The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-12-23
FROM THE NORTHERN STATES.

FROM THE NORTHERN STATES.
The Hon. Walter Lowris for many years Sc.
oretary OF the Presbyterian Board of Foreign
Missions, died at his residence in the city of
New York, on Monday last, the l4th instant,
in the eighty fourth year Of his age His
health had been slowly declining for some time,
and his death. which was not unexpected, was
calm and peaceful.
Mr. Lowrie' name has been intimately asso-
eiated with the Foreign Missionary work of the
Presbyterian Church for the last thirty years.
He was Corresponding Secretary of the West
ern Foreign Missionary Society when that or
ganzation was transferred to the General As
Sembly, aud became the first Secretary of the
Board of Foreign Missions, the successor of
the Western Foreign Missionary Society,"
Previous to this time, Mr. LOwrie had been
in active public life. He was born in Western
Pennsylvania and represented the State of
Pennsylvania In the Senate of the United
States for the term of six years. After the
expiration of his term of service he was elected
Secretary OF the Senate, and remained In this
office for the space of two years. This ended
his term of service in the State, and he gave
himself, after that time, with an undivided
heart and mind to the service of the Church.
We have no doubt that he found satisfaction
In this entire and absolute conservation of him
self to the advancement of the cause and
kingdom OF Christ, which no attainment Of
earthly station and power could ever confer
The services which Mr. LOwrie has rendered
to the Presbyterian Church, and to the cause
of missions during the years in which he stood
at the head of the Foreign Missionary work
Of the Church, cannot be estimated by man.
He entered upon this work when the Board
had but few missionaries, and when its annual
income was less than S2O, 900. He has lived
to see hundreds Of missionaries 90 out TO all
parts of the great field. and to enroll the names
of not few who had been converted by the
preaching of the earlier missionaries and fitted
for missionary work among their own people
He has seen the annual revenues of the Board
swollen 10 ten times the original amount, and
TO feel that the spirit of missions has largely
increased in the Church, as the years have
passed away. His own practical wisdom, his
love of Christ, and his compassion for the
souls of the perishing, has been largely shown
in his conduct Of the affairs of this important
Board. We well remember the earneStneSS
and tenderness of his appeals to the students
of the Seminary at Princeton, in the yearly
visits he was wont to make to that institution
while in the active duties of the Secretaryship
His pleas before the General Assembly, and
through it TO the Church at large, were weighty
aud powerful, because of the universal convic-
ton of the sincerity and devotion of the man.
He did the work God gave him to do well, and
has gone 10 rest, hOnOred By the Church, and
with the blessed hope Of the gospel sustaining
his heart. Ii to live for the Church of God,
aud for the highest interests OF men, is to live
nObly there are few lives which have been
marked by truer nobility, than the long and
useful life Of Waiter Lowrie. -Presbyteriaa.
Mr.. MCOrmicks Letter. Calvin the
Northwestern correspondent of the Philadel-
phia Presbyterian, says;
THE recent letter of G. II. Mccormick,
Esq, 10 the Directors of our Northwestern
Seminary, is creating something more than a
ripple on the surface of things here The
PfeS5per publishes the letter, and candidly
notices Its points in an editorial, which closes
with the words We have nothing to say
The BdaNer publishes the letter n part only.
IL states the main points made by the writer,
and cOurteOuSy diSsentS from his conclusions
10 striking contrast with all this, Is the course
pursued by the political press of Chicago, Of
both parties Its reviews of the letter forcibly
illustrate the present degrading and democrat
HlDg influence OF partizan politics. They
=, 0und in SeurrlOus and libellOuS attacks upon
ind;, 1duals whose standing, in the ministry
and In che Church, Is unlmpeached and IN
imneacb,. ole. Not one OF these papers fur
nisbeS irs p, ,aders with the text of the letter,
20 enable thai TO judge of the fairness OF It's
criticisms. The controversy Is an unfortunate
one in all aspects Where the, blame OF 1t
should rest, your RAIDERS can determine for
themselves. Let Us hoOe that 1t may De over
ruled for good to the Seninary and to the
Church.
Thirteen Years Of Presbyterian Church Exten-
sion.-The Presbyterian 20. >. Board oil
Church Extension reports that IN the last thlr-
teen aud half years it has received httle
over $500 900, and has aided In the erection
of 900 churches capable OF accommodating
about 200 600 wOrshipperS. The average cost
of the sanctuaries is less than $4,000, and the
entire church property, thus secured. tree from
dObt, is not far from $4,000, 600.
Learning to Preaeh.-A correspondent OF the
Presbyterian, writing from the Theological
Seminary at Princeton, says:
Princeton Seminary is often charged with
making students, but not preachers, with
neglecting the matter of speaking, IN short,
with cultivating the mind at the cost Of the
tongue. 4 glance at the course provided
In the study of elOcution, cannot hut im
press one with the fact that If the students
here do not turn out good speakers, 1t Is their
fault, and not the fault OF the Faculty. Pro-
fessor Peabody, OF Princeton College, an ex
celent teacher, has charge of the Junior class,
and during the whole of the first year there is
constant drill in speaking and reading and
the same Professor is always at hand TO give
private lessons to men in the Middle and Sc
Nor classes. This, Of itself, is no mean start
for the public life Of preacher. but this is
not all Professor Bailey of ale College, an
3ccom shed elOcutlnDist and Il keen critic
comes every year and while he lectures TO all
the students on the ground work Of good
speech, and clear distinct delise y. at the same
time t,kes the Senior class by sections, and
gives close attention. 20 the faults and pecu-
liarities OF each man His aim Is to make the
students speak naturally and easily, and we