The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-04

lack OF adequate means to support the dignity.
GENERAL ITEMS.
The National debt at the close Of
august 1860 hive months after the close of the
war, less cash in the Treasury. amounted 10
$2, 1852, 1882. In seventeen wears, ending
with the close of the August Just past, this was
reduced to Yl,65S 1926, III 90. The total re-
ductlon was therefore 81 1853, 736 DOG .96. or
forty-one per cent Of the principal.
-"Spick, span, and brand new" IS
thus explained: To spike or smear bs,onS
three things, the metal point or spike, the
handle or span, and the makers name or brand
Ii the spike. span, and brand are all new. the
whole weapon is new, and the expression would
thus signify perfectly new
The population of the earth has
long been fascinating study for statisticiane
Benin and Wagner, have lust published an
emended edition of a former work in GERMANY
They give the total as l ,433, 887, 5OO-whicb is
about 100000 less than their estimate two
years ago. They have concluded that China
mas 9o'0OO'OoO less than they formerly sup.
posed. There has thus been an actual increase
OF ABOUT 5o'oOO'oOO IN the population of the
gloDe-an increase, however, which must be
spread over ten years, as many of the recent
censuses are decennial. For Europe the present
population Is rated at 327. 743 400, showing an
increase of about 100000 over the nrev2ons
| hgures by the operation of the censuses. In
ASIA, making allowance for the reimbursement OF
the population of China. there has been an in
crease OF 100000, the present population
being set down at. 795, sol 900. Of course, the
estimates must sometimes be little better than
guesses example, for such places as Africa
For this continent DR.. Rohlfs maintains that an
estimate of 100000 is quite enough. while
Benin and Wagner retain the old figure OF 200.
Ooo'OOo with considerable hesitation
The FULTON STREET PRAYER
MEETING.-The Twenty fifth anniversary was
celebrated on Saturday, September 23d, in the
Middle Dutch church. or LAFAYETTE Place. New
York. DE- Talbot w. Chambers presided and
spoke for a brief moment or two of the grand
results of the meeting as contrasted with its
simple and lowly origin. The most striking
feature about 1t. he thought was the fact that
1t is still conducted in the same way, under the
same auspices and with the same object in
view as at the start. Prayer had ever been the
object In prayer we have fellowship with God
Where that goes on, religion lives; where it de.
cllnes, religion Ianguishes where it ends, re-,
ligion dies
Rev W. F. Crafts, of BROOKLYN, Conerega.
tionalist thought that the scientific doctrine
of the reign of law had been thrown as wet
blanket over prayer; yet between law and
prayer, there was no discord.
Rev. ]. S. Chadwick, of Brooklyn, (Metho
DIST said the study of history was always in
teresting: especially SO, the history of prayer.
Rev. DR.. T. Dewitt Talmage represented
the Presbyterian church. He asked how
1t was possible, in the ten minutes given to each
speaker, to sum up influences vast as eternity.
| The Fulton Street meeting he said had been a
grand meeting because here Christians of all de
nominations had forgotten their differences. as
they remembered two things,-frst, that they
were lost in sin, and then that they were
rescued by Christ. Moreover, the meeting
had revolutionized church prayer meetings. At
the tap of its bell stupid and prolonged
prayers had fallen dead 1t had cut off the
beginning and the end of many PRAYER. and
set 1T on fire in the middle Where once the
hour of the week night service was occupied by
three long hymns, three long prayers, and a
dead halt for remarks we had now ten hymns,
ten prayers, and ten glowing testimonies.
DR. VIM. w. Patton and DR.. J. M.
| Buckley have been discussing the question
whether lying is ever sinful. To monopolise
and exhaust such question is not fair to the
debating societies. Each of the distinguished
gentlemen is wholesale dealer in ethics. and
1T Is not Just to the lyGsum Solons for them TO
dispose of the most curious and attractive ETH.
cal goods at retail-but fortunately, they have
not exhausted the subject. They forgot to give
us definition of the principal term A lie is
any attempt to deceive with evil intent. Thu
essence of lie is the anmus in it, and it is bad
worse or worst, in proportion as the purpose i.
bad. The friendly rallery of light converse
ton, the exaggerations and burlesques of humor
the plot and narratives of fiction, are not lie.
1t would be SANDER TO characterize Walter Scott
Dickens, or Mark Twain as liars. DR.. Bulklev
says it would be right to deceive and mislead
an intending murderer off the trail of his pro
posed victim. Well, of course it would, but
that would not be lying Interior
"A WOMAN MUST BE UNCOVERED IN
| CoURT.-At the trial Of Mrs Turner as an &C
cessory to the murder Of Sir Thomas Overbury
Sir Edward Coke ordered the prisoner to remove
her hat, saying A woman may be covered in
church, but not when arraigned in a court NJ
justice" The accused tartly commenting on the
singularity that she might wear her hat in Tie
presence of God, but not in the presence of man.
Coke replied For the reason that man with
weak intellects cannot discover the secrets
which are known to God and therefore in m.
vestgating truth, where human life is in peril
and one is charged with taking life from an
other, the court should see all obstacles removed
Besides, the countenance is often an index to
the mind, and accordingly it is fitting that the
hat should be removed and Herewith the shad.
ow which it casts upon your face" Mrs. Tur.
ners hat was taken of, but she was allowed for
[ mOdestv's sake In cover bar boir yitb l..