The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-12-13
GENERAL ITEMS.

1t is relate. that in Auburn a rose
bud from garden was placed in the hand of
dead child: Before the funeral the bud gradu-
ally unfolded. and at the time of the service had
become Hover an incident suggestive and
full of pathos.
Professor j. D. Dana, learned and
widely known geologist of Yale College, says of
the first chapter of Genesis =" Examining it
as geologist, | find it to be In perfect accord
with science; therefore, as a Christian, assert
that the Bible narrative must be inspired"
San Francisco has four palatial
houses, worth together more than $4,000, 900.
Their owners, Ex-Governor Stanford. Charles
Croker, Mrs. Mark Hopkins, and Mr. Clinton,
represent about $3.50, 100000 The magnificent
structures stand unoccupied about ten months
of each year.
One who styles himself Jewish
Nationalist" has been looking over some of the
opinions of Mr.. Beecher, which he is now for
mulating into system" and thinks it an
inconsistency to avow faith in the Trinity, the
greatest of mysteries, and yet to reject eternal
punishment which is as fully taught in the
New Testament as the Trinity So say we.
DIAMOND Cur DIAMOND. "A
High-church Episcopalian" in the Ti,depen-
dent says: -" There is actually room inside the
Episcopal Church for nine-tenths of the Evan
gelical sects, so-called, if they only could open
their eyes and their minds wide enough to see
1T and understand it." A High-church Baptist
replies Yes, these rooms have been To Let
for long time, and are likely to be vacant for
a long time to come. The few who wander
about in these huge vacant places must be lone
some"
The WEEK OF PRAYER.-In this
city the meetings during the Week of PRAYER
will be held in the Madison square Presbyterian
church (Dr. Parkhurst's), daily at $50 o'clock P.
| M The general topics are as follows
Monday, Jan. s, Praise and Thanksgiving ::
Tuesday. Jan. 8, Humiliation and Confession ;
Wednesday, Jan. 10, Prayer for Families :
Thursday, Jan. II Prayer for the Church UNI
yersal; Friday, Jan. II, Prayer for the Nations
Saturday, Jan. l3, Prayer for Missions-N. Y.
| Observer.
Another excellent example of the
rlghtful power of the State in matters that per-
tain to Caesar comes from Italy. The tenants
on certain estate refused to pay some extraor-
binary taxes that had been levied whereupon
execution was Issued against the property, with
due notice to the owner, who happened to be
the Pope The notice, which was in the usual
legal form, read To Citizen Joachim Pecc ;
| by trade or profession, Pope conducting busi-
ness (also residing) at the Vatican Palace, Rome"
The taxes were promptly paid, and a receipt
gwen to Citizen Joachim Pacci"
"A writer from Sitka, Alaska saws
One can scarcely imagine the wickedness that
abounds among the Russian population here.
The Russian priests do very little for their
charge, The funeral services seem such a
mockery to me. One of the distressing scenes
witnessed was a passport to heaven" which
the priest brought out and read aloud to the
audience. After reading it was placed in the
hand OF the dead woman, to be handed on her
arrival at the entrance of the heavenly gate. a
recommendation from the priest to Cod The
priest will put on his church robe and 90 to the
gambling table, and from there to the deatb-bed
to administer to the dying.
The Outlook, of London, makes a
vigorous plea for an English Presbyterian
Church, not Scotch one encamped" in Eng
land. This, 1t thinks is a popular impression
which is a disadvantage to the Presbyterian
Church of England. It has too much of a
CALIFORNIAN stamp, and so becomes the haunt of
ScOtchmen only. In the opinion Of the writer
l" The only possible future for Presbyterians is
to develop an English Presbyterian1sm on the
ground Of the Westminster Assembly's doctrine
and polity, with due adaptation to advanced
experience. The Presbyterian Church that
would bless England must be English. Scot
fish Church on this side Of Berwick-on-Tweed
can do no more than gather Coledonian coteries.
"A brother Of "a practical turn of
mind wandered into the meeting OF the Cler;-
cal Union in the city of New York one day last
month. DR.. Edward Beecher was discussing
the question, " Is probation limited to this life 2i
He was going in the usual way urging that
there IS no reason to deny its possibility, and
that it may" continue, and that there is a
| probability" that it will and that it could not
be proved or disproved," and a great deal
more Of theology with an i in it. The prac-
tical brother rose up at the end and proposed a
vote on the question whether, if the doctrine Of
} future probation for heather, infants, lunatics
3 and idiots were preached, a majority of hearers
would not hasten to range themselves under one
Z Of these classes, not greatly caring which. The
meeting, we are told, broke up before a vot,
was reached