The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-16
GENERAL ITEMS.

-CHICAGo.-Ihe tide OF humanity
flowing through Chicago resembles that of Fleet
street OF London. This marvel of city al
ready claims 100000 jewellers. In 1890 thew
believe the first million will be here housed.
The city only lies few feet above the lake.
Already one tidal wave from submarine earth
quake threatened to deluge the guilty people.
If Providence spares this race of Sabbath break
ers and spectators, the visitors at the Board of
Trade will wonder. If the golden god of the
Oriental monarch was adored more fervently
than Mammon is here, we can only admire the
forbearance of Infinite Justice
The Central Music Hall, erected at a cost of
9Zoo,OOo Is centre of attraction on Sunday
mornings. The rentage of the Hall Yields
about a6 o $4,000, and Mr.. Swings people pay
$4,000 OF that for their occupation. We believe
no reilglous assembly in our land buy place of
worship at such price. A creedless brother
on the ecclesiastical common, DIR. Thomas, is
compelled to beg home for his stray flock in a
theatre. Prof. Swing comes weekly with his
poem IN prose, and cheers the crowd with his
brilliant sketches of history, philosophy, morals
Pohtlcs, and about everything but Christianity.
For the Saviour he has nothing but the kndest
words, and tattering eulogies of His moral
teachings. But as to His redemption miracles,
and sufterlngs, he is as silent as the Sphinx on
the shores of the Nile. Somehow his weekly
prayer meetings don't thrive Last week he
used some gentle rebukes to urge the vast crowd
OF aesthetic admirers to come and pray. But
aias II any but poor sinners saved by grace
alone ever re.lshed the place of prayer, we have
never heard OF that race.-N. Y. EUanqeLiSt
:. In Scotland the topic of sermon or
discourse of any kind is called by old-fashioned
lolks It's ground. or, as they would say, " Its
grund: An old woman, busting into the kirk
rather late, found the preacher had commenced,
and opening her Bible, nudged her next neigh.
Dor. with the enquiry, What's his grund?"
", reJolned the other, who happened to be a
brother minister, and thers fore privileged
critic; he's lost his grund long since and he's
just swimming"
"A scePtical young collegian con-
ironted an old Quaker with the statement that
ne dld not believe in the Bible. Said the Qua
ker, Does thee believe in France ?" yes.
TOR though L have not seen it l have seen others
That have. Besides, there is plenty of corobora-
tive proof that such a country does exist
Then thee Will not believe any thing thee or
Others has not seen p mo, to be sure I won't"
Did thee ever see thine own brains ?" mo"
:, Ever see anybody that didY NO" Does
=" A well-known broker" saws the
Indicator, New York weekly, lately returned;
from Europe, informs us that one of the sights
ne least eX pected to see In Paris was the Pres
ldent of the Equitable Lite Assurance Society
in company with his private chaplain, Rev
stephen H. Tying Jr., witnessing the race tor
the Grand Prix on Sunday The Alliance
quotes this and says" Presbyterian naner
please copy" Well, we have copied il az Won
requested, and we add to it that we do not be-
lleve the story, and will not believe it until
some clear and unquestionable evidence compels
us to reluctant credence.-Pres6yter1an
AT the late archaeological congress,
held at Tiflis, Prof. Samokvasoff gave an account
OF his discoveries in the graves near Pvatiporst
lie excavated about 200 places of interment
belonging to the stone, bronze and iron periods
In the large graves bronze implements were
found with stone ones AS there were in these
graves, besides the bones of sheep, several split
human bones not belonging to skeletons. he
inferred that during the bronze period the people
In that part OF the Caucasus were man eaters.
Figures tell the story of the new
sub division movement in the South better thar
any comment can In Georgia, at the opening
OF the war, there were only 62,003 prorrietors
in 1880 there were 13S,626 and this remarka'
bic increase occurred almost wholly between |
1870 and 1880 Between 1860 and 1870 tbo |
increase was not greater than il was IN anv
ante-b elum decade. These facts seem IN IN.
dictate that the great industrial change which
the war brought about has only begun. The
bulletin from which we have quoted further
shows that the number of farms containing Eve
hundred acres OF more is becoming small In
Alabama only 6,513 farms are over 500 acres
in Arkansas 2441, in Delaware rs. in Florida
1,O29, in Georgia 10,508, and in South Carolina
5,32o. Under the census of 1890 farm of 100
acres will doubtless be the rule. In most of the
SIX states the larger number of farms are now