davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12

ecclesiastical proceedings in the vicinity Of
Cincinnati, aud the participants therein; and
We hope that all the futare performances Of
the ''freer, looser, and more generous SCHOOL,
will end, as Professor Morris anticipates they
will, and as that happily did, in vindicsting
the "substantial principles embodied in our
pohty' and "the Scriptural validity of our
system" Yet, to locker on, it would sp-
pear that the Church would save itself from
trouble by so laying down the old land
marks, and tightening the free, the loose,
and the generous, beforehand, that they
would not have so much power to do mischief.
In view of this article from representa-
tive of one very large and important mem
Der of the Alliance, We are ready to ask,
concerning this great Catholic and CoSmo-
polissn Convention, with It's first and prom
iSing magazine, and We borrow and italicize
the words of Professor Morris concerning the
re united Church of the Northern United
States, "But will such harmony be con-
tinued There is room for the question
whether such free admission of differences is
possible without impairing the ~mity and in
tegrity, the belief and temper of the body"
We hope as he does in regard to the one
Union, that the other and larger will be in
fuentisl in checking latitude of opinion
where such latitude is in danger of changing
into license" and this, after reading his
piece, We fear more than we fear his other
alternative, "tyrannical unfriendliness to
freer thought" Freer charity and freer &C.
tivity in our religion is always to be desired
and prayed for, but freer thought" in
theology founded upon the unchangeable
Word of God is suspicious; if it means any
thing, it means something that infringea upon
new revelation, or new sentiment that is
wise above what is written.
Between fidelity to the doctrines held and
represented by the Alliance, and the captiOus
spirit which is ready to find fault With it, it
ia difficult, in criticism of this sort, to pur-
sue the golden path. We disown the latter.
We honor the institution and cordially sym
pathize in its spirit and its objects. Its edi-
tors have our full and hearty confidence, and
nothing that is written here proceeds from
any distrust of their wisdom or their ability.
The highest exercise of these qualities will
not always shield them from danger, and it
would be most ungengous to balance them
in a case like this where the dilemma was on
many accounts almost unavoidable. But
error is dangerous unless truth is left free to
combat it. A COUNTRY PASTOR.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
TOPICS OF PRACTICAL INTEREST

Not long since the writer was interested in
reading after a traveller in Switz srland. In.
stead Of pointing his moral reflections with
quotations from epitaphS, ne quoted from
placards found on church doors, in thai in
teresting country. Among many that are
given, the following have been selected. 1t
must have salutary infuence upon the wor.
shipper as he enters the church to be ad-
monished in words like these:
"Be thou faithful unto death, and I viii
give thee crown of life.
Death may surprise me az any moment,
aud / shall be eternally in the state in which
it will overtake me.
l will, therefore, abhor tho discourse OF
wicked men, and guard my conscience against
injustice, and strive constantly With the help
of Gods grace, against my beaetting sins.
My conscience can never be at rest with
out prayer. Morning and evening will
pray unto Thee, and Thou wilt hear my
voice.
When l am tempted to sin l will resist
bravely. If Satan tries to ensnare me, I
will invoke the all powerful name of Jesus.
But all my good resolutions will be in
vain, unless l fly from all occasions of SIM
l will, therefore, take all necessary steps
to avoid excess in drink, which brutslizes
men and brings on general ruin, and is the
cause of multitude Of spiritual and tempo
ral misfortuues often quite irreparable.
Eternal felicity will be the recompense Of
the faithful who live and die in Grace and
Love of God.
From this moment will labor necessarily
all my life to gain the crown which my dear
est Lord has prepared for me"
Would it not be useful to have something
like this posted on the doors Of our rural
churches, 80 that the groups who stand
about them before the hour of service, may
have something to read and talk about, con-
ducive to q proper frame of mind2
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
Faith in Jesus Christ.

No better, no simpler definition of faith
has been given than that of the late Horace
Bushnell: sit is an act whereby one person,
sinner, commits himself to another person,
Saviour" If we lost our way and met
with trustworthy guide, we know what it
means to trust ourselves to his knowledge
and guidance We know what it is to have
our children trust themselves to our wisdom
and love. 1t is just the same, this religious
faith; We commit ourselves lost and ignor-
ant, to one who loves US, and knows, even to
Christ; what princes and peasants must do,
if they want the pardon and the adoption
and. the eternal ble8seiness.
- Two incidents are before US showing
this faith in God and Christ, which are worth
producing at all tines. A young girl in
Boston, the daughter of one of the weslthiest
men there, being about to marry, asked her
father to let her wedding be as quiet as pos
aible, aud to give her the money that would
have been spent in flowers, wine, etc. With
this money she gave q certain sum to the
poor Of each city which she visited on the
wedding journey. She had the blessing of
the hungry and naked strewed along her
path instead of roses. A short time since
the Wedding Of one Of the greatest cspiteliats
of New York city vas marked by as beauti-
full and touching an incident. One of the
gifts of the bride was the sending of one
hundred orphan boys to homes in the West.
Southern MuYcAman.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
The Bible in the East.

Robert N. Gust, late of Her Maiesty's
Indian Civil Service, and Honorary Libra
rian to the Royal Asiatic Society, in a
"Sketca Of the Modern Languages of the
Els; Iudies," says: " In reckoning up the
advantages to the East Indies of the mis-,
sionary bodies, we must not forget their sub
stautal, unsectarian, and benevolent linguis.
tic labors. One great corporate body has
done more than the State, more than private
individuals or servants of the State, and has
sustained the Protestant missionaries in tEeir
effJrts. | allude to the British and Foreign
Bible Society. Setting aside for tie moment
the great spiritual and moral advantage of
the wide dissemination Of Book so remark
able and unrivalled in excellence, to no other
book OF any kind whatever, at any period of
the world, has it fallen to be translated into
such variety Of Oriental languages, and to
be disseminated 80 widely in such amazing
numbers. As Lutber's Bible formed the
standard of the previously unsettled high
German, and our own Bible became the
standard of modern English, so all over the
East Indiea, with the exception of the Phil
ippinea, and French and independent An
nan, the translation of the Holy Scriptures
is becoming the frat, often the only, and al
ways the typical, representative of languages
which previously were wholly unwritten, un-
cultivated, end destitute of phraseology for
the expression Of feelings and affections. In
the great vernaculars which already possessed
literature, the Bible, if the selection of
translator was fortunate one, has greatly
helped to fix the standard of purity and good
linguistic taste; in the other languages, the
Bible has been the first expression Of the
power Of conveying ideas to paper"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
e~r=rHrNKrNG VS.. RIGHT-THINKING.

II is claimed that free-t thinking promotes
intellectual activity, and that man must be
allowed in matters of religion to doubt, In
vestigate, and reject at his pleasure, iu order
to full development. Some not wishing to
ipjure the Church, and observing the emi-
nence attained within its pale, modify this
view, and hold that religion does not dimin-
ish intellectual activity except in its own
special department. The believer, they ar
que, as believer, is crampsd and belittled
but otherwise he may be as strong and
bold thinker as any.
This view, though plausible, is incorrect. 1t
is not free thinking, but right thinking, which
stimulates the mind. The two differ as Ii
cense differs from liberty. The foreigner
coming to our country sometimes confOunds
these two, until his ideas are made clear by
rap from the policeman's club. "It is a
free country" he alleges. Yes, we reply, it
is free country to DO right in, but not to
do wrong in. Religion in fOrbidding wrong
thinking no more checks mental activity,
than law in forbiddiug theft checks business
activity. II is the Bible that promotes intel
leotual activity.
/. It breaks the shackles Of the mind by
freeing it from superstition. Where the Bi-
bic is unknown, the people are in bondage to
thousand fears and fancies, which check
and stupefy. Now, free-thinking never has,
and never can, permanently destroy supersti-
tiop, any more than anarchy can perma-
nently destroy despotism. Good government
alone accomplishes this latter, and man will
never be safe from superstition until he
fastenS upon the truth.
2 TIE Bible promotes Intellectual activity
by regulating it. The lunatic often has i'm
mense activity, but it does no more good
than the se;isity of the free-t thinker. What
we need is regulated activity. Those who
take the other kind are apt to be dangerous.
If they have it bad, the strsit-j jacket is the
best thing for them.
5. The Bible provides truth, and truth
like light, is m'st stimulating. The moment
truth is brought iu contact with it, the mind
awakes. Without the Bible, there is nothing
for the mind to start from nothing for it to
rest upoa-nothing for it to arrive at. In
order to activity there must be SOM success,
some prospect Of reward. There ia no ac-
tivity now about finding the philosophers
stone, becaule there is no sach stone to find.
So there would be very little activity about
religion without the Bible. because there
wouldn't be anything gained BY activity
Free thinking no more conduces to intellect.
usl activity, than free study-shas is study
without textbooks, conducss TO education.
1t is the great textbook Of the Bible that
awakens the mind. Away then with free
thinking, so far as it is NJ; right-thinkng
A man is only free to think as he ought to
think. W. E. B.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
THOU HAST TIE WORDS OF ETERNAL
LIFE. John.

To whom, o blessed Saviour, can we go?
But to the human Son of God
We are perplexed bewildered with our woe'
And looking upwards see the rod
Of Righteous Justice; Saviour, help We pray,
Be Thou our friend. o turn not Thou away.
We are so faint and sore, and every bone
Is broken, every hope is gone,
In helpless wretchednsss our hearts do groan'
And cry to Thee: we are undone
Without Thine aid o Saviour hello, we pray
Be Thou our friend. o turn not Thou away.
Our hearts 20 backward to the dreadful day
When 6rst we looked upon our dead,
Whose lips we loved so we'll were turned to clay
And ali the tender words of love were said
For the last time; o Saviour hear we pray,
Be Thou our friend o turn not Thou away.
The words of ifs eternal, Lord. Thou hast
The future that we trembling wait,
The weary present and the painful past,
The sweet and bitter of our fate
Are known to Thee: Then, Saviour hear we pray
Be Thou our friend. D turn not Thou away.
From Thine exhaustless tutness grant us power
Resignedly to take the gift
OF blessing or of pain, in every hour,
Content to do Thy viii, and lift
Our smitten hearts to Thee. hear, we pray,
Be Thou our f,isnd. o turn not Thou away.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE SESSION.

RI have reason to ask for the republication of the
following article addressed to a young minister
friend and which appeared in the columns OF the
Central more than ten years ago.-S. l.. U.
The Session is of course the most impor-
tant organization within the bounds of each
particular church.
The efficiency of its working, depends
mainly upon the pastor. The theory of the
Session is clear enough. 1t is the primary
udicatory of the series of judcAtories be-
longing to the Presbyterian pOlity. To it,
as such, are applicable all the rules estab-
lished for the government Of the other judi
catories. These rules are given in our book,
not very minutely, nor very exactly, and
perhaps not always very wisely, but so as in
the main to answer sufficiently we'll the
purpose intended. With the practical work
ing of these rules, your experience in Pres
bytery and Synod has made you somewhat
familiar. You will be best guided, there
fore, in the general management of the Ses-
siSp, BY keeping steadily in view the idea
that it is church judicstory, of which you
are the permanent moderator. This will
keep you in mind that each member of the
body, has precisely equal rights and priv
leges; yourself no greater than any other.
1t will also prevent you from forgetting that
forms are important, and will supply you
with the best forms.
But just here your common sense must be
put into requisition. Many of the forms
which are indispensable for the orderly con-
Quoting of business in Presbytery or Synod,
would here be burdensome aud hindersOme,
if not ridiculous. The more numerous the
body, the greater the rigor of forms de-
manded. The Session is 8 Presbytery but
with difference. What and how great this
difference is to be, must be left to common
sense.
You will of course open and close your
sessions with prayer, (et me suggest that the
closing prayer be made BY one of your Ell
ders) have the record of the previous meet
ing read by the clerk before you enter upor
the business Of the current one-require tha
each topic should be disposed of, before an
other is introduced that unfinished bus
mess is taken up-and for new business, g
through with your own little docket previous
ly prepared, before you call on the othe
members Of the Session for what they ma,
have to propose. A simple routine, judi
ciously marked out, and in general adhere
to, will expedite business.
On the other hand, you will not requir
that always motions should be reduced t
writing, nor worry yourself about the techni
calities of amendments, or the precise parlia
mentary force of substitutes, or what me
tions have precedence, or which are to be pu
without debate, nor encourage the previou
question, nor the recording of the ayes aD
noes. All things are lawful, but all thing
are not expedient. A man need not kee
account of his household expenses by doubl
entry.
So as to your department in the moder'
tors chair. You will not lounge, nor yawr
:. nor whittle sticks, nor read in the hymn
book, nor chew tobacco, if you can help i
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
OUERY.-A correspondent says {;

"Cannot the great Presbyterian Church
have Quarterly, or Monthly, for the ex-
position and defence of the truth as she
holds il? As the Princeton is no more as
it was, let DR.. Van RaDsselaer's Presbyterian
Magazine be revived. Many will gladly
Welcome it.
There is no doubt that the Princeton Re
visw no longer satieGas the Presbyterian
Church, and the project of another quarterly
has already been discussed. But might not
the Catholic Presbyterian, the first number Of
which has received much favor, be made a
representative magazine, and be 80 conduct
ed as to expound and maintain the common
faith of Presbyterians throughout the world.
The multiplication of magazines and reviews
is not desirable if it can be avoided.
Presbyterian,
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12
Vol, I4.---NO. 80.

We seem to be living in vide awake times
Everything is viewed "with critics eye,"
and not single imperfection is passed by,
when once discerned Instead Of music there
is skepsicism in the air, that is apparently
all pervasive.
had imagined that if anything was set
tied, it was the authorship and prOpriety of
the sweet little prayer, "Now 1 lay me
down" which rivals soar Father in fire.
quency of repetition, aud is carefully taught
to every child in Christendom.
A recent writer, and minister at that,
informs US that the authorship is not GER
tainly known, and to convey the right sense,
the Infant Prayer should read thus:
Now l lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my life to keep,
But should die before wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take"
But before l close let me be little critical
TOO, on the custom Of teaching children an
evening prayer, and yet o1istiss aa.s.aias
s2uGQLIOns.---------
Il seems to me that children should have
their morning thoughts directed to God for his
blessing and presence through the new and
unknown day. Appended to the Shorter
CateChism published by our Richmond Com
mittee, is an appropriate morning prayer:
snow behold the morning light,
The Lord hath kept me through the night,
i lift my heart to him and pray,
That he will keep me through the day.
But should die before tits done,
Oh God, receive me through thy Son."
w. T. P.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12

"DUTIEs are ours, events are Gods
This removes an infinite burden from the
shoulders Of miserable, tempted, dying crea,
ture. On this consideration only can he se-
curely lay down his head and close his eyes"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12

Ii is not hssty reading, but seriously med
i.sting upon holy aud heavenly truths, that
makes them prove sweet and profitable to
the soul. It's not the bees touching on the
flowers that gathers honey, but her abiding
for a time upon them, and drawing out the
sweet. lis not he that reads most, but be
that meditates most on Divine Truth, that
will prove the choicest, Wisest, strongest
Christian.-.BishoP Hail.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-12

TIE CHRISTIAN was not meant merely to
be an armOr keeper, bat an GrmOr '0earsr;
not TO keep mis- srmOr bright for show, but
ready for battle.
, 1879-06-18


pne" fillemessant xas summoned to apnear
befosehis Excolloncv LIS Duks do Moray, who
e"eu1od 10 bc very much iucenbcd. "WnY,
NonsuuF u!c Duke" said lt.s sllrevd Editor OF
ihs Figaro. "tleu II was mt 10 bes,ow tho
C'oas Of the Legion Of tionor taat you ha.f sum
u'oned tna to tho paIaca Of tic Presidency. aud
my co',atoress, who sre already organizing re-,
ceptton In my honor! Al, this time, Tor III.
staucp, File cst b!en bo.ne!' Thea quickly
story, wltticls'l that torcc.! Ills ExrcfclcY to
laugh, a1tl thu som plant was fofeDtset Vile
nlessnbt had Ereat r1srert for the Luke DO
hlotay, thoAgl, It did mot prryent him IRON
lssullN all article ~ sharp ~ u yaxpr,
~ lsocbefott, Ia rcfereuce to cc,ta1u pto.
1lcuons tt.al the Duke had pup,isleh
unuar tho nom de plutna ot Vi. RsIny Tfe
luke complained ri Tho affair tn hts psotaec,
AMI The Eattrr. assuming q aosroWfu! e0uuse.
nauec. rrplted: ~ llaya bosh myst.t!ed lnvsett
1,tst us tueh ~ you have, Alp,iej@lIr " Duke.
ihat day Gid not 20 10 thu utslpc, null the
ktinYcs t'1ok advantage of my ABSENCE 10 niay
this trick uFHln both Ut lis" The nress.nruots
of ills sr!icc. WITH corrections In the han.iwrt.
" OF H.iien'essaat,wsrc, however. tn t!e h*l.ds
of u'e Duke, whu did not hesitate 10 prptuee
tlltel. ".a1othrr NJ mJstitlcatios," rejoted Vile.
meAsant,. hursttus Into sonosoua laughter.
..ceste-es est 6en houue, par example, shsIl
dtasnasga Noehefort and the foreman OF tlly
Printing department, tlFAugh the negligence ii
HhUH1 these proofs have fallen tpto fuur uamis
Arc you aatl6tedf' Aud to kept Mp7p tt,np his
ToFd; b. disuhtrIeu all TIC eomposttp5x aud
pE0of'ro4dess nhG vera suspected Of being capa.
n}e Of atNsfactMg a!!p ct ptpes from Tue psll4-
1a4..-roQnl.
, 1879-06-18
H"lstcat on tta Wur-sccsesnrya,,tp.

.Mt. llastsnd, Ia NJ lrtrrslcw with renprter
Of shc C!nennAtt 7'ats, III speaking o. l,ss
"tatkcds'! npp'ntlncns, ~ sss ssptary Ut War,
of tho Office. / .!out c.,fe upYsnu,x ubVni
tl'cnL don't wan. 10 know anything a.,ou.
,lpm: aun't kuuw tin Ino trim tl!e stall.
at,d u IN ttlat o,ilcs waul.i lc r.lsns thunder
al' .he tine Ntth cfrryhkay round Hie. Why,
t!'c Secretary ct Var h uniy u risrA y, she
presilaut uHl ! au. sure 'ivvcr wouIA bt a
clerk to tho lfcsktest fflcrc Is no n,o1ey TT It
for TIE. ! eoplAn'. ulturl to tease ,ny bustness
berv and 70 ~ Washington tn IDOL viii, II
wHhtr'ttt; wouldn't tlayh /. II 1 rnu1d gut It !;
thy Mouhl be louis tU give IT. tn n,n II wa1l.I
taEe it. Tie lining IL loo alsur.l to glyu aslr
serlolia Thought ts', haven't 4rr!o,is.5 cvn-
t,H! foolish, atlH / ;sta certain uu not PROPOSE
to Dc 11tlrrelt ahQuk ik.''
, 1879-06-18

'nEs Of cacl, Individual. Th!s Is Tlaat makes
stGl1 men 20 indifferent 10 y,o|f.}cA,
It "ha recently Rtn.c That this satno pos er lu
tn]ncprc wlltrh controlled 4yc-.lxihs ut Renters
Acen,y. a'ld ,tblct! had \ 1runuMlcratng ln1a-
Wolf Agency, Ind also purchased the iiayas
deseGy"pt hGeHey. What r. tha tntsuonec1 Ia
u Rotllset,lf1t Or n consolidated power of tim
llcbrer raccs The newspaper II ali pu#erIul a.
a. nolltleal lns!ra'nens anil al ssteh. .jobbtng
Instrument. Thu following raters aro almost
snstse!s oHned or enm.sollets ny lsraelltcH: fon-
.lon W,s, napE 1ssqrs,h iAsdg Ytms toopcnt.eln'}
trdnrafsc; a'nl Rot',schi'd is said IL be at t!a
naek q ahc ncw larEs papes, 1t f''"tt Thlz Is
very rglls lMt Enr!nnl al ieast shos,d tewayo
of tug hassuphoblsm uf tic 1Dts3roM.
,;',s 'ersete rsner says that taermatd W..
4 about onU shaku -" a,iu t,yo il inn u luttg.
T!,a s'caa y lks that Of nan-the eJes, ra5s.
nos1. n'l'' nouslI bslnE well pfopust3oIied. ihe
tiie itlnse of rat. an at,emp. wa. Inala 10
preserra u IN sp'r'ts; but L. hat ''caun to dc,
cHy, an'l has. tisercfprc, hcen tlred. 1t vii, bs
exhibited at tho Osaka Muspiltn, D. L. 1t.
, 1879-06-18
NAMES OF PARIS s'rREE'rs.
nfr{s fatf4+


Tho Rua 10 a1orny Is hereafter 10 ho known
as uic Ruc pterrc.chatron. Since It was open.
ed In Iii tllls street has boruo twcl7c nalncs.
It Was 1lue d'Angoulcmo under Louis XVI, :
Ruo do l'unlon under the First Republic; Kue
UAngoulemn after tho Restoration; Rue liz ia
Charte tn 1880, though eoon after It berssne for
a third t[ase Rue tl'Angou|eno: Rnc do ,sUnton
In 1910: 1eue d'Anguute,no yet again in 1873:
Rue dc Moruy under the Republic OF 1s48; Rue
do 10 Commune during Lie reign of tho Netls In
1871; aul sipco then Rue <la Morny. A !fttlo-
known nneriotc of Lamnrtino will serve to
hhow how streets aoenctiu.es get their names In
Iarts. About The uyllcst street IN Paris IL that
which stncu 16lS ltaa borre tho rat,le OF tic
great writer. Icforo tho dNwufal) Of tnc
monarchy ot July II was Ruc .Coauenar1,
A'Hi amons IA Inhabitants WAS clever yol,ug
p21ntcr named Fuurreau, who bntrl will, a
deadly hatred It, dccidruly vulgar nafuc, but
ltlicu ILLS studio too Nsl) TO u,oye. When t(e
revolution Of February taue, folrrtau ent TN
atl hight painting street slgus VI Tic uDle!al
sort' atlti ~ early dawn o was out With ala,!ler
Mailing theul up At tho corners. TIN tlwellers
who had gosu 70 he't IN tlle Rue Coqllrnarj
wakcned to lind themselves on tic lsuo Lnn,ar-
ita1; mt ,t,efu was no protest. "Salnt AlphonsD
oe l.arhY hotng lie snost popular uf llr clIefs
The street has kept its natne. Is I.atnartlDe
psctI to SAY: "My nsuIe has replaced NJ.
Cts1usnar.t'a on stroet-hign; that Is MI l},at
satne III tie revolution os FebTuaFy,n It IL
T"st" @eutnns; thnG few Mnnt4s ago the
~ giving l!eli street um uame Of tho gn,ia,it
defender nf lse1furt--getthlg rlu OK the Epfrr
a'li maSsms II Denfcrt- Roclcreau. Aier ISM
si.e K"s d'Artoi4 "ht ciangci In natne to tl,c
l.rgttttntAs noEictnan living tllcro refused to 70.
cetyr letters amt paprra aIdrcsscd 10 him Ruo
J.a'istte, he n;mal1lal faithful to The muuareh-