The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-02

The Gold Digging Mania.-A Victoria paper de
DctS the first disastrous results of this mama thus
- Men had forsaken their ordinary avocations the
shepherd had left his flock, the driver his team;
lawyers had forsaken the courts; the merchants
the CONTINGENCIES; the clerks their desks and
field laborers and artisans had departed without
warning. There was no prospect OF hndlng men
to reap the crops, and it appeared certain that
famine was impending. Absorbed IN the pursuit
of gold, all domestic and public and general duties
were forgotten. And while it was certain that the
miners would suffer severely from the want OF pro-
visions. there came among them thing more ter
rible than famine. Crime flowed IN among them
as a strong stream. 1t became known that an
Dieman's Land had empted itself, and that the
food was pouring into Port Philip. Men walked
warily in the day time and fortified themselves at
night. Each prepared himself for an encounter
which he deemed inevitable; and those who had
accumulated gold never went to sleep without the
dread Of being awakened by a savage murderer.
An English paper says that the King of Burmah
intends to present each Of the 75O'FatherS OF the
Council with pastoral cross enriched with gems
That of the Pope is reported to be an Oriental
masterpiece. The crosses will be transmitted
through the Propaganda, which is daily expecting
their arrival.
a Presbyterian Church at ROme.-A writer in the
Evangelical ChriSteadOm says: Alter negOtia-
tons, site has at length been secured In the To-
cajty, where Protestant worship Is tolerated out
side Of the walls Of Rome, for a Presbyterian
Church. The foundation has been laid, and the
whole building, which includes church, and adjoin
ing rooms for congregational library aud veStry is
10 be flushed before the middle of next summer.
The cost including grounds, will not exceed 81.
SOO-S9,0O0. Mr Lewis has already succeeded
IN raising the whole sum, with the exception Of
$780, which, it is hoped, will be raised by the
united contributions Of the visitors 70 Rome dur
ing the season.
meeting, convened by the Committee of the
Sabbath Alliance of Scotland, was held in Edin-
burgh recently, fer the purpose Of taking steps to
put down the Sabbath ShOp-keepRg system, and
Of hearing eOunseps opinion on the illegality Of
the traffic. Ii appears that 49S shops Of various
kinds are opened in Edinburgh every Sunday,
Counsel have given it as their opinion that Sunday
traffic Is violation Of the law.
The American Branch Of the Evangelical Alliance
has elected William E. Dodge, President. The
Executive Committee have chosen Rev. Or.
Sehenck, Chairman.
Col. William NicOu Burns, now in MS 10Th year,
the sole surviving member of Scotias illustrious
bard family, Is residing at Chetenham, in Eng
land
Patronage in scOtland.-Dr. Cook dssents from
the statement Of the Committee of the General
Assembly on Patronage submitted to Mr.. Glad
stone. He says that the assertion implying that
a great majority of ministers and elders have al
ways felt the Law of Patronage to be unsatisfacto
ry is contrary to historical fact, no such feeling
having been exhibited for 100 years previous to
1912 by any number of ministers or elders, nor
does 1t appear to be correct if Its application is
narrowed TO the period that has elapsed since 1874
At a meeting of Natural History Society of Gas.
cow, held on Tuesday OF last week. John Gilmour
ESQ, read paper On the Introduction of the
Wild Turkey (}leeagris GallOpavOl into Argyll
shire. The author mentioned having received
three specimens Of this beautiful bird-a male and
two temaleS-trom the southern extremity of Lake
Huron, in Canada in the summer of 1866, since
which they have been successfully reared in the
nejghbOrhOod OF Ard.amOnt, where the birds had
been allowed their full liberty in the woods. He
gave an interesting description of the bird, men
Ironing that the female lays from l6 to 20 eggs and
the time of incubation 81 days.
Recent advices from China bring the intelligence
that one Of the American missionaries there, Rev.
W. A. p. Martin, D d., has been appointed by
the Government, President of the College recently
established in China. He was formally inaugurated
at the Foreign Office on the 25th of November, all
the Ministers Of the Board for Foreign Affairs be
ing present except one, who was prevented by sick
ness. DR.. Martin Is putting forth every effort TO
place the institution on an enduring basis of pros
perity,
Fearful Inoubus.-Very serious apprehensions
are felt In England from the alarming growth OF
pauperiSm A vast aud unusual amount of dis
ress prevails throughout the country London
papers say that in that city there were 1900 more
paupers at Christmas than year ago, and 40 600
more than three years ago. The lord mayor OF
London at a recent meeting stated that there were
from $1,000 to $4,000 men in that city on the verge
of actual want whose patience was wel-nigh ex-
hausted and that every thing in their institutions
seemed TO cOnspire to produce poverty. Public
meetings are held in England to organize emigra
ton societies on large scale.
support Of the Ministry in Ireiapd.-The Presby-
terrain General Assembly accepts communication on
the terms OF Government, which will secure to
every minister in the Church forty pounds sterling
for the term of his life. This, with a suSteutatiOn
fund after the manner Of the Scotch Free Church,
viii put the Irish Presbyterians on better footing
chan ever
The London Saturday Reria9 thinks that peri.
odical literature has usurped such place in the
intellectual movements of our day, that our libraries
sill. soon contain nothing but volumes of newspaper
articles collected together without much unity,
and whose chief merit will be their cOnciseneSs.