The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-01-22
From the Catholic Presbyterian.
GENERAL SURVEY.

Though we cannot hope, in any single
number, to embrace in General Survey all
the Churches Of the Presbyterian Alliance,
much less 10 our first issue, which here, as
in other departments, must bear evidence of
the usual imperfecsions of a beginning,-we
have every reason to believe that, taking one
month with another, we shall be able to fur
nish our readers with comprehensive view
of the family fortunes all over the globe
Even already we fad ourselves in the pre-
sence Of sufficient namber of representatives
to fill our heart, 40 We wish them all Good
New Year. Oar thoughts run on over a
coming twelvemonth of work and prayer, of
labor and trial, of hope and fear, of success
and disappointment, in all parts of the globe,
and under all varieties of outward and in
ward conditions; and we pray God that,
through his most gracious blessing, it may
be our privilege, from month to month, to
present the record of many work Of faith
and labor of love, many new victory Of the
cross, many fresh Ebenezers raised to testify
that, to them that fear Him, the mercy Of
the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting.
No Church reports the advent of the mil
lennium; no one can even say that it has
been able to lay aside either trowel or sword.
Those even that outwardly are most prosper
GUS have foes of no common order, under
their very shadow. 1t is truly strange that,
side by side with living spiritual Christian
ity, we fad at this moment unbelief in it's
most unspritual form-that of Materialism.
In former times, when infdelity prevailed,
the Churches were cold and dead; in our
tine, its cold breath mingles with the warm
breath of living evangelism. And by far
the most influential and seductive form of
unbelief in our day is blank Materialism.-
No God, no soul, no Immortality We can
not but believe that system so utterly and
horribly negative is doomed to early extiDc-
ton. 1t is hardly possible, unless all order
is overturned, that men will continue long to
be led by phantom so weird and undis-
guised. But meanwhile, the conflict is very
keen, and the seductive influence is very
strong And the other forces of evil seem
to have gained fresh strength and courage.
Old Churches have more than the old ene-
mics to encounter and over the heather
world the obstacles to the Gospel are undi-
minished. If war has always an interest for
the human mind, the battle Of the faith
should have no small interest in these days
No small interest, especially, for heads of
families, who so often see their sons carried
away by influences which parents cannot un-
derstand, much less control. No small in
terest, too, for those who believe the world 8
welfare to be bound up with the cause of the
Gospel, and who are persuaded that, how.
ever for time the tide may ebb and fow,
all things are steadily working for the great
consummatioD, when the kingdoms of this
world are to become the kingdom of Jesus
Christ.
Towards this great contamination may we,
from month to month, be able to offer some
little contribution And may the tidings
which we collect from so many parts be, for
all the Churches, fresh bonds of sympathy,
and fresh calls for prayer,-that grace,
mercy, and peace may be multiplied to all
Gods servants, over the habitable globe