The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-02-14

their Church authorises them to do,
whether they have committed the crime
or not. The same manual says "Mur-
der is unjustly (page 23) taking away
another's life;" while underneath this
explanation there is this curious note APP
pended " 1t is not sin to desire some
temporal misfortune to another that it
may make him cease to give scandal, or
be converted, or not persecute the good.
So long. as this is the teaching instilled
into the minds Of large portion of the
Irish peasantry, farewell, say we, to the
expectation of any very decided improve
ment IN the moral state of Ireland.
A Pleasanter Theme.
Moody and Sankey are coming to Bel
fast on the 9th of February. They have
been in Dublin lately. Some of the meet
ngs IN Dublin were so crowded that many
were unable to find seats, and had to 90
away. Belfast is on the tiptoe of expec-
tation. 1 will likely tell you something
subsequently about this visit to Belfast
Meanwhile l pray for blessing on their
labors.
What About Spurgeon
think it was DR.. Cuyler, of Brooklyn,
who, after being in this country, wrote
There is only one Spurgeon. If every
utterance of the sanity Doctor is as true
as this one, he is greater man than l
ever gave. him credit for being. But to
return to Spurgeon. Work is telling on
the Tabernacle pastor. Referring on
Sunday morning last to the state of his
health, he apologised to his flock for his
absence from several meetings during the
week. He went on to say that he hoped
his strength would continue to improve
so as to enable him to get through all his
usual work. He afterwards made a,feel-
ing allusion to the death of one of his
deacons.
I Another Great Engllshman Sick.
Gladstone is at Mentone at present on
sick leave. Before he left our shores a
young lady, who was suffering from con-
sumption, sent Mr.. Gladstone a book
mark, with the motto, 1.-THE Bible our
Guide" Mr.. Gladstone sent the follow
ing autograph letter in reply: Dear
Madam,-I am greatly touched by your
kindness in having worked book mark
for me under the circumstances at which
you glance in such feeling and simple
terms. So may the guidance which you
are good enough to desire on my behalf
avail you fully Oh every step of that
journey in which, if l do not precede,
cannot but expect shortly to follow"
The King is Dead. Long Live the King.
That is, Archbishop TAFT is dead, but
Archbishop Benson is living. The eleva-
ton of the Bishop of Truro to the Pri-
macy of England, came somewhat as a
surprise DR.. Benson was not among
those whom the press and the public had
uppermost in their minds. Up to the
present he has been more of working
than Of controversial Bishop He is an
able man, with great powers of organiza-
tlon. He is High Church without being
Rltualistic. It's currently reported here
that he has no particular love for Non
conformists. This may be SO, and pro-
vlded it If, so much the worse for the
Archbishop, and so much the worse for
the rchbishop's Church If you have
enemies who are bent on burning your
house, irritating them is not wise pol
icy. That a large section of the Noncon-
formists of England are at present bent
on pulling down the English Church Es-
tablisbment is an undoubted fact. For
the Archbishop of Canterbury to pursue
a policy Of determined opposition to them
must only hasten the accomplishment of
what is, at the best, only matter of time
the destruction Of establishments in
England.
secessions from the English Church.
The Ritualistic Churches in Kensing-
ton continue to fulfil their natural func-
tlons as recruiting grounds for Rome
Not many weeks ago curate at All
Saints, Kensington Park, seeded. This
week there is an authorised announce
ment made that one OF the staff at St.
Matthias's has been received into the
Church Of Rome"
Prayers for the Dead.
1t was complained against Leicester
clergyman belonging to the English
Church, that he had announced his in
tentlon Of celebrating the holy commun-
ion 3" for the repose Of the soul of DR..
Pusey.' The Bishop Of Peterborough.
after saying that he has told the clergy
man referred to that he has infrinped the
rubrlc, proceeds to inform the remon-
strants that prayers for the dead are not
necessarily a Romish rite-that there is
doctrine as to the state of the faithful
departed, and prayers for them founded
on that doctrine which are not Roman
but Primitive, and which the Church Of