The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-04-16
FROM THE NORTHERN STATES.

The Northern Presbyterian Board of Missions must
receive $50, 900 during the month OF April to make
it equal TO the receipts of last year Its expenses,
on the other hand, have been SAC 600 greater than
last year. began the year with debt Of $50 0OO
Rsply.-The Chovciman, Episcopal pointing
to the stones from Scrooby and Plymouth presented
to the Boston Congregational House at It's dedica-
tion wants to know il the Oongregationalists have
gone into the cultivation of the science of min
eraogy, or whether there is, after all, peculiar
reverence attached to holy things and places? The
CongregdtionalSt replies that ecclesiastical min
erslogy is not tor moment to be compared with
church millinery"
Interest in the free pew system for churches seems
to be reVivlDg. The alleged lmpracticlbiity and
failure of the plan is denied from several quarters,
its advocates giving many facts and figures in its
favor. A writer In the COngregdtiondlist finds
that free churches increasing faster than ever,
and of twenty-five congregations he has a record of
only one that has given up the system. The figures,
however, which will create the most surprise come
from the journal of the last Episcopal General
Convention. Some one has taken the trouble TO
look into it and publish the statement that OF ,I54
churches Of the denomination in the country, SIS
are free. This is unexpected aud naturally excites
the enthusiasm Of the investigator, who writes:
/" all our churches free; not only free, but ia
large degree freed The fact both cheers aud em.
boldenS for it tells that success is browning the
efforts to take Gods churches out Ct the grasp of
private capitalists. And it is threugh Gods grace
and the righteousness OF the cause that so much
has been achieved la only, abouzgs,. ouarter of
century; achieved, too, against wealth end power
and pride and social caste and vested rights and
full possession not only of all the churches, but of
all the ministry But perhaps a critical analysis
of these figures would present them in a somewhat
different light; as, for instance, 10 the city OF New
York, out Of IA Epscopalian churches, SO are
"pewed" and SO free, but of the latter only seven
are SeIESuppOrtiag against twenty-five of the for.
mer that require no assistance. Statistics in this
matter, as IN many Others do not prove all that
they seen. to upon their surface. La fact it is safe
to say that vigorous, LIBERAL self sustaining free
churches are as yet few IN number in any denom.
nation As to the merits OF the system, that is
another question.
An Episcopal Congress There is prospect that
the different parties In the Protestant Episcopal
Church will have an opportunity very soon of con-
tending for their respectve theories in m ore d.
rect way than they have been able do heretofore.
Bishop Coke, of Western New York, proposes
that a constitutional congress OF the Church shall
meet before 1876, with power to ad j)urn from time
to time. to be charged with the uuty of making
such changes In the organic law Of the Church as
may be referred to it. The Bishop thinks the
time mas come TO settle the question whether EpIs-
cOpacy Is 10 be " iOssillzed do an Anglican exotlc
or to rise to its proper sphere and become mother
to all the immigrants who are coming in from
Europe and Asia. He adds: 1.-The question of
Suffagan bishop for such tribes; the question as
to the system; the question to the liturgies
IN foreign tonguesand as adapted to foreign peo-
pes-these and others, which will not now emu
merate; press upon us as the great problems to be
solved, and which never will be solved under the
machinery and routine of our existing conven-
tlnns -BnItinlOre American