The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-17


the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ
Resolucd, That this minute be sent up to the
General Assembly as an overture, with re-
quest that that court would adopt this or some
similar dehverance on this subject.-Tsras Pres
byterian.
Other Churches
STRICT COMMUNION Whitsitt Of the
Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky, recently
delivered historical discourse on the History
of Communion among the Baptists," English
and American. In treating of the English Bap-
lists he tried to show that strict communion was
the prevalent custom from 1911 to 1877 With
the year 1877 began the first struggle for loose
communion, and also struggle for mixed mem
bership The history of the famous Confession
of this year which the Professor denominated
the Bunyan Confession was attributed to Nehe
miah Cox, the early associate of the Bedford
pastor, and at that moment his yokefellow and
spokesman in London. This Confession was
adopted in 1889, by the entire General Assembly
Of the Particular Baptists Of England. In the
year 1896, upon the appearance of Collins and
Keachs Catechism, which went in favor Of strict
communion, there began a second strict com
munion era, that lasted until III. But then
another loose communion struggle set in, and
waxed in power until the year 1915 when the
scales were turned for the last time by the cele-
brated work Of Robert Hall on the Terms of
Communion" The triumph Of the loose prac-
tice was completed when, at st. Marys Nor
wich, in 1850, the church in which Halls great
adversary, Joseph Kingdom, had ministered.
was by legal process taken from the hands Of the
strict communion party After that date the
struggle was practically at the end in England.
The history of communion among American
Baptists, DR.. Whitsitt handled much more brief
ly since in this country there has been up to this
time no serious conflict The fear, however,
was expressed that the security Of our brethren
on this side Of the water had betrayed them into
careless policy, which they might one day
have reason to deplOre.
The Rev. Mr.. Bland, Unitarian clergyman of
CambridgepOrt, Mass, is represented as saying
If you tell people any sort Of lie about rell-
gion they will believe it )" and adding, " both
the Catholic and Evangelical Churches teach
that belief will save a man, no matter what ne
does" The COngregationalst adds, severely but
Justly, 1.-THE latter remark must have been de-
signed to test and illustrate the former"
severe calamity befell the Oxford church, of
) l6 rslsRsesbytery of Philadelphia, Rev. +.
- ssrssetor, on Wednesday morn
ing, the Sd instant, il Che destruction.by of
its costly building one of the finest church-edi-
fees in the city, on the northeast corner Of
Broad and Oxford streets. On the preceding
evening a fair had been inaugurated in the
chapel in the rear of the main structure, the OBJ
ect being to raise funds to pay for $4,000
organ which had recently been erected IN the
church The stove had been used for the re-
staurant department of the fair and no danger
was apprehended from it. The next morning,
however the sexton had Just kindled fire in
the stove when smoke was seen issuing from
the second floor Of the chapel; the alarm was
instantly given, the fire department was speedily
on hand in full force but strange to say, net
only was the chapel destroyed, but the church
itself, separated from it by a massive stone wall,
took fire and its interior was entirely burned
out. Nothing remains standing but the solid
stone walls and beautiful spire 1S2 feet high.
The cost of the church ten years ago was -$175;-
900. 1t was insured for $40,5OO.-Res5yterian
Banner.
The Second church of Kansas City, Presbytery
! n ~ LII n
has issued its report for 1879 which is most
encouraging one. Present membership 25l, of
whom SO were added during the year q by ex
animation and A by certifcate) A site for
new church edifce has been paid for-price $3,
900. The Sabbath School has numbered at
times over 200 in attendance A Young Peo
Piles Association and Children's Missionary
Society has been formed and are doing good The
people have mind to work.-I6.
In New Hampshire, according to the Seventy
eighth Annual Report OF the State Congega
tional Sunday School Society, the average Sun
dav School attendance is 1885 There is one
Congregational church to every 1000 inhab-
tants The years contributions amounted to
upward OF S54,OOO, OF which 9lGooo was lor
home missions and ST. 1O2 for the American Mis-
sionary Association.
The Congregational church at Foxboro, Mass,
REV. NJ B. Anglers, celebrated its one hun
dreth anniversary November 25. Twenty-nine
persons signed the covenant in 1779 at the or
ganization of the church The church has at
present membership of two hundred and sixty
five. Among those who have been pastors, but
are now deceased, is mentioned the name of
Rev. Thomas SHELTON whose wife still lives at
the age of lO2 years
A church of eleven persons, Northern Presby-
terian) under the name of Pleasant Prairie was