The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-14 00:00:00

ST. MARY-LE-STRAND.

On Sunday the church of St. Mary in the Strand was
opened after being closed for several months. The cause of
this church being shut was a dispute between the rector
and the churchwardens about some proposed alterations.
On Sunday evening Dr. Evans, the rector, preached the
sermon, which was one of the most extraordinary ever
delivered from the pulpit. The reverend gentleman
devoted the sermon entirely to the subject of the dispute
with his churchwardens, giving for his text the words " We
are fools for Christ's sake." He gave a history of the dis-
pute, and read over the list of the objections to the proposed
alterations. The reverend gentleman, by his tone, attitude,
and manner, endeavoured to throw all possible ridicule on
these objections, and the satire was masterly in its way.
He spoke very severely of one objection which had for its
ground the comfort of the parishioners, who, by the removal
of the old pews, would be exposed to draughts.
He pointed to the font, which was placed just
at the west entrance, and he asked what consideiation was
shewn for the health of the priest. He denounced in
withering terms the locks and bolts on the pews, the absurd
height of the pulpit ; and his allusion to the parochial
architect who fastened the pulpit to the wall
with irons was irresistible. Dr. Evans acknow-
ledged that he was in the position of a fool, but that
it was for Christ's sake. He declared that if the law mis-
carried in the matter, he would again close the church, and
that no power on earth should make him open it. His
manner at this part of the sermon was quite
threatening. One of the pleas of the churchwardens
was that the church was sufficient for the accommodation
of the parishioners. Dr. Evans admitted as much, but
pointed out with some force that most of the parishioners
were absentees on a Sunday. The sermon was inimitable ;
the poor churchwardens were covered with ridicule, and
the congregation with difficulty suppressed the rising
laughter. In short, one thought oneself in the Old
Bailey, and imagined the rev. doctor was amusing a
jury. He remarked that more fuss was made about
the removal of a pew than if he had been guilty of
heresy or adultery. Of course the churchwardens had
no right of reply, and must have felt very much in
the humour of the Lord Chancellor who, when a bishop
asked him to go and hear him preach, remarked,
" No, damn you. I have enough of you in the House of
Lords, where I can answer you." The service was " High,"
but there was nothing of extreme ritualism in it. The rev.
doctor crossed himself during the invocation of the
Trinity which preceded the sermon. One or two people
left the church during the sermon, from what motive we
are unable to say.

TUE TNSURRECTION IN CUBA

-~---

An evening contemporary has received the follow-
ing, dated November 17th, from its Cuban corre-
spondent :—" The insurrection here is making progress. By
last accounts, received this morning, the rebels had taken
possession of Las Euramadas and St. Luis, small towns on
the line of railway between St. Jago and the interior. At
the last-named station the whole of the garrison was seized
by the insurgents, and the troops of which it was composed
stripped of their military uniforms and of their arms.
Four days ago an amnesty was published here and in
Manzanillo, allowing the insurgents eight clays to present
themselves and arms. Up to the present date not one
has responded satisfactorily to the kind invitation ; on the
contrary, the chiefs of the rebel party have given
the governor four days to surrender the town. Six hun-
dred of the rebels, armed with American revolver rifles,
pistols, and machettes, are encamped within two miles of
our town. There they await the movements of the
Government,forces, and in the meantime occupy them-
solves in digging trenches and erecting strong barricades
with stones and heavy trees. It is not at all certain
whether the Government troops will make another expe-
dition into the interior. The last proved an utter failure.
After a campaign of little more than three weeks, the whole
of the Spanish army was forced to retreat to St. Jago, leav-
ing the enemy perfect masters of all the chief strongholds of
the country in this oriental department of the island. The
troops entered our town in a truly pitiable condition.
Many of them were sick or half starved, and all were con-
siderably the worse for the expedition. It is impossible
for European soldiers to fight these robust and hardy
mountaineers on their own intricate land. The fact had
been proved only very recently in the late war at Santo
Domingo, in which the greatest enemies the Spaniards had
to fight against were the bad ground and intricate paths
and oppressive climate."

A retired agriculturist near Midhurst has set up
on his own land an obelisk of sandstone as a memorial of
11ir. Cobden.

We understand that Sir Richard Mayne, the Chief
Commissioner of Police, is about to have the dignity
of baronet conferred upon him for his long public services.

THE ROEBUCK TESTIMONIAL FUND.—The list of
subscriptions to this fund, as published by the Sheffield
Telegraph, already amounts to upwards of £2,500.
As Dr. Savage, of Armagh, was returning to that
town by train from Newry a night or two ago, a gun heavily
loaded with grape shots or slugs was fired at the first-class
carriage in which he sat, breaking the thick glass. Dr.
Savage was the only passenger in the carriage, and, as ho
was leaning down at the time ho escaped with slight cuts
about the face and hands. A reward has been offered for
the discovery of the person who fired the shot.
A MIDLAND BATTUE. —The Apethorpe preserves
were shot through a day or two ago by the Earl of West-
moreland, the Duke of Manchester, the Earl of Carysfort,
Lord A. Lennox, the Hon. Captain Curzon, Colonel W.
Craven, Captain Johnson, Captain J. Little, and the Rev.
E. Du Prd. The quantity of game bagged was 2,330
head ; of these, 1,030 were pheasants, and 800 hares.—
Times.

ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP A YONDER MAGAZINE.—
.
strange story comes to us from Dunfermline. There is
near to that place a powder magazine, where the stock of
those who sell powder in the burgh is deposited. It was
discovered on Thursday afternoon that this place had been
broken open, and an attempt made to blow it up. Gun-
powder had been scattered on the floor, and a sort of slow
match laid and fired. Fortunately the fire had not reached
the 'powder. Inquiries are being made into the affair.—
Scotsman.

THE MERTHYR ELECTION AND MR. BRUCE.—A
superb photograph, taken by Mr. Crawshay, of the Eight
Hon. H. A. Bruce, is being presented by the great iron-
masters to all who plumped for the right hon. gentleman
at the last election. A grand county dinner to Mr. Bruce
is in preparation, and, in addition, a subscription, either
`or the purpose of placing a superb bust in a public insti-
tution at Mountain Ash, or for defraying the electioneer-
ing expenses of Mr. Bruce, or both, is at once to be
started.

To PRESERVE MILK.—A. M. Kirclioffer, of
Paris, has discovered a method of preserving milk. He
takes pure milk, pours it into a bottle which he closes
hermetically, and then treats the exterior of the bottle
by an operation which is secret. It is said that
the milk thus dealt with keeps like liqueur ; cold,
heat, or movement exercise no influence upon it,
and when drank it has the same taste as if it were
quite fresh. If this be correct, the process is really valu-
able. Sailors and travellers may thus have the luxury of
milk at sea without the horrid nuisance and stench of
miserable cows upon the deck ; and, as a Parisian wrote
the other day, " connoisseurs may indulge the fancy of
drinking milk wkiell ha§lLiade the voyag.2.;ll/r9AI the

Oaw.

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Dec. 13.
The Queen. the Crown Prince and Princess of
Prusssia (the Princess Royal), Prince Leopold,
Princess Louise, and Princess Beatrice, attended
Divine service this morning in the private chapel.

a
In
interestedia
.art,
eiteraa

CArrA5
ND 1
P` tai
Abera
.21:030 I
LbilitaYnOlcoo:tit
air
rlt is feUitlt is
, compliilleoov
;played ittfatorti
pared for
...4i05
1..0 also Pot to'
hly eOcie i