The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-11-18
nELlelous DRIFT ANp plscussIoN.

will prevail In tho near future. At pres.
ent, the Hebrew merchants complain that
they lose two days every week, and this
consideration has made many Of them
willing TO give up the Seventh, and adopt
tho First, asa "Day OF Rest"
DR. v. NJ. WnIrE, Of London, publishes
statistics to show that Catholicism is de.
clining, relatively, in the United King.
dom. In 1871 the Catholics formed
twehty.seven per centum Of the popula.
ton; now their proportion is eighteen per
centum, lie thinks, however, that the
political influence OF the Church Of Rome
has increased.
The Reformed Episcopal churches in
Philadelphia held a convention last week
and organized a synod, nine churches,
ono of whichis at Wilmington, Del, being
represented, Bishop Nicholson was cho-
sen president, and committees were ap.
pointed, A form of constitution was
adopted, and the synod adlournedto meet
in Wilmington, Del, in April, 1880.
TIE Christian Union says:
Physical sins require physical reme-
dies, Sins OF the appetite and the pas-
siOns can no more be cured by mere Bible
reading and prayer than sins Of the alice
tons by blue.pill. They involve not on.
" ethics, but dietetics. II man says, 4
resist the intrmity Of my flesh my appe-
lite or my passions but every now and
then am overcome and my prayers are
without result, his first step toward re.
form must be hygieniC; bathing, more ex.
erCise, less food, or more food, or a differ.
ent kind Of food"
The Churchman asks: "What is the Sc
cret Of Mr.. MoOdy's power?" and answers
its own question thus:
"His sermons, that are so grateful to
the masses, are about the person Of Jesus
Christ, who is as real to Mr.. Moody as II
he too had put his fingers in the print Of
the nails. May We not learn to use the
same power in better way2 1t is a sad
fact that the people are drifting away from
all forms Of faith. We believe the only
way in which they can be brought back is
BY the story OF personal Saviour, not
presented as dogma, as a doctrine, but
as Living omnipresent person, the only
helper and healer Of sin-sick souls"
AT the recent opening Of the Autumnal
Convention OF Ministers and Sunday
School Teachers in London, it was an
nounCed that the centenary Sunday School
celebration Of next year would begin in
June with convention Of delegates from
all parts Of the world, and that the pro.
gramme would include a public meeting
in the Guildhall, presided over by the
Lord Mayor, united service in St. Paul's
Cathedral, meeting at Exeter Hall, a de-
votional and communion service at the
Metropolitan Tabernacle, grand festival
at the Crystal Palace, the unwilling Of the
statue Of Robert Raikes on the Thames
Embankment, and concert at the Albert
Hall.
Ma. STURGEON, The London preacher,
said lately that he had heard great deal
about sympathy with modern doubt. He
had no sympathy with it and would moi
fight with the wooden sword Of argument
but with the true Jerusalem blade alone,
What they had to say to people was
This is Gods word, and you have got tc
believe IT." and they might tell them that
il they would not believe il they would be
cast into hell, whatever Canon this OF
Canon the other might say. Tobe'strong
they must be dogmatic. They might read
any number CT articles in the NineIeenh
Century or FortniqhAy Reritr, but in the
end they would have to make it up with
their Bibles, il they had Quarreled with
them.
IT SEEMS that Herr Won Puttkamer, the
Prussian Minister OF Education and Pub.
lie Worship, has decided to yield to the
demands Of the Ultramontanes and the
Confessional Lutherans for denomination.
al schools. DR.. Falk gave all his energies
to the establishment OF "paritatic" or
simultaneous" schools, where children
oil all confessions we're received and where
religious instruction was impaired to them
by teachers OF their own confession.
Puttkamer differs completely from the
policy Of his predecessor on the question
OF denominational education, and does
not allow an undenominational school.
unless very great necessity for its exist
ence can be shown. So there is great Joy
among the Ultramontanes and High
Lutherans in Prussia.
TIE Christian Union says:
"The suggestion of DR.. Bacon that the
week OF prayer be changed from the first
week in January to the last week in Lent
meets with good deal Of favor. Lent
has been observed as u special season OF
prayer by very large body OF Christians
from time immemorial, and in the minds
OF large portion OF the Church to-day it
is consecrated by memories and usages
which render 1t the sacred time in the
church year. The week now observed bv
our non.liturgical churches as a week Of
prayer, on the other hand, is a recent in
stitution, and was fixed upon for the sim.
pie and arbitrary reason that 1t was the
beginning OF the year. The matter OF a
change Of time involves surrender OF
nothing on our part, and would bring
about the very valuable result of uniting
all the Protestant churches in what ought
to be the most impressive and fruitful
season Of church life. Any change which
will emphasize by universal practice the
essential unity OF the Christian church is
worth good deal Of sacrifice, and when,
as in this case, the result is secured with.
out the surrender OF even timc-honored
usage, it ought to be regarded as happy
opportunity, and improved as SUCH"
AT the recent biennial conference Of
Al. Et......sl;u.l Llli....s l..lI = Q. IL.