The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-17

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sou, was pastor at Greenwich, near London; de
afterwards ministered to congregation at South
Shields, in the county of Durham, but the severe
climate led him to resign that position. Olnce
then he has been a considerable time IN LONDON
de was most genial and unselhsh, and without lee
or rewards he gave lectures on PASTORAL !neoiUgy
to the students at the London Presbyterian Col.
/ lege-even as DR.. Hamilton had done. de was
seized with paralysis in railway carriage, after
seeing his son, who was returning to Canada, and
he reached his London home to die lie was an
excellent man of business, and was clerk OF Synod
for series of years.
The Regent Square church, in London, lately held
its annual meeting. As is we'll known, that since
the death of the beloved James Hamilton, the
congregation has not succeeded In obtaining pas
tor; it is surely very gratifying to record that the
people have stood fast in the bond OF common
affection and brotherhood, so that financially and
also as to numbers, it Is still hourlshlng.
Evangslistic LabOr.-Both the English and United
PresbyterianS are diligently seeking earnestly TO
carry out evangelistc work. One of the elders
at a recent gathering, Mr.. j. h. Metheson, taoed
a proposal that the ancient order OF evangellstS
should be revived. 1t is not likely that this will
be done, especially as there are committees, large
In number and earnest in purpose and resolve, 10
order to stir up the laity of the churches.
The London English Presbytery has been discuss
ilg an overture to the Synod, TO the desirable
ness of a Sustentation Fund. 1t was carried by
majority of one As there Is likelihood OF a
comparatively speedy union between the Unlteo
Presbyterian Church and the English Presbyterian
Church iR England, matters Of finance, such as
this overture indicates, will be reserved for the
consideration Of the united body.
LondOndsrry.-The Rev. Mr. Murphy, of Newry,
Ireland, son of Dr. Professor Murphy, Belfast,
has received unanimous call to become colleague
and successor to the Rev. William Mcclure, OF
the First church, Londonderry. DR., James Den
ham, of the Second church, Londonderry, having
been disabled for preaching and public work, the
Rev. Mr.. Rogers of Kilrea, has been unanimously
invited to become colleague and successor to the
worthy and esteemed Doctor who has fed the Hook
of God for many years, and has had a career OF
great usefulness.
viscount strangford, who recently died at the
early age of forty three, was man OF great learn
| ing. He spoke Persian, according to Perslaus
themselves, with the mastery and elegance OF a
highly educated native; and so wonderful was his
knowledge of Greek, that he was familiar with
every dialect could detect in single sentence the
district from which any speaker had come, and
anywhere In Greece could scarcely have been
known as a foreigner by his speech. He wrote
very little, and his article on The Eastern Shores
OF the Adriatic, in the Quarterly Review" OF
August 1866, few reviews some time back IN
the Saturday Review" and his frequent contri
buttons to the Pail Mall Gazette are but a
faint index to his fine intellect and his immense
knowledge.
There are two noticeable features of the book
trade in England this season, the number OF new
editions of the old classics and the number OF
works devoted to the discussion OF modern ques
tionS In relgon.-PatRanl Magazine.
The Bible House in COnstantinople.-Mr. Bliss,
the General Agent Of the American Bible Society
for the Levant, when in this country In lS66-67,
personally raised the SUN Of about $50 900, chiefly
from private individuals, for the erection of the
building We are informed that site has now
been secured and in due time suitable edi6ce
will be erected, In a commanding situation, In
which the American and British and Foreign BIZ
bic Societies, and the missionaries and Christian
institutions of the city and empire of the Sultan
will have their centre, 1t will be the lighthouse
of tie Orient for Turkey, Greece, Palestine, Per-
STA, Arabia, Northern Africa, Bulgaria, Southern
Russia, and other lands and nationaities.
A single fact will illustrate the work Of distribu
ton to be done at this projected Bible House. =
From June to October OF last year, four months,
sixty cases Of Bibles in six different languages,
Arabic Syriac, Old Slavic and Bulgarian separate,
and Armenian, have been forwarded from the Bi
bic House in New York to Mr. Bliss in Constan-
lluOplO- 4uOSt VI IuCSS NOluuCS3 tWCANS ehONoduN
in ALL are large and costly books and will be read
lily sold.
Mohammedanism.--An Important Change-The
Leuaat Herald announces that the Sultan has or
dered the vigorously enforced prohibitions against
the admission of Christians into Mosques to be
abolished throughout the Turkish empire. The
only condition exacted is that all non Mussulmans
who avail themselves of this new liberty shall act
in a becoming manner while visiting the sacred
buildings The Lecant Herald thinks that if this
reform be faithfully carried out, it will do more to
level up" the Christian population to recog-
nized social and legal equality with their Mussul
man fellow-Subjects than any measure which has
been promulgated since Tanzimat, while upon
public opinion in Europe it cannot fail to have the
best effect.
DR.. sismsns, the director of the great Teegraphic
establishment in Berlin is at present in Circassia,
making arrangements for the building of the over
land teegraphic line to India which, it is believed,
can be completed In eighteen months, 1t will
pass through Asia Minor, Armenia, Persia and
Beoochstan A line to Teheran and Ispahan has
| been in operation for two or three years. The
| submarine telegraph from Suez to India has been
| rehnQuiShed, on account of the damage done to
the cable by coral reefs in the Red Sea.
Overwhelming of the Universal Israslitish Al.
liance.-The annual general meeting OF the UNI
VerSal lSraeltlSn Alliance look place IN farlS Oh
January 18th, and was very largely attended by
members and visitors NJ. Cremieux, the Presi
dent Ia member of the Provisional Government Of
France in IS4S) occupied the chair, and in his
address reviewed the events of the past year. He
announced the formation of an agricultural colony
in Palestine 1t will be located near Jatfa, anC
the colOnsts will be instructed In the art of hus
bandry aud also in that of horticulture, so produc
tive in that climate. The nearness of Egypt, anC
the approaching completion of the Suez Canal
will cause ready market for the productions o
the colony.
Increasing Regard for the Sabbath.-ln some por
tons of the continent OF Europe, where the Sab
bath has been generally profaned, Protestants art
beginning to break away from the example so Ions
set them by Roman Catholics In some of tn,
Swiss oantons steps have already been taken TO
the better observance of the day, particularly IL
regard to postal matters. The Government O
i Prussia recognizing the influence of Protestan
principles in the prosperity Of its kindom, and ac
kuowledging that the observance of the Sabbath
is essential to the development of vital Christian
ity, has issued DEGREES forbidding its dissertation
Mechanics aud laboring men are demanding res
from Sunday labor as their natural right, A sim
liar state of things is beginning in Holland.
Can.-The Rev. DR.. Burns formerly of st
Catharines, Ontario, but now of Chicago, where
he is exceedingly popular, has been invited to taxi
the pastoral charge of Cote street church, Montreal
Canada.