The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-01-13
FOREIGN ITEMS.

Mr. Surgeons Tabernacle is, indeed, won
dertul e>tabliShment-a most powerful and
far reaching agency-a most industrious work
shop for Christ. During the week, besides
the meetings Of the congregation it furnishes
rooms Tor the reciiatiOns and lectures Of the
Pastors College, in which Mr. Spurgeon
l. training up numerous ministry which
may be expected, in measure, TO reproduce
and multiply his energetic aud various methods
ut Chi>tian work and usefulness. OF his con
grega,ion there are 50 members-laymen-w
20 forth every Sunday afternoon as street
preachers and also 10 tract distributors who
keep In circulation weekly 2,4O0 tracts and
sermons, one of each being stitched together
aud enclosed In a Sttf cover 30 a. to endure
long use. EIch successive week these tracts
are exchanged at each house for another, and
81, IN due time, all are introduced and made
useful Before going out TO preach, or to dis
tribute tracts, a meeting is held for prayer,
that the blessing OF the Great Head of the
Church may attend their aborS.
Cor. Ne,0 York Observer.
The London Church Missionary IateHjgepcer
states that the Protestant communities at Naz
areth and the villages of Gdlilee amount ar
the present time IN over 500 The plan OF
building church at Nazareth has been formed
since the year 1883; and after considerable de.
lay, an Imperial hrman was obtained The
site for the church has since been bought, aud
surrounded by wall,
A scheme has been set on foot by the Free
Church OF Scotland for inSuring her own &c.
cleSiaStlcal buildings A great number of the
congregations have already expressed their
approval of it in such way as to show that
they repOSe confidence in the judgment of the
Committee having charge of the matter It
the scheme be generally adopted a saving of
something like $4,000 year is expected to be
effected for church aud missionary objects.
The ROmanists of London, says the Protestant
CbUrchMaR, are about to erect cathedral that
will rival any on the continent The site
selected Is in Westminster, near Buckingham
Palace The building is professedly memo,
rial to the late Cardinal Wiseman, who styled
himself, as does his successor, Archbishop OF
Westminster. The ground it is to occupy has
cost $500, 600. 1t will be the first recognized
ROmanist Cathedral in England since the days
of Queen Mary.
Local Support to Indian Missions.-In the d.
rect religious teaching of the people of India,
six hundred missionaries from Europe and
America have planted mission stations in the
200 ordained native minister's and 1000 native
preachers, they carry on a system of Christian
agency which cost the important sum of $780,
900 sterling a year. Many ealumnies have
been uttered respecting missionar es and their
work, by men who have profeSSed to visit the
cities where they labor, and saw nothing of
its results. But these are more than answered
by the striking fact that OF the money annual
y expended on these missions no less than
ESQ 600 are contributed by the English resi-.
dents in India, who live among the missions,
and see them with their own eyes.
They have found out in Prussia still more
effective weapon than the needle gun. 1t is
called the MOrganStern rife.
In the new British House of Commons there
are twelve Independents, five Baptists, five
QuakerS, two Wesleyan MethodiSts, one Cal
whistle Methodist, seventeen UnitarianS, ten
PreSbyterians, six Hebrews and twenty six
Catholics.
sundny Schools all Right-The Russian clergy,
after extensive discussion, nave decided Sun.
day schools to be orthodox
The Chinese Recorder, a monthly periodical
published at FOchOw has valuable paner in
IT'S August issue. on Romish Missions in China
IT run NutN ~ dHHVdiH thdA lNuutt Udu III tulN
field two wears ago. force of twenty four
bishops, four hundred and seventy priests,
one. half OF them native: twelve colleges, at
tended by more than three hundred students
in training for the priesthood The number
of RomaniSt Christians reported is 363,5S0
The training for the priesthood is of the most
thorough character. covering period of four
teen years. The Latin language, with Its
treasures OF theological lore has prominent
place. RnmanlSm Is already power IN China
and aided by the immense pecuniary resources
a, it, command, and constantly supported by
the French government, is no mean foe. On
the other hand the fidelity of some of the ma
tives TO the Protestant faith they have eSpous.
ed. is full OF hope A missionary at Annoy
SAYS almost every convert is a missionary
and the European missionaries have often to
enter upon new fields opened up by native
agency, On one occasion a missionary on
the Sabbath. came to village never before
visited aud found the people assembled for
worship in place hired by themselves. They
were keeping the day holy, like Christian
people.
The international Conference held at St.
Petersburg, TO abolish the use of certain ex
plosive missiles in war, has decided that the
Powers which sign the convention shall reliu
uuish during war on sea or land the use of ex-
plosiye projecties weighing less than 400 gram
mes and filed with inaammable matter The
obligation Is not binding upon any Power at
war with State which has not signed the con,
vention, The Powers which have joined in
the agreement are England France, Russia,
Prussia, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Portugal,
Denmark, Holland Belgium, Greece, Bavaria,
Wurtemberg, Sweden and Persia.
Union of German PrOtestants The long con-
tinued controversy between the Lutheran and
Reformed churches Of Germany is likely to
end in reunion on the basis Of the Augsburg
Confession Of Faith OF 1880 1t is found that
RatiOnalism Is dying out among the ministry
Of both classes, and that an increase of earn
estDeSs and zeal for the promotion Of heart
religion is developing a common sympathy,
irrespective of sectarian differences 1t is now
proposed TO make united demonstration Of
all German PrOtesfantS, teStitying their hearty
adherence 10 the Reformation, as a response
to the late circular OF the Pope.
Mr.. PeabOdy's latest gift of $780, 900 to the
poor OF London will make the amount OF his
benefaetionS more than ten millions of dollars
in currency.