The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-05-05

hymns, which have been so happily rem
dered into Italian by the Rev. Signor
Rosettl. The National Theatre is onry
eight yards south of Dante's birthplace.
eighty yards north of the spot on which
Savonarola was burned, and one hundred
yards east of where Francesca Madini law
a prisoner of the Lord, only twenty-seven
years ago, for reading the Bible in the
privacy of his own home The scene.
March 18th, in the Pagliano Theatre.
with Its six rows of boxes, battles descrip
ton. The vast building was crowded In
every part. The stage alone is sixty feet
wide. There were 5000 people present.
A portion of the word of God was offered
to any one who cared to ask for it at the
door, and the LOO copies were gone lone
before the crowds had dispersed Girls,
tan Union.
FAITHS TRIUMPHANT RESULTS. =
Speaking of science and religion in the
universities as brought up by the cues
ton in dispute at Yale, TIE Nation saws
1t Is to!erably plain that liberal theoo-
glans both in New Haven and else
where, have, or think they have, discov-
cred n1odetS U1vendj between the two
and that the plan may be called roughly
that of a division of territory between
two claimants, each of whom has been
contending for the whole Whether this
basis of peace can be made permanent is
doubtful, IN the view of THE Nation.
which thus closes the case:
The attacks of Rationalism on all that
portion of mans religious faith which
he draws from his conscience, from his
experience Of his own needs, and from
the exercise of his will ministerinp TO
those needs, may be easily repealed. But
that portion which he draws from the
truth Of certain historical facts, and the
authenticity and correct Interpretation Of
certain writings, must of necessity'be for
ever open to the operation of the laws Of
intellectual proof and will, therefore
probably continue to be the object Of as
sault both to Rationahsts and Rational
istic modes of thought Pending the dis
covery of final resting-place, however.
disputants of all schools must take some
comfort in the fact that the mundane
ends of religion do not seem to have ever.
on the whole, been more fully attained
than IN our own day. Human society
has never displayed so many marks Of
the kingdom of God, and love and hope
have never done so much to sweeten hu-
man life.
LENGTH OF LIFE-The progress Of
Christianity and true religion has every
where been attended by great gains to
human life. The superstitions which
usurped the place Of religion prevented
the growth of virtues and the increase
and uses of science, so that the means Of
preventing diseases were not discovered
and applied. Even so recently as a hun
dred years ago, tenth part of the deaths
! IN Europe was caused by smallpox, while
the average length of life was less than
"a years. The Romans, at the beginning
OF the Christian era, did not average so
years of age at death, and in Switzer-
land, before the great Reformation, the
average age at death was less than %
years in the 18th century it was less
than 26 years; in the last century it was
scarcely 81 years, and now the chance Of
life, or average for all, is above 40 wears.
The numerous diseases which af4ict the
human family are prevented or con-
trolled only as their nature and causes
are discovered. Hygiene is the embodi-
ment OF such knowledge or science ap-
! Piled IN the prevention of the causes of
! oiOh HS9o anu premature Qeatn. Enough
IS already known of the destructive but
most preventable diseases to enable the
people to prevent vast proportion of all
the suffering and waste they produce.
but ignorance, indifference, and vices are
not yet overcome in the masses.
The London Christian World states On
the authority of the Protestant Alliance
OF England that last year there were
81 Catholic peers, 26 holding seats in the
House OF Lords; and 81 Catholic mem
bers of the House Of Commons, five mem
bers OF the Queens Privy Council who
are Catholics; that there are in Great
Britain 8 archbishops or bishops. 2.14C
priests, and l,348 Catholic places of wor-
ship, and adds We cannot help feel
ing that it would be well for the members
OF the Protestant Alliance to reflect lit
tie more carefully upon the circumstance
that the Church of England, by law es-
ttablished, is the nursery for Rome. We
have never so much as heard Of the
slightest peril affecting the Nonconforn-
ist communities, so far as Romanism is
| concerned.
MORE candles but less light An Eng
ilsh paper states that when the present
| 1uo11ro bopt 81 d.