Chareh, L will have a good many things to explain. JANE GRAY BWISSHELM. THE CHURCH IN GENERAL. |blackooard: *Iam the Prophet Elias "—which 1t is safd that Christmas trees, with their at- tendant festivities, are quite the fashion among rick Jewish familtes in England. The Examiner disapproves of reporting prayers. “The seratches of a shorthand reporter beside the sacred desk take away its freedom.” William H. Vanderbilt gavghis broker, George A. Uszood, $50,000 for a Christmas present. _But thedonation parties still let the gifts to the dominics consist of dried apples, tidies, chromos, and preserved pranes. ince the settlement of the Rev. E. B. Hul- bcfl“lnsz October as pastor of the Fourth Bap- tist Church, of this city, there has been 2 grad- ual, heaithy growth. “The coneregations have increased, and there i3 good interest in the meetiogs. Rituatistic Order of.Corporate Reunton baf e joived by many Enclish Ritualistic clergymen, and has now appointed a Bishop in the persou of a clerzyman in the Diocese of Rochester, England. Mass in Latin las been privately celebrated by the ladics of this Order. The Vatican organ, the Voce della Verita, de- clares that alter eight vears' expenditure and efforts by British and American Protestaots, and nouwithstanding the motley clements to be found in Rome, with its 236,000 inbabitants, “these missionaries of Satan have scarcely in- scrbed 700 persons on their tablets of perdition, while in other ftarian towns the fatlure has been even greater.” A great effort is beinz made 1o save the Church of the Messial, in New York City, from being s0ld for debt. One bundred and twenty- three thousand dollars is the sum due, and about $25,000 remains to be raised. To this church the Rev. Dr. Orville Dewey formerly miaistered, aod later toe Rev. Dr. G. H. Hep- worth and the Rev. Dr. W. R. Alger. Twoof its pastors have become Trinitarians, and *many of its members have given up church-going.” ‘The annual mecting of the Fourth Unitarian Society (the Rev. James Kay Applebee) for the election of oflicers and other important basi- ncss, oceurred on Monday evening Jast, Firman Church in the chair. The meeting was lnrv_'eby attended, and the greatest harmony prevailed. The Board of Trustees reported the Society in a more flourishing condition than ever, with bright prospects for the fature. The sttend- ance was reported larger than it had been since the Society was orzanized. The following offi- cers were elected for the ensuing year: Board of Trustees, Firman Charch, Frank E. Barnard. Lib W H. J. Edwards, Gilbert Montazue, and Cyrus ibbs; Secretary, Frank N. Wilder; Treasar - A. Stanton. In additiou to the gbove Boart there were elected an Advisory Committee of ten. who will act with the Board of Trustees ir: p‘;x;zohung the influence und welfare of the charch. The ramors of the impending beatifieation of Pius IX. are set at rest by an officiar publication from the Vatican. According to the general law of the Churcb, a decree pronouncing a per- son “blessed 7 (which Is the preliminary to en- rollment in the catalogueof saints) cannot issue until §fty years aftertbe death of the candi- date. Petitions have been presented to the Holy Sce for the susvension of this rufe, {n or. der that the case of Pius IX. may be cxamived at once: but Pope Leo has decided not to depart from the usual course. Mr.William McMaster surprised the Jarvis Street Bapust Church of Toronto, on New Year's Day, by presenting it with the canceled mortgage on the property,—amount, 35,4 On the first Sunday of the yesr, the Treasurer of the Free Baptist Church of Biddeford, Me., anuounced that some oue had paid all tne So- ciety’s bills, and when the pastor lifted the cloth which covered the comwmunion-table he and the congreeation alike were surprised to find beneath it a splendid new communion-serv- ice of eolid silver, the gift of an upknown friend. At the annual meeting of the Fourth Presby- terian Church held last week, the following of] cers were elected: Presideat, D. B. Maeruder; Vice-President, henry W, Bishops Secretary, Philip P, Lee; Trustees, Charles B. Kine, R. Hall 31¢cCormick, Abram Poole, H. Tl. Forsythe, and C. IT. Mulliken. Treasurer Mulliken’s re- port showed the pew rents to have been $5,200, and the expenses $7,%0, leaving a surpfus of 3300. 'The Socicty paid the entire church debt Z.$85,000—and rafsed $6,000 for benevolent. and missionary purposes, the total recefpts in 187 be- ing §54,500. A Romau Catholic Congress held lately at Lille, Fraoce, recommended abstention from givine or attendine huoting or fishing partics on Sunday, and avoidance of Sunday traveling ex- cept in cases of necessity. The Congress also considered the decline of religious art. The re- port read on thigsubject says: * Religious imazery has ceased to be a craft; it has become a trade. Images bave multiplied, but they have lost in truth swhat they bave srained in number and in apparent external per- fection, Few artlsts are }onnd drawing their virgins or saints after haviog prayed and coo- templated in supernatural vision what they wish to reprodug ‘Their pencil too_oiten recollects the forms it traced the day before, and is too much occupied with the countenances it is to create the next day. It is clever and ingentons, but not Christian.” The Congress looks for the regencratisn of Christian art to an institution calied the Ecole Qe Saint Lue, branctes of which have been formed in several Belgian towns. There has been of late some discussion of the propriety of using the Apostles’ Creed in Con- gregational churches. In that connection the Congregationalist has an article on the orizia and Distory of this creed. Before the middle of the sevenicenth ceatury it had been a belief among Christians that it was composed by the twelve Apostles at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost 5 3 meaws of sceuring unity in their teachings. But modera fovestization has brought out the theory that while the first naural suggestion of the creed was from Peter’s confession (Matt. xvi., 16), the creed was really 400 or 500 years in process of fortaation before it assumed the shape in which it is now familiar. Dr. Schaff, in his *Caristendom,” is of opinion that in its present comolete’ form it can hardly be traced besoud the sixth, vertminly not beyond toe ciose of the fifth century, while fts triumph over all the otber forms in the. Latin Church was not completed until the ecigbtb century. Tht Congregationalist thinks that *in its plate 2ad with a orooer uonderstandioz " there can he “no reasonable abjeztion to its use by Conzre- gationa! chuvches; but that, on the other band, such’'a guarded and well-regulated use may be desirable for them. PERSONAL. The Rev. P. $. Henson, Baptist, of Philadel- phia, bas been elected President of Lewisburg University. Mr. Moody, criticising the self-conceit of many reformed dronkards and others, once said, “You might as well be full of rum as foll of cpotisin.” Mr. Henry J. Vag Dyke, Jr.. son of the Rev. Dr. Van'Dyke, of Brooklyn, has been called- to the pastorateé of the Congregational Church at Newport, R. T, & Thereare in Tennessee only three Methodist preachers who use tobacco, and they are old meo, who learned the habit when they were lit- tle boys, und cannotnow break themseives of it. Mr, J. Spencer Dicierson has now a proprie- tory intersst_in the Staudard. llc isa son of the late Dr. J. D. Dickerson, and became con- nected with the paper a fet months aiter his fathes. Dr. Tsrrell, Anglican Bishop of New South Wales, is abous to resign his Sce. He was con- secrated in 1547, and has not been away from Australia since. The Rev. Robert Iodgson wiil be his successor. The twooldest Unitarian ministers in_the country, by ondination, are the Rev. Calvin Lio- coln, of Bingham, Mass., and the Rev. Increase Sumnuer Linvoln, of Wilton,N. H.,both of whom were ordained in 1824 The Rev. C. W. Mosselle, B. D., a aradaate of the Theological Department of Boston Gniver- sits, now a_missionary of the African M. E. Church in Hayti, is visiting this country to se- cure aid in erecting a church cdifice. Father Chiniquy, the ex-Catholic priest, is lecturing in Australia, with the usual result. A N. S. \V.) paper savs that the opposi- proposed visit **is not confined to the Catholics, butis general with the whole community, who fear that violeace may result.” The Rev. Thomas Graves Lar, ol the Bromp- ton Oratory, editor of Haydock’s Bible,” and author of several critieal works, las seceded from the Church of Enaland and joined that of Rome, following his fatker, Prebendary Law, who was one of the earlier recruits from Trae- tacanism. Canon Beadon, of South Stopeham, En- gland, has just entered upon his 103d year. He still retains all bis faculties. His baptismal certificate gives the date of his birth as 17F7. He took his degree [n 1830, aad more than sev- enty years ago hewns Prebendary of Wells Cathedral, and in 1811 was appointed Resident Canon. ‘The forerunmer of & wew religions dispensa- tion has appeared in England, where he has al- ready a large followine. This ccelesiastical tramp goes clad in sheevskins, trimmed with red Hlan- nel, hag straws in his hair, and _bears alofta isw’t likely. No, he can’t be Elias—nor Elish: nor Elijab. These were all prophets, but the; dead. Has acyhody seen Eli Perkins Jatel! 5. &, drgonaut. Bishop Simpson was about to heein his lecture before tne Yale theological students the other day, when he was seen to pause and look for something. *‘Young genticmen,” he said, “I find myself in the position of the preachier who was informed by a lady that thirdly had flown- out of the window.” A part of his MS. was missing, and while Prof. fisher went away to search for it, the Bishop entertoined his au- dience with a half-hour’s talk on President Lin- coln. Then the MS. appeared, and the Icctare began. Mr. Moody falls to see *why people don’t bring their babies to church.” " i huve often pitied,” he said recently in Baltimore, *those poor mothers who cannot afford nurses, and who are kept from cburch because they have to mind the baby. Sunpose they do cry; we don’t mind it at home, and I don’t sce why 1t should be so awlul nere. There are some fidzetty peo- ple who don’t like babies, but then I think they are the ones who ought to stay at home. hope the time is coming when it will be the fashion to bring babies to church.” The Rey. Dr. Elios R. Beadle, the prominent Philadelphia Presbyterian pastor and scientist who died on Sunday, said that morning from bis pulpit thas it was the happiest day of , his life, because the'debt of his church had all been pro- vided for, and he had otten said before that his life-work would be ended when that was accom- plisned. Sinwularly enough, when be was walk- inr home at noon, without seeming to mind the cold, a terrible blast struck him in turninza corner, which seemed to zive him his death-chill, for it made Lim stagger against the wall, and caused his deatt from neuralgia of the heart a few hours after. A correspondent of the Methodiat Tiecorder tells the fapflmring: “In the winter of 1703, during o very hard frost, Mr. Wesley visited Sheerness. His carriage could not cross the ferry, it being Irozen over, and several fricods went to meet him. When about half-way oe- tween the ‘half-way house’ and Shecrness, they saw a bull coming toward theri, foaming at the mouth, and 3 namber of men running afterit, and calling to the party to get out of the way; but this was impossible, there deing a wide moat on both sides of theroad. As the bull approached, Mr. Wesley saw their danger, fmmediately took off his hat, knelt down, an said: ‘Let us pray.’ The bull came up, made a dead stand, looking at Mr. Wesley for two or three minutes; it stood perfectly quiet, and e — seemed to be awed and restrained by a super- natural power. Mr. Wesley was at the head of the purey and mnearest to the bull, my grand- father and bis son Thomas next. The men then «ame up, and the bull made a rush, passing by them without injuring sny one. Mr. Wesley then gave out a hymu, in which all beartily jomed.” b & ‘The Rey. Samuei C. Alken, D. D., woo died in Cleveland Jan. I, was bora av Windbam, Vt., Sept. 21, 17991. He was educated at Middicbury College and Andover Theological Seminary. tle wus pastor of the First Presbrterian Church of Utica, N. Y., from 1518 to 1835, when he came to Clevcland at the invitation of the First Pres- byterian Church of that city. He remained in active duty until 1855. He was an clegant ora- tor. and was selected to deliver the discourse before De Witt Clinton at the opening of the Eric Canal, and also at the opening of the Cleve- lend & Columbus Railroad in 1332. In 1857 he created a grcat sensation in the General As- bly bv un anti-slavery speech. He was a bold and honest man. Mr. Spurgcon has written a letter to 8 zentle- man in [artford in relation to the reports con- cerning his habits. This letter, which is pub- lished in the Courant, is as follows: N L8 LANE. IBALman, Suresy, Dec. 7 Esl Sme: If Mr. Neal Dow knew the *5onld nut make anch charges against me. 3y manner of life is nefore the world. Ask them 1bat know me. Whatever fanits I may have, I have Deen preserved at all times from excess, and 1 have mven no sronnd for any one to accuse me of ft. I uge no alcoholic drink as a beverage, but I am an habitual abstainer, and. as a rule, a total abstainer. ** Beer, ” of which Mr. Dow speaks, I never touch. and I never thoght, much lees said, that I could not keep up my work without brandy and boer.. do not believe that these, or aay other atimulants, are a belp to any man. Yoors traly, C. H. SeurezoX. FACETIAE. “* A hint to ladies who will wear outside pock- ets. llave your purses made up to look e orayer-booiss.”—London Punch. . Bob says that one of the mistakes of Moses was in not browsinz around insearch of a cham- pagne rock before he did his smiting.—Yonkers Gazetle. A late winister of Bigzar, who was a reader in the pulpit, closed his disconrse with the words, 1 add no more.” ‘DBecause ye canna!? ex- claimed an old woman from her pew. T wonder, uncle,” said a little girl, “it mea will ever set live to be 500 or 1,000 yoars oldi" “No, ms child,” responded the old man, ** thag was tried onee, aud the race_grew 2o bad that the world had to bo drowned. A courtry cleruyman was a good deal aston- 1shed one day by the jollity of the mourners at the * breakfast ™ of a funeral, and was aravely told in explanation, ** Bless youn, sir, they’re not. | laushing—they're ouly Qissembling their prief.’s “Cast thy bread mpon the waters,” sald a merry young man at Harwinton, Coon.. toa lady sitting next to him at table, and he urbanely. empticd a handful of ecrumbs into her zoblet. **Andthou shalt find it after many days,” she responded, very wittily, dashing the contents of thbe glassinto his face. A grood story is told ot a prominent Tray cler- gyman. Atthe close of the morging service the other day the pastor read the record of mar- riages and deaths which bad taken place in the parish during the past year, and having finished the reading, expressod the nope that tae record would be largely increased during the next twelve months.—Oshikosh ddvocate. Teople will grumble in this world. The priv- flege of growling is_ove estcemed by every American citizen. A good story is told of two friends. Ove was inclined to accept the inevita- ble and make the best of it. ‘The other was a trouble borrower. Notning was just rizht with him. There was always a fly in his jar. They dicd and met above. dafd Nu. 1—Well, here weare; did I not tell you that it would come out all right in the end?” No. 2—*T suppose you did; but I Look cold on the wav; and, be- si:l,e, my halo don't {it very well."’—Boston Jour- nal. & bright eyed 3-year-old was seated in his high chair at the dioner table. Mamma -had placed him saugly up to the table, pinned on his biv, and succeeded in eetting his mischicy- ous liztle hands quiet and making him * hush," wheu father proceeded to the “bléssing. While this was in progress, little chubby made a diecovery.” It was that afl the plates on the table, except bis own little plate, were in one pile at **papa’s place,” and, as it scemed to bim, were put there to set the ‘Lenefit of the solemn ceremony. S0, scarecly waiting for tha Amen,” he-beld .ont bis own plate m both :nnq’s, saying, * Please, papa, pray on my plate, 00. : A . ‘man named “Hobbard Iives‘with Perry Worden, in Scriba. The other night Huo- bard went to a dance, and . was out nearly all nieht. He was sleepy the next morning, bug nevertheless got up at the usual early hour, and was present ac family prayers. After the resc of the family arose from their knees it was ob- served that Hubbard still remained in un humble attitude, his head resting between his hands on the chair. The good deacon, thinking that the youne man was in a serions and panitent mood, coneluded not to disturb hins, aud went out and did most of the chores which Hubbard was in the habit or dofng. Waen Mr. Worden returncd 1o the house about two hours later he found Hubbard still on his knees. Thinkine to offer bim consolation, he knelt down beside the young map, aud then tound that he was fast asleep.— Oseyo Times. CHURCH SERVICES. CONGREGATIONAL. The Rev. Charles Hall Everest preaches st Plymonth Jhurch morning and evening. —The Res. E. F. Williams preaches at the For- ty-Aith street school-house morning snd evening. ; —The Rev. G. H. Peeke will preach at the Leavitt Street Chucch. Evening subject: **The Dispersion.™ —The Rev. George F. Herrick, of Constanti- nople, will preach at the Gnion Park Church. Sub- jects: Morning, **Cort:asts of Character™; even- ing: ‘*Preseat State of the Tarkish Empira in Relation to the Progress of Christianity. . PRESBYTERIAN . The Rev. J. H. Walker preaches at the Reanion Charcn, Fourteentn street, near Throop, morning and evening. “The Hev. Arthur Swazey will preach fn tbe morning at the Forty-first Street Church, cormer of Prairie avenue and Forty-Grst street. —Prof. Georze L. Raymond will preach morn~ ing and cvening at the Fitfn Church, corner of In~ dianu avenue and Thirtieth street. ZThe Rev. Dr. Riliott will oreach this morcing, and the Rev. James Sfaclanghlan this evening. ia the Scotch Church, cornerof Sungamon ana Adams streets. BAPTIST. The Rey. Mr. Jackson will preach to the Free- will Baptists at 3 o'clock, ot No. 13 South Halsted strect. —Frof. Andrews, of Denison University, Ohlo, will preacn mornine and evening at the First Churcl. corner of Soath Park avenue and Thirty- first street. —Tne Rev. John Peddie will preach morning and evening at the Sccond Charch, corner of Morgan and Monroe streets. —The Rev. J. W. Custis will preach morning and evening at the Michigan Avenue Charch, near ‘wenty-third street. —The Rev. E. B. Hulbert will preach morning and evening at the Fonrth Charch, corner of Wash~ 10gton and Panlina stree “Thc Itev. A. Owen will preach morning and evening at the University Place Church, corser of Douglas place and Rhodes avenne. —The Xev. N. B. Allison_will preach mornine and evemung at_the North Star Church, corner of Division and Sedgwickatreets. —The Rer. C. Perrin will preach morning and evening at the Western Avenue Chorch, corner af Warren avenue, —The Rev. E. K. Cressey will preach morning and evening at the Coventry Street Church, corner of Bloominzdale road. —Tae Rev. It De Baptiste will preach morning and evening at Olivet Chourch, in Fourth avenue ar Taylor street. P he Rev. L. G. Clark will oresch n the morn- ing at the South Church, corner of Lake and Bona- arie streets. P2 he Rev, C. E. Hewitt will presch morning and evening in the Centennial Church, corner of coln and Jacksun streets. e “ev. B 0. Taglor wil preach morning and evening at Centrel Church, Orchard atrees, ear Sophia. —There will be 3 Gonpel meeting at 7:30 p. m. in the Tabernucle, No, 200 Wabash avenue. —The Rev. J. Q. A. Henry will preach momming and evening in the Dearbom Street Church, near Thirty-sixth street. The liev. L. G, Clark will preaca tn the evening at the Twenty-ffth Street Charch, near Wentwortn avenue. —The Rev. C. Swift will preach mornin; eveninz at Evangel Church, Dearborn near seventh strect. —The Rev. Mr. Meyer witl preach morning and cvening in ‘the First German Church, cornez of Bickerdike and Huron streets. —The Rev. J. B. Smith will preach morning and evening in the First Nocwegian Church, corner Nobic and Obio streets. —The Rev. John Onzman will preach morning and evening in the First Swedish Church, Oak styeet, nenr Sedgwick. —The Rev. W. J. Kermott will preach mominz and evening at the Halsted Street Church, near Forty-first streer. REFORMED EPISCOPAL. i Bishop Cheney preaches in Christ Church, cor- ner of Michizan avenne and ‘I'senty-fonrth strect, 5p. m. Moming subject: Evening: **How Do Enow Who Wrote the New Testaments? —The Rev. J. A. Fisher preaches at St. Mat— thew's Church, corner of North Clark and Cenire, streets, at 11 o. m.. and at the Church of the Good eac orty- 45 CERY e A S R KD SR, i TR S S RO TR i i i i i