The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-19
FOREIGN CHURCH NEWS.

The Scottish Liberation Society adj
vises that now is the time for pressing the oues-
ton OF dlsestabllshment in Scotland, and that
the subject should be brought before the House
OF Commons without delay.
% the fact that there is growing
feeling among the Friends in favor of the visible
representation of certain ordinances new and
important illustration has lust been given in
London. An English exchange states that a
gentleman-not an obscure, but a we'll known
and somewhat prominent Frlend-whose name
recently appeared IN connection with docu
nent officially issued by the Society has been
baptized" His was taken up by the
Monthly Meeting with which he Is Connected
" one OF the most important Monthly Meetings
in England -and the result is he has not been
" dlsowned," but Is retained in membership.
DR.. Pressense brings, as an illustra-
ton of the superiority and prosperity of Free
over State churches, the case of the church of
Neufchatel. Founded not two years ago, in a
little country by no means wealthy it has been
able TO provide for all its own claims, and for
those of Its theological faculty, at the head of
which is the lllustrlous scholar, Godet.
The Rev. Alfred Cave, an able bibli-
cal scholar and critic says in the British and
Foreign Evangelical R eUie,O that he is familiar
with the whole of the voluminous and ARID
literature about the authorship of the Pen.
tateuch, and that he has never seen reasons on
purely literary, pathological, or historical grounds
for more than very slightly qualifying land that
mostly with regard to the Book. of Genesis) the
traditional view of the Mosaic authorship Of the
Pentateuch.
The fine old hymn, Rock of Ages, "
was translated by Mr. Gladstone into Latin,
and fell into the hands of some monks, and was
the convent thew Dayar draa ro;n1x a. -.
1t was a Protestant hymn, and never having
heard of Toplady
The London Times is amazed &c Il
may well be, with the severity of discipline in
the Roman Catholic Church 1t tells of Ro.
man Catholic priest who stated that "he had
quarrelled with his bishop, and was quite des-
ttute, and was lately admitted into the Not
tlngham workhouse a pauper." Cardinal
Manning is despot among his priests, and ex
tends his iron rule even to small things. He
forblds puddings at dinner, and cigars after
wards. lie permits bread, meat, and vegeta
bles, but lnstructs his priests that whatsoever is
more than these tendeth to gluttony.
MISSION ITEMs.-The Rev r. s
MIaciay says of missionary advantages in Japan
III seems that, In many respects the omen
lngs In Japan are more favorable than those in
other countries. In proof of this we NAV briefly
reier-First; to the social and political changes
IN the interests OF progress and modern civilsa
ton, that have recently occurred in Japan-
changes that would constitute new era in the
history of any country, and which have alreadv
done much towards placing Japan among the
Christian nations of the world. Second; To
the reverentlal, impressble enterprisng char.
acter OF the Japane e. a character to which the
claims OF Christianity have never been presented
in vain, and which, In the case of the japanese
gives brilliant promise of quick and glorious re-
turns to the church for her evangeistic efforts
IN this field. Third To the success which has
crowned the efforts of Protestant missions in
Japan, success achieved almost entirely during
a period OF eleven years QS69-1SS0) where by
the realisation of the Governments oppostion
70 Christianity, direct evangelical work In Japan
became possible, and success partially indicated
Dy the formation of Christian churches and the
growth Oh Christian communities in the capital
and most OF the chief cities of the EMPIRE etc
Ten years ago evangelical ministers were i'm
prlsoned for preaching the gospel in France
NOW, all France Is open to the pure gospel In
some OF the communes mayors preside at religious
meetings and introduce the preachers. This il
rue Doth In the cities and the provinces. And
sne people show an eagerness to listen Verify.
"le changes in France are wonderful
-Protessor Robertson Smith has ac-
ceued to the request of 557 ofice-bearers and
members of the Free Church in GLASGOW To de-
!iver a course Of lectures in that city in exposi
I ZION on the present state Of Biblical criticism
me lectures are to be twelve in number. to be
ueiivered on successive Mondays, beginning
WIN January 10th. The same course is to be
repeated in Edinburgh, where an additional
lecture Btt Is to be given before the Edinburgh
philosophical Institution on THE Spirit of
hebrew Poetry" Prof. Smith intends as he
says to show that true criticism has its roots in
i iul CONVECTION of the supreme authority of the
Bible as the Word of God and the rnle IF f,itb
ana ne, and how it proceeds on methods which
are the legitimate expression of this convection
~ ~ rrof smith means by this avowal that the
Ierman criticism, especially the utterly worth
less and Enthusiastically higher criticism Of
winch his published articles are simply a re-
hash, proceeds from any such conviction he ss-
iers what everybody knows is not true What
he has been advocating and illustrating as trne
criticism for the past three or four wears has
been purely the repetition of the Destructive
criticism of avowed opponents of inspiration
VINO declare IN the plainest terms that they do