The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-10-07
FOREIGN ITEMS.

1860, more than 56O Roman Cathonc priests
have gone TO China. What a stimulus and
rebuke Is this TO Professionalism. This is men,
TONED in very interesting letter from Canton
to the Boston Journal, from an intelligent and
trustworthy gentleman He says:
One great difficulty in the way of mission
airy effort In this empire Is the attitude OF Eng
land on the opium question. The people are
ready TO hear, but they suppose that the mis-
sionaries are In the pay OF foreign govern
ments, and that ali their talking about new
religion is political game. The church con-
nected with the Presbyterian mission numbers
between thirty and forty members The
Church of England, the London Missionary
Society, aud English Wesleyans have mission
aries at Canton.
America is to be brought in immediate
contact with this Empire Of four hundred mil
lions. American influence already predomi-
mates. The United States never has asked for
an inch of land; made no lmperlOus demands;
has brought no political influence to bear and
to-day Americans are much more trusted and
respected than either Engishmen or French
men; and so soon as the Chinaman under
stands that a missionary Is an American, they
are disarmed OF prejudice, and listen eagerly
TO what ne has TO say. The appointment OF
Mr. Burlingame was a spontaneous act OF the
Empire, add of itself, shows the superior in
huence of the United States with these people.
IL Is Tor those who support missions to make
note of these things, aud to act accordingly.
The American Presbyterian Church, Montreal,
has refused, by vote of more than two-thlrds,
TO accept the resignation of It's pastor, Rev. y.
b. Bonar, and has requested him TO reconsider
his action.
The Montreal Daily Witness, in making
mention of the resignation, makes very SEN
sible protest against keeping up national dis
tinctions on a foreign soil, by means of church
titles, and asks
"What would be thought of the Apostle
PaulS setting up Syrian church in Greece,
or an 'ASiatic' church at Rome? He estab-
lshed Christian churches wherever he went,
and placed no barriers except those which the
Gospel places in the way of one joining them.
But this is not the case with Scotch church
in Boston or Chicago, which none but Scotch
men can be expected to join, and which cannot
even hope TO retain their children; and an
American church here is ina similar case. lit
is the church of only one class of the commu
nity. and that, by the very name assumed, con-
fessedly foreign class. Christianity is not
English or Irish, or Scotch or American, but
Catholic. and no minister taking charge of
church walled up by a national name has any
fair field out of that nation,
The great earthquake on the Pacific coast of
South America and the remarkable diStur-
bance of the ocean reached the Sandwich Is
lands The southeastern shore of Hawaii
sank in some places from three to four, and in
others from six to seven feet, while at Hilo
the greatest subsistence noticed was eight
inches In Hilo, Pura, and Kanfroll, one to
FIVE earthquakes occurred daily Considerable
smoke was arising from Kilauea, though but
little fire was visible Oscillations OF the sea
at Hilo, on the l4th, 18TH and 10th OF August,
were remarkable. For three days the sea rose
and fell from three to four feet, once every ten
minutes. The tidal wave which swept the
coast of Peru reached the harbor OF Yokoha,
ma, Japan, the following day.--Ne,o York
Observer.
Irish Itsms.-The great Anglican Church
Congress" was to be held in Dublin this year,
beginning September 29th The Weekly Re
rieao says:
I'm Ireland, we observe that the Presbyte-
rians of Ulster have become thoroughly alive
70 tho necessity af having their interests rep-
resented in Parliament, which has not been
the case hitherto. They feel that they have
been overbOrne by the dominant Church. ln
Belfast, Mr. NJ Clure, brother of the esteemed
Presbyterian minister of that city, has come
forward in the Liberal interest and In New
ry, Mr.. Kirk, Presbyterian elder OF inHu-
ence, has agreed to stand in the same interest;
in Londonderry, we also observe that MIR.
Dowse, Q, c., has taken the field IN the Lib
eral cause, and, in vigorous speech which he
b., ,,,oNa 1aptas fha M nllpInp the
PresbyterianS, MethOdiStS, and Monochrome
lists in position of inferiority aud degradation
to that of the Church established by law. -
The Wesleyans have opened superbly built
College at Belfast mainly by English and
American contributions. The attempt to
Methods" Irish Professionalism by skirmish-
heavy artillery are to be tried Mr.. Arthur
comes from England to take the Presidency
Mr.. Surgeons COllege.-Mr. Spurgeon is
great power in London. In his College are
students from America, Austria, and Ger
many; 253 students have been trained, or are
in training, besides 400 in the evening classes;
l55 have settled in the ministry thirty nine
new churches have been formed and twenty
two new chapelS erected seventy five London
ministers have been supplied from the Col
lege eleven new churches are now In process
Of formation.
A Split Among High Churchmen.-The Eng
fish Church Union, the great Ritualistic
league, has divided on the Irish Church ques-
ton. Dr. PuSey and his friends having en-
dOrsed Gladstone, a large party have seeded,
and formed an English Church and State
Union.