The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

Rev. Dr. speer.-A large number of the most
prominent merchants and bankers of San Francisco
addressed a letter to the Rev. DR.. Speer, Seere,
tary OF the D, s General Assembly Board OF
Education, who was formerly "a missionary to the
Chinese, both there and in China, and invited him
to give public lecture upon the relations of China
and the New World A number OF the principal
ChlneSe merchants also gave a dinner 10 Mr.
Speer The viands were prepared in Chinese style,
but were delicate aud paateable. To the Sentl-
mentS proposed By the Chinese hosts and several
American guests, appropriate responses was made,
The occasion passed off with much good feeling
aud will leave pleasant and profitable recollectOns
IL certainly was interesting as an exhibition OF
grateful recollection Of benefits rendered in time
past.
The Rev. :. Reok Har6augh has resigned the pas
toral charge Of the Sixth Presbyterian church,
Philadelphia.
The Rev. Jonathan Huntington, member of the
Presbytery OF Nashville, died on the 23d Of Sep
tember in the sixty-ftth year Of his age.
The Central Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn,
New York, Rev L. Dewitt Talmage, pastor, re-
eeived last Sabbath into its communion twenty,
eight new members, making ninety five added dur
ing the few months OF the present pastorate.
Gone Over to ROme-The Protestant Cburch-
QOR makes the following announcements
The Rev. James Kent Stone, late President of
Kenyon College, and still later the President OF
Hobart College, it is currently reported, has fol-
lowed out the legitimate course of High Church
Theology, and has given in his adhesion to the
Church Of Rome. We learn that MIR. Stone was
formally received into the Roman Church on Sep
TENDER l2tb."
Plentiful BOwing.-Itis the custom now for many
among the congregation of Trinity church, in New
York city, 70 bow 20 t6e ebancel when entering the
church, end 70 cross themselves hen they rise
lac5,-, tdeii' Jews, Just as t6a PapIsts I
ThoOlogies. C5airs.-We reeret to be compelled \
to believe that both Dr. Smith and Dr. Hitchcock
viii be unable to resume their duties in the Union
Theological Seminary of this city, this fall. DR..
Smith is still abroad and his health Is improving,
but he must not begin work again too soon. DR.. /
Hitchcock Is still suffering from weakness Of the /
eye, but rest will restore him. The admirable ar
engagements OF the Seminary to meet the wants of
its large number Of students are as follows:
Professor Shedd will lecture on Doctrinal Theol /
ogy to the Senior and Middle classes.
DR.. Shedd's place In the chair Of eregess will be /
filed by Professor E. p Barrows, formerly Of
Andover Seminary.
Professor Schaf has been invited to take the /
chair Of Ecclesiastical History.
The we'll known abilities of Drs. Shedd Bar /
rows and Schat and their large experience in their
respective departments, ensure the Most thorough
instruction. The number in the various classes is
Seniors, 81 Nddlers, 81 and Juniors IS. Mem
bers Of the latter class still continue to arrive, so
that their numberwill probably be increased before
the issue Of the eatalOgue.-N. Y Observer.
Departure of MissiOnaries-Rev. Leighton w. |
Eekard and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Eckard |
left Philadelphia on Tuesday evening, September |
2lst by railroad for San Francisco, Cal They /
expect to sail on the 4th inst, to China touching
at Yokohama, in Japan. Mr. and Mrs. .Eckard |
are under appointment by the Presbyterian Board /
OF Foreign Missions, to be stationed in the pro-
vince OF Shantung, In the north of China. Their |
ultimate destination is the city of TungchOw, but /
they probably Will reside for awhile at CheoO, the
chief foreign port of Shantung. Mr.. Eckard is |
graduate Of Lafayette College, and was member |
OF the last Senior Class Of Princeton Theological |
Seminary Presbyterian.
Revising the Prayer BOok-Rev. Dr. Tying |
writes letter to his brethren, expressing his wish
to retire from the Committee on the Revision of
the Prayer Book. lie thinks there are insupera.
bic difficulties in the way of revising at present.
but he anticipates the time as near when there
will be "an entire reconstruction Of our eeclesias
teal system" He says:
- But if such a reconstruction is to be accom-
pliShed the body formed anew, must have, and
viii claim, the privilege Of providing for itself,
the aspects, the utterances aud the tOrms-which
shall be considered most adopted to its new eondi
tlOn No other persons or assemblies can perform |
or prepare this work.
To this the Ne0 York Observer adds:
An Episcopal clergyman informed US a few
days ago that five Bishops of the Protestant Epls
eOpal Church are prepared to unite with the cler-
gy Of the Evangelical party in forming new /
Church organization.
A writer in the Protestant Cb,uchmaR says Of
the proposed verbal changes in the Prayer Book, /
that he recently heard Methodist presiding elder
say: Make few such changes in your Church, |
aud IN ten years you will get more from our Church
than all your present members put together.
The same paper says: The High Church par
ty, especially the RituahStic wing is nearer to,
aud has more affinity and sympathy with the Ro-
mish Church, than it has with the Low Church .
party an integral portion of our Church. On the .
other hand, we are free to admit, that the Low /
Church party has more affinity with Evangelical
Professionals than with the High Church leaders OF
to-day"
Troubles COnfessed.-A correspondent of the /
Christian Instructor says: There Is no longer |
any use in cOnceahng the state Of matters in the |
United Presbyterian Church. Whatever DC the |
cause, despite eleven years of Incorporated exiS,
tence, our Church is not thatHnit in thought and /
feeling which all that love her hoped she would |
become. There are differences Of opinion among |
her people, and on questions OF such moment as |
in the estimation OF some, to lmperll her very eX-
iStence To ignore these differences Is now Meth
er possible nor wise. 1t Is only shutting of our
eyes and saying of peace, peace, when We may
be hurrying onward to the brink OF Niagara
Rev. Dr. j. E. Rankin accepted the call to the
First church of Washington, and has begun work
by the reception Of sixteen new memberS-SlX OF
them on profession One is a German deISt a
university graduate, who has travelled round the
world, and who dates his conversion from the Y
NJ. @. A. meetings in Washington. He proposes
to 90 to China as a partial missionary.
The School Question at Pittsburg.-Two SabbathS
ago, says the Presbyterian Banner, Father Hickey
announced In the Cathedral of this city, that RO
man Catholic parents would be required to with
draw their children from the public schools. The
work has been commenced, and 100 scholars have
been already taken from the First Ward School,
Father Chiniquys French colony in Kankakee
county, H., are in a suffering condition. Two
hundred families are destitute, owing to the failure
of their crops this season. in consequence OF the
protracted rains and damaging floods Of the sum
mer.
Reunion.-In the PreSbytery Of Louisville ID. Z.
Humphrey, ID. D., w. O. Matthews, ID. d., >. Ia.
Mckee, d. ID , and II. ii. Allen, the latter Editor
of the Western Presbyterian at Louisville, voted
against the Basis of Union. In the LAFAYETTE Pres
bytery, Missouri Dr. W i. Breckenridge, George
Miller and J. II. Clark voted also in opposition.
Fifteen Tons of Tracts.-The Chicago Y NJ. CI
Association have Just received S. 600 wOrth-6t-
teen tons-of tracts from Henry BeTley, the great
One-man tract society at Dublin. Among them are
three thousand packages containing over three