The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-19
GENERAL ITEMS.

bn'eIlhS tne London concert-room at
time when it was the fashion for per-
formers there to paint, bedizen, decolleter
themselves in the same manner as for the
stage, Antoinette Sterling from the first
refused to resort to any tricks of toilet.
Although at first her refusal to wear low
dress was made the subject of a sheer
from some critics, she persisted in her in
tentlon, never once finding her listeners
less kind to her on that account; and she
has to-day the satisfaction of seeing the
high dress the prevailing mode, adopted
by the generality of concert singers even
In the evening, while the berouged low
necked and bare-armed songstress is a
rare survival. With thorough Italian
musical education, and receiving advice
increasingly in that school from her cher
lshed master, Signor Garcia; with con-
tralto voice unequalled since Alboni,
and most dramatic style, why does not
Antolnette Sterling go upon the operate
stageF cannot, she says. | stand
6y every word j.! utter when l sing and
feel l must, to the death. 1t is not alone
song with me-melodious sounds-it is
the lesson inculcated; hope in the future,
bright Joys to come, the mercy of an all
wise God. would not sing wicked or
a frivolous word before my audience for
anything on earth. love them, and |
know they love me-
"A fol eign reviewer observes that
Mr.. Keene, the draughtsman for Punch.
has found vein of humor in the modern
English educational system. His little
schoolboys, when asked, "Who signed
horfo L.
"they didn't. Another boy, asked by a
pretty lady teacher to define a miracle.
replies, Mother says if you dun marry
new parson, twill be murracle." This
young lady reminds the reviewer that
Mr.; Keene seldom draws pretty women;
ne leaves that grace to Mr.. Du Maurier.
Professor Henri de la Harpe, who
died lately in Geneva, Switzerland, was
the successor of Merle D'Aubigny in the
presidency of the Geneva Theological
Seminary. He was of French extraction,
studied at the University of Edinburgh,
received the degree of B. S. at the Semi
nary OF Montauban, and occupied the
chair In 1887 of Old Testament Ex-
egesis at the Geneva Theological School.
He proved himself a great friend of
American institutions.
We quote the following paragraph
from the Personal Life of David Liv-
ingstone," by w. G. Blake, in regard to
his missionary beliefs:
My views of what is missionary duty
are not so contracted as those whose ideal
is dumpy sort of man with Bible
under his arm. have labored in bricks
and mortar, at the forge and carpenters
bench, as well as in preaching and medi-
cal practice. [ feel that l am not INV
own. L am serving Christ when shoot
ing buffalo for my men, or taking an
astronomical observation, or writingto one
OF his children who forget during the
little moment of penning a note, that
charity which is eulogised as thinking
no evil ,"
On Monday, December 10, Father
lgnatlus, concluding week of mission
services at Portsmouth, England, solemn
ly declared that he and two others had
seen the whole heavens open, and in
dazzling light and glory the form of
Majesty appear. He would ask Professor
Iyndall, with all his peculiar knowledge
OF hight, If he could satisfactorily explain
that by any scientific hypothesis. Either
ne was telling the truth in regard to
three apparitions or else it was blasphe-
nous lie; for he wished it to be under
stood that, although he was enthusiastic
in the cause of Christ he was in full pos
session Of his faculties.
The Rev. ]. Innocent, Chinese mis-
sionary, reports two noteworthy facts in
connection with one branch of his mis-
sion operations, which, he says, attest the
genuineness Of the conversion of the peo-
pie from heathenism. First, every fami-
ly in the village has given up iiolatry,
and attends Christian worship; secondly,
the village temple has, by the free con
sent and action of the people themselves.
been destroyed, the idols decently buried,
and the material of the temple used in
a large temple for the worship
OF the living and true God. These facts
indicate solid success.
There are in Syria proper, not in
Guiding Palestine, about II 900 children
in evangelical schools, of whom nearly
one-half are girls. In the city of Beirut
alone there are nearly 5000 children in
the various schools Of all sects, Of whom
5000 are under Protestant instruction.
Twenty years ago there were not 800
children at school in the entire o;t,