The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-25 00:00:00

MR. CAIRD AND PRINCE ALBERT.

A daring passage in Mr. Caird's recently-published
sermon has caused some notice, and not a little amaze-
ment in London. The rev. gentleman is arguing that
not only is seclusion from the world unnecessary for the
formation of a true Christian character, but that the
perfect development of the Christian virtues demands
that we should mix with our fellows and be exposed to
the difficulties and trials of common life. This position
lie illustrated by the following example, looking sited-
lastly all the time at Prince Albert, it is to be hoped :
"No man can become a thorough proficient in naviga-
tion who has never been at sea, though he may learn
the theory of it at home. No man can become a soldier
by studying books on military tactics in his closet :
he must in actual service acquire those habits
of coolness, courage, discipline, address, rapid com-
bination, without which the most learned in the
theory of strategy or engineering will be but a school-
boy soldier after all." Mr. Caird is certainly the
Knox of military reformers, and the courtiers must
have stared at each other aghast as they listened to the
plain denunciations of the bold, uncompromising Scotch
divine. As the Royal Field-Marshal and Colonel of
the Guards has never seen " actual service," of Course
he stands convicted, high in rank though he be, of being
" but a school-boy soldier after all." If you ask me
how so uncourtier-like a sermon came to be printed " by
command," I can only refer you to a story current on
the subject, without vouching at an way for its authen-
ticity.y It is said, then, that exhausted by " actual ser-
vice" on the moors during the week, Prince Albert was
enjoying a comfortable nap during the delivery of the
his Royal High-
passage just quoted. A jog from a Royal elbow aroused
him, and with pardonable anxiety to maintain a soldierly
character for wakefulness at his post,
ness instantly exclaimed, " Yes ; very good, indeed.
Decidedly ought to be printed. Her Majesty entered
into the joke, and printed it was accordingly. Whether
the Prince Consort will profit by this lesson, and resign
all his military titles and emoluments, is to be doubted,
but anti.draiving-room soldiers will not be the less
obliged to the'minister of Errol for his honesty and fear-
lessness.—Loudon Correspondent of Dundee Advertiser.

"LA JOIE FAIT PEUE."—On Tuesday night Mr. John
Burgess, shoemaker, of Lowestoft, was expecting his
son from the Crimea, after an absence of between three
and four years. On Tuesday the 10 p.m. train had ar-
rived, and when against the Crown Hotel the son on
his way up met the father, but neither appeared fully
to recognise each other. The son walked cn, and the
father overtook him, looked at him, and passed ahead
of him, not even then it appears identifying his 8013, un-
til the other said, "Hold hard, father, don't be iu a
hurry ;" when he stopped and said, " Good God I is
that you, John '?" They walked on together, when the
son went into Waters's beershop, and wished his father
to go forward and break the news of his arrival to his
mother. Observing that he looked pale and excited
the son would have had him take something, but he did
not, and proceeded to inform his wife of the arrival of
their son, intending to go back to the son and again
return home. On returning home he opened the door
and exclaimed, " Good God ! Maria, John —," and
fell down dead before finishing the sentence.—Bury
i'oB6;