The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-04-06
BELFAST. March "a. 1881.

BELFAST, March "a, 1851.
So DIR. Robert Knox has promised to
write you an occasional letter. If the
Doctor fulfil his promise, your readers
will be delighted and profted as well.
He is man greatly beloved generally,
devoted, laborious, faithful, and occupies
good position in Belfast Belfast has
a strong ministerial corps. John Mac
Naughton, Scotchman, is growing old
and feeble, but his mental faculties are as
clear and active as ever; H. M. William
son, another Scotchman, who succeeded
the catholic and sanity DR.. James Nor
gan; DR.. William Johnston, impetuous
and impatient in debate John Mecredy,
a teetotaler; George Shaw, lynx-eyed
disciplinarian; T. Y. Keller, sharply cog
nisable OF the failings of others Hugh
Hanna, rewarded for his conservatism by
the late government who appointed him
a Commissioner of National Education :;
Alexander Gray, LII D., staunch Tory
and bare-iaced as woman; R. j. Lynd
who uses the press literally to advertise
his lectures and sermons. Others, more
notable and scholarly, still conspicuous,
among whom are the Professors of the
College Wallace, Murphy, Kallen, Ro-
gers, Leitch, and Watts.
The rector of Chelsea, the Rev Gerald
Blunt, has started movement to erect
statue to the late Thomas Carlyle on the
Chelsea embankment. The rectors pa
triotism is somewhat appropriate to such
an undertaking, for what it indicates was
muchly characteristic OF Carlyle. hope
the movement will succeed.
A. II
Presbyterian Church, has just died. He
was fortyeight years minister of one
church, and was fellow-student forty
years ago of Thomas O'Hagan, now the
Lord Chancellor Of Ireland. When a
Judge on circuit, Mr.. o Hagan called on
Mr.. Black. His brother, the Rev. James
Black, is Wesleyan minister
The question of Disestablishment is
coming to the front in the English Pres
byterian Church. 1t has been up for con-
sideration and discussion at several Of the
Presbyteries. DIR. Edmond, prominent
London minister, gave notice at the last
meeting OF the Metropolitan Presbytery,
that in the judgment of the Presbytery
the time has now come when this Church
should re-assert its adherence to the prin-
kingdom, and its independence of State
control, express its sympathy with the
position of the Free Church of the coun-
try in regard to this principle, and de-
clare Its conviction that the connection
between the State and the Established
Churches of the realm is at variance
Herewith, and ought not to be main
tanned"
At the same meeting of Presbytery a
discussion took place on the clause, "The
Moderator Of Presbytery is an ordained
minister of the gospel" An elder pro-
posed that the clause be omitted, for he
held that ruling elder as well as teach
ing elder could be chosen Moderator.
The clerk opposed the proposition. He
thought that the proposal that ruling
elder should occupy the chair was a
flagrant deviation, not only from the
practice Of their own Church, but of all
the Presbyterian Churches in the country.
In the Directory it was specifically men
toned that it was expedient that the elder
who labored in word and doctrine should
moderate in the proceedings of the Church
courts. Some elders are like some wo-
men, they aspire to places they should
not be permitted to occupy.
We seldom agree with Romish priests
in their policy and principles, but we are
fully and heartily at one with the Roman
Catholic Archbishop Of Dublin in the
views which he expresses in a recent
pastoral Mr. Parnell' sister has started
Ladies Land League Association, and
Dr. McCabe notices its existence with
very decided depreciation and very great