Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 9, 1879, Page 9

n .THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 9, 1879--SIXTEEN PAGES ~ RELIGIOUS. A Caustic Criticism on the Sun- day-School Instruction of the Day. The Children Regaled with Ideas Never Pronounced in the Pulpit. What Spurgeon Has Accomplished in London During the Past Twenty-five Years, The Diary of a Sensational Preacher and His Steps Towards Denomi. national Independence. \ Pope Leo Weeding Out the Abusescand Sinecures So Long the Bane of the Vatican. General Notes, Personals, Sun- day Small Talk---Serv- ices To-Day. SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. WEAT THE YOUTHFUL MINDS ARE TAGGET T0 BELIEVE. To the Editor of The Tribune. Cnicaco, Feb. 5.—Within the past year.there 2ave come to my knowledze two cases of per- £ons who heve withdrawn their children from. sttendance at Sunday-school, giving as reasons therefor that they could no longer tolerate the mass of false and superstitious trash which was being cach week iustilled into the minds of their little ones at these much lauded institu- tions. Inoneof these cases the parents were menibers in good standing of an orthodox church, and the consent of the mother was ‘reluctantly but finally gmiven. The father, at ‘sbout the same time, ceased his attendance at ‘the church of which he had been maoy years & member. In the other case, it is a little sur- ‘prising to be compelled to ssy that the parties were Unitariavs, and that, too, of a very liberal gchool. How many similar cases there may be jt would be interesting to know; and in moy case it would scem strance if the number d&id not, sooner or luter, largely increase. For if there be any fact more ‘plainly evident on the one hand than the grow- ing colightenment at the time, it is the fact on ‘the other hand that Sunday-schools, as now con- Qucted, are a powerful influence in just the op- ‘osite direction,—2a place where, under direction of church and clergy, the cars of millions of children are crammed with the most literal ver- sions of the most slavish myths and monstrosi- ties:tobe found ia the Old Testament, and where, in multitudes of cases, their minds are dwarfed or stunted for life under the teachis of younz zeslots whose ignorance is only equaled vy their piety. . Now, of course it will be considered by most. an ungracious task to assail or even to criticise Sunday-schools. So much the more reason that some one should do it. Excepting ocea- eional newspaper jokes 1 do not remember to have read in print 3 hostile word about them. They are ome of thosé institutions of which the effecct bas been allowed o be good, and good only. TUulike revivalism, compulsory teetotalism, and the like, which have always provoked more or less unexpressed bostility, Sunday-schools have claimed snd enjuyed universal spprobation. There isa sort of general assumption that, if children get no zood there, they will at least re- ccive no herm; and thousands of parents, act- jug upon this assumotion, interpose no objec- tion 1o their children’s frequcoting a place ‘where the prevailing ideas andinfluences are not only in opposition to thetraininggiven at home, but ruinous to the child’s future development in common sense ideas, .and in that quality of mind snd thought which is every day becoming more and more Decessary to standing and sue- cess. But, meanwhile, times are changing. Old and cherished opinions arc voted pernicious, and are disappearing. Preachers do pot venture to utter in their pulpits to-Gay opinions and state- ments which would have met with no opposi- tion twenty, yes, even ten, years aco. Every- one is aware of the great modifieations in rclicious ideas which bhave taken place thut time. There is no need to enlarge upon them. No such important revolation in thought in so brief a perivd has ever before been known. These chanees are still roiug on, and will con- tinue much longer. The Cburch recognizes them in its public antagonisms, and to a consid- erable degrec in its pulpit ministrations. 1t docs so, however, because itis compelled to recornize them. It couid motget a hearing, even, in the literary and scientific world if it did wot. The writer who introdaces miracles into literature as facts, as evidences, or as moral lessons is laughed out of court. To=s less de- gree the same is true in the domestic relations of the Church. Itsadult members, ora Jarge and the most _intelligent portion of them, will 1ot listen readily to such sermons_as were cur- rent twenty-fivé years ago, or 1f tiey do the preachier is well aware that it is withaversion and silent dissent. Amid all these chaoges, bowerer, the Sunday-school remains at the level of twenty, forty, or fifty years ago,~a miost epeaking testimonial to the unfailing reaction- ary tendencics of a church which never yet took aforward stepto which it bhad not fifst been long and painfully prodded, and finally forced by the outside world. The Sunday-school is pecaliarly a nlace where the Church is enabled to disolay its real spirit, wundeterred by influences which” hamper it else- where. Itisan asency of which its most zi ous—who are also, 25 a rule, its most jznoran leaders hiave control, and whose counsels thcf’ micet, as it were, in unrestrained family consul- tation. Its Sunday sessions are 8 sort of love feast for the most active and_enthusiastic. The punils are, of course, youny, impressionable, not et given to reficction, argument, or disscni; aud such of them as may be §0 minded soon find that they have mistaken the place and the ocea- slon. There is no audience, no discussion, no criticism, no onc 10 expose misstatements, no ¢hayee to modify in the least the absurdest of teachers, And probably no one would venture 10 assert that real koowledge of the Bible or even general fntelligence is 2 Decessary charac- 1erestic of Sunday-school teachers. So far from that I presume it would be generally admitted that in the Church's cyes zeal for the cause is a - better qualification. For scveral years past I bave amused myselfi— Trequently, however, to the eXtent of exaspera- tion—by Jooking over the printed lessous Which #ppear in the religious and daily press, and also of late at the weekly discussious of the Farwell Hall teachiers’ meetings ona Saturday. I sup- Pose, of course, that but 2 small proportion of all the city teachers meet at this place; but it is probably not unfair to assume that the leaders aud the presumably most intellizent do. At all events, it is certain that preachers are the most Rumeros and prominent on these oceasions. 1t 1s here. 1 suppose, that the cue is given to the Jescer teachers, and that the key-note of the les- gon is pitched. And if 1t be true that they are really the superior fractions of the body of teachiers, it is certainly enougn, after perusing el effirts. as given below, to make one weep 10 think what must be the teachings of their less Qualified subordinates. To_illustrate what 1 Lave been saying, please allow me to make 2 " few quotations: Most adult men probably remember that thir- ¥ aud farty years agrs the story of Elisba and the bears was a favorite pulpit theme, 2ud have, perhaps, been quly frightened at it. It has been retired to the background oi late years, and probably a majority of preachers would now asbamed or afraid to treat it before their congregations. Not so, however, before the cliildren. There is the style in which it is still laid down to them. I quoie from a report of a Tate teachers’ meeting as given in the Kvening Journa! : The Rev. Alexander Youker said it was objected 10 the lust part of the lesson tuat Elisha was crucl 10 eend the bears to the children. ~But Elisha had 10 power 1o do this of himeclf. God senl the téars. Crildren are to be taught that sin must be punshed. These children insulted a prophet of 0d. - Thoush ministers are only human. still the oy | lchl:y &u‘fi{un spoken of ond }mllyl»lf B Shee.to 1 Gundr-o:rm of religion und is an If any of the children whom these words ruflched should bave been bold enougzh to think ‘lh.\!. .\lr: Youker was himself au - offense rainst God and mau, which would have been the nearer richt? {le was sustained by another brother in the followizg fashion: i The Rev. M. M. Parkhurst gave an illustration of the manner in which he haa attempied to cross he Jordan at about the very poiut where Elsha had, and found it too deen. He had turned to the very passaucs of Scripture taken for the lesson on that occasion. and found toat all the surroundinzs pomnted 10 the truthfulness. The first thina they should do was to show their chuldren that these things were true, This i} 10 its way, superb. Tt fairly equals the argument of the returned missionary who brouziit a picce of rock from Mount Ararat, and, after it had been exhibited to his audieuce, dismissed them with the trinmphant remark that whenever agzm they should hear any oune deriding the story of the deluge they could now tefl him that they knew better—they had seen a stune frow the very spot where the ark bad rested. At another meeting where the subject of the Iesson was Elijah and the killing of the priests of Baal at God’s command, as alleged, 1 find the Almizhty backed up as Tollows: The Rev. Mr, Terrill said there should be no apolozies for tfe killing of the prophei of Baal Like the miracles, it was an extreme measure, required by the then condition of the people. Bul as the spintual Tife grows in » man, he ceases to e avsorbed by these wonderful .and _exceptional wanifestations of God's power, and thinks ouly of faith and God’s love. No, 1 should myself think that, vhon the whole, it would be “better for pupils not to be “ absorbed " by suct * exceptional” massacres and their lessons. g & The intimate familiarity of preachers with the designs of God is well known, as also their read- iness to iwpart their information to unregen- erate mortals arouna them. Many of them are more modest of late years, but it Is not before the children that they display their modesty the course of alesson upon the *‘Shumani son,” | learu for the first time the fact italicised Lelow: ,. ‘The Rev. W. A. Spencer thonght that the super- fluity of holy places in Palestine, and the decention practiced by -the people was apt to disenchant any but the most pions traveler. ~ int the customs of the country at this day illustzated tne Bible in o strikinz manner. Mr. Spencer intimated that G had allowed the veople of Lalestine to remni turies helimd the rest of the world in cwvilization in order that the people of to-day nughi pet » good tdea of the manners in the Diblicat days. This would be very fine for us, thouch the people of Palestine might not like it, Dut how about the rest of Asia, which is equally b ward? In areport of aletter upon the subject of the * Cross,” also from the Journal, appears: T S. Thain showed that Cbrist's death, at the last, when lle dismissed His spirit, was entirely voluntary, independent of the tortures of the cross: and anothier sentleman presented the same thousht, stating that men who died from oracifixion died from final exhuustion, whereas the Savior. when fle dismissed His suirit, cned with 2 ioud voice. To both these speakers thought this wis exces- sively comforting, as showing that Christ died for them of His own Tres will—not because He hiad to. Oue does uot wish to jest at such a subject as a crucifixion, but 1s it pussible for 4 saue man to contemplate the idea- of **dismissingz one’s spirit 7 without a smilt, 2nd i not such drivel commentary cnough on the meutal ealibre or mental condition, ut leust, of him who utters it? 1t provokes allusion to the man who raised him- self aver the feuce by bis boot-straps. I bave already given a specimen of the kind of internally evolved nistory dispensed to Sun- day-schools. Here is anothier from a * lesson ™ by the Rev. E. I Rogers, in the New York Observer : Work done for God's causc will ‘stand as our memorial when e are gone. Cyrus, the monarch of Persi, isforgotten. But as ihe friend of God's people hie will be always remembered. Now there is nothing very bad about that, it The only objection to it is that both propositions are 50_chtireiy untrue. It is pre- cisely as the great Kine of Persia, the first well ror, that Cyrus is remem- bered. Comparatively few arc aware that he once incidentally befriended the Jews. Further along_Mr. Ropcrs, in a gush of sentimental ad- ‘miration for Cyrus, makes the following ridicu- lous statement,—a sort of what might be called There is little doubt that Cyros believed in and revered the frue God, and thiz was doubtiess the great reasont’ why he felt inclined to release ilis people from their bondage, and to send them back 1o their own land. At the “close of another lesson by the same man 1 find the following promulzated under the head of * Practical Sug: i 1. False religions are always intolerant, This certainly surpasses the utmost limit of jmpudence to which 1 ever. before: knew con- secrated ignorance to o. By and by, perbaps, when some one wore_intellizent of the Rowers pupils has grown alittle older; when he learns that all the ancient religions tolerated each other, that they were cven courteous to cach other, that such as have survived to this day are and_have alwsys been tolerant of each other; when he learns that the carly Christians even were uot persecuted as such but as seditious and as_cnemics of thé Roman State; e learns that the first serious and purely persecutions were those ot one y another; wien he learns thut intolerance und perseention burse fortiy into full flower with the cstablisament of Christianity; when he learn: jo short, the historic fact that religious intolerance and perseen- tion were born iuto the world with Christianity and flourished with it and 5ts Moslem offshoots; when he learns that Cluistianity is not merely unrivaled in its Jong and hideous aunals of per- secution,{but is absolutely alone in them,—what will this pupil then think of bis teacher xnd his teacher's creed, and what_ are we all to think of the kind of * practical sugeestions ' offered in Sunday-schools? It is noticeable how theelerey, whenever they feel sure of their audiences, almost invariably revert to the miraculous, The next extract is from & “ Bible-reading,” as it is cailed. to an audicnee of recent young conyerts, mostly yvoung girls, bv a Rey. Welton, taken from an Omaha paper. Mr. Welton, after dwell- ing upon Noah and the ar] nd the delnge, and the wickedoess of the world at that time, went on to urge that histors was now repeating itself; that the world, throush the prevalent anbelief resulting from scientitic progress, wag again pro- voking God’s wrath, and 1 another catas- tropiic was near at hand. What follows formed his closing rewarks: Men don’t 6ee nny sirns of God' judgments now. The laws of Nature are fixed, they say, and thines will £0 on 8 they always have: but God says the day of jndmment will come, and there will be anend. It wus destroy by water then; it will be destroyed by fire this ime. Observe the sneer at the Jaws of Nature, so eminently worthy of the pulpit.and the Sunday- schoolroom_or the ¢ Bible reading.” 1 do not know wnether the following excerpt can be as- cribed to a Sunday-school lesson or a “ Bible- reading,”” a sermon or onc of Dr. Gibson’s lect- ures. 1t certainly s worthy a place in either of them. I find the fragment among some seraps, and recommend it with its absurdities and false statements about the ¢ best naturalists,’ eic., 10 any zvalous Sunday-school teacher, who may find it of use. - Properly handied, I think it ought to mak eof an average teachera Superin- tendent, at least. ‘Ilie best paturaliste admitted that there was nothing in the story of Jonah opposed to science. ‘The Mohammedan belicved that Jonali was forty dags in the belly of the whale, but the Jewish coinputation fixed the period at thicty hours. It ‘Was not impossible to believe that Jouah couid nave lived during this brief imprisonment. It had Dbeen asserted that the gastric juices would have poisoned Jonah, but physiology declared that Faetric Juices did not operate upon livinz_objects. Jonah might have had_a_kind of suspended ani- mation. in amphibious animals the respiration of the skin was very active, and ail verlebrates, in- cluding man himself, exhibited a tendeucy to breathe in the manner of a fish. A scientific gentle- man, talking to the speaker on this subject, once said that if Jonah had simply scratched with his finger-nail the lung of the whale he would have had all the respiration that be wanted during his confinement. This opinion lad also been cor- roborated by other men of science. The “computation’ was by ruie of three, T suppose. ‘The guotations below are from a lesson published in Tie TRIBUNE of a_year or 50 4::0, on 1e removal of the Jewish ark to Zion. The verses seem to be a sort of paraplrase, und are frowmn 2 Sam., vi. chapber: (3) They ULrought the ark outof the honseof Abinadab, and placed it upon @ new cart- Uzzah drove the cart, or oxen, and Ahio walked before it. David must have Known the law, that stated distinet riests! the sides, torongn which poles were pussed, so that fonr wen could bear the ark on their shoul- ders. 6) When they came to Nachon's threshing- floor the osen stumbied, and shook tue 3rs. Vzzah Juid his hands upon the sacred chest. fle was the son of a priest, but nota priest, and had 1o right o touci it. (7) Jehorah was so much displeased twith him for downg so, thal Ife smote him on the spot. Uzzal's purpose was good, but he broke a speciic command of God. e wished o protect the ark from injury. ‘The procession sudaenly stopped; the exulting strains of music ceazed. All were awed into silence and solewnity as the news spread froms rauk t6 renk, that Uzzah, the son of a prist, the keeper of the ark for ulong time, had been sud- denly struck dead, without any known cause, “Vhe peopte were amazed, and when toid that he broke 2 law of God and suffered for so doing, they eaid Uzzah had alwuys been 3 £00d man; thit wken the oxen stuwbled, he thought the ark’was in danger of being broken: and that he had touched it thathe might save it from all harm; that he ought to have Poen rewarded for bis £ooa intentions. 8) David beld the same views. He was much displeased at what he considered ‘unjust on the part of his Baker. DButalitle reflection changed his mind. ‘Thesc-extracts, it seems to me, speak for themselves. To comment upon them seems almost a humiliation. But Iet the rational man pictare to himself if he can the ruler of the uni- descending upon earth in Judea, some x rs 420, t0 engage in—excuse the ph —*¢ bossing the job " of removing the Jew ark, truak, chesy, or whatever it might have been, from one locality to another, and getting 50 anary at an involuntary movement of oue of 1lis assistauts that He struck him or—let us be literal here—smote him dead for his thought- lessness, ‘Then let him pictare his own child at Sunday-school under process of indoctrination into such views of Deity and and divine zovern- ment. 1f he can contemplate the thought with ansthing but wonder, disgust, and contempt, then there is nothing to be said. This cowmu- nication certainly is not written for him. But surely a majority of the fathers have outerown all belief in such debasing wiyths, and it told that they are but a repetition of what is found in the” Bible will only reply: * Then 50 much the worse for the Bible.” The above extracts are but o few out of many samples which might be miven of the outrazeous stull which is being continually taught to miltions of children in attendance at Mhat Mr. Arthur Mitchell calls “our Great Na- ‘tioval University.” For the last month or so the scholars have been regated with clerical fan- cics and fictions as to the_significance of the building of the walls of a Jewish city by Nehe- This, in old times, very common occur- renee has been expounded to fhem assomething. of a profound mythical interést on the. part of the Alinignty, who kept a steady eye upon the work. So fur 18 1 have observed there has been nothing absofutely barbarous or depraving in the conclusions drawn. “The worst that can be said is that they were puerile, ridiculous, and, of course, without s word of truth-in them. Next week or month the Jessou will, very likely, revert to the barbarous. Some Jewish King will slaughter thousands of men, women, and dren by the exoress command of the Almighty, or some Philistines will be enticed into a trap by the same agency. or some prophet will blow |, 2 horn, or takea walk, orhave a dresm, or shut his back door, und through each event the Indden finger of Jehovah reachingz forward to some mysterious end will be tr and duly ““splanified” by the wonderful Farwell uail seers to these young students of our * Great ‘Natfonal University.” 7 b Stufl ke this, stuff which some, at least, of these preachers dare not, literally dare not, utter from the pulpit befure the fathers of the chil- dren; is wholesufed out to the children in 1 fatile hope, perhavs, that if fuoculated early enough the next gencration mav be retained in tellectual bonds from which the present is ping. For the extension of this system of medieval instruciion, this conspiracy against real enlighteument, this confidence game played uthful mindsof the land, the church re making great exertions, terming our Great National University. We shall sce what will be the results. 1 can mysclf remem- ver when I was taught, thirty-five vears ago, precisely the.same things and Delieved them. In the meantime there is a small but growing number of persons who do not look at this busi- ness with complacency, andto whomit is a daily refiection that if the children are ever to become really intelligent, seusible, and well-informed members of the society of the future, then, as one of the very first steps to that end. it will be neeessary for them to eradicate entirely from their minds, 1o unlearn, 1f possible, 8 very great part of all they have ever been tausht at Sun- day-school. ~ A SUNDAY-SCHOOL GRADUATE. SPURGEON. THE WORE OF A GREAT PREACHER FOR TWEX- TY-FIVE YEARS. - London News. Twenfy-five years ago there entered London from 16 Eastern Counties high-road a younsz, unknown, cud comparatively friendless man. He has himself recorded that, in view of the im- portance of his mission to the great metropolis, lie had carefully dressed himself in *a huse Dblack satin stock,” and that he was further en- dowed with **a blue handkerchief with white spots.” . We get further hints that 3Mr. Spurgeon was at this epoch a youth ot rustic manners and timid aadress. Hewas just 19 years old, and was alrcady pastor of a little Buptist Chapel at Waterbeach, five miies from Cambridee. Thith- er had come a letter one Sunday morning invit- ing him to preach a sermon at New Parkstreer, Southwark, a pulpit just vacated by Dr. Rip- po#, a shining lizht in Baptist circles a quarter of acentury’ago. Mr. Spurgeon thougzht there must be & mistake somewhere. and replied by letter to that effect,” explaining that he was “only just turned 19,” and was in no manuer | qualificd to fill a pulpit in a great chupel in London. He was assured that there was no mistake, and the invitation being renewed he sct out for Luddou with his huge Dblack satin stock, his blue handkerchief with white spots, and ' an nudeveloped capacity for preaching, which even the far-steing and san- guine Deacous of Park St Chapel little dreamed of. Mr. Spurgeon tells how he spent the well-remembered night at a boarding-house in Queen’s Square, Bloomstury; how bis fellow guests were * preatly tickled that the country Jad should be & preacher;” bow they overwheimmed him with narratives of the attainments of Lon- don divines, what study they devoted to the composition of their sermous, their herculean toils in keeping together 8 congrezation as crit- ical as it wus numerous, und ‘‘the maichless oratory they exbibited on all occasions.” Mr. Spurizeon went to bed in 2 cupbuard over the front door, and tossed on the narrow couch fn solitary misery. * Pitiless was the grind of the cabs in the street, pitiless the recollection of the young city clerks whose grim propriety had razed upon our rusticity with such amusemeut, pitiless the spure root which scarce afforded space to kneel, vitiless even.thc gas-lamps which seemed to wink at us as they flickered amid the December darkness, We had no {riend in all that city full of human beings, but we felt amone strangers and foreigners, hoped to be helped through the scrave into which had been brought, mud to escape safely to the serene abodes of Cambridge and Waterbeach.” Mr. Spurgeon’s success was immediate and unmistakable, and from his tirst sermon in the Park Street Chapel he has zone on increasing ju power and fame snd personal influence. Every- body has lieard of him as a_preacher. Millions have peard him preach. The Tabernacle on a Sunday, when Mr. Spurzreon is in the pulpit, is one of the sirhts of London. It is the one church in England, perhaps in the world, whose recular congregation numbers 5,000, aud which has never an empty bench. The weekly sermons have even a wider congregation than the Taber- 11 hold. They are printed from weck to nd eirculate wherever the Enelish tonzue prevails. They have been translated intoalmost every languare spoken by Christians; and in some of the Atrican missionary settlements the nutives read in their own tongue the Lomely truths, the forcible arzuments, and the quaint illastrations which have been first uttered on some earlier Sunday in the Tabernacle. Mr. Spurgeon is, first of all, a preacher, aud i preacher that hie is known throughout the i- ized world. But Lie is something more than a preacher. He is one ol the most tremendous woricers of the day. Few people outside his congregation, or besond those who make it their special business Lo inquire, can form any conception of the proportion wnd extension of the agencies for doing good which Mr. Spur- geon has established, vontrols, and_principally maintains. . As the time for the celebration of his silver ‘wedding with bis church approached it was sug- gested that the opportunity should be scized to make him a present worthy of the oceasion. When the scheme came to Mr. Spurzeon’s cars T by no means discouraged it. On 1 he warmly approved it. moncy as they could; the more munificent the suin the better ne would be pleased—only he would not accept 8 penuy of it humsell. “The almshouses were in need of endowment; let the silver-wedding tribute be appropriated to that purnosc. The congregation abthe Tubernacle is not accustomed to arzue with their pastor; his dictum was promptly and cordially accepted, and the result was that the munificent sum of 46,500 was raised the agency of the Bazar, and the homes for aged women stand on a firm basis forever. The almshouses are situated in Sta- tion street, off the Kent road, and afford shelter to scventeen old ladies. Over tne almshouses runs & school-room. This is a public sciool con- nected with the Tabernacle, where an average of 240 boys and half as mauy girls receive a sound clementary education. ‘The school is al- ways full, Itis enough for the people in the neighborhiood of the Kent road to know that it is % Spurgeon’s School.” ‘The name with them is synoaymsous with all that is practical, sound. horest, and thoroush; and, in respect of the education reccived at these schools, the confi- dence does not appear to be misplaced. Behind the Tabernacle itself is the Pastor’s Cotlege, which Mr. Spureeon slways speaks of as his favorite work. It was onc of his earliest enterprises, and is now past its majority. It commenced with a single pupil, and now num- bers nearly one hundred. The classes were first heldin the rooms- under the Tabernacle, but this was an arrangerent only accepted as tem- porary by Mr. Spirzeon. 1n 1871 he beran to call aloud for a suitable buildinz—a stately col- Jeze house. He did not ask in_vain, for the handsome and commodious building was jui- mediately after erected behiud the Tabernacle, and five vears later Mr. Spurgzeon was enabled to annotigee that he had purchased the frecnold of the; college, befors neid upon lease from the “isterinl brethren assisted. Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and that the prop- erty had been placed in trust, together witha sufficient sum to pay the rates and keep it in re- vair. . The first condition of admission to the college S thut a man shail have been euzaced for two ars in preaching. This qualification estab- lished, no special standard of literary qualifi- cation or . of social . position is enforced. ‘The course of tuition extendsovertwo years, though studeuts are not necessarily sent away at the end of that period. Chapels all over the coun- try, und even in the Colonies, draw on the col- lege for a supoly of pastors. “Our policy has been,” Mr. Spurgzeon says, “to initiate the flor- ist by planting a Javge number of slips, in the hope that some of them would strike.” The total fncome of the college last vear reached ciose upon £7,600. The cxpenditure was just over £7,000, of which_more than haif was the cost of buarding and lodwing the students. In connection with the colleze is aloan fund, the object of whith is to assist, by gitt|or loan, without interest, in the building, or|enlarge- ment, or repair of chapels in which former stu- dents of the college ofliciate. “T'he colleze is now ou a firm] ind sound financial basis, the larze amount required for its sustentution being reg- ularly forthcomiug, But at one time it was i very low water, and Mr. Spurgeon, havine ex- hausted all his personal resources in maintuin- ing it, bad determined to sell his horse and car- riage Lo keep 1 groing for 8 few months longer. Ile spoke of his difliculty fo_his comgrregation, wnd thereupon commenced the “weekly offe inz? at the Tavernacle. [tisa point of honor with the congregation that the aunual aggregate of this offeriug atull be maintamed at the tig- ure of the date'of the year. Lust year, accord- ingly, £1,S73 were forthcoming from the boxes at the Tavernacle doors. Perhaps of all the Institutions which owe their origin and muintenance to_the generous miud and dauntless spirit of Mr. Sourgeon, the Orplianage wost surely und quickly touclics a chord in public feeling. ~ The Orphanage build- ings, which stand in their own rrounds off the Clapham road, are designed for the accommo- dation of 250 children, who are admissible be- tween the agres of 6 and 10. There is no pre- liminary trouble or_expense in the way of can- vassing for votes. The Trustees investizate the various cases submitted, and sclect the most worthy of relief. At present the Orphanage is quite full: there are on the books 100 claimants for admission, aud thirty have been nominated to fill vacancies as they aris ‘The system is based as much as possible unon the modet of the tamily circle, and the fortunate boys select- ed find Bere what is often their first realization of the meaning of the word home, yThe school is conducted in classes, and the boys feed in common. But theylive together in*scparate houses in colonies of from thirtv to forty-six. 'hese houses are, as the inscriptions ina! gifts from various sources. There is Merchants’ House,” “T'he Workmen’s House —the funds for which were mainly subscribed by & firm of builders and their workmens “Ihe Unity House,” erected by a husband in memory of his wife; and ** The Silver Wedding House,” built, as the inscription testifics, in zratitude to God for twenty-five years of happy wedded life.” Tu the spacious and airy bed-rooms rows of little iron bedsteads are sct, each oy having his own bed.- Lavatories arc close'at hand, and are dibgently used moruiug and night. The boys are rung up at u quarter to 7in the winter and half-past 6 in the summer. Then commences the serubbing with soap and water, after waich the boys rush out fnto the playsrouud, on the wholly superfluous errand of induciug an appe- tite by half an hour’s play before Dreulkfast. Breakfast is- at 8, school at 9:30, dinoer at 1, School awain at 2:30, tea at 5:30, turn in at 7:30, in bed aud lights out atV. Yesierday it was pudding-day at the Orphanage, an event which hapoens twice a week, meat being served at the midday meal ou the five other days. Anin- formal inquiry into public opinion led to the conclusion that pudding-day is recarded as preferable to any other, though a serious dif- ference of taste was disclosed as to whether it were better to bave the pudding served hot or cold. ‘They take kindiy to all the songs in the re- pertoire of the Tonic Sol-fa school. If they buve a preference it is, perhups, for one known as “ Hark, the impatient steed is neighing.” In this there occnrs a line totheeffect, * Ai-ec-ah- ah,” which is understood to be an fmitation ot “ihe houndsin 1ull cry, bayine, bayine,” and is cortainly capable of giving full scope 1o youth- ful lungs. The Orphabage beinz complete ywithin itself, necessarily bas its infirmary. But this is just now comparatively empty, the prin- cipal paticnts being s brizht-eved urchin afilice- ed with chillblains, who if privileged to lie in bed all day by a bright firé. and srother, who broke his " legs in a moment of entDusiasin on the swing. One little cot i just emptied, and its story is told in the brief record in the in- “Dicksou icied to-day, after o.” Dickson gust lived 1o be 10 years of age. it he may e daid to bave lived at ull. His mother and father both died of con- sumption, and the frail child left behind was strajzhtway taken into the Orpbapage, in the hope that his poor spark of life might be fanned 10to a flame. But be never had a-chance trom the day he was born. I have seen wmany deaths,” the doctor who attended 'him says, “put few so happy ns his. * Poor boy,’ I said to Tiim, 2 day or two befora lie died, as he lay on the bed making nothing of his bodily anguish,— “Poor boy.’ With sparkling cves he drew my nead down to his lips, and said: ‘I am not a poor boy. I am very happy. 1 am going bome.””" And home be went before the mew year was a fortnight old. The institutions here enumerated do not com- prise the full material results of Mr. Spurzeon’s twenty-five vears’ bard labor; but they suffice 10 compose & rare, perhaps a unique monument to the euergy, resolution, und philanthropy of a singie man. ~ Mr. Sourereon has been successful in infusing somethinz of his owu spirit into those with whom he works: and in the (of late too Ifequent) intervals when he is prostrated by sickness or bodily fatizue, the work of the Tab- ernucle, at-the Alms-Houses, at the Pastor's Colleat, and at the Stockwell Orphanage goes ou ns smoothly as if he were still on the spot. Once more hie has been compelled temporarily to give up the struzgle, and bas gone to seek in Meutone the rest he cannot find in London. He hopes to be back in the spriug, refreshed and strengthened. TALMAGE. THE DIARY OF A SENSATIONAL PREACHER—STEPS TO DENOMINATIONAL INDEPENDENCE. Nem Yrx Graphic. Jan. 1, 1865.—My congregation is steadily in- creasing. It is made up largely of voung people und many who never went to church be- fore. There is a novelty in my style wi at~ tracts them. Ipreach off-haud, and say in the sermon whatever comes uppermost. People dou’t like to hear the old things said over and over again in the old style. Jan. 1, 1867.—The little church is getting very small. Hundred are turned away every Suu-~ day. We must have a new and larger church. Jan. 1, 1868.—We are going to have it. The members are enthusiastic and bound to see it built. They are thoroughly enlisted in the cn- terprise. Each one fecls as if it was a personal affair. We're eoing to bave a church as large as the Bizinouth Bethel. I shall intaoduce sev- eral noveltics iu this church. I shall not do so all at once. I shalPdo this from time to time, 80 that, when the intercst in one is about to flag, another shatl be on hand to take its place. Many young and rising ministers have failed for this very reason. They would strike sometimes by accident a novelty, and it would work. But, instead of studying out another to succeed it, they studied their sermons. Now, noveities won’t tast forever. When a novelty is no longer new, it ceases to be a novelty. I take my cue {from the theatres. True, these are the devil's own churches. But why should the devil have 2 monopoly of all the novelties? I borrow an idea from the devil. Thus, out of evil cometh good. Jan. 1,1870.—The new church is built. My dedicatory sermon was reported in eighteen pa- pers. 1 preached one of my comic sermons. The choir atso sung the first of their new collec- tion of Sacred Cowic Songs. We had a good time and everyoody was kept on the broad grin during the entire service. Several of my min- I kpow they don't approve of my new system. I could sce that cropping out in Brother Oldstyle’s prayer. He requested Deity to put down self pride and schism wherever it might be found. e hinted at the insidious wiles and devices used by the Adversary, and more than once alluded to my comparative youth and inexperience in a very pointed manuer. - Of course Brother Oldstyle doesn’t like my system. One-third of his young people and two of his wealthiest parishioners are now steady attendants at mychurch. I can't help that. I suppose_they will go where they can receive the most edification and amuse- ment combined on Sunday. I don’t see that the road to .u«::vcn need necessarily be traveled with peas ih one’s shocs. At lsust with hard peas. I boil the expiatory peas for my flock. However, 1 had the closing prayer ani praved back'at Brother Oldstyle. I praved that we wight ail be delivered from envy and jeal- ousy and be strengihened to accept with resig- uatisn whatever crosses might:be in - store for us. I think I settled bim for that day. The re- porters winked and poked each other. I saw tew. However, L bear Oldstyle—Brother Old- style I mean—no ill-wiil or malice. 1am chari- table. 1 cau afford to be. Jun. 1, 1873.—The comic sermons and collec- tion of sacred humorous nymos have steadily drawn the unregenerate to my church. But T don’t allow one novelty to getcold before treat- ing auother. Six months ago we bundled the old-fashioned pulpit into the tumber-room, and substituted in its place a large plain platform. Puloits cramp a live minister. 'They give one no ruom to thrash around in. 1 rely a good deal for the effect of my_scrmons on my legs and arms. With these I can preach moving dis- courses, _Last week I added a Baptistry. Al- thoush Presbyterians we can_now immerse or sorinkle as may be desired. This secures to my congregration certain waverers who might other- wise joiu the Baptists. The Baotistry was con- structed when the church was built. ButI didn’t wish to bring out all the novelties in one season, Jan. 1, 1875.—L have secured Shocbuckle to play for uson the cornet every Sunday. The rush now is terrific. Every one of Shoebuckle’s notes pays a good interest. ‘‘Blow ye the trumpet, blow 17 _Jan. 1. 1576.—L am preaching now just out- side the pale of old-fashioned Presbyterianism. I said the other Sunday that 1 didn’t under- stand lots ol thines iu the Bible which I oro- fessed to understand years ago. Nor do L. Brothers Oldstyle and” Bluelight_are horritied. They ariue that they understand these doctrinal points from top to bottom. Thev explain them in twenty-six headed, hour and a hall sermons whichanizzle into fog,mist, and obscurity before halC finished. People vrefer to come over and hear e and Shoebuckle on the cornet as well 45 my automatic orchestra just under the plat- form. ‘That’s my last novelty. I bought the automatic_orchestra from Barnum. The funds were raised at a New Year’s church osyter sup- er. Three oysters to the stew and a lemon toa barrel of lemouade. Gross receipts, $1,000. Every spare silk petticoat io the congregation was cut up to muke smoking caps at $10 cach. Most of the younss single men of iy congregation have overdrawn their salarics, owing to the ex- pense of this festival, und some will go without winter overcoats. But the automatic orchestra is 2 great success. itis composed of nine fig- ures, worked by a crank. The chillren can’t talke'their eyes off the bass-drummer und the chap with the trombone. They are s natural us life. Jan. 1, 1878.—Ministers have too long preached what they know practically little about in cer- tain phases. [mean sin. Few ministers_ever sowed & crop of wild vats. 1 never dig. 1feel the Tack of experience and knowledge resnltiog from never having sown, grown, und barvest any wild onts. 1need u Course of wila oats. I’ am going to seesin wherever it can be found. It's mot right to deny youne ministers these Drivileges enjoyed by thewordly. 1t’s the great- est nonsense in the world this trying to cure people of complaints oue pever saw or had themselv I'm goine to see sin, gilded sio,— sin in dauce-houses und bar-rooms, and all sorts of pluces,—so thut 1 can talk about it under- standingly. I may sio a litcle myself, providing Jan. 1, 18i%.—Complaints of my heterodoxy increase. Of vourse Bluelizht and Oldstyle are at the bottom of this. The Weekly Calvinistic Bug'e is also very bitter onme. I fire back in my paper,‘the Lively Pulpitecr. ‘The paper ‘is | another uovelty. It advertises me zud utilizes sawed-off ends of serwous. 1 am stroug enough now to preach alitile outside the denomina- tional doctrine. I must go over the fence for new tnaterial. Besides, 1 cau't keep inside of it. Couvictious are stronger thau creeds. I say things now every Sunday despite my- self which even startle myself. Pm full new thouglits and ideas. 1f I’m keptin the old orthodox straighs jacket I sbalf bust. Besides, D'm planted. They can't root me out. I have among my members au Old Guard and a Young one, who will stick by me through thick and thin. I'veas good a right to say mysay as Calvin Tud to say bis say some time sgo. 1 don’t pro- puse to secede from Presbyterianism, out if Presbyterisnism secedes from me I shall run my church_alone. I have the popularity, and Brothers Bluclight und Oldstyle have the old creed. Mrv stock in trade pays the best. Later—I have u new noveley in preparation, being a collection of live aniwals for & Scrip- tural menagerie. The church is to be extended in the rear so that the menagerie shall be lo- cated behind the pulpit. It will embrace lions, tigcrs, elephants, and snakes,—everything, in fact, mentioned 1n Scripture. 1 have long felt the need of 2 good active snake to illustrate s sermon on the fall of man. The monkeys will afford powerful and lively arguments against Darwinism, Still Later—The aquarinm will succeed the menagerie. We have a tank for the whale already buiit. Other novelties in preparation. LEO’S ECONOMY. THE HOLY FATUER WEEDING OUT ABUSES AND SINECURES—TAXING THE CANONS. Pall Jall Gazette. The reign of Lee XIIL has been siznalized from its commencement by a strict regard for qconomy and a desire to make the Church live on its resources, without those constant. appeals to the world, which, duriog the last years of the teign of Pius IX., gave rise to many scandals. New brooms sweep clean, and Leo XIIL plies his in gll directions, regardless of people’s feclings and the dust he stirs up. One of his latest acts has been to announce to the canons of St. Peter's, a very wealthy body. that they will be expected to contribute in fature 25,000L. & year to Peter’s Pence. The canons protested; the command savored of spoliation, from which they had suffered so much from the Italian Government; bow could they raise so large a kam? and so on. .One of their body, an old triend to the Pope when Cardinal Pecei, was deputed to lay their protest before his Holiness; but it was only time wasted, and the canon was at length compelled to say, with & smile, *“ Wel, your Holiness, no one will be able to say in fu- ture, ‘He has got 2 canonry,’” alluding toa common expression for a person haviog obtain- ed some comfortable berth. “No,” returned his Holincss, using another similar saying, “Nor of us, ‘Godersi il-Papato,’” which may be trapslated freely, that the Papacy is not all beer und skittles. The canons of Santa Maria Maggoire have their grievance too. It has been their custom from time imme- morial to cclebrate Christmas Eve with a beavy supper after midnight mass, and the chief feature in this entertainment was a buge bol of soup, in the concoction of which tradition required sixty canons to be used. This suar, shortly before Ciiristinas, the Pope noti- fied to them that he considered this uncalled for extravagance, and that coffee and cakes was quite as mucli as they could require. So_the noor canons had to forezo their annual jollifica- tion, which scewed all the barder that they pad foritout of their own money. MATRIMONIAL FEES. Another reform has been made io the Dateria, the departnent which prepares bricfs, etc., for the office of the Cancelleria, and the dispensa- tions tor mixed marriages or other matrimonial difllentties. As applications for such dispensa- tions come in from alt parts of the world there is, of course, a great deal of work to be done, and to expedite this business there has sprung up a class of, so 1o speak, **outside brokers,” cho, under the title of * Spedizioueri Aposto- loci,” do a goad deal of jbusiuess by un- deriaking 1o save people the delays and trouble ~of making personal or writ- ten application dircct to the office of the Dateria. Of course they obtain fee for their services: and, as in the case of coun- trics like South America for instance, for whichs the mails’ ouly leave once or twice 4 mouth, to the impaticnt couples desirous of marrying to save 2 mail is of importance, the advantage of having an active agent on the spotis worth an extra fee; so they geuerally have their bauds tall of work. Heretofore each man has charzed what scemed right in liis own eyes, besides run- ning up a pice Jittle uccount of extra charees. For instance, the dispensations were made out inau old peculiar form of Gothic writing: so there was a charge for copying this inte running text; then transiations, seals, cte., swelled the bill. ‘This, among other things, came to the knowledge of the Pope, who has decreed that fo future the papers shall be made out at first in running handwriting. and that there shall be stamped on them rge sturnp, which cannot be effaced or altered, stating the smount of the fee. People aboutto marry, and_only waiting for their dispensation, will thank Leo XIII. for the rm; but the Spedizionieri do not see in that light, sud Joudly complain that their occu- pation 15 zone, tnd that they will not be able to live on the official fecs. WAX-CANDLE ECONOMT. 1a the Dateria itsell, the office of which 15 on the hill leading to the Quirinal, the officials are being weeded out, the superaunuated being forced to retire with a pension without having their places filled up; o there is wailing there, too. Iv the Vaticap, too, there is the same cutting down of expenses. ~ After Cardial As- quin's funeral the other day, the ©palefre- uleri,”” as they are called, though really they are the Papal cbairbearers, were almost in state of revolt because they found themselves deprived of the excessof wax candles, which used to be supplied at the death of a Prince of the Church, and Which to them was 1 consider- able perquisite. ‘The arrangments for seeing the Vatican galleries_have, however, much im- proved under Leo XIIL: instead of the aw! wark tiours, 8 to 11 4. m., and 2 to half-past 3 p. m., whicn visitors to Rome during the Jast years of Yio Nuao's reizn wiil reusetaner as giv- ing them much unnecessary tronble and annoy- ance, the galleries are thrown open from 910 % P: ., Without any break, and the aamission by ticket is now such a tarce that we may Lope the authorities will soon recognize it themselves, for you bave only to ask for a ticket, or pertais, as ihe Americans say, und one 15 given you with- out anv questious’ asked or fec charged. ‘The Pooe has further directed that the money de- rived from briefs shall_be uoplicd to the res- toration of the apse of St. Jobn Lateran, a work which proceeds but slowly. GENERAL NOTES. O There {3 always a crowd of Frenchmen or foreigrners about the winaows of the Bible depot. in the Place du Thestre Francaise, in the heart of Paris, reading, by daylizht or by electric | P light, from the open Bibles there displayed. A late decision of the Indiana Supreme Conrt is both interesting and important. It has been ruled that a subscription made on Sunday fur the benenit of the church is not binding, and cannot be collected by a suit at law. This fol- lows the general rule of the invalidity of con- | traets made upon the Lord’s Day. S Following is the creed of the Central Church of this city (Prof. Swing’s): **We believe in the divioe character and mission 8 Wales is a little over 1,900, and that of ¢hn:, pastorate of the Thir¢ Reformed Chaureb, Balii- more, to join the Roman Catholic faith. ar, family on'the Ethiopa for G on the S District d chapels a little over 1.200. Thers ase priests in Scotland. PERSONALS. The Coliscum Place Baptist Church of New rleans has extended u call to the Rev. Dr. Landrum, of Memphis. ‘The Rev. Ur. Damel Gans has resigned 1 The Rev. W. H. H. Murray isin the West on connected with the Boston * puck- bosra * wagon, ia which he has s large interest. The last papal encyclical was written by the ope himself. The critics say it is writzen in much better Latin than many of its predeces- SOrs. Dr. T. J. Morean, of the Baptist Theolomical em! has_taken pass: or hituself and sgow, and will sail Leo XIIL. is very superstitions. He wants no/ ne o spill any sult on 1he toor in his presene. uch an aceident, he believes, is invariably fol- lowed by death. The Rev. William Warren, D.D., formerly retary of the Amerizan Board of of Christ; that e is the Savior man in his_ignor- | Foreiga Missions, died at his home in Gorbiam, ance and sinfulness needs; that all acceptinz und | ) obeyimg this Christ as their way, truth, and life are :lllxl‘l‘y entitled to the name and Gope of the c‘nns- H The Glasgow Established Prgsbytery has canght the epidemic of the age, eschewed the créed of the Fathers, and risked eternal dampa- tion by sdopting a report allowing the strect- cars to ruu on Sundays! Now. where are the | r bailies of the kirk, who aforetime cracked the } T pates of rebellious *Jaddics ™ with their Sabba’ stalls? It is foretold that the moderate tendencies of Pope Leo XIIL will probably result in establish- ing a constitutional churci party in the Italina Partiament. Hitherto the Ultramontaue meni- bers have observed au attitude of detiunce; it is M € farmerly Syndic of Turin, is forniug 4 centeal “atholic party, which will acknowledze the lc- gitimacy of the Ring and of the Italian Consti- tutios, aud will oppose tie Government on strictly parliamcntary principles. At arecent meeting of the Evangelical Al ance at Bostou_the Rev. Alexander McKeuzl spoke on “‘The Sabbath Question.” He said that he believed in readine Sunday papers if they wrote about the resurrection of Christ, but not in celebrating the day by reading novels or attending concerts which were only sacred in P name. The Lord did not tell us to push the ass into the pit on Saturday afternoon that we | P! might pull bim out Sunday morning, and em- vloyers have rorightto crush out all the streneth aund spirit of their servants from Monday till Sawurday night, and then try wnd erowd them into the churches on Sunday. Breaking the Sab- bath he considered one of the causes of the business depression. One of the most striking testimonies to the great usefulness of American missions in Turkey Was recently given by the Risht Hon. W. E. Baxter, member of the British Pariiameat, in a lecture recently delivered in Scotlund. He sald: “ Wherever I traveled four years azo, in Egvpt, Palestine, Syria, Asiatic and’ Earopean Turkey, T found thut men of all nationalities und crecds, of all cpinions on the Eastern \}uesfiuu, and | p other questions as well, emphaticalfy and unani- | al wously gase evidence that the coileges, schools, churches. and_other institations conducted in | n the most business-like mauner, with most con- spicuous ability, with a remsrkable freedom from all sectarian or religious narrowness, by American gentlemen, were doing more for the | d lization and elevation of the ignorant masses the East than any other agency whatever.” A report was current in Faris come days azo of the attemoted poisoning ot the Pope by the dJesuits. The report was telexraphed by the Papal Nuacio in Paris to Cardinal Nina, and numerous inquiries were made ot the Pope's physician on the subject. On his Botincss be- ing informed of the storv, he is said to have called bis privatechamberiain and said: “Thank the visitors, and announce also in the ante- chamber that I am fceling quite well, and ihat the_poisoning is ouly for the present a pious desire. Accordive to the Pall afall Gazefte, the | report seems, however, to have made an extra- ordinary impression at the Vatican, and the food introduced and cooked is examined with scrupulous rigor. Speaking quictly of the mat- ter, the Pope observed: “‘The Jesuits are too wise. Were they to attempt and succeed, they -krow thut -the crime wust be traced home to them,and that my successor would pay mv debts to them.” The Jesuits. have, meanwhile, pre- sented their ultimatum to the Pope, demanding to bereinstated to their old position, and 10 | ¢ have their share in the government of the Chureh, pointing out the profits to acerne from their support and the damage they are still capa- le of doing. The Pope yields not an fota. He | o says: ** Let friars act the friar, and not meddle | U with mundave atfsirs.” There are some_ superstitions that never die out. Belief in the divining power of u key placed on a Bibleis still common amons the humbler classes from one end of England to the other. A fortnizht aro a married woman fn the Bor- ough of Ludlow complained that while she was- carrying a pail of water throush the open street one of her neighbors stopved her and accused her of having stolen 2 sheet. 1t seems that the lady who had lost the shicei resoried to the very ancient and supernatural test of the * Bible and the key ”” iu order to discover the euilty person. Armed with a copy of tie Scriptures and a key, she perambulated Ludiow. *turping tie key oo the book near eeveral houses: andit ai- Jeged that when she came to the compluinant’s house, the key, with much alacrity, began of its own volition "to turn. The ownerof the jost sheet then uttered the complainant’s name aloud, whereupon “the Bible turned comuietely round and fell_out of her hands.” It was ex- plained to the Bench that the mode of opegation was to place the key over the open Bible at the words * Whither thou goestl will (Ru i., 16), the fingersof the persons makiug th vestization being so disposed as to form u cross. The person _suspected of dishonesty was then named aloud, andif be or she Were really the | F' fruilty person the key should forthwith begin to Jump about on the epen page. An exciting baptismal ccremony was per- formed st Palmyra, Par., a few days azo. Mrs. Bowman, an invald, aged 22 years, and unable to walk, was taken to Spriog” Creek und there baptized according to the rites of the German Baptist Chureh, of which she was n member. “The mode of baptism is to immerse three timnes, and, notwithstandiag the cxtremely delicate condition of the woman, the ceremony was gone througn with. Being upable to walk from weakness, Mrs. Bowman was placed ia 2 chair and carried into il stream by the Rev. Hertzle and an attendant, after which she was plunved | of under the icy-cold water three times. When bpought up from the third pluoge the pallid countenance and limpid form of the woman de- noted death. Wheo broucht out of the water her husband and children, seoposing her to ne dead, were overcome with emotiyn, and cave vent to their apguish in tears. The supposed corpse was taken, wrapped in blankets, to the house of a neighbor, where hot bricks and irons | at were applied to her fect and_ stimulants admin- | o istered, and after much exertion she wus brought to constiousuess. Her first words on recovering to consciousness were: *“(iod, am I with you? 1am so cold, so cold.” It was some time before | the ice in her hair was thawed out. Just before she revived, she says, she could hear her friends aronnd her, but was unable to speak ar move. Several other parties who ‘were to be baptized bave concluded to wait until warmer weather. CATIIOLIC STATISTICS. The mew issue of the *‘Catholic Directory” for 1879 contains some interesting facts relating to the Roman Catholic body, both in this coun- try and abroad. The name of Pope Leo ap- pears as_its head, in the place of Pius IX., and this is followed by the list of the Sacred College of the Cardinals, in which seven vacancies by death_have occurred since the accession of the new Pontifl. ' As Pope Leo has created no Curdinals as yet, there are fourieen vacancies waiting to be filled up. There are six Cardinal Bishops, forty-two Cardinal Priests, and nine Cardinal Deacons. A fall account of the various *‘congregations ” or cominittees into which the Cardinals are divided for the dispatch of busi- ness is now added for the first tiwe. ‘These congregations are nineteen in all, the tirst being that of * the Inquisition, or Holy Oflice, for the examination and’ repression of heretfcul and depraved doctrines,” etc., and another that of “the Propaganda, for the propagation of the | G faith, and the Government of the Church in in- fidel, heretical, and schismatic countries.” Other conpregations are those of *Sacred Rites.” of *Studies,” of “the index for the condemnation | Ct of buoks and publications contrary to faith and bl morals,” of *Indulizences und Sacrea Relics,” ete.; while other congregations bave for thelr | 4\ objeet the care of the fabric of St. Peter, the sanctuary of Loretto, ete. To the English por- tion of the Directory tnis year is added a full | of account of the new Roman hierarchy in Scot- | C land. It also sbows that whereas the first priest fu this counctry was ordaied at Buitimore in 1743, there are at the present time fifty-six o Bishops, eleven Archbisbops, one Cardinal, and nearly 6,000 priests. There are two Archbisho; and nineteen Bishops in Great Britain, exercis- fug jurisdiction under the Pope, besides one Arcubishop_und two other Bishops on the re- ticed list. The total of priests in England and a ¥y g in ! brands from the burnineg. last letter he expected to baptize about 100 heathen. the Archbishops of the country for their sigua. ture. Enelaud are bey Dubiin Keviee, and secured Bishop il now understood, however, that Count i Msino, | ijas, and s dsomiis o Nugent, of Liverpool, Cathotic Limes and the Fireside, snd Father Kulis, of Fulbiam, edits the Guiverse. Chri; to sec when you pass into the spirit worli “Golian!" shonted the child, with joyous au- Helpation, subloss,” he guickly added, * there's a trouble, vou know.” shook his head spprovinly aud “Yes, yes; dem is my when asked what field of she pensively Jooked down at her lavender gloyes, sud replied: I think I will goto Paris.” ~ —Courier-Juurnal. gravely remarked : *It is characteristic ef Jo Rev. Charles Elliott will reach in the a. in. at the First Church, corner of the Railrosd Chapel, No. 715 State ateost. - ‘morninz and eveniu at the comer of Thirtieth street, Evening subject: the Futare.™ preach at 10 of Rush and Suoer 3. Hatchingson will preach at 7:45 p. m. ner of West Washington and Peoria strects. 1it. Rev. W. E. McLaren. S.T. Rey merning prayer and celcbration of the Holy Com- munion at 10:30 = m. Choral evening prayerat 7:30 p. Charch, corner_of Huron ana Cass streety. Commapion at8 a. at Watash at11a. . and 7:: and Fifticth streets. at 10:50 a. sixth sireef. fc., he other day, aged 72 The Rev. A. H. Swith, of the Presbyterian Missfon in North China, ‘is gathering in_the At ihe date of Lis The Catholic clergy of Cinelnnati have united in a requust to Pope Leo XIII. to not accept the esignation of Archbishop Pureall. The mrenio- ial is to be seot to Cardinai McClosky ‘Thie Roman Catholic Bistops and clerey fn a ing lareely fnterested i the The Tubiet is the property of Biskop chan, of Scotlwd. He bas now bought the ditor aid Cardinal Man: Father Cole: la- Rts the Wonth ; Futher owna and edits the SUNDAY SMILES. Aliog is the Adam of brute creation; he bas ‘spare rib, you know.—.Vew Huven fiegister. “Cana man beiong to brass bund aed bea fan?” osks an exchange. We acz o - ediment in theway. Butif he s ivento racticing at howe, it is an utter impossibiiity for the wan living next door to be & Christizn. It is related of a colored clerzyman in New Haven that, in calling upon 3 deaier for sowe commuoion wine, he was asked woat kind fie wisbed, und reolied: {*Some of de ladies of de congrezashun have ok gin? pressed a preference for My son,” said a mother to a little boy4 ears old, *whom above others will you wish » oer fellow there.” Says an old relizious darkey to another in s risate conversation on Seconid street yesterday fterooon: ** We'se arwyne to oreranize a siety in our church, to be free from de wimen, to Lub 10 wimen connected wid it; dey always cuuse 'fiie other relig; ments; de wimem o caust: trouble in de sicties.” “When I travel by rail,” said an emincat divine, the other day, I select a_first-class carriaze in the middle of the train. . middle compartment of that carriage, and I take the middle geat in that compactmneat,—in midio {utissimus ibisy Providence.” ¢ Itstril lirtle to Providence,” said a descendant of Mr. Toodles, sotto voce, who was standing by. I eater the and I leave the rest to es me he leaves precious nd still the missionary cause wazes stronger. New Bedford has 2 clever young lady worth i million dollars, aud *of a rather pious turn of mind,” who made up that mind that she wonld e a missionary. Could anything be more beau- ifol? The church aveepted ber services, amd, labor ahe had ir: view, There s a local Talmage in Brighton .who amazes the British mind by such lively bits ns { tie following commeat on the text, * He that is weshed needcth ot save to wash his feet. but is lean every W In sther words, he suil, <A man needs no mere washinz who 1s cleau in tote (toe-toe).” The sawe vreacher made the trisis of Job the subject of his d ourse, v:heu, afier numerating the repeated messazes of misfor- une which came last ome after auother, he implicity of character that he Aid wot sas) this extraordivary sccomulation of trouble of beiug a hoax.” THE TOPULAR T CHER. 'And moat eectasi piau, Next Sanday. of hi “(he text when he aad xaid, e sinped aduwn the psluit atzira And’stood npon ks head. By thousands stacked the Heopls “Ihat preacher zrest to hear, And the Trustee To tifey thousa: CHURCH SERVICES, PRESBTTERLAN. Tho Rev. R. W. Patterson will preach fn tba ‘allerton Avenue Church in the’ mernfng. “'ne —The Rev. W. 'T. Meloy will vrescz in tna TUnited Church, corner of 3lonroe asd Pauhina streets, mornine 2ud eveniog. 2 —The Kev. Asthur Swazey will preach in tha church, corner of .Forty-first stzeet and Pr: svenue, at 30: ‘Theories of the Atonemeut.™ 52, m. Sublect: **Tas Varioas —The Rev. Arthur Mitchell wili preach st 10:30 ne and Twenty-first strect, snd at —The Kev. J. Munro Ginso; pastor, will preach <eond Chareh, corner f Michican avennue and Twenticth sireet. Pation, pastor, will preach at p. m. at the Jedferson Park €5t Adams und i Kobey strects. Barrett, pastor, will preach £ 1030 a. m. at the ‘Westminster Charch, corucr ¢ Jackson and Peuria streets. -~The Rev. James Maclaughlan, pastor. wili resch morning and eveoini at the Scotch Church, nzamon aud Adams etcects. —The Kev. Georze L. Ruymend will preach in he Fifth Cuurch, corner ui [ndisns avenue and t 10:30 a. 2. and T:50 D. o, **Theé Society und Leltwior —The Rev. Jokn Abbott Frenmek, pi 5 3. m. at the Fourth Chure EPISCOPAL, Cathedral Free Church SS. Peter and Paul, cr?r. Thoe D., Bishoy. The J. H. Knowles, Priest in Charge. ~Choral m. e Rev. SamuelS. Harrs, Rector, wiil of- clate st 10:45 3. . and 730 p. m. at . James: oly 3 e Rev. E. Sullivan, Rector, will ofllciate at 5. m. and 7:45 p. ‘m. at Trinity Churel, of Twenty-sixth street and Michigan avénue. ‘The Rev. W. . Knowlton wili offciate at m. and 7:30 b, m. st St Andrew's u, 10:30 Charch, corner of West Washington and Robey —The Rev. J. Bredberg, Rector, will oficiate 03 m.and 7530 p. m. at St. Ansgsrius' , Sediswncks street. near CLicsgo aveni —Tne Rev. Clinton Locke, Rector, w ciate a. . and 7:30 0. m. at Grac: Chuceh, uvenue, near Sixteentl: street. Iuly omuiunion at8 3. . Momine subject: - Grum- in; —T'he Rov. Arthur Ritchie, Rector. wili ofiiciate ki p.m. at the Church of tie J Hoty —The Rev. Charles Stanley Lester, Rector, will Miciate at 112, m. and 7:90 p. m. ot St. Paul's hurch. Hyde Park avenue, between Furty-nintn scension. North LaSalle near Elin streets. Communion at Sa. m. —The Rer. ¥. Fleetwood. Rectar. will oficrats . and 7:30 p.m. at St s harch, Cottage Grove venue, comer of ' —1'bu Rev. Luther Pardee, Réctar, i} unciats