The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13

Secretary Elected MIR. William Willis, Jr, DOW
secretary of the Virginia Fire and Marine Insu-
rance Company has been elected secretary OF the
Virginia State Insurance Company in place of w.
H. Christian, deceased, and has accepted.
Death of Daniel n London. Died. yesterday the
It'll. at 10 clock, A. NJ. eUapied IA London, Esq,
in the 6ttY.eighth year of his age. He was born IN
Amherst county, and came 70 this city some thirty
years ago, and vas until the war engaged in the
whoessle dry goods business He moved 70 New
York after the var. and had just returned In i'm
paired health to Richmond only as it we're, to die.
MIR. London was q gentleman OF social worth and
untarnahed integrity. As merchant he bore the
reputation for probity and honor that entitled him
to the high respect Of the community. Dispatch.
An Appsal.--A correspondent Of ore of our ex
changes writes Of the Methodist city churches. that
" many of them present appealing array Of up-
occupied pews." Doubtless the writer meant 10
say appalling" but the wrong word is rot with
out force. Unoccupied pews appeal-appea for
some one TO come and hear the gospel-appeal for
sincere worshppere and for diigent workers 10 the
cause of Christ Christian Obserrer.
Retrenchmsnt The Metbodists are taking bold
of their missionary work, ard its difficulties and
embarrassmeots in husipess-ke way The en-
tire debt in 1876 is 1862 355 Sc The first step,
therefore, is retrenchmen' Last year the Com
mittee asked for 1864 1873 60, of which thew re.
900 which they hore to get They propose TO
liquidate 500 600 of the debt during the coming
year. The foreign work is IN be reduced by SAL
449 The home work by $4,000. This is sharp
work aud very sad work bu deDi il thing which
religious and benevolent institutions ought not viii
lingly to accept.
"wsep with them that Weep. deeply sym
Dathize with our estimsble iriend aed Christian
brother, Mr.. George Allen, of Newhern-aiso with
his beloved Wiie-in their severe sih ction. They
have lost within few days three precious children,
from dptberia! May our covenant God admins.
ter to them both OF bis rich compromising grace,
and enable them 90 see through the cloud into the
brightness above where their treasures sre-uot
lost but truly found.-N {. Presbyterian.
The Vatican. The Ecqmiaer and Herald says:
The Vstican seems 10 have awakened TO the con.
seriousness that it is hardly safe to 90 too deeply
into the general miracle business. The remarks-
Bile appsrtons which have been so frequent of late
are all very well. as long as they reflect glory on
the church and its priesthood bur If they hap
pen to reflect something ese-why, that is another
matter. Thus recently young Sayoyard girl,
Tte)tiste Covsrel, very pious but very ignorant,
| had vision oil the Virgin, who it appears maui
| tested herself not to denounce modern progress,
but to complain OF the conduct of the clergy Of the
diocese, and to order prayers for their conversion,
because many of them said mass while in state OF
mortal sin The Bishop unwlttipgly, on the re-
port OF Two canons and several priests accepted the
miracle. This created terrible stir among the
clergy In general, aud the matter was fually refer
red 10 the atican. Shortly after, the Project of
! the Department confined the unfortunate girl in
unatic asylum on the pretended certificate oil two
doctors, who have since denied having signed the
declaration. The credulous eanons who reported on
| the case have been obliged to make bumilieting
denial of the authenticity of the miracle and the
BishOD has quietly been superseded. l. is thought
the all alr VIII put stop TO the numerous appari-
| tons with which the credulous have been dclded,
| since great scandal has been so narrowly es-
capped"
The Negroes Capacity for Culture 1t is dnly the
deduction of an Ii tide philosophy which denies to
the negro the capacity for indefinite growth and
culture If he is a human being the descend ant of
Adam, it is simply absurd to say that he cannot be
highly educated. The writer of this article Rev.
DR.. W. Pratt vas personally acquainted IA his
ooyhood with, perhaps, the very hstpegro mission
airy that ever went QUO to Liberia His name was
Joe Williams. He was black, very black. gen.
uine negro, His history was very much like that
Of h. w. Ellis, mentioned by Dc 5tillmau; and
had he lived long enough, he would have made bis
mark in tbe history Of that colony. The writer was
too young at the time to notice the exact facts
about his purchase from his master ard his mission
to Africa. Il 1t he we'll remembers his frequent
appearance ia his fathers study in 81. Msry's Ca,
and the remarks made about him at the family fire.
side as q prodigy of learning
I-" Thore Is at this day pastor Of coored
church in New Y ork city or Brooklyn, a man whom
the writer OF this article, at the suggestion of DR..
Addison Alexander, instructed 10 Hebrew; aud al
though he never became specially distinguished,
yet he was fully equal IN his Gttainments 70 many
of his white classmates in the Theological Seminary.
8y-the-way, IN this connection, il may be tod
that it was serious question whether the class
would tolerate negro 10 the class room; and had
it not been for the irflence of the Southerners in
the class the poor fellow never could have gotten
bis theological education at Princeton = Traasyl-
vanid Presbyterian.
Safe Rule "A Methodist paper. the Jyurnal and
Messenger proposes rule for determining who is
to be entered the Church roll as entirely ssncti
fed. Oar opinion is that the rule would be emf.
neptly conservative and safe, ard that the company
Of the perfectly sanctifed would be very select
when any member thinks he has attained per-
feet sanctcstion he shall give notice to his lass
leader whose duty it shall then be to see if among
the neighbors who are 10 daily business and social
contact With him, so many as three persons can be
found who are willing TO express 40 opinion to that
effect; which being done, the person shall be con-
sldered perfect"
Slate Quarrles in Buckingham connty.-A cores
pendent of the Dispatch says:
Our quarries are turning out large quantities Of
slate and sending it off nv canal good deal of
our slate is now sent to England. These qusrries
aft Jrd employment to large number of Welshmeu.
who are skiful hands at the business and excellent
citizens. The increased demand tor slate promises
to make the business prof able ard permanent
source OF wealth to our county,"
Newell os N
II. Mell's Manual Of Parliamentary Practice (She-
don Co.. though a second edition, is really new
book, for the first edition published in Georgia
nine years ago, and was evidently of local origin
and application la its present shape it is disable
everywhere and will prove servceable manual
One OF Its main OH ecs is to show that while there
Is an Eagilsh general parliamentary code, there is
an American Also sImIlr In the main. but differ
ing 10 some important particulars.
Accident to Judge Watkins Prospect D4oot De-
cember 7th, 1876 Judge L. n. Watkins had a.
serious accident to betsll him on yesterday near
here while traversog the country n the interest of
the public schools He was travelling On horse.
back, and was violently thrown from his horse,
breaking the lower jlw bone, and breaking out
three OF his teeth. Lynchbrg V1ginian.
Public Schools in Buckingham county - O II public
schools are making very good start among the
white people. They are well managed by compe-
tent teachers aud the scholars make good use of
their advantages. But the coIcred people are less
disposed to have their children educated than for.
merry. Good teachers are provided for them, but
the children are not much disposed to apply them
selves to study. Dispatch
During the Centennial season the Erie Railway
carried almost 1900 900 passengers without sin.
gle accident to life or lmb or the loss OF piece of
baggage
DR.. Awl, of Columbus, Ohio, distinguished
physician, philanthropst, citizen. and Christian,
lied November l9th, sged seventy. eight years
de was an honored elder ia the FIRST Presbyterian