The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-08-12
FOREIGN ITEMS.

Can be spared-A petition is in course OF sigma.
ture among the extreme High Churchmen of Eng
land PRAYING that the archbishops and bishops
NAV be relieved from their duties in the House OF
Lords. The petitioners say that they do not wish
to be understood as expressing any opinion Tor or
against the present union between church ana
state but it is easy to guess what their opinion Is
The passage of the Public Worship Bill WILL De
sure to send the whole High Church party into
the Church Liberation Society.
A Missionarys Testimony Rev. VIM. Wright,
missionary to Damascus gives as his experience Oh
college and mission life this encouraging testimony:
II never knew faithful and resoute student fall
to become a minister of Christ through poverty,
and have never known an honest missionary I'M
dertaking fail for want Of funds.
United.-The Synods OF the Presbyterian Church
of the Lower Provinces, and of the Church OF Scot
land in the Maritime Provinces. have accepted the
basis OF union agreed upon by their fellow believers
in Canada. The United Presbyterian Church IN
Canada, when organized, will comprise member
ship of over SIS 000 making it the largest Pro.
testant body in Canada
THE Free Church of England at a late convo-
cation held in London, agreed unanimously upon
union with the Reformed Episcopal Church OF
America, and proposed to adopt prayer book aud
bymnal for the use of both churches. In the Free
Church. Bishops and Presbyters are acknowledged
to- be of the same order; Bishop OF the whole
body being constituted by simple election. The
Convocation was composed OF forty presbyters and
one hundred aymen who rank as deacons, repre-
senting 6fty-two districts and five dioceses."
The above is from an exchange. Last week we
mentioned that Reformed Episcopal Churches had
been announced in New Brunswick, British Amer.
lea. From the above we see that strong toothold
is gained in England This extending OF the root
of this movement promises enlarged growth. Un-
less the General Convention Of the Episcopal
Church in the United States, to meet in October
next, shall act wisely. we may expect thereafter
large exodus from the E piscopa to the Reformed
Episcopal Church. -Herdld and Pres6yter.
Efforts in Italy.-Dr. Stewart, of Leghorn the
moderator of the last General Assembly OF the Free
Church of Scotland, stated in his closing address
that Italy had been fully open to gospel efforts
during the last fifteen years, though the results
were not as great as could be wished. Taking into
account the Weaknesses, Free Italian Churches,
Methodists, and Baptists, there we're about 100
stations where the gospel was preached: Uniortu-
natey, however, the Free Church, in the spirit OF
opposition, had opened its stations. with few ex-
ceptons, in the towns where the Waldenses had
begun to labor and the foreign societies. attracted
by the name OF Rome, were treading upon one an
others heels in the capital, giving the priests
welcome opportunity to expatlate on frotestant
divisions Among the rich and influential none
had cast in their lot with the Evangelical churches,
with the exception of the Count Guicciardlnl,
whose influence is unknown beyond his own little
sect. The members of the churches belong to the
laboring classes Excluding the inhabitants OF the
Waldensian valleys, they number at the utmost
10 O00 Including the people OF the valleys, there
are 30 600 Eyangeicas, over against the "A OOO,-
600 of Italy. The advantage Of Italy over Spain
is the possession of native Evangelical church
the Waldensian. it has now AZ congregations oat-
side the valleys, aud these mostly bearing their
own local expenses and contributing somewhat to
the support OF their pastors. But the Waldensan
Church is poor, not having dozen men In the
valleys worth 81, 500 year.
Tholuck on Universalism.-It has often been
claimed that this distinguished theooglan OF Ger
MANY was Universalist, OF the Restoration type.
The Rev. Henry S. Burrage, who is now editor OF
lions AdUocate, has an article on Tholuck and
Universalism, in which he contutes the opinion
which has been frequently made, that the great
German theologan believes In the hna salvation OF
all men, So long as 1884 Professor Tholuck gave
expression to views which implied belief IN that
doctrine but he withdrew these statements In
1897, saying then that further reflection and ex-
animation of Scripture had led him to abandon the
doctrine. Furthermore, says MIR. Burrage:
THAT his views have undergone no change since
that time we have reason to know from repeated
conversations with him in reference to this very
subject in 1862 when it was our privilege to see
him and converse with him daily at Halle, as a
member of his family He would like, he said, to
believe n the salvation OF all men but 1t was I'M
possible. The clear, unmistakabe testimony OF
Scripture he could not set aside"
The Royal Family of England have their religion
pretty we'll divided up among the various Church :
es according to the following account. The Queen
is Presbyterian and Episcopalian by turns accord
ing to her residence, and taking all branches of
the Church extant:
Queen Victoria is the legal head of the Erisco-
pal Church of England and the Presbyterian
Church of Scotland. When she is in England
her Presbyteranism is technically called dissent,
and when she recrosses the Tweed into Scotland
her Episcopaianism becomes dissent = there
She has morbid hatred of rituasm. The Prince
of Wales is inclined to rituallsc ceremonies, while
his eldest sister, the Princess OF Germany, is Lu-
theran his brother in.law, Lord Lorne, a. Presby,
terian another brother in-lsw, the Prince Imperial
of Prussia, is q Protestant Lutheran; slster-ln-
law, the Duchess of Edinburgh, is Greek Gath
Ole her husband is Low Church EplScopalan
the other brothers and sisters are Eplscopallans
aud Presbyteriaus by turn-their particular creed
depends upon their residence tor the time being.
The Princess of Wales is naturally bewldered
with the manifold religions Of her royal relations,
and clings to the faith she was taught In Denmark.
Jean Henri Grand Pierre. D. D.. for many years
pastor of L'0ratoire, the most important French
Protestant Church in Paris, died near Basic,
Switzerland, July 10TH Twenty or thirty years
ago no preaching attracted so much attention at
the French capital as his, Catholics even going to
hear him. He was not only preacher and pastor,
but as President of the Consstory OF Paris he had
the direction of the most important affairs OF the
Church, and welded an influence that was felt
everywhere DR.. Grand Pierre visited this country
twice prof. Guyot, Of Princeton College, being
his brother in-law. and was great friend OF the
Americans in Paris He died at an advanced age
after service of fifty years in the ministry.
The first lot Of Testaments printed by the Protes.
tauts OF Rome-l0 900 in number-were paid for
by the children of the Sabbath Schools Of this
country. They were printed in Nero's garden
where the early Christian martyrs we're burned to
death in their shirts of tar right near to the Vat-
can and st. Peters church. Looking from the
windows of his residence, the Vatican the Pope
can see the work OF the press printing the Bibles
which are overthrowing his sway.