The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-07-07

Bishop Armitage refused to attend recent Bible
Society meeting in Milwaukee, as it was not in
accordance with his principles to participate in
n,ired societies like the American Bible Society.
The Oldest living missionary of the American
Board is Rev. DIR. Spaulding, at Ceylon. He is
rs years DID, went out in 1919, and has been in
the ministry forty-nine years.
The Rev ]. Payne, Protestant Episcopal Mis-.
sionary Bishop of Africa, has resigned his Dish.
opric, and will return to the United States at an
early day. The following is summary Of his
thirty three years work in Africa Total confr.
nations, 643 total ordinations, 26, of which l6
were Liberian. His labor of thirty three years
demonstrates that foreign missionaries may live
and labor on the west coast of Africa, as we'll as
the hundreds engaged In commercial or military
duty.
The Episcopal "Ritualistic" Baptism. -Christ
church was the scene of rtuaistic baptism yes
terday afternoon. 1t having been announced that
a child of Rev. DR.. Ever, the rector, would be
baptlsed, few friends were admitted to the church
to witness the ceremony. The procession entered
from the vestry room headed by the sexton. He
was followed by boy wearing gown and bearing
burning taper After these came the children
OF the rector, the officiating clergyman, his assist
ant, j.. M. Brown, two ladies of the family, and
the nurse with the child At the font the rector
put on a purple stole and began reading the regu-
lar baptismal service. After reading about one
third of the service the rector paused exchangedthe
purple stole for white one, and continued the
service Pausing he took the taper from the
acolyte, placed it in the font, read still further,
and then took it out again. The rector then took
the infant, which was in a nude state, from the
nurse, and carrying it to the baptismal font, i'm
words: Ferdinand, Charles, baptize thee in the
name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" AT
ter this ceremony the godfather placed the white
stole upon the infant, while the rector held near
him the candle. The procession then marched to
the altar and subsequently to the vestry room, the
rector carrying the child in his arms.-N Y. Post.
At the late anniversary Of the British and For.
eign Bible Society, it was announced that this in
stitution has issued, since its organization 572l0,
4S5 copies of the Sacred Scriptures. The Ameri-
can Bible Society has issued about $4,000, 900,
other societies about 25,000,000 more-making
more than hundred millions of copies of the
Word of God put into circulation within the last
sixty years by these Bible Societies Well may
the Pope tremble at the alarming spread of the
Word of Life, and well may all who love that
Word rejoice that it is now scattered so widely
Neao York Observer.
The Reformed Presbyterian Synod The action of
this body last year, in disowning and expeling
Mr. George h. Stuart, for the ecclesiastical offence
of joining in the worship with Christians who sing
hymns other than the Psalms of David has result
ed disastrously enough Offorty-six ministers com
prlslng the Synod year ago, twenty have already
ceased to be members. including most of its ablest
preachers There is no increase, and those who
remain begin to look at dsintegration aud extinc-
ton as near at hand. Among the losses were the
whole body of missionaries in Northern India,
some of them thirty years in the field. They sent
up communication, saying that they have never
adhered to the polity Of the Church at home in
regard to psamody and communion, but uniformly
Joined with the brethren Of other denominations
in the same field in singing hymns and spiritual
songs, and in communion at the Lord table. The
offence of which Mr.. Stuart was suspended had
been their practice, approved by the Church and
| blessed by the Master, with uniformity which
had been uninterrupted for thirtysyears. They
prayed that this action be Ieconsdered or rescind
ed, and declared that until this was done they
could not continue to represent Synod among the
heather, or approve cause which tor them would
SO strongly bear the stamp of self condemnation.
The Bishop OF Western New York admits that
Christian character exists outside Of the Episcopal
sect He calls it inorganic faith and piety."
The bishop is charitable and the unorganized may
still toll and hope.
Is Music more than Preaching.-A Boston writer
to the London Record speaking to the Episcopa-
Ian parishes, says:
I'm this city the music in some of the churches
costs two or three thousands dollars a year, and
am told in New York as much as IS or sc, 900,
while the stipends of the clergy have not been
raised since the suspension of specie payments SO
that in many instances the clergy are reduced to
great straits, whilst the congregations are indulg.
ing in this expensive, needless, and mischievous
luxury. 1t has come, in fact, to be nothing less
than another name for Sunday concert
| A singular case came In INV hearing from tho
best authority There was parish in this diocese
which applied for grant from the Domestic Mis-.
sionary Association to exc out the stipend of the
clergyman, which was only six hundred dollars in
greenbacks, or eighty.fve pound stearling. The
relief was refused, because it came to the ears of
the Committee that the parish was spending fifteen
thousand dollars year upon music