Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, May 23, 1880, Page 9

THE .CHICAGO-:TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. 1880—SIXTEEN PAGES : CARP! arpets! PARDREDGES, 114 & 116 State-st., ow opening, and will place on sale Are ‘this week, foo pieces new and choice designs in ENGLISH TAPESTRY BRUSSELS. These goods are JOHN CROSSLEY & SONS’ rery best quality, and private pat- terns, which cannot be shown elsewhere. ALSO, A LINE OF English Tapestries Good styles and colors, at 85 CTS. PER YARD. We guarantee the very lowest prices, and invite all close cash buyers to exam- ine our stock before purchasing. PARDRIDCES’ Main Store, 114 & 116 State-st PIKE MILLS Is the brand of FLOUR Owned and controlled by our popular flour manufacturer and dealer, JOS. B. QUINN, 229 South Water-st., Who personally guarantees this Flour to be superior to any White Winter Wheat Flour in the market; a trial will con- vince the most skeptical of its superior merits. WE HEREBY CAUTION All dealers and consumers from buying our Celebrated “MAGNOLIA FLOUR,” Manufactured at Hannibal, Mo., from parties claiming to be agents, as we are the owners of this brand, and prepared to fill all orders for the same. JOS. B. QUINN, MARY E. QUINN. HARDWARE. 2 BUILDERS’ HARDWARE, Will offerthis week special bargains In Locks, Door Knobs, Butts, Screws, and anything In ~Builders’ Hardware. This is the Cheapest place in the United States to buy Hardware, A. W. WHEELER, (4! Lake-st. HEMOVALS. REMOVAL. Frank W. Balch, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in COAL, Has assumed the Agency of the FRANKUIN FUEL COMP’Y, AT THEIR OFFICES, 93 Dearborn-st. CLOTHES WRINGERS, CLOTHES WRINGERS, ~ Novelty Clothes Wringers, $55.00 Doz. Enreka Clothes Wringers, $48.00 Doz. ~ Bass Clothes Wringers, $38,00 Doz, A. W. WHEELER, 141 Lake-st, OPTICAL GOODS. Fine Spectacies sunea Principles. 2 eroscopes, Baformenn Fela Glasses, Telescopes, Mi: to all sights on scientifia RUBBER HOSE. Rubber. Hose. Best quality 8-Ply, 50 feet, with Nozzle and Couplings, complete, $6.30. Second quality 0c fess ey bat A. W. WHEELER, 141 Lake-st. —~__ PHOTOGRAPHY. H. ROCHER, “PHOTOGRAPHER, 77-79-81 State-st,, Chicago. WIRE CLOTH. WIRE CLOTH Torrey’s Door Springs. 500 dor. Torrey’s Door Springs at $2 per doz. Large stock oF We clo Cheap. A We WHEELER, 141 Lake-st. : Lehmann’s FAIR. MISCELLANEOUS. GLUCOSE. CORN-SUGAR, a ¥S.. Worta's HELLYER MEDALS. se 's Exhibition. | 1s5..Ameriesn Institute. Siti, Estimates, Blachinery farnished. Successful . guaranteed, by J. M. HIRSH, 245 South Water-st. WANTED, BY APOTHECARY, $Pston ge anager of Retail Drug Store in or out aut iy mequainted with all details of atte, canal ep covericne, eterna St character, e > PSutmuune ottce: = ‘Thorongl RELIGIOUS. History of Hebrew Literature Preserved in the Old Testament. © The Rise and Progress of Methodism in the United States. Complaints of Decreased Church Attendance in Massachu- setts, New England Preachers De- nouncing the Quiet House- hold Amusements, i ae General Notes, Personals, Worldly Wisdom, Services To-Day. THE DARK CONTINENT, All thy realms in midnight shrouded, Crushed beneath oppression’s weight, . Of thy sons by spoilers rifled, ‘Victims of a bitter faith— d of sorrow! Drear thou wert, and desolate. But the curtain now is lifting From thy mountains and thy lakesg O'er thy peopled valleys gicaming, Now for theé the daybeam wakes— - Laid of darkness! O’er thy hills the morning breaks, Boon thy hands outstretched in worship, Shall to god their offering bring; Set in Jesus’ crown thy topxz Shall abroad its radiance tling— « Land of bondage! Hop’ ‘Thy deliverer is thy King. ha Hail, O Africa, thy ransom! ' Raise to heaven thy grateful song! Last in rank among the nitions, ‘Thou shalt lead the choral throng— im Land of promise! saadl y Redcemer's praise prolo The Hev. Samuel Woleott, B.D. THE SACRED BOOKS. THE HISTORY OF THE HEBREW LITERATURE PRE- SERVED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. Murray's Lectures on the Psalms. ‘The beginnings of the literature of Israel are coincident with the beginnings of its national consciousness at the time of Moses. Compared with other literatures of the Orient, it is of com- paratively recent origin. The pyramids which to-day look down on us had, when Moses was born, been keeping watch over Egypt for five centuries, and the heyday of Egyptian litera- ture and culture bad long before him begun to wane. Evenin the Shemitic people there had been a long period of literary development, and to the eyes of the Western nations there has in this century been uncarthed a literature writ- ten by the Chaldean ancestors of Abraham. ~ Drawing the fine again more closely, we find eveninthe “languageof Canaan” clear traces of a literature prior to the Mosaic age, for when forty years later Israel enters Canaan there is mention of a city so celebrated by its library a3 to have been named after it. Doubtless even the tribal fragments out of which Israel was welded into a nation, had their own traditions, some of which may have been commit to writing. We find throughout the Genesis con- stant evidence of the use of older material, par- tially explainable as transmitted by verbal tra- dition, as the refrain from the sword-song of Lamech; but in a measure only explainable, as the old chronicie in Chap. xiy., by being pre- served in some written shape. In the strict sense of the word, however, we have no trace of a distinct literary activity in any of the peoples who made up Israel prior to the beginning of their national existence. It is a literary problem of the greatest, moment just how much of the literature which the pious reflection of a later generation refers toits eponymous law-giver,can justly be giventohim. ‘The ussion of the origin of the Mosaic’ literature would in itself involve many lectures. Lam fully aware with what force and learning the objections to the Mosaic origin of the Hebrew literature both have been and are being urged. Perhaps that which is most celebrated and widely accepted among scholars atthe present day is the one presented with great lucidity by Kuenen in his “ Religion of Israel,” that the beginnings of Jewisb literature were the prophetic writings of the eighth century. Tome it seems impossible that the literanure of any people should have writings like those of the eighth century for its incunabula. If the canons gained from the study of other literatures be of any value, these eighth century writings, now s0 much discussed, are inexplicable save us the ripo frnitage of a jong previous literary period. It is impossible, however, for even the mostconservative student of the Mosaic literature to deny that in its pres- ent shape it shows such traces of editing und gnaotation as to render it inconceivable that it should have come from any one man or any one time. Into the so-called theory of manuscripts, with those _ painful minute the Hitzigian school first con- fused their readers and then befogged thom- selves,1 do not propose toenter. The fairest summing up of the outcome of the whole dis- cussion is probably this: that the Mosaic litera- ture in its main lines, its documents, its geneal- ogies, and its laws, is the product of the great mind who laid the foundation of the Jewish Suite: that it first passed from documentary to literary shape, after the riee of the Jewish King- dom had given the order and leisure necessary to literature, and -finally was edited after the exile by those who collected the cauon, with an- notations on many points of interest to their time, which in the original were obscure. This to me adequately explains all the phenomena which these writ offer, and I am unuble to percelve either on scholarly or literary grounds sullicient warrant for the more radical theories. The period of the entry into Canaan, of its conquest ‘and ual -occupartion, was one of anarchy and unrest, such as produces among most pies myths and bailads, but rarely sus- tained and consecutive literature. Its products in Israel are war-songs like that of Deborah, fables like that of Jotham, narratives current in the mouth of the people, of their heroes and warriors, like Sumson and Jephthab. First after the establishment of internal quiet through the Davidic k: loin, together with the setting up of the Temple and court in Jeru- salem, did there grow up any literary class, or a literature in our sense of early to have been attached to the court stated officials, culled chroniclers, who were doubtless the compilers of many of the uch as “ Chronicles of the Reign of David "-«which are quoted from or referred to in the works which remain tous. There was another class called “keepers of the archives,” whose duty, no doubt, was the collection and preservation not only of the earlier written laws and documents, but also the traditions of the wilderness and those disordered yeurs of the conquest which were fast fading from men’s minds. It was from these collections that the books of Josbua and Judges were edited, by whom we know not, in the times of the carly Rings. ‘With the luxury and culture of the reign of Solomon came u contact with and knowledge of foreign Hteratures, from which arose a branch of literature in the Hebrew which seems almost exclusively contined to the Solomonic times, that of trinslations. The book of Job, which I sball peak of at n later time,and many chap- ters of the Proverbs come under this head. Poetry was the earliest, and it continued until! the Inction of the language to be the most exquisit Howering of its lterature. Much of the poetry which comes from pre-Davidic times— the “ Blessing of Jacob,” the “Song by the Sea,’ the “Song by Deborah ’—fs as perfect in form as, and perhaps even more forcible in lauguage than, any of the later poetry. But it was first with the establishment of the liturgical worship and orders of singers in the temple that He- brew poetry assumed its most characteristic form in the religious song. We shall hereafter seo that somewhat more than half ‘the poems remaining tous in the Book of Psalins were written during the duration of the Judean King- < dom. ; 2 Prophetic 1t&Sture hed its origin in the schools of the prophets,—commiunities half as- cetic, half religious, which have existed in the Orient withdiifcrent names, under every form of religion, from the earliest time until the It is the characteristic literature of the period of the Kings, but I must defer its. more general consideration until Icome tospeak of Isniub. Its representatives in this period are Joel (Sid), Jonah (800), Amos (790), Hosea (789),- Micah (725). Isaiah (717), Nahum (700), Zephaniah (630), Babakenn O0u, ‘Obadiah (7), Jeremiub run- into the exile. ‘ Of the profane literature of this period, which we have evidence was an extensive one, there 15. naught preserved to us save, perhaps, it be the “Song of Songs,” or Song ef Solomon,” in ro- gard to which many of the Church Fathers held the view now far from uncommon among schol- ars, that it is a popular drama which some stranye chance of tradition or editing had brought Into its present place. ‘The golden period of the Jewish letters ends with the exile. From the post-exilic times we have literature perfect in form and classical in language; but the evident imitation of antique models and the constant striving to conceal, through finished shape, the dearth or originality, betray it to us as a literary aftermath. ‘We have already seen that the upper, the writ- ing and reading: ‘were those who most suf- fered from the exile. On their return to their old home, immediateiy after insuring their own safety, there naturally came the desire to secure what was most sacred to them from their eurly the word. There seems | ome permanent form, lest_a new ight utterly obliterate it. Whother + to whom tho unanimity: of tradi- ints, or his contemporaries in the 80- great Synagog who inaugurated this All. the writings calle movement, we do not know. were notcolleoted at once, butgradually through Several conturies and fn three sepanite collec- dons, in which they still remain in The original, ‘The first endeavor seems to have been to se- eure the remuing of the Mosaic writings, the most venerable and sacred literary heritage of the natiou. These were collected ulmost imme- diately upon the return, and, becoming the re- jigious and political constitution of the new State, havo retained for Israel ever since an im- Dortance so much grexter than that of the rest of its literature as almost to pluce them ina category of thelrown. ‘The remnant of Eph- raim, who,somowhat later, with motives not un- mixed, offered aid to tho’ returned colony, and Were alienated for all time by the refusal, ac- cept atone as sacred the Mosale writings in the form in which they were collected at this time. prne Mosaic writings, ay those first collected, stand atthe beginning of all our Bibles as they do in the original. Thelr final editing and ar- rangement in five books—in fact, the whole lit- erary shape in which we now have thom—is the work of this period. Only the chapters and versos in our English Bibles arc of late origin, and these, in some cases, are subsequent to the Protestant Reformation. Thename we give these writ , Pentuteuch, and that of their divis- ions, Genesis, Exodus, etc., cithor come direct!: or are transiations from the Septuagint, a Greek translation made in tho second century before our era, as tradition informs us, for one of the Prtolemies, who-seeured for the Alexandrian I- brary, somewhat 28 Prof. Muller ig now striving to dofor Oxford, a collection of translations from the chicf religious books of the world. The name in tho origina! Mosaic lterature is Tora, one of the many Bedouin words preserved. by the Israelites from their nomadic days. It meuns some landmark, be it a tree, a rock, a ruin, by which the traveler traces bis way through a trackless wild; hence in the ethical sense the landmark sct to guide men ou the ey, of life,—unyortunately transiated in the Gree of the New ‘Testamont,—whence we have. our name, “The Law.” No sooner was this collection compleree than there seems to have come the populer impulse tw guther and preserve the writings of the men whose memories were held sacred by them from tho former time, and to put in some permanent and compendious form the history of the Dividic kingdom with its departed glories. The result of this was u second collection called Nebuin, a mame whose force fs obscured to us through the unfortunate translation of the Greck,—the Prophets. A prophet, a3 we shall see hereafter, was, and still is in Shemitic conception, any holy man who comes with a Divine message. We should not be far from right were we to paraphrase the original as “* Writings.of the Saints.” ¥rom tho preéxilic time they received into this collection the writit of Joel, Amos, Hosen, Isaiuh, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Obudiah, also Jeremiah, whose activities a writer and orator extend into exilic times. We can also readily understand the reason for tho acceptance of Ezekiel, who belongs wholly to the exile, and whoso rhetoric clearly betrays his Bubylonian surrounding; the reason of the ac- ceptance of sgai and Zechariub, one an old man, through whom the prophetic spirit had come down from the former time, the other the messt tw the now state, is none the less lain. It is not clear why Jonah should have en included. This collection was probenly: not completed until a number of years after the exile, as it in- cludes an anonyywous prophecy, made by one who calls himscif the messenger of Jehovah,— Malachi,—a designation and not a proper name, and which ig usually referred to a period some- what sui uent to Nehemiah. Observe that the Book of Daniel is not found im this original prophetic collection. According to all Jewish canonical tradition, it is a much later book, und in the Hebrew text is found in a collection of writings which was not inaugurated until after the prophetic collection hnd been closed. Dun- iel has come into its position among the Proph- ets, in our Boglish Scripture, from the Greek translation, which, I fear, the scholars of King James’ tie were somewhat more conversant than with the Hebrew original. The arrange- ment of books-in this collection (at least in tho form we have it preserved tous) is partly chron- ological, but iu the main regulated by size; thus there come first, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, though none of om are as carly as some of the so-called minor prophets. ‘When we follow further the same collec- tion and inquire into tho arrangement of the twelve minor writings, we find Hosea immediately following Ezekiel, and in turn fol- lowed by Joel and Amos, pcrely: on the principle of compersiive. bulk. Haggai, Zechariah, und Mala were placed at tho end, for reasons parely chronological, after the rest of the col- lection had been made up. We cannot now sce any clear or consistent reason for the position of Obudiak, Jonah, Sicah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, which stand together in the middie of the colicotion. Probubly for the most part synchronous with the making up of this collec- lon there was being gathered the material for the ancestral history from the close of the Mosalcliteraturo until the breaking up of the exile. The collectors, whoever they may Da possessed ready to thelr hand’ the writings, Bumed trom the period they cover, Joshua and Judges, which we have already seen were com- piled in the preceding age from tho Royal ar- chives. Those they made uso of their existing form. They seem to huve addressed themselves to preparing a history of the people to cover gep which remained from the last of Judges until the exile. In doing this they evidently made use of al the material available to them, not only the archives and chronicles which had been saved from the Assyrian invasions, but even the very traditions and songs which lin; in the mouths of the people. The result is a work whose style and conscontion betray the offspring of single effort, but which for later reasons of convenience has been sepurated into four parts, First and Second Samuel and First and Second Kings,—these names, which often, by the way, vary, being meant asin the case of Joshua and Judges, to indicate the subject and not the author of ‘the book. Chronicles, which is adjacent in our En- gllsh Bibles, isa-much later book. It is the product of asohool of thought and an historical method almost diametrically opposed to the one \aich bas given us this earlier history. In the original Hebrew, Chronicles stands at the very end of the last collection of writings, which could hardly’ have been made until some centu- ries later. @ unnals thus completed from the older writ 3, Joshua and Judges, and the new compand oft the subsequent history, were not set in a separate collection, but placed one say as an introductory historical preface, to the writings of the worthies of this, same period which bad already been collected. After the collection, both of the Mosuic litera- tureand of the prophetic writings hud been completed, there wa3 still a remainder of writ- ings, hallowed in the affections of the people, which did not come from the Mossic time, neither were they prophetic authors. So, by the canon which had been set up in the two former collections, they were of necessity excluded from them. These were gathered in the third and last collection, which received the name Kethubim, writmys—or, as the Greek aptly araphrases i, “The Hagiographa”— Holy ritings.” From the preéxilic times there was Frccived into it, first of all, suck portions of the ims as wore then existing, which were from Agreat variety of authors; the Book of Job, whose author wus unknown, and which was probably an adaptation from some foreign liter- ature; the collection of Proverbs, including not only Jewish, but also Edomite and Arabic pro- verbiul snyings,—as you may assure yourselt . by looking at the later chapters,—and the Lamenta- dons, wrung trom some pious heart by the deso- lations of the city of his worship. A slight gap in tho previous history between Judges and Sumuel. is supplied “ by the little book of Ruth, scarcely as much history, as. it isthe most exquisit of pustoral idyis. A new historical book, unfortunately severed in twain in a later day, and known to us as Ezea and Ne- hemtuh, was wriltcn to preserve the story of the jater uprisiig of the Jewish State, and to com- might alm ‘iterury criticism. “It is: impossible, I im plete the historical uurrative of the earlier books. ‘Thus the collection’ at the beginning of the fourth century probably included Psalms, Preverbs, Job, Lamentations, Ruth, and the Ezra books. Unlike the other collections, this ‘Was not.then ciosed, but remained: open to re- ceive both the writings of a later time and some earlier ones whose sanctity and value first became established during the succeeding two centuries. Ainong the later writings are clearly w be placed Esther. the reason of whose right in the collection is stl in dispute among schol- ars, and the Chronicles, founded on the ‘Templo records and & muss of documents, unteed or in- acceasible to the compilers of the previous his- tory of the same period. I have said already that Chronicles stunds the last book of the He- brew original—who the author was we donot know—he seems often overmastered by his mat- ter, and some have gained the impression in reading him that ho is writing Ia an imperfectly acquired language. ‘or early literature which was not till late re- evived in the collections is the Sony of Songs,— a book whose sacred character remains until this day an undecided subject of inquiry. It was one of the buraing questions of Jewish theology in the first century of our era, whether it might be read with washen, or unwashen hands,—i. e., whether it was sacred or profane. There remains but two books more, Daniel ‘and xcclesiastes. ‘The opinions us to the age of these books are now very widely variunt; for Daniel, from the exile to the persecution of ; ‘Antiochus Epipbanes; for Ecclesiastes, that it is a reflection of the aged Solomon, or a Stoic “pamphlet of the year 50. The views of both Positive and negative critics ure held on grounds of dogmatic prepossessiqn ‘which will not Bear ine, while men’s minds are unuble to investigate these books without the present prejudive, to determine with accuracy either their age or their suthorshiip: When this collection of “Holy Writings’ was closed is not known, and must be largely de- termined by the dates‘ we assign to its later books. We know with reasonable surety that it existed in its present shape at the beginning of ourera. Inthe New Testument the collection is calied the Psalms, a name taken from its prin- cipal book,—the reference to the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms being an allusion to the threefold collection in the Hebrew Script- ures, which was then, us it is now, in existence. Inthe arrangement of the several writings in this collection, there. is a great divergence even between the manuscripts of the original,—a re- fiection of the uucertainty prevailing until a time subsequent w our era us to the'age ana authority. oF one.-or more of the books. The more common arrangement in our best printed editions of.the original is: Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lumentations, Ec- “MAY: 93, clostastes, Esther, Daniel, -Ezra Chronicles. ‘ Nehemiah, ‘This arrangementistopical—first, three poet: -al-books, thon five so-called MegWloth me wong read bythe latter Synagoz on-certain feast days; the Song of Songs at the Passover; Ruth at Pentecost (Whitsuntide); “Lamentations on the anniversary of the ‘Temple ‘Burning; Eccle- sinstes at'Tabernacles, and the most prized of all, Esther on Purim, often no. more than a Sat. urnalia, and lastly, the four historien! books. As to Ruth .and Lamentations thore is somo reuson for supposing that at one time they may have belonged to the older ‘collection of proph- ots; at a later period, for a certain convenience in ‘the arrangement of the synagor rending lessons, which I cannot pause to expinin, thoy were transferred hither from their original Position, All.the other writ just numed clearly bolong .in this last collection. ‘Thoir position in our version is borrowed from the somewhat eclectic arrangement of Ptolemy's translators, METHODISM. TTS RISE AND PROGRESS INTHE UNITED STATES. . Cincinnatt Gazette. It’ seems a little strange, considering the strong attachment of Wesley to the Church of England, that the Methodists did not retain at leasta part of the admirable liturgy of the Church of England. But the history of Method- isin since shows thut if it had’ it ‘would not have been the same thing. There-would have been a restraint in the often wild fervor and tumultu- ous shoutings of Methodist camp-meetings and circuit-riding preaching. It would not have produced the same effect on ignorant new set- ders ora new country. Audhere we may re- mark on a curious example of action and reac- tion. Methodism outran Episcopalianism asthe country advanced, and counted ‘its hundreds of churches were .Episcopalism had none. But as wealth and education ad- “vanced Episcopalism regnined its force and Progress, and now, in such great citiesas New York and Philadelphia, the Episcopalians and |- Presbyterians are far in advance of the Meth- odists. Even here in Cincinuati the Episcopa- ans are relatively increasing faster than-the Methodists. ‘his fact suggests an inquiry whether the Methodist machinery does not need: “some modification in regard to its working in old and educated communities. The Methodist Church is not advancing 50 rapidly 2s many peo- ple supposé. We mean relatively. The canon statistics prior to 1870 used the terms “ church” and “edifice "as the same,—that is, made no discrimination. In 1870 it added a new term, “organizations,” as well as “edifices.” The latter was, however, the one which corresponded with previous censuses. It alsoput all branches of Methodism under the same head. - AMuking the comparisons’ in the same manner, we have the following rosult: Tn 1850, Methodist churches... An 1860, Methodist churche: In 1870, Methodist churches. We see that the churches increased from 1850 to 1860 6,500, 60 per cent; but from 1860 to 1870 only 10 per cent. An examination of details will show that there was au absolute {nlling off in the older Stutes. In New England, from 1860 to 1870, there was a small falling otf; in New York asmall increase; but take the following States, and the working of Methodism in the.older States will be seen: dn 1860, In 1870, 2,841 2, 5 Tord 127 03 153 58lT | 480 1870 contained churches in the United States, there were 500 less churches in 1870 than in 1860. I om aware that it is said that small churches have been consolidated. ‘This is true of all denoiminutions, and would have weight if it were not that the “sittings” have diminished even more than the number of churches. It is, therefore, quite apparent that in tho old Stutes Methodism has declined. I fancy that the intelligent Methodist ministers of the Bust understand this very well, and that they would, if they could, seek some modilicu- tion of the machinery of the Church by which it would be better adapted to older societies. The Methodist Church hus modified itself on the sub- ject of education, and may do so in other things. in the tirst pert of this century the Methodis: ‘as well as Baptista, were prejudiced ‘against regulur education. ley never had a college until 1823, and before 1840 had only five, three ot which were in the South, and did not amount to much. ‘The first “collegiate institution they founded of any tinportance .was the Wesleyan University, at Middletown, Ct., in 1530. Since 1850 they have got rather a. fever for colleges, and now have of ullsorts, kinds, and conditions about forty. But it will take many years, yet to bring then up to the level of high learning. I ob- serve the Methodist Conferenee calls for millions of money for institutions of higher education. This is right, and .weulthy Christians cannot do better than to try to elevate the education uf the people.’ But there are two things money can not buy,—religion und learning. When the Methodist Conference founds colleges, let it search through all its wide boundaries for. the men fit to teach the law of God, who made nat- ure,—the law of nature, which is science, and the law of mun, who lives in society. The insti- tutions of learning are to be guarded with zeal- ous jealousy. Itisthere this false philosophy has crept in, and it is there it is seeking a foot- hold to-day. "Even the vencrable Yale sees to- day fulse philosophy creeping in, and it will re- main under the genius of fi lom and tolera- tion. The Methodist Church is strong, and [ trust it will not compromise for one monicnt, under any pretense of toleration, any of ‘all the branches of false philosophy now taught, all of which culminate in Puntheism—the de- throning the personnel God,—the only God of the Christian, the only’ hope of im- mortal mun. There is danger,—no danger from bawling infidels like Ingersoll, no danger from such palpable follies a3 the- doctrines of Comte, Hert ger, great danger, of their doctrines creeping unseen into our institutions of education. Let thom be guarded with holy jealousy. Let no teacher stand within a college who for one mo- ment in.a single thing compromises with the disciplos.of Pantheism in the hypocritical claim of liberty and toleration. Touch not, taste not, fondle not the unclean thing. Man your col: leges with men of learning, and ‘with men who have tho moral courage to have stood with Paul at Ephesus and at Athens, 5 ‘The doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal Church are contained. in twenty-five articles. Thore is notning in these urticies which any evangelical Christian may not accept. They are a short compendium of the principal dovtrines ot the Protestaut Church. It is suid that the Methodist Church is an American Church. If it be so, thereis nothing in the twenty-five articles which shows this particularly.-Accordmg to these articles the privite Christian may udopt what Christian philosophy he pleases, and Ihave no doubt there are us many opinions in the Metho- dist Church as in any other, as to how things are to be accounted for. * It is a little singular that the twenty-third article of the Methodist Church declares that the United States are a “ soyer- eign and indevendert Nation,” whichis the true, sound, constitutional doctrine. It is nu wonder, then, that Methodists uphold with such zeal the” standard of the Union: and I trust the time will never come when the 3fethodist body will not be, as they have been heretofore, not only tho friends of the Union, but the warm, uncomprom- ising friends of thé country in ail the trinls to which it may be subjected; more than this, the friends of man, especially of the poor man, who, whether he be’ white or. black, is looked dowa upon by the Pharisees of the ‘World. Let them never bo ushamed to sit down with publicans and sinners, but ever rejoice that they cun help tho poor and despised. Methodism wiil continue to be a power in the land us tong as it appeals to our common humunity, and will only fail when, forgetting its lowly origin and its early teach: ings, it shall aspire to be one of the bicrarchies of the world and seek the praises of men rather than of God. : De Me wuHy Is IT? DECREASED ATTENDANCE IN MASSACHUSETTS CHURCHES. ‘ Golden Isule, A very general and puinful interest has been excited by the recent publication of the statis- ties of church attendance in Boston. Ina spite of the comforting conclusions of certain optimists, the figures have an ugly Jook. If the condition of things which they disclose was spasmodic there would be less cause for anxiety. But the truth is, these local statistics are representative. Ina neighboring city, not long ago, a census was taken on the brightest of June Sundays, and only 7,000 out of a population of 27,000 were found in attendunce upon public worship, and of these some 4,000 were Homanists. General estimates, made with more or less accuracy in other cities and large towns in the Common- wealth, give for substance the same results. ‘There is a vast army of the “ unchurched” even in Puritan Massachusetts. r Why is it? That is the question which is be- coming more and more clamorous for anan- swer, and yet it is a question which it is noteasy toanswer. The causes which originate and con- trol great movements in society lie deep, and are often subtle.. Certainly the Gospel has not lost ity power, for it is the “ wisdom of God and the power of God unto salvation,” in all times, and to all men. It is equally certain that the world has not outgrown its spiritual needs. The wants, and woes, and sinsof the first and the nino- teenth centuries are identical. The soul-hun- ger of humanity is as new as the sunrise and as oldas the sun. It is quite as certain that ear- nest men in the pulpt and equally sarnett 101 ds among the laity, are exhausting the: bioeey of thought and energy to Dring the world and God together. With such factors of force m tireless operation, why is it that the front masses of population keep themnselves be~ yond the sound of the Gospel, and count their isolation from {ta matter of the smallest im- portance? There is a terrible blundering some- wh and it is of imminent importance that, if possible, the blunder should be discovered and rectified; for neglect of the sanctuary inevita- bly carries with it despite of the Sabbath, and the underestimate of the Sabbath is the resist- ert Spencer, and Huxley—but dan-, Jess I isan leaven of disintegration. in dot Church and ‘The drift of popular sentiment towards indif- ference in this mutter of public worship is duo in part to the immense Increase in facilities for duvellectual culture which has’ characterized the last half century. Timo was when the pul- Pit held ulnost tho monopoly of this depart- ment. Books-were scarce and costly; news- Papers were few and insufficient. The lecture platform wos athing unknown. Men-went to church on the Sabbath for mentai quickening as well as religious instruction. Now ull this is changed. The community ts flooded with books, good, bad, and indifteront. A dime will buy Macaulay's and Carlyle’s essays on the last sen- sational novel. Journalism has been elevated to the level of one of the fine arts. The daily Paper puts the reader en rapport with the whole world, and the religious weekly supplies him both in quality and quantity with mure than the Fubatange Of a score of sermons. ‘The result.is, inevitable. Multitudes of people ‘vill stay at home and instruct thomselves witt first-cl literature, rather than be at the ‘triuble of at- tending church to liston to’ the averzire sermon. ‘This is a fact that must be’ distinctly recognized. in considering any plan for the bettering of what is certainly tho present ill condition of things. More. influential even than this is the im- mense growth of religious skepticism and in- difference. 3iodorn sclence, so called, is often intensely materialistic, is a veritable Paul Pry, incessantly pushing itself in where it has no business, without the grace of its illustrious progenitor in intemperance which leads it to say, “I hope 1 don't intrude." Men of small mental calibre are captivated with its positive ism, while they lack the ability to criticise its Premises. “The Physical Basis of Life” was published in a six-penny edition and widely cir- culuted, and thousands of British workingmen formulated their bricf creed in tho words, “There is uo God but protestantism, and Hux- ley ig its Prophet.” ‘The same process has gone on In America, and the scholarly delirium of an Emerson and the clown's antics of un Ingersoll, with all that lies between these two extremes, has so caught tho attention and bewildered the thouga of Pees ee they rats little and care less whether there be any such things as God and Sightgousniss, The drift of popular sentiment du: the last twonty-five years has been to the disad- yee of the Christian Church, and the Chureh itself hus made mutters worse by slipping its moor! and trying to go with the current in- stead of stemming it. The bids for an audience by the advertisement or sermons with tuking titles; the largo endeavor to build up churches by entertainments of. a popular, not to say doubtful, chnracter; the silent concessions to Jaxness of bellct and worldliness in life in the membership, are all signs of a disposition to “tloat with the tide.” The purpose perhaps was good, but the method has been “weighed in the balances, and found wan! ne It does not Gpeetianive: the world; it only secularizes the urch; AMUSEMENTS. DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT BY NEW ENGLAND : PASTORS. Some of the ministers of New England sre about to have their hands full of work, if we may judge by the nature of the disseusions in which they are engaged. A Springfield preacher takes up the subject of amusements. It has been supposed by some people that this subject had been tulked dry. However dry some of the talk may have been which has been uttered in connection with it there is evidently more talk left. The Springfield dominie wants to cut his followers off from those pastimes which are usually considered harmless and productive of wholesome pleasure. From his pulpit he opens his batteries on chess, chequers, backgammon, and croquet, and denounees themas exceedingly sinful. One of the difficulties in which such men generally leave their hearers is the omission to prescribe games aml amusements which are worthy of the time and attention of Christian people. His followers, thus left in the dark, naturally look with disfavor on all games and with distrust on the people who engage in them: The religion of these folks becomes in duc course of time as gloomy and morose as that of their spiritual guide. The ministers of Boston hayo announced their intention of taking up a kindred subject as soon as summer lassitude shall give way* to the bracing breezes of eurly autumn. They are going to discuss the theatre question in all itslength and breadth. “The Theatre—Should the aim be to exterminate or purify it?” is the shape in which the topic is announced. The gentlemen who will discuss this important ques- tion represent every shade of thought. Thero is the rigid uld New England dominie who bns, ever since he can remember, been in the habit of having his own way. He considers the thea- tre from the devil, and wants to see it swept into the bottomless pit. Then there {s the brother who is not quite so strict, and who sometimes lets his children see a play. Aword will be he from the brother who once, while in an- other city, wandered into 2 theatre, saw part of a play and, to’ his wonder, came out without be- ing struck dead by lightning from heaven" These men will possibly be followed by some good brother who boldly went iv person to the theutre to see what it was like. He did not pull his hat over his eyes while there, nor did he hide behind some big man us be came out. He has discovered that a play isnotas bad as some peuple think. ‘hile he thinks there are things in. the. theatre which are not quite as as they might be, he docs not believe they can be reformed by passing resolutions, or by determining to blot the theatre out of existence. A great muny excellent people are of this broth- er’s way of thinking and doing. The discussion is yecoming more and mure active in many relig- ious circles. . UGANDA’S KING. ‘HIS TREATMENT OF MISSIONARIES. London Times. Apropos of the arrival in this country of three “ambassadors” from Mtesa, King of Uganda, in Central Africa, the following details concern- ing his treatment of tho Protestant} and Roman Catholic missionaries may not be without inter- est. Our information is contained in a letter recently received from the Rev. Father Char- metant, director of the French Roman ‘Catholic Missions in Africa, and, therefore, is written {coma purely Roman Catholic pc ‘M. Charmetant’s information has been received in lettors from Father Lourdely in Rubaga, Mtesa’s capital, and Fathor Livinbae, in Mtewe, another pluce in Uganda. When the Algerian missionaries reached Uganda, in the beginning of lust year, they found the Protestant mission- aries there already, they having gone by the ‘Nile, and their journey being facilitated, accord- ing to Father Charmetant, by Gbrdon Pasha's fatiuence. The English, on learning of the arrival of the- French missiondries, used every effort with King Mtesa’ (this rests on the King’s own statement) to per- suade him not to receive the latter. But tho King desired to seo them and question them on their religion, as he has ‘always done with strangers. Gradually ho ceased to allow the Protestants to preach and rend the Bible at the Royal residence on Sundays, while be frequently invited the French missionaries to instruct him in the Catholic religion. Ho even declined to preside himself, on June 8 last, at a public con- ference at which were present tho learned Arabs who had formerly converted Mtcsa to Monothe- ism, and a Protestant eatechist, educated by the English at Zauzitur, and left by Mr. Stanley. “* Will the yood-will of the peaceful monarch of Us "" asks the reverend Father, with yood eee roaarinc? ‘The future alone cun tell. This intormution, the Kev. Futher tells us, reached the Church Missionary Society some time ago, as the English, by the “enormous sub- sidies,” contributed by England to their mis- sions, havo been able to.organize « regular postal service from the likes to the coast. In fuct, a complete reaction ‘seems to have been effected with Mtesa, and especialy in his sur- roundings, ugainst the English, the latter, us we kuow, having been obiiged to leave Upaana: The Protestant missionaries, however, Father Charmetant states, admit that this has not been the work of the Catholic missionuries, who re- mined on the best terms with the former; they attribute it to the Arab and Wal ape mere chants from the coast, who were in open hos- tility with the Protestants, especially with Mr. Mackay, one of the leaders of the English mis- gion. Euther Lourdel, one of the Roman Catho- lic missionaries, attributes thig new state of ‘thi to the susceptibility of the King, who imagines that the aim of the Baglish is one day to annex his territorjes. A fresh arrival of Roman Catholic missionaries, on disembarking ‘at Mtewe, onthe Victoria Nyanza, were very cordially received by Mr. Stokes, one of the English missionaries, who told them he intended w leave Uganda on xccount of the increasingly coal attitude of the King towards the English. GENERAL NOTES. Graetz’s History of the Jews is being translat- ed into Russian. ‘A Japanese edition of the Book of Common Prayer has been completed. Bohemia has had an increase of 5,000 in the Jewish population in the past ten years. The locai authorities at Jassy are putting” every impediment in the way of the authorities at Bucharest who wish to naturalize the Jews. dred: and thi: Indians were con- neethny Bishop Hare, of the Episcopal Church, during the Jast year, and seventy-three Indian aduits were baptized. 7 oa es man Catholic’ immigration is eon tron 1820 to 1875 numbered 3,150, ‘The number of communicants in that Church in the United States is reported at haya ts .. John Hall, of New York City, says, 8 ,000, ve, Seat ives more ‘ita cost to outside benev- ‘olent objects. - enth i An English churchman recently, oH nge-book thst he paid less to bis Gorey fan than to his bootblack. A good many _ Passing by with Bib int of view.’ churches on this side would keep out of debt if thelr members would pay as mugh for preaching as for tobacco. “, TheSoctety of Friends|s, itseems, thereligious denomination which is, in proportion to rouetoas. bers (13,000), the best represented in Parliainent. there being no fewer than eleven Quakers in the new House of Commons, . ‘The Catholics are complaining of the distribu- tion of ‘Protestant Hibles in, ie. City of Rome. “In all the principal thoroughfares men are hired to walk up.and down and present those les for a few soldi.” ‘The inmates of the monastery on Mount Ara- rat had 60 little to do that old Satan found wore for their idie hands. The Prior and several of his subordinates have been arrested on a charge of making bogus Russian money, both silverand wupor. Bishop Stevens, of the Reformed Episcopal Church? reports that tho movement iseirerds ing among the negroes ot South Carolina. There. are now 1,200 communicants in geventeen con- Fregations, ‘There ure also six missionaries. e Bishop has just ordained three deacons. It {s said that preliminary steps have been’ taken in Philadelphia for the formation of a Row society ainong the orthodox Frionds | Tt will be made up of those persons who have been excluded from the othor meetings for causes, such as marrying out of ‘meeting, which are not moral. Dr. Rufus Clark, at the Sunday-School Centen- nial, observed by the Foreign Sunday-School Assacintion in New York May 5, snid the Sunda: School had become the greatest theological sem- inary in Christendom, and the time bad come to make itone of the greatest missionary forces in the world. ? ‘There is something, says the London Spectator, in the honeyed words which the Pautheists of the new culture use about Christianity that seeins worse than the bitterest sneers of the old infidelity, They talk of avery sweet thing in religion, as they might talk of a very sweet thing in costumes. ‘The pastor of a Presbyterian church in Wash- ington City has caused a rumpus in his church by marrying 4 Roman Catholic wife, who still adheres to her former faith, although accom- panying ber huspand ‘to church at times. ‘The Pustor declines to resign because he married one whom he loved. Most of the ag in Athens have been kept open on Sunday. Recently a priest of the Greek lurch hes greatly exercised himself to put this practice down. His sermons against. it were at- ventively listened to by the shopkeepers, who havo now agreed to keep their establishments closed on the Day of Rest. A year ago the Presbyterian General Assem- bly at Saratoga declared that the churches dur- ing the current year should raise at least $500,- 000 for foreign ions. The amount now re- Ported is $596,844, an increase over the previous year of $150,000. The gifts from the women’s societies amount to nearly $200,000. Ritualism is not only a standing menace to the safety of the Church of England, but it is like- wise an expensive luxury. The Church Asso- clation has within a few years spent $217,363 in trying to put it down, $60,000 of which has been swallowed up by prosecuting Mr. Mackonochie, and they have not dono with him yet. New York City hus twenty-six Presbyterian churches,—exactly the number it had thirty years , when the population was half a mill- jonsouls, The Interior says that there are nino fewer Presbyterian churches in this city than there were ten years Sao. while Cincinnati isin a worse condition than it was thirty years ago. ‘The Churchman notes that in an old liturgy there is arubric which enjoins the deacons at a certain solemn portion of the servite to order the women of ‘the congregation to hold their children in their arms. “There is noneed of such arubric nowadays, whatever the services may be. for children are not generally attendants of the church. ‘The Salvation Army have found in Philadel- pala @heartier welcome than they received iu jew York. The ranks have been recruited to about fifty, who are about evenly divided as to sex. They wear a uniform, march through the Streets with banners flying, and sing. They are also carrying on their work at Newark, N. J., and have enrolled seventy converta. A largo hall has been hired for five months. Very- recently Canon Farrar, - preach! at Cambridge University, England, expressed his attachment to the Scriptures, but denied the wisdom of giving equal credence to all parts, showing that tyranny and corruption, martyr- dom, slavery, and intolerance hud been su ported and Justified by certain passages. He wus particularly severe upon the intolerance of schools, and parties, and church newspapers. About the poorest preparation for the Mil- Jennium recently noted is that of a New Hamp- shire clergyman who has devoted seven years of time and feet of chart to prove ‘the blessed seasod will begin in September next year. Some people think.the Millennium can be brought about by mathematics. iguring and more carnest -living will hasten 1t. The world, says the Talmud, depends on three things, —justice, truth, and peace. Military Chaplains aro to be sed with at the end of this year in France. The Roman Catholics have not yet decided what to do, but in all the garrison towns where there is a church the Protestant ministers will go personally to the barracks to invite the soldiers to attend service on Sundays. There are sixty-four gar- rison towns whick have no Protestant place of worship, and in these ministers on special mis- sion will ask. permission of the Mayors to receive soldiers in one of the halls of the mairie. The Rt.-Rev. Bishop Corrigan, of Newank, has written a letter to the Rev. W. McNulty, of Paterson, ns President of the Catholic Total Ab- stinence Union of New Jersey, urging Increased efforts on the part of the Union for the sup- pression of the growing evil of intemperance. In this letter the Bishop says: ‘The dreactul havoc caused in souls by intemperance, alus! has not abated, and, therefore, it is Just as nec- essary as ever that our zeal in the opposit di- rection should not falter or. diminish. Two hundred millions of dollars are spent annually in the consumption of liquors in these United States, and 65,000 persons die year by year victims of drink.” Dr. Dollinger, authority in such matters, makes this interesting statement: “At Sierra ne, Africa, a Moslem university is flourish- ing. in “which, are being educated 1,000 young men whose lives will be as sbsolutely surrendered to the causo the school represents as were the lives of the early soldiers of the Crescent, who counted it joy to fall in its defense on the field of battle. In China the followers of this ancient symbol have in- creased beyond computation, 50,000 residing in Tonquin alone. Among the Mulayans andthe islanders of the Eastern Archipelago it {s re- ported that 18,000,0u0 have been won over to its support; and still one-fifth of the dwellers on the earth are enrolled as its army, of whom 50,- 005,000-be least are subjects of her Majesty Queen. ictoria.”” A correspondent writing to the Cincinnati Christian Advocate says: “In Stevens’ History of Methodism we read that as early as 1769 a young Methodist, Hannab Ball, established a Suriday-school in Wycombee, and was instrumental in training many children in a knowledge of the Holy Set “ “Again, in 281, another Methodist young womun (afterward the wife of the celebrated preacher Sumuc! Bradburn) was conversing with Hobert ‘Raikes. He pointed to groups of ragged, neglected children in the streets and asked, * What can we do for them?" Teach them to read and take them to church,’ she nuswered. i &. - They immediately acted on this suggestion. Collecting the four children, they accompuuied them to the ehurch the next Sabbath, followed by the mockings. laughter, hooting, and hisses ofthe rabble. ‘They lubored together unosten- tatiously in this godly work for many years. “From these statements we learn that Robert Raikes, was not the originator of the Sunday- School.” . The tollowing, from the Boston Pilot, gives some idea of whut the Catholics are doing amon, the colored people of the late slave States, an how they are doing It: “His Grace Archbishop Gibbons, of Baltimore, Md., prior to his recent departure for Europe, adminis the suera- ment of contirmation to 199 colored persons in the colored Catholic Church of St. Francis Xavier, in Baltimore. The services are described as having been very interesting. A colored su- ciety of young men called the Knights of St. Augustine—seventy in number—presented swords to the Archbishop as he alighted from hig carriage atthe front door of the Church. ‘Tho congregation of St. Francis Xavier at pres- ent numbers 5,000. The two schools, St. Francis and St. Monica, are nuclei, itis noped, of futuro congregations in distant parts of the city. Of the number confirmed eighty-seven were adults, r-six be! converts. ie Fathers of the ety of St. Joseph, un Order whose members take a vow binding themselves to the work of the priesthood among the colored people only, have charge of St. ier’s parish, and the parochial schools are under the care of the col- ored Oblate Sisters of Providence.” BUDDHIST MISSIONARIES. So we are to have a genuine Buddhist mission in this country. Some time ago Ching Fong | Wing, or somebody with a z.ame like that, cume wont shores to give us a specimen of his views of religious truth, but he did not amount to much. After lecturing to a few very small audiences, and having been shown upas notsuf- ficiently pure in bis morals to warruut him in Setting himself up as an example to the people -of this country, he silently slipped away. Now ‘something more substanual is announced. ‘The Tokio Times says: “The famous Hon-guwan-Ji of Kioto—perbaps the wealthiest and most influ- ential of the various sects of Buddhisms in Jap- an—established a mission in Shanghai some years ago, but {s mot carrying on any grea’ ‘f conversion among .the Chi- faire imitation ~ of some of in | ast tian missions of Japan and China it has in mn with its more legitimate work a dis- oe ere the poor may obtain advice and medicine free of charge and ghostly counsel as well. mission is situated In the Riangse road, and occupies extensive and handsome remiges. This is the sect, it will be remem- Bered, from which it has been proposed to sena missionaries to the United States and Europe 10 convert the poor benighted heathen of those countries from the errors of Christianity to the only true faith. It is a fact that there isin the handsome new college of the sect in Kioto a number of young men who are being instructed ‘lish and trained in theology, with the view of their being ultimately sent across the seas with the object mentioned.” It may be some time before these missionaries reach us. Mean- while we bave the “Salvation Army” and its competitor, the “Christian Army,” both of which concerns are making things ively in the mussionary line. PERSONALS. Dr. Frensdorff, one ot the finest Hebrew Scholars, has just died at Hunover at a very ad- vunced age. * The Rev. J. D. Cowan, of St. Stephen's Church, will be admitted to the Priesthood, and Mr. Ed- ward Ritchie to the Diaconate this morning at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, by the Rt.- Rev. William Edward McLaren, Bishop of Miinois, i The Rev. Horace Stone Wilcooks, Mf. A., Cam bridge, of Plymouth, has recently joined the Church of Rome. So, too, have the wife and several members of the family of the Rev. Leonard Fish, a city clergyman. Mr. H. Cheva- ler Cobbold and his wife and famlly—of a well- known Suffoli race—have likewise taken a sim- ilar step. ‘The marriage of the Viscount Alexandre d'Or setti (Catholic) with Mie. Rose Murie do Kronen- (Protestunt) took pluce recently in Paris. To avoid all difficulties, and to insure the bless- ing of Heaven beyond a doubt, the couple wero first wedded in the Temple of the Holy Ghost, ue Roquépine, and then in the Church Saint Philippe de Roule. ‘Petitions are being extensively signed throu; out ‘Northumberland, ‘Sorc Yorkshire, ay Lancashire by the Spiritualists, asking for the immediute release of Mr. Frank Owen Matthews, an ex-Episcopuliun clergyman, who, for practic- ing clairvoyant tests and charging for the sume, was on the 2d inst. sent to prison for threa months by the Keighley magistrates. Prof. Robertson Smith, whose scientific criti- cisms of the Bible have created so great a com- motion in the Free Church of Scotland,will have articles in the next or the eleventh volume of ie Ei ia Britannica on the Prophet Hacgai, the Hebrew Language, and the Epistle tothe Hebrews. His antagonists in the Free Church have begun the publication of a series of “Scottish Tructs.for the Times,” partly to answer his criticisms. The tirst one of the sericea deals with his article on the Bible in no tender spirit. Prince Napoleon, nocording to a French news paper, now confesses to having eaten e pork sau ona Good Friday, an achievement re- peatodly denied ‘by too zealous partisans. His excuse is that his wife, the Princess Clotitu being very pious and scrupulously observing al the Church fast-duys, he, who dislikes meagre fare, habiturlly dined out with friends every Friday. He did not even know that it was Gooa Friday when he partook of the much-vituper> ated repast with Sainte-Beuve, and had no thought of bravado. - Sixty-six years Moses Howe preached s sermon in Dracut, Mass., the first one in his life, but he was not ordained’a clergyman until 1s1é. Onarecent Sunday afternoon, at the Dracut Centre Church, he preached from the sume text asou that first occasion, viz.: Malachi, iv., 1L Notwithstanding his great age. hi houranda quarter with much freshness and viger. He was born in Haverhill in August, 1789, was settled ng pastor in Salem twice, in Ports- mouth, N. H., twice, at New Bedford, and then as missionary to the Seamen's Bethel in the lat~ ter place. Up to theendof 1876 he hud preached. 8,200 sermons, baptized 725 persons, uttended 2,500 funerals, and officiated at 1,920 marriages, Since 1876, though not settied, he ‘has preached Tal times. ‘The Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Franklin, pastor of the Church of the Evangelist, Philadelphia, is not only dignitied and portly, but m re The latter quality he displayed in a fist fight ‘witn Church-Warden Brown. There had been a division in the congregation, one faction de= the minister to resign, and the other standing by him. He offered to go if he was paid $1,700, which he claimed was due him for salary, A mecting of the Vestry was held to settle the account. Dr. Franklin's account were examined. Brother Brown said: ‘* Your cash-book states that $2,000 was collected and $2,000 expended. Your journul for the same year states that $4,000 was collected and $4,000 ‘This Committee demand a reconcil- fation of these statements.” Dr. Franklin stepped forward, and, shaking his clenched tist in the Warden's face, exclaimed: * You might as well, sir, stab me to the heart as to defume me in this aisgracetul manner.” Brother Brown explained, with provoking suavity, that he did not desire to make any charges, but that tho dif- ference between the accounts in the two books ‘was a matter for explanation, which the Com- mittee felt it was their right to demand. The pastor, during Mr. Brown's remarks, became agitated, and the last sentence had hardly es- caped the lips of the Warden when he struck him a powerful blow squarely jn the breast, knocking him down. The reverend gentieman, Tushing upon the prostrate form of his accuser, ‘attempted to belabor him, bat wns intercepued by members of the Vestry, and, after considera- ble struggling, they mana; to restrain him from further violence. e Warden said that the church was no pluce for @ pugilistic exhibi- tion, and that he did not propose, to give his an- tagonist satisfaction in the house of Dre Franklin retorted: * Then, sir, I will meet you at any time or place you will mention!” WORLDLY WISDOM. It is possible that many men become “con- verted" for the sole purpose of getting an op- portunity to brag of their deviltries. ‘The Doctor— Mr.P., give an example of good- neas.” Mr. P.—*God is an exumple of good- ness.” The Doctor—“ Please give a more famil- iar oxample.” The leading Methodist charch in Toronto dis- missed its choir because it had been singing “Pinafore.” Only “dismissed” them! Why didn’t they kill em? “It's high time Church and State separated in. this country,” remarked an old gentleman who heard somebody talk about different denomina- tions of postage-stamps. An Iowa clergyman preached against 'the sin of shaving on Sunday, and next Subbath the sex- ton refused to split kindlings to start a fire, aud the congregution dispersed. - “Who was Ezekiel?" asked a Sunday-school teacherof an intelligent-looking little yirlin one of our city churches. The answer was: “Ezekiel was one of the minor prophets, and, the son of Daniel Webster.” This answer was accepted without controversy. . During religious services in the jail at Carson, Nev.. and after a clergyman had addressed the prisoners on the text “Honesty is the best policy,” 2 thief named Jones asked if be could loxke a few remarks. Permission being given,’ he said: “The expression that * honesty is the best policy * was first thrown out on a thieving world by Ben Franklin, an old humbug. Idon't | agree with Ben Franklin that honesty should ba ag policy Ge if a man’s honest, he’s honest anyhow; and if he just simply keeps correct from policy he’s a bad egg at heart,and only waiting to get the contidence of the communit} and rob them of thousands. A man who is honest from policy would stenlif he had the nerve and the chance. We fellows in hero had too much nerve, and we're too candid to co! our real character.” The church at Walnut Hill, Portland, has for some time been without 2 pastor. Candiaates have at various times presented themselves, but up to date none huve seemed to fill the bill. On Sunday last a new candidate presented himself. ‘The sermon was on “ Prayer,” and the candidate threw his whole soul into bis discourse. At last, while fillustranng the need andefficucy of prayer, he drew an illustration from his own experience. He was out on a luke io a boat when by a mis- chance he lost both ours. The wind was rising, night was coming on, and be was in imminent danger of being swamped and findi a watery grave. Whetcould he do? Evidently nothing of himself, sohe knelt down and praved long . and fervently for deliverance. He placed him- self in the hands uf the Lord, and so was saved. So he passed from one thing to another, and st last the sermon was finished. He raised his hands to pronounce the benediction. The au- dience stood with bowed heads waiting for the cious words, when old Cape. Sweetair, of forth Yarmouth, a rugged old sea-dog, cried out: ‘Say, Mr. Preacher, I want you to tell me how you got ashore.” ‘The large audience was still no more, but broke into a rour, and it was fully five minutes before the minister could ex- plain that a man saw him from the shore and put out in another boat and took him oif. CHURCH SERVICES. EPISCOPAL. Cathedral 88. Peter and Paul,comer West Wash- ington and Peoria streets. ‘The Kt-Rev. W.E, Mc- Laren, 8.7. D, Bishop. The itev. J. H. Knowles,” priest in charge. Holy Communion at8a.m. Choral morning prayer and celebration of Holy Communion, 3t 10:30am. Choral evening prayer at 7:30 p. m.. —The Rey. Frederick Courtney will officiate.in St, James’ Church, corner of Cass and Huron streets, as 10:45 a. m. and 7:45 p. m. Communion at 8a. m. —The Rev. R. A. Holland will officiate in ‘Trinity Church, corner of Twenty-sixth street and Michiyan avenue, at 04a. m. ‘Trinity festival at 7:4 p. mo. —The Hev. Clinton Locke will officiate in Grace Church, Wabash avenue, near Sixteenth swreet, st 11 a.m.and8 p,m. Communion at8 am. —he Rev. Arthur Kitchie will officiace tn the Church. of the Ascension, corner of North La Salle and Elm streets, at la. m.and8p.m. Communion at8a. m. —The Rev. W. H. Knowlton will officiate im/St, An= drew’s Church, comer of West Washington and Robey streets, at 10:3) a. m. and 4p. m. . The Kev.’ B. ¥. Fleetwood will officiate in St, Mark's Ch Grave avenue, corner of ‘Thirey-slxth street, ag 10-40 a. m. and 7:20 p pebentter.. J, D: Cowan will officiate in St. Ste Twelfth stroeta, at 7:30 p.m. ‘Th tion will worship at the Cathedral. ~The Hey. Luther Pardes wilt officiate tn Calvary Church, Warren avenue, between Oakley sweet and Western avenue, at 10:0 4, mand 7-30p.m. Com munion at: a. 1. Ghuren of ihe Upiphaay, Throop atest be arch of the oy, ‘Thr Monroe and Adams strocts, at ieaa. mand im. Communion at8 a.m. ~The Kev. Wed. Petrie will officiate in the Charct of QurSavior, commer of Lincoln and Belden avenues, Stile mand 4 p.m, —The Rey. James EZ. Thompson will in Bt. ‘bomas’ Church, Indiana avenue, between Twanty~ ainthand Tairtfett ‘strects, af lw m. and 76 p.m. €o ion at 8a... yoy. John Hedman will proach U5 Wt Ande