The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-30
FOREIGN ITEMS.

sion Of the truth, when that truth is once believed
Thus the simple preaching of the gospel in the
Vernacular tongue, frequently and systematically
carried on, forms the chief feature Of China mis-.
sion work Good ehapelS are erected in the prin-
cipa thOrOughfareS; they are speedily filed when
a good preacher stands up; and with more than
One service may continue for several hours. A
thorough knowledge, therefore Of the spoken
language, Is of supreme Importance TO missionary
IN China; many have obtained such a knowledge,
and with it have secured great usefulness. The
missionaries of the London Missionary Society
conduct 1000 such services in a single year. The
sOceties abOring in China are twenty-five in num-
Oey and they employ in eleven chief stations about
Hundred missionaries. The native catechistS who
shara their labors are one hundred and eighty in
number
The i,ish Church Billion the third reading
England aud Wales gave altogether 257 votes for
the BILL ami PA against it; Scotland gave 50 votes
for the OIL, and against it and Ireland gave 63
votes for the bill, and 81 against it.
change.-It IS stated that the University of
Heidelberg IN Germany, the nursery and centre Of
the Ratlonallsm That has prevailed so extensively
among German SCHOLARS, now contains but forty
hye pupils, notwithstanding the scientific abilities
OF ITS Faculty, while the University of Halle,
where the truths OF E1angehe1l Christianity are
taught numbers more than three hundred stu
dents.
By order Of the Pope, circular has been sent to
the physicians OF Rome, who are forbidden under
pain OF accommodation, to continue visiting such
OF their patients as may be dangerously ILL., unless
such patients shall have confessed their sins within
three days after the doctors have been called in,
and unless they shall have declared their readiness
70 receive extreme junction. What extreme tyran.
ny?
Canadian Presbyterian Church.-This Church, al
though a distinct organization from any Of the
mother churches in Scotland Sympathises with
the Free and u. p Churches, rather than with
the Established Church, and is in some respects
representative to them. 1t is interesting to 6ud
the two bodies thus reeproeating here at the very
time We are reading the noble closing address Of
DIR. NJ LeOd as Moderator Of the Church of Scot
land in which he cOunSes his brethren to cultivate
friendly feeling towards their dissenting brethren
case Of great interest came up by appeal to the
Synod at HamiltOn-that Of the Revival at Gait
With much zeal there has been some raShness
manifested. Lay preachers have been called in to
help the clerical brethren in their work Of CONVEX
sion. The conservative ministers were up in arms,
fearful that their clerical dignity was endangered
The Synod scnsibly resolved to dismiss the appeal,
but at the same time cautions its ministers against
an injudieiOus employment Of lay preachers.
Abolition Of Slavery in POrtugaI.-By a royal de-
official gazette of the 9th of the same month, the
abolition Of slavery is declared in all the POrtu-
gueSe colonies All slaves are 20 be considered
free and in a condition similar to that of Chinese
labOrerS, who by their own act have bound them
selves TO labor in the English and French colonies
This is to be their condition until April 29th 1878
when IN accordance with the decree of April 29th,
1868, they will be entitled to all the rights and
privileges of Portuguese citizens, and all engage
ments and contracts which may have been made
by them in their former condition will thenceforth
be null and void.
The Monument placed over the grave of Lord
BrOugham at Cannes, is a simple but gigantic
cross of granite between twenty and thirty feet IN
height, and with no ornament, and no inscription,
ouly the name, birth, and death, thus:
HENRICvS BRovGHAM,
NATVS MDCCLXXvII.,
DECESSIT MDCCLXVUL
Messrs strahan & Co., the publishers of Good
WOrds placed $4,000 to the credit of DIR. Guthrie,
for the purpose Of his going to the Holy Land,
and there writing a commentary on the Bible, to
be published in penny numbers
The Queen of Madagascar and her Prime Minister
Received into the Christian Church.-At the annual
meeting Of the London Missionary Society, DR..
Mullens made the following important announce
ment:
1--WE hear, on the very eve of the anniversary,
that the Queen herself has been baptized Hum
bly, and simply, like one of her subjects, she has
sought instruction from her native pastors; has
told the story Of the growth Of her convictions;
and has not been afraid confess her faith before
her people. The missionary writes thus to the
Directors: The most important matter l have to
communicate this month is that, on Sunday, Feb
ruary DIST, the Queen and Prime Minister were
baptized by Andriambelo. A large number Of the
leading officers present, and the fact has been
made as public as possible. On the Friday even
ing before baptism was administered, Andriam.
belO and Rahanamy, one of the pastors at Am
bahipOtSy, were sent for to converse with the
Queen and Prime Minister, and to examine them
as TO their belief in the Saviour and their reasons
for wishing to be baptized, and their answers,
AndriaubeO says were very satisfactory. In con-
versatOn, she told them that in former years. when
she was still a GIRL one of the former mission
preachers at present cO-paStOrln OF the church
es. was appointed to teach her reading and writ
ing but he being afraid of the Queen, did not
Saw word to her about the Saviour or the Cos
pel Her late brother was at that time acquainted
with AndriantSiamba, one of the four who were
afterward burned az FaravOhitra, and he used 10
receive visits from him. This man-Andriant
siamba-took occasion to speak to the young girl
about the Saviour and the salvation OF the soul.
And this, the Queen says was her first lntroduc-
ton TO some knowledge of the Gospel The Prime
Minister also states that during the same days OF
darkness, he received q COPY Of the Scriptures
tiom one of the last of the martyrs-RaZahnarina
and that he used to keep it hid within the court
yard, in part Of the enclosure where the Queen
kept her fighting-bullS.