The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-06-21
FOREIGN CHURCH NEWS.

In the Free Church of Scotland DR..
Mcdonald. one of the intimate friends of Robert
Murray McCheyne, was Moderator. He made
name for himself in the early history of the
Free Church by raising $25, 900 for the School
Fund of the church within year. II was no.
ticed that throughout the sittings DR.. Mcdonald
always appeared in court dress, even to the lace
adornments.
The Free Church listened to an
eloquent East Indian Rev P Raiahgopaul. of
Madras. His speech on Missions was an ora
torical triumph, resembling the days when DR..
Duff was wont to thrill the Assembly with his
great missionary appeals.
Since the Disruption in 1913 the
Free Church of Scotland has raised for its sup
port and for missionary and benevolent work
more than $76,oo0,OOo.
The new Hymnal of the Free Church
has been published and $4,000 copies already
sold.
The use of instrumental music in
public worship was before the Assembly. DR..
Begg utterly failed to get vote against it, 1t
was RENTED to a committee, to report to the
next Assembly. Dr. Rainey said that he was
ready for liberty to the churches on this sub
ject.
The Rev. Mr.. Cameron, of Free St.
Johns, Glasgow, has been elected to the Chair
of Hebrew at Aberdeen, Scotland, vacant by
the removal of Professor Robertson Smith
Two of the Free Church Synods
decided recently in favor of liberty to use in
strumental music-Aberdeen by "a to IA, and
Fife by 16 to 10. The new Free Church
Hymnal is now issued, containing the "Te
Deum," the Gloria in Excelsis," and a collec-
ton of Scripture sentences.
The young Earl of Aberdeen was the
Lord High Commissioner at the Assembly of the
Kirk" Lady Aberdeen was also present in
Edinburgh, and old Hollywood Palace was the
scene of large receptions and other festivities.
Manitoba, the distant province of
the Dominion this side of the Atlantic, was
brought before the Assembly by Professor Brice,
of Winnipeg and help sought for the founding
of Presbyterianism among the new homes of the
emigrants.
1t shows the advance of kindly feel
ing among the divided sections of the Presbv
terrain Church in Scotland that the General As
sembly of the Established Church adjourned for
time that the members might attend the
funeral of the Rev. DR.. Hanna, the son inl-aw
and biographer of DR.. Chalmers, the old leader
of the Free Church.
=" 1t is satisfactory to notice" says
an Oxford correspondent of the London Atheno
An, how completely, so far the few attempts
made to rescue clerical fellowships from destruc-
ton have failed, and we NAV hone that q. sirni
lar want of success will attend the Bishop of
Lincoln's proposal to reject the statutes of Lin
coin College The truth is, that almost every
one who knows anything of Oxford as it Is
knows that clerical fellowships are nothing but
hindrance and stumbling block in the way
OF religion here while the best of the resident
clerical members of the University are, as
rule, men who have never held clerical fellow
ships at all"
The General Assembly of the Irish
Presbyterian Church met in Belfast on the first
Monday of this month. 1t has Synods. 81
Pres6yterles 537 congregations, 62l ministers
2O93 elders, 7,077 deacons, 100, 54S communi-
cants LOIS Sabbath schools, with 1914 teach
ers and 8lO47 enrolled scholars. The contribu
tons of the congregations and Sabbath schools
OF the church for the year 1881, amounted to
Gao, 749. W
The London Christian World, giving
an account of the address of the Moderator If
the English Presbyterian Synod, said: He
refuses IN the name of the church in which he
Is Moderator, to be tempted into 'semi-secular
seml-sacred sensationalism And it added
10 combine order with liberty is certainly one
OF the things we have learned to expect from
Presbyterians."
Rev. R. J. Nevin, D. D., Rector of
the Protestant Episcopal church in Rome. for
which he has received large contributions from
Americans and Englshmen, is again in this
country for brief visit. In respect TO attract
ing Roman Catholics in Italy to Protestant
churches he says " 1t is difficult to please the
Italian Catholic element with the Protestant
form Of worship. They may regard our teach
ing as sound enough. but the elaborate ceremony
and line dramatic music which the Roman
Catholic Church offers, they miss on coming TO
the Episcopal and Methodist churches and thew
would rather be lukewarm Catholics than de
vout Protestants." Concerning the general luke
wyarmness of the Italians towards Roman Cath
olclsm, he says The whole Italian Senate
are disposed that way. They never 90 to church
and do not attend to their duties as Catholics in
any way yet, if you ask them to what Church
they belong, they will tell you to the Church Of
Rome. They are disposed to become NOTHING,
H ms Is true Of high and low throughout The
King himself does not attend divine service
and by all the laws Of excommunication the
Queen is outside the Church."