The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-23
CHURCH NEWS.
I Continued from LIST paqe.l

The suggestion of the present Pope
that the theologans of that Church return to the
philosophy of Thomas Aquinas as the basis of
all speculative inquiries has been followed by
the formation of an Academy of st. Thomas
Aquinas In the city of Rome. By the way, the
article ON Thomas Aquinas and the Encyclical
Letters, by Professor Archibald Alexander
which appeared in the Princeton Revie1 for
March, was considered such heavy artillery
that an elaborate reply appears in the June
number of the CATHOLIC World and more is
promised. ..1
The Oldest Presbyterian church in
the British colonies is at Bermuda, having been
erected IN l719. The congregation is century
older, dating from the first settlement of Scotch
emigrants in 1872
During the last year, twenty-five
new missionaries have been sent out to the mis-
sions of the American Baptist Union in Bur
nah, Assam, India. China and Japan.
Very serious charges, we are sorry
to say, have been made against the missionaries
OF the Church of Scotland at Blantyre Station
near Lake Nyassa, Central Africa These
charges, OF which painful particulars are given
have been printed in pamphlet form in London
oy Mr.. Chlrnside, and have been reproduced
IN the f'ritish press 1t is alleged that the mis-
slonaries have taken it upon themselves to try
and sentence two natives for the murder of q
native woman, and that habit of horrible
hogglng and inhuman Imprisonment" has beer,
In force at the station. The chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Missions has made a
statement to the Assembly, giving such facts as
are In possession of the Committee He admitted
that the murderers had been tried, Dr. Machlin
presiding over jury of headmen of the villages
who pronounced verdict of guilty. The ma
tives demanded the death penalty on the offend
ers; but the missionaries hesitated to pronounce
1t until one of the murderers escaped, when the
other was shot. The Committee, on receiving
an account of these facts, expressed the deepest
distress at hearing that the missionaries had
thought 1t necessary TO take into their own hands
the power of life and death, disavowed all re-
sponsibility for the matter and forbade the rem
etltlon of such an act. In regard to the charges
OF togglng and inhuman imprisonment the
chairman said
These charges must be thoroughly sifted.
Meanwhile, they are incredible. It's true there
have been cases of corporal punishment The
first was in 1877, when Mr.. James Stewart was
In charge. The Committee believe the instances
to have been rare"
The assembly, seeing the gravity of the case
directed that special commissioner be sent ont
to make an investigation. The good name of
missions is involved in these charges, and if they
are established, the missionaries at Blantyre
should be immediately removed and their act
condemned by all friends of missions and of
Africa -Irdependent.
The Synod of the Old Catholic Church
was opened at Geneva on the Goth ult., with
religious service in the Church of Notre Dame
oy bishop Herzog, who delivered an address on
the aims and principles of Old Catholicism,
Inc business proceedings were conducted in the
great Council Chamber of the Town Hall
mere were present delegates from seven Cantons
ana several foreign guests among whom were
Father Hyacinthe, and the Bishops of Mexico
and Meath. The subject discussed did not present
many features of general interest. It was re-.
solved to adopt common prayer-b book for all
the Swiss churches. Several other analogous
questions were referred for the consideration of
the Committees of Pastors At the conclusion
Of the Is sessions, the members of the Synod and
their friends dned together at the Hotel Nation
al. Father Hyacnt6e preached on Sabbath
morning to crowded congregation in the
church OF st. Gervais, a proceeding which is re-
garded as token of his reconciliation to Geneva
state without freedom, and communion without
religion.