The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-01-08

sermon in free church in aneighboring town.
The congregation denied the truth of the re-
mark, upon which the doctor says that so
many were at least in a very suspicious pos
ture.
Rev. j. A. Mackenzie, minister of the Kirk of
Scotland, author of the book entitled The
Pathway of Promise" of which so, 900 copies
have been sold in England died at Torquay
in the month of November.
Jerusalem Very interesting discoveries have
recently been made by the English expedition
relative to the walls 81 the Temple, but little
else is going on there DR.. Burt in his Far
East says that the only improvement in
Jerusalem is the building of handsome
French Convent, near Plate 5 House. Indeed,
the Turks are the last people In the world to
make improvements. He says some people
imagine that railroad is actually building
between Jaffa and jerusalem. But not only is
this not the case, but 1t would be next to I'M
possible to build a road over this rough route,
and then there is nobody and nothing to carry
Nothing short Of the discovery OF petroleum
in the Dead Sea would lead to the construction
of railroad in that country; and not even
that, at present prices, we venture to say.
Rev. Dr. Crowther, who went to Africa has
had narrow escape. 1t appears, as Bishop
of the Niger, he mad gone up that river on a
visitation The natives took him prisoner
and demanded, as theprce of his ransom, the
value of a thousand slaves. The British Vice
Consul and party Of Europeans set off on
board the Thomas Barley steamer, for the pur-
pose of rescuing him. They succeeded; but,
in the engagement which ensued, an arrow
struck the Vice Consu,lA..he left side, PIERCED
the heart, and the uns-.rssnate gertlenian died
almost instantaneOusg
The Poor Cretans. The troubles in Crete are
as far from being settled as ever The Turkish
Government has resolved to reduce the island
to subsection at all hazards, and is adopting
measures to carry out It's determination. An
intelligent Protestant Greek from Athens, tells
me that there are at this moment 10000 reiu
gees from Crete in Greece The Greek Gov
eminent expends 1000 pounds sterling per
day, for their support SO - the Eastern
question is sure to come up again; like the
ghost of Hamlet it viii not down. -
The true and best solution is in the vigorous
prosecution of the Missionary work. At no
distant day Greeks, Turks, Armenians, Bull
garians, Jews, Kurds, and Arabs, will be lone
in Christ, Mao York Observer.
The Methodists in BeIlin.-Under this head
ing, the Ec0neiRer says:
Mrs Wright, the wife of the late minister
to Berlin Prussia was one OF the founders OF
the great work going on among the lowly at
Five Points. In Prussia she made her elegant
saloons the home of Christians Of every name.
With the same energy and devotion that
marked her labors in New York by Fair got
up in the PruSsan capital, she laid the fOun-
dation for a fine chapel, which was dedicated.
H. & - Moebo.lict Nhr,pab
But the chapel is free to all preachers Of the
gospel who may chance to be in Berlin Re
moved from the oversight of the chapel by the
su iden death of her husband, Mrs Wright
has raised fund sufficient to clear the church
from debt, and has left perpetual memorial
in that far off country of her devotion to the
Saviour.
DR.. Brugsch, Prussian Consul at Cairo, has
compiled dictionary of Egyptian HicrogIyph-
les, containing the explanation of nearly six
hundred signs, which is preparing for publica
ton at Gottingen.
Blackwood's Magazine says there are three
kinds Of English employed among all educated
people who use the language-Blbie, or old
Saxon English when they go to church or
read good poetry; verDacuar or colloquial Eng
lish, not altogether free from slang and vul-
garity, when they talk to one another In the
ordinary intercourse of life; and literary Eng
lish, when they make speeches or sermons,
or read articles, reviews, or books
The Talmud@In thousand hon ~ CO. &"
publishers in Berlin and, although there have
been recently five editions of the work, COM
pany has been formed, with a capital of two
hundred thousand francs, for publishing an
other edition. In Paris, particularly, the
"Talmud" has many votaries.
A Convert to the Truth.-The american Pres
byter,da oil Philadelphia contains letter from
Joseph Barker, once famous travelling infdel
lecturer and controverSalist, but now an hum
bic worker OF Christ in England. This letter
settles the matter of his conversion, which has
been doubted by some of his old associates in
this country.
The Pope's Health is in precarious state,
and many speculations are made in Europe
with regard to the political consequences
which would follow his deceaSe. He was born
in Sinigag6a, May 18th, 1892; was elected
Pope on the 10th and crowned on the 2lst OF
June, 1916.
The Eruption of vesuvius. dispatches re-
ceived from Naples mention that the eruption
of Mount Vesuvius is continually increasing
in power and splendor Immense sheets Of
white, yellow, and crimson flames arise hun
dreds of feet above the crater, and at night
the Bay of Naples is lighted up for miles.
Lava is pouring down the mountain side in
immense quantities, and large stones are oc-
casionally thrown out from the mouth of the
volcano A deep rumble like reverberating
thunder is heard from time to time, as in the
bowels of the earth, and many of the people
in the vicinity have left their homes, fearing
an earthquake, or other calamity. No such
eruption has probably occurred in Vesuvius
for centuries, and the spectacle is regarded as
one of the most magnificent and sublime ever
witnessed in nature.