The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-08-04
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

The Richmond Commonwealth has
been compelled to suspend for lack of support.
Mr.. Gladstone, Prime Minister of
England, was reported quite i'll on the I'd inst
de was somewhat better according to last ac
counts.
Prince Bismarck, with his clear. in
clsive common sense, Eliminates a subject which
some men In our country have been irving to
mystlty. Speaking of divisions growing up in
churches by the incoming of advanced opin-
ions he said :-"T The church property mnst of
course remain with those who stick to the old
church to which it belongs The man who goes
out must be ready to sacrifice TO his conviction
or rather to his unbelief. 1t is not taken in
bad part If Catholics are orthodox, not at all if
the Jews are so; but orthodoxy in Protestants
gives great offence, and the church is constantly
decrled Tor her Prosecuting spirit il she expeis
the unorthodox. Then, when the orthodox are
prosecuted and derided in the press-wbicb in
Germany is unfortunately in the hands of the
Jews-and IN society, the people think it is lust
as it ought to be. "-Presbyterisan
"A Universalist minister in New
York State asserted, in sermon lately preached
at Clifton Springs, that Mr. Henry Ward
beecher had recently remarked to a Uniyer-
sallst =" Your work as a denomination. in
modifying orthodoxy, is done now; you had
better TALL back into the other churches" We
are somewhat afraid that in some cases thew
have already fallen back into other Churches q
without awaiting Mr.. Beecher's advice One
OF the remarkable things of the day is the out
breaking OF this heresy at various points in the
orthodox churches.-f6.
While a good many are CRYING ont
against the appointment of the Marquis of Ripon
TO the position of Governor General of India
notice OF a motion has been given in the United
Presbyterian Presbytery of Edinburgh to the
effect that the Presbytery welcomes such an
pointments as testimony to the principle OF
religion not being test of eligibility To civil
position" and "as fitted to maintain the peace
and consolidation of the Empire, nasmuch as
they assure our Roman Catholic fellow-subiects
that, however strongly the governing class in
the nation may be opposed to their religion. of
hcial position In national affairs is yet to be free
to them equally with Protestants."
From tabulated statement sent To
the Presbyterian by the Rev. Mr.. Muir of Vic
toria, we learn that Victoria, with 867 635 in
habitants, has $4,000 Presbyterians and l54
ministers; New South Wales, 675, 3l6; Presby-
terians, &c, 222; ministers, SO. Queensland 1876
900; Presbyterians. 10000; and 26 ministers
South Australia, 100000; Presbyterians. 49,
900; and ministers, Is. Tasmania. 10000
Presbyterians 10000; and ministers. IA New
Zealand. 100000; Presbyterians So 900; minis
ters' 10: West Australia, 27,S38 Presbyte-
rians' 529; and ministers, l.
New York has the Egyptian obelisk
lying at the wharf. Now the absorbing oues-
ton is, where shall it be placed For this Gift
New York is indebted to Mr.. VIM. H. Van
derbilt, who contributed $75, 900 for its removal
The word obelisk signifies spit, and is applied
to prlsmatic monuments, terminating with a
pyramidal or pointed top. These monuments
were placed upon bases before gatewavs of the
principal temples in Egypt, one on each side
OF the door, and seem to have been erected to
record the triumphs or honors of the monarch
The obelsk now in New York is one of the
two needles of Cleopatra that stood for centuries
on the shores of the Levant near the CITY of
Alexandria and which centuries before guarded
the doors of the Temple of the Setting Sun at
HeloPolis. Its mate-less perfect and shorter
and which had fallen from its pedestal in Alex,
andrla-was granted to England in 1919. and
only received there in 1878, through the efforts
and personal sacrifices of Prof. Erasmus Wilson
The present obelisk was removed from Heliopo-
lis to Alexandria during the reign of Tiberius
but was enormously believed to have been re.
moved In the time of Cleopatra and hence il
was called Cleopatra's Needle In the meantime
visitors need not expect to see something won
derful and startling. Presbyterian Banner