The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-09-06


black-and wearing spectacles. His gown
was different from the other ministers, hav-
ing tight sleeves and fitting him badly. His
voice is feeble and not very clear. First the
congregation sung Psalm led by the pre-
centor-without any instrumental accompan-
iment-then the minister prayed, then an
other Psalm, then the chapter was read, then
another song, then prayer, then came the
sermon. He took for his text Cor. xii: q,
"The eye cannot say to the hand | have no
need of thee,' &c. After describing the
condition of the Corinthian Church under
which these words were written, he said that
he would not speak onpaul's idea, but on an
analogous one, viz; The organic unity of the
Sciences and the cor lation of the various
departments of kRc7 ssse. He spoke of the
connection of all Sciences with each other
and with Theology, deprecating the contro-
versy which had arisen between Religion and
Science, the Theologian afraid of, or contem-
ming physical investigation, and the man OF
science trying to fout Theology from the
Sciences altogether; each saying, 81 have
no need of thee. He discussed Two of the
misconceptions which had begotten and which
kept alive this conflict on the part of the be
iever and theologian, the doctrine of Nau-
raj Law, whose domain Science is ever widen
ing; and on the part of the man of science
the conception of Theology as conversant
with the supernatural and unknowable, and
as therefore necessarily excluded from the
Sciences altogether. l could not do justice
to his cogent, clearly stated, closely-linked
logical augmentation without transgressing
the proper length of letter, and must there
fore omit the analysis. His reasoning
throughout was very fine, and most beauti-
fully expressed; while in his peroration he
rose grandly and eloquently, portraying, on
the one hand, the worship of the unknowable
or unknown God which some of the men of
science would compel men to accept, and on
the other hand, its antithesis, the worship of
the true God manifested in nature and in
the person of Jesus Christ" If this be a
dream, he cried, "let US continue to dream"
But it is not dream. Nay rather, 'ye
worship ye know not what we know what
we worship" After this noble sermon a
paraphrase was sung, and then Dr. Caird
offered up comprehensive and most appro-
pirate prayer, and pronounced the benedic-
ton.
There is not much time to rest between
the Sabbath servirsr ere. The afternoQn
I evening or nig. 5e. e at $3.50. went,
in the afternoon to the Free St. Georges,
the most prominent of the Free churches
in the city, ministerial to so long by Dr..
Candlish, but now served by his colleague
and successor, Rev. William Whyte.-
They have lately completed handsome new
building, very commodious and pleasantly
situated. There is little, however, in the ap-
pearance of the exterior, to indicate to a
stranger that it is a church. 1t has no spire
and is placed in the middle of row of
handsome private residences. Mr.. Whyte
| preached for an hour and ten minutes from
John viii: u, {" l am the light of the world. p"
I wondered how many of our fashionable
city congregations would have listened pa
tiently to his discourse 1t was an elaborate
discussion of the personality and work Of
Jesus Christ, treating of his preexistence,
his eternal generation, the nature of the
LogOs, his incarnation, the subsistence of
the persons Of the Trinity, &C., spoken in a
drawing, nasal tone, without any Of the
graces of elocution or oratory, and read
closely from a MSS. Yet he ranks among
the ablest men of the Free Church, and his
congregation is one of the largest, most in
telligent, wealthy and fashionable in Eiin-
bargh. Most of the audience paid respect
ful attention, but some slept. Here no.
ticed particularly what have observed in
all of the churches in England and Scot
land. The people use their Bibles as regu-
larly as their Hymn or Psalm books. There
is great Auttering of Bible leaves when
the minister gives out the chapter, the hear
ers follow the preacher closely in his reading,
they always look out and read the text as
soon as announced-and some refer to the
passages which are quoted during the SER
mon. Again, in all the churches, from Spur
geon's downwards or upwards, the minister
seems to give his, hearers breathing spells.
At the end of every division or bend in the
discourse, the people take long breath
land some wake up blow their noses, adjust
their clothing, and generally get ready for
another division of preaching. The noise
is almost as great as at the dismissal of one
of our congregations. AS an indication,
too, of the diffusion of classical knowledge,
l have several times noticed Greek Testa-
ment8 in the pews, well thumbed and anno-
tated.
At $50 1 went to the Free Church AS
sembly Hall where Brownlow North, Esq,
the evangelist laymen, was announced to
to preach. The great hall, handsomely con-
structed and adorned, was filled to its utmost
capacity. Every seat was Occupied-the
aisles, the platform of the speaker, the Mod