The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-02-22
GENERAL ITEMS.

Rev. DR.. Mark Hopkins, of William
College, was eighty years old on the 4th inst,
and received a number of congratulatory mis-
sages. His mother died fourteen or fifteen wears
ago, aged over ninety
The growth by immigration of the
Lutherans in this country has been so large in
the past ten or twelve years that they have be.
come one of the halfdozen leading denomina-
lions. Their numbers are swelling yearly bv
an average OF about $4,000, and they aggregate
about three fourths of million.
Philadelphia is a pretty rich city.
Its taxable property amounts to $553 us, 229 :;
but 1t has debt OF $70,032 43O, and it pays
every year for salaries $3,8776l0. Municipal
governments are costly luxuries.
"A Scotch writer, who has been look
ing into the handbooks of worship of the Ro
man Catholic Church, finds the number of direc
tlons for spreading and folding the hands, bow
ing kneeling, kissing the altar, &c. to be $50.
Slight bows thirty seven, profound bows nine.
Queen Victoria sent the Pitcairn
Islanders fine organ, which the sturdy natives
waded int the surf to receive and bore on their
shoulders to the church The first tune played
was God Save the Queen"
1t is calculated that the Baroness
Burdett Couts pays 1858 900 year Ia thousand
dollars for every day Lat two) for the privilege
of having husband as her marriage reduces
her income by that amount.
AMHERST CoLLEGE.-There is con-
siderable religious interest in this COLLEGE
The State Executive Committee has been hold
ing series of union meetings with the First
church, and about fifty have expressed hone
IN Christ since the year begun. Out of 343
students 2l7 are protesting Christians; of these
1853 are Congregationallsts, twenty two Presbv-
Methodlsts, and six of other denominations. The
ratio increases during the four years as shown
by the fact that fifty nine per cent of the fresh
men and seventy per cent Of the seniors profess
to be Christians
Statistics show that not the rents
so much as the whiskey of Ireland is productive
OF Its woe. In $780, the last year for which the
returns have been made up the Irish people paid
more money to liquor dealers than to landlords
by nearly $1O,COO,OOO
There are many families in this country
whose drink costs more than their bread. If
Is the drink that is running our la5ori,,g
classes.
"A Turkish superstition has it that
when the mosque of st. Sophia falls in ruins
the Ottoman Empire will also be DESTROYED A
recent examination of the old mosque reveals
the ql TACT that 1T may collapse at any moment
put the empire Is In most dilapidated state an
lnsurrecuon has Just broken out in Arabia and
another OF considerable proportions prevails on
the northwestern frontier, with at least a nos.
siplilty that the warlike spirit may cross the
Turkish line The fall of the mosque should II
occur, might not be without effect on the fate of
the empire.
The yield of precious metals last
year according to the annual statement of
wells, Fargo d Co. was not remarkable. The
total gold yield west of the Mississippi was S3I
869,626 and the yield of silver amounted TO
942,011, 1923. The lead transported was valued
at Y6,36l,9 ,, and the copper is reported at 81
9o,OOO. From these figures it does not appear
that the world is to be flooded with silver from
American mines right away The California
mines yielded Y579O69 less gold and 1928 585
more silver In 1881 than in 1880 The falling
OH IN the Nevada yield of SO, 1874 .O57. and Of
the famous Comstock mines of So $50 43O is
specially noticeable The Eureka district pro
auced "a, II! go last year, against 81 639,O25
IN IN Io0O-a decline of S5l1 100 The Weld in
Utah has increased $3.50, 1856 in Colorado 81
oIz,I|I' and IN Arizona, So, 726, 295 over last
year. These figures show the auctnating
character of mining products and the chances iS5
the centre of production.
-PENNsY1RAN1A AS A CorroN STATE
"A new cotton State, 1t seems is about 10 he
added to the older ones. and strange to saw il
IS Northern State and no less a one Than
pennsylvania. A firm of cotton factors in
Philadelphia sent to the Atlanta Cotton Exno.
sitlon sample Of cotton plants and bolls said to
be specimens of half an acre grown bv them last
summer In Delaware county, Pa the first at
tempt ever made on so large a scale so far North
They propose to plant this year 300 acres. and
feel confident Of success, predicting a growth of
e'halt bale to the acre. The sample was
handPicked and ginned and grades about fair
middlng 1t was planted MAY % crew
slowly bloomed July 10 bolls formed Sepfen
Der I'D, and commenced to break September 20
heavy frost October g. without affecting fbe
crop, but rather tending to open the bolls more
rapidly. Southern authorities think that bv
the liberal use Of fertilizers it may be possible
70 force cotton to maturity in Pennsylvania and
ONO before 1t can be seriously injured by irosts
This scheme may or may rot be practical The
climate Of the Middle and Northern States is so
tickle and variable the cost of using fertilizers
IN sufficient quantities so great that it seems
hardly possible that any profit can be realized
from it.
few years ago no one would have tbougbt
OF Pennsylvania ever becoming Tobacco State
Now the Keystone weed is priced "a arnony tbo
best in the market. Possibly her enterprising
agriculturists will try their hand next on rice
and sugarcane.-Presbyterian Banner