The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-31
FOREIGN CHURCH NEWS.

FOREIGN CHURCH NEWS.
There must be a reaction in Germany towards
the old and orthodox faith of that land, when
Heidelberg University, which has been tainted
with Ratonalism, has but nineteen students in
theology, and Schenkel, whom LANCE was forced
to drop from the list of workers on his common
taries because of his liberalism, now discourses
of free thought to four students. A young man
studying at Leipsic writes that mol less than III
Prussians have come past Berlin to study divin-
ity in Leipsic against l49 from other German
States who visit Berlin for the same purpose. 1t
may be trife cheaper TO live in Leipsc, but
the chief reason is that the orthodox party is
again in the majority in the Prussian Church,
and accordingly the clergy encourage students
to work under such trusted men as Kahnis and
Delitzsch. '-PreSbyterjRn
INFANT BAPTIsN.-The Independent says:
Or. Maxamiian Victor Schultz has publish
in the supplement to Professor Luthardt's Gen
eral Evangelical Lutheran Church Journal coll.
4l3,414 brief but interesting article based
upon his studies in the Catacombs The learned
researches which would trace the origin of in
FAINT baptism back to the times of the apostles,
and which show it to have been general institu-
ton at the close of the second century, find a
striking confirmation, DR.. Schultz says, in the
early Christian monuments Inscriptions from
the second century onward and some appar
emily even from the first century, by attaching
to the children titles which could only be APP
piled to those baptized, prove the practice of
such baptism"
The old Waldensian Church, while striving to
extend its missions Throughout Italy, is not for
| Il g T. l.,
attempt to supplement their salaries, and one
banker in Turin has given for this object the
sum Of 10000 francs, and conceals his name.
The Bishop of Rochester has issued circular
in which he says that the urban population of
the diocese within a triangle of which Woolwich
is the apex and Putney and Streatham the ex-
tremites of the base, numbers about 100000
and the number of clergymen is 332. The paro-
chial system under these circumstances being
submerged he proposes to summon lay help, at
present to be confined to men who shall minister
by themselves coming from their everyday
duties, in unlicensed rooms also, when occasion
permits in the open air.
The hope having been expressed at the Angi-
can Church Congress and at some diocesan con
ferences that the Wesleyans would return to the
Church of England, DR.. Rigg, ex President of the
Wesleyan Conference, replies, in a sermon, that
the hope is vain. 1t is too late now The re-
vival which had taken place in the organization
of the Church of England within the last forty
years meant, to large extent, the revival of
Popish principles and Remaining influences.
Bishop Crowther, Anglican Missionary Bishop
of the region of the Niger, West Africa is very
catholic He has recently preached in Yves
leyan church and addressed a meeting of Baptist
missionaries. The Bishop was formerly a hea-
then slave
A writer in the Pail Mall Gazette says the
priests of Spain are less well educated than the
average Spaniard of the middle class, himself
perhaps, the worst-educated man in Europe" -
For this state of things the Concordat is to be
thanked chiefly.
DECLINE OF IDoLATRY IN CHINA.-Over all
the area that we traversed it may be said broad
ly that the missionary has perfect liberty of
movement. 1t is true that in Japan there are
limitations to the foreign settlements and that
restrictions are placed upon even the passports
that allow a wider travel. But practically,
either by foreign or native agencies, the Gospel
may be carried into any part of these lands, and
in China, the Government, and in India even
the native states will care for the protection of
the missionary. The first rough work of max
ing grammars and dictionaries, preparing school
books, and the great work Of translating the
Bible are over Though, of course, there will re-
main for years to come, the work of improvement
and enlargement and the missionary who goes
out now has an immense advantage over the pi-
oneer. Then there is over most of these coun-
tries an evident decay of religious life. In ia
pan the Government without remonstrance.
sezes the houses of the priests for hospitals and
the temples for barracks; and temple bells are
freely bought for the European market. In a
cathedral town we visited an exhibition of anti
quities Ito which there was an admission fee)
within the temple and directly behind the altar;
and the only link now between religion and the
state is the right that the priests claim to bury
all the dead In China found the priest light
ing his pipe at the altar candle while few wor-
shippers were kneeling on the floor You may
handle with what indignity you please the ugly
dolls they idolize, for clergy and people will
only SMILE and the opium smoker will lie in his
stupor PROSTATE upon the figures of the doomed
in the temple of the Ten Hells. In India, as in
China, the temples are falling into decay there
are thinner streams of pilgrims to the holy
places and the legends of the gods are met with
/ open laughter in the public streets The want
/ Of reverence and the decline of worship con-
tinually obtrude. There are in our island traces
of vast coal fields off which the coal has been
! degraded by some ancient CONFUSION; and the
religious life seems to be fast wearing out of
these ancient lands and leaving a little more
than a record of the time when it was all-power-