New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

THE FIRST OF THE MATnERs.-The church
in which Richard Mather, grandfather of the
more celebrated Cotton Mather, began his
ministry is still in existence and in use at
TOxteth Park, near Liverpool. 1t is described
as q small structure of dark stone, completely
overgrown with ivy. In its yard are the
graves of the early inhabitants of Liverpool
and on its walls are mural tablets to COM
memOrate the virtues OF various people. There
is no steeple OF tower, and the small windows
are only slightly arched. Since Mather settled
in the New World, and laid the foundation of
famous line of Puritan preachers, his church
has seen many changes. AT one time 1t be-
lOnged to the Catholics, again the Church of
England possessed it,, and after being also
in the hands of Presbyterians and COngre-
gationalists, it has come at last TO be occupied
by Unitarians. 1t was built III the reign of
James |. i'll what was then a heavy forest to
which band of Purltans had fled after the
martyrdOm of John Bradford at Smlthheld.
RETIREMENT AT EIGHTY.-Dr. Job F. Halsey,
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at
NOrrstOwn, Penn, has rendered his resigna-
tion in obedience to the demands of old age
and its intTmites. On July II next DIR. Hal
sey will reach his eghtieth year He has been
III the ministry sixty years, and In all that
time has been pastor of only four churches.
Fifty years ago he founded a church in
Allegheny Penn, which has just celebrated
It's semi-centenna The title of Pastor Emerl-
tus has been conferred upon him by the Nor
ristOwn Church, and call has been extended
by the church to the Rev. w. NJ. Taylor of
this city. DR.. Taylor has, however, felt COM
PEELED to decline this call. During DIR. Halseys
pastOrate the church has been very prosperous
and many tributes have been paid to his ylr-
tues as q mau and as u minister
JEWS IN PALESTINE.-EX-C Consul at-Jerusa-
lem De Haas has set at rest multitude OF recent
contradictory statements about the Holy Land
in the following series of pointed denials: :
"There is not railroad in all Palestine.
There is not an American missionary in the
Holy Land nor Sunday -schO0E But one
Protestant church III Jerusalem, another out
side of the walls and one at Nazareth. The
Jewish population has increased during the
last few years, but the population OF the coun-
try has more rapidly decreased. The Jews
have no intention Of reoccupying the land.
They go there to die, not to live. No jew
abound Jerusalem owns or cultlyates an acre
of ground. The Jews of Europe and America
will never return to Palestine, unless forced
back at the point of the bayOnet"
Cardinal Newman has suffered bereavement
i'm the loss of Il sister six years younger than
himself, and to whom, though she did not
share his religious opinions, he was as dey0tedly
attached as she to him. There were six chill
dren III the Newman family, and it is recalled
that when the Cardinals brother, Francis
William, reached his majOrity, poem on their
mother which the Cardinal wrote for the occa-
sion contained these tender words:
"In her affection all had share.
All SIX. she loved them all;
Yet on ncr carly chosen par
Di1 her full favor fall;
And we became her dearest theme,
Her waking thought, hpr nightly dream"