The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-01-27
FOREIGN ITEMS.

Good Mantle new Lord Chancellor of
England, Lord Hatherley, an excellent lawyer
and a solid, thoroughly sensible though not
brilliant man, has been for thirty years Sab
bath school teacher, instructing the children
and grandchildren of workingmen, till his hair
is whitened with years The Leeds Mercury
says -" In his attendance at the school, his
punetuality is so unerring, that upon nearing
1t he serves as an invariable timepiece, both
teacher and scholar knowing well that, if they
are able to reach the door with or before him,
they are perfectly safe. Should medal even
be awarded for puuctuality in voluntary service,
the Lord Chancellor could fairly claim it; for
he has never been known to be behind time.
Christian Ordinances among the Chinese.-The
Anlerican Racifc says: AN important move
ment that deserves to be noticed has been be.
gun in the NJ. Il. church of Santa Clara. One
week ago last Sunday service for Cinnamon
was introduced in the church, and twenty six
were present, When the service closed each
Chinaman made respectful bow as he retired
from the lecture room" The teachers report
that Cinnamon are interested and learn rapidly.
Bishop Simpson, it seems, is to be the German
Bishop Of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
He has become so proficient in his reading and
speaking German, as to be able to read the
Scripture lessons and hymns in that language.
At the late Northwestern German Conference,
Galena, Illinois, he conducted the business in
the German.
The first Protestant Church on Spanish soil
has lately been opened at Mahon, in the Island
of Minorca. Stimulated by this good exam.
pie, the municipality of Barcelona sent, of its
own accord, request to the Protestant inhab-
itantS OF the city, inviting them to petition for
permission TO found church of their own.
The Protestant community of Barcelona is
not inconsiderable. Apart from the English
residents there are some 700 German speaking
people.
Heidelberg is to have a professorship Of
American history and literature, and distin-
guished American scholar will be invited to
bill the chair.
American Bible Work in spain.-At the last
meeting OF the managers of the American Bible
Society, very large donation OF Spanish BIZ
bleS was voted to the American and Foreign
Christian Union, for distribution under the
direction OF their agent, Mr.. Hall, in Spain.
Some interesting statements were also made
by the senior secretary, Dr.. Hcldich, concern
ing Spanish matters The only practical re-
taxation of the old Spanish law prohibiting
the introduction OF foreign printed books,
which has taken place was obtained through
the perSevering application Of John P Hale
American Minister to Spain and is to this ex
tent, that Bibles and parts of the Bible may
be imported from the United States, by pay
meat of one half the duty on books.
Foreign papers announce the death of DR..
f. w. Krumma her, of Berlin, the court
Of ha lota K,no 90 D.,,,;o onl ono
of the most distinguished members of the Ger
man Pietists or Evangelicals. He was the
author of several learned polemical works,
some of which have been translated and pub
ished in England by the Religious Tract So
eiety.
1t is said that the approaching Gcumenical
Council, in addition to its spiritual functions
will undertake TO supply the POpe's temporal
needs.
The Presbytery of shantung met at Chefoo
October Is and Is. Fifteen members were
added during the year to the church in Tung-
chow, and ten in Chefoo, and cheering accounts
were given of the progress Of the mission
schools in both places The native church at
Tungchow have showed their zeal-the fruit
of their faith in Christ-by supporting one of
their own number as missionary IN a village
some thirty miles from the city. Essays were
read on Family Worship, and on the ceremo-
MES and customs connected with marriage,
showing large amount Of thought, and Of
acquaintance with the Gospel.
European Standing Armies.-Austria though
reduced in territory, and weakened and i'm
poverished by war, has just raised her army to
over a million of men. The common. or
standing army, will consist of 100000 men;
the army Of the military frontier will have
So, 900 men and the Landwehr, or militia, will
number 100000 men. Vast as this army is,
yet by comparison it is none too large. The
North German Confederation, for example,
has a standing army of S43, 1874 men and a
Landwehr of 1855 552 men, making a total
force of l,02S, 946 men; if to this number be
added the standing army of South Germany,
l56. 100 men, and its Landwehr of 43 All, the
grand total of the Germanic army would be
,229, ll7-l76, III more than that of the
Austrian force. The empire of France has a
standing army of 500, 900 men, and National
Guard Mobile of $50 OO0 making total of
/, 100000 men. Russia has fixed army Of
S27, $50 men, local troops to the number Of
4l0, APT men, and irregulars 229, 223 men, a
total OF |, 467 600 men and Italy has stand
ing army of 34S, 46l men, and National Guard
Mobile, exclusive Of that of Venetia, Of 1922
600 men, total of $50 46l men, These figures
plainly show that the figure at which it is pro-
posed that the Austrian army shall be main
tanned is not beyond the limit necessary for
the safety of that empire in the event of war.
But they also show another thing. Here are,
in these FIVE kingdoms alone. 5,579 SIS men
withdrawn from the pursuits OF peace, and kept
in state Of costly preparation for cutting each
others threats, and neither one OF them dare
reduce its armies by single regiment for fear
that the others will take advantage Of its weak
ness. How much longer this absurd state OF
things can continue it is idle to speculate. 1t
has already continued much longer than any
one, two years ago, could have deemed proba-
BILE. The burden cannot possibly be borne
much longer; it must soon be thrown off by
common consent, or else the war for which 1T
is preparation must commence.
The English Church Times, makes the fol-
lowing significant remarks in regard to the
present position of affairs:
. 1t is a time, in the Church as we'll as the
State of England. for calm procedure. In
both we are on the verge of precipice, and
one false step would be irretrievable, We do
not say that the Church should not be disestab-
lished-but we ought not to jump at disestab.
lishment. We do not say that the time will
not have come for secession when the Judicial
Committee gives hostile opinion All we
plead for is consideration of the situation in
all its bearings. There is not one alternative
in such an event but twenty. We find the
situation not unacceptable; we may find
free church the best way out Of the difficulty;
we may hold our own and leave 1t to the Purl-
tans TO betake themselves to those with whom
they naturally range; we may find that no
course is left but submission TO not merely the
Primary, but the supremacy Of Rome.
c,ra,,;,s last Two Wars, Work in Italv-