The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-07-15
GENERA GITEMS.

In Alabama is China tree ten feet
in circumference. It's top was torn away by a
storm; but six feet up the trunk two more trees
have taken root and grown high as the old
tree Is. Half way up the trunk of the original
tree peach tree stands out, and s now filled
with fruit
"A singular state of things has been
revealed in England. 1t has been ascertained
that the chief part of the business done in the
telegraph offices there on the Sabbath is the
transmission of betting messages" AS there
Is law against betting it is thought singular
that the violators of the law should be found
among the government officers.
If the Los Angeles HeroH is to be
credited. vast deposit of crystal or pebble
stone" has been discovered in the interior of Cali
fornia, the mineral being of the purest form of
crystallized quartz, from which eyeglasses and
lenses for opera-glasses, microscopes and tele-
scopes are made. A specimen brought in is
equal to the best Brazilian pebble, and cuts even
glass like diamond.
DR.. Charles S. Robinson, of New
York, ringingly struck liturgical services on the
head when he said recently never knew
working pastor in Presbyterian Church to
desire liturgy as an aid in his work. 1t seems
to me to come entirely from theory and the pro-
fessors in theological seminaries, and to mean a
lethargy instead of liturgy"
The price of land in England, as
shown by recent sales has fallen surprisingly
low. A fine place in Suffolk, consisting of 378
acres, divided into two farms with a mansion
house in small park, recently sold for $2S, 900,
which few years ago was valued at over $780,
600; and farm in Lincolnshire, which not long
ago cost $4OO an acre, has just been sold at
$2l0 an acre.
DR.. Howard Crosby, in a sermon de-
llvered in Dartmouth College, made sharp
thrust at the critics who are dismembering the
Pentateuch, and assigning Deuteronomy to
period after the Babylonian captivity. He said
p" Imagine, ii you can, the Messiah, in selecting
the fttest words to meet Satan's assault, taking
up fragment of forged book, book which
was stupendOus lie, framed by priestcraft"
The Railroad Gazette reports the
construction in the United States of 677 miles
thus far this year, against l104 miles at the cor
responding date in 1884 1866 miles in 1888.
4l66 miles in. 1882, 1872 miles in 1881, 1899
miles IN 1880, 76l miles in 1879, COG miles in
1878, 6l8 miles in 1877, 673 miles in 1876, 4O7
miles in 875, 637 miles in 1874. 1903 miles in
1878, and 249l miles in 1872. This statement
covers main track only, second tracks and sid
ings not being included.
Miss Sabat Mardo Islamboly; a
'nieceJof Mr.. Barakat, from Damascus was among
the passengers who arrived June Both 1885 on
the steamer Indiana, and comes to PHILADELPHIA
to study medicine at the Women's Medical Col
lege. She was converted through the mission
work In Damascus and was lately teaching in
the IRISH Presbyterian school for girls in that
city. Through the efforts of the Dean of the
College, Prof Rachel Bodley, NJ. D., Miss
lslamboly will be educated and sent as a medi
cal missionary among her countrywomen in
Syria. She is the first Syrian female medical
student that has come here.
The Boston correspondent of the
Examiner says:
The Episcopal Theological Seminary at
Cambridge has just graduated a Senior Glass of
eight members. 1t is evident that apostolic
succession is no safeguard against rationalizing
tendencies; for this school, established as an an
tldote to the High Church spirit of the New
FORK Seminary, welcomes the largest liberalism
of the age. Some of its professors might COM
pete for honors with Unitarian leaders of the
extreme left wing. One of its faculty still re-
tains the influence of his former Baptist train
ing and is probably more evangelical than anv
OF his colleagues. But the whole school fee 8 a
strong pressure from the environment of Har-
ward, and the trend is strong toward ultra Ra-
tionalism."
The Board of Managers of the Amer
ican Bible Society call attention to the mistake
so generally prevalent, that owing to invested
funds and legacies it is no longer in need of con-
tributions from auxiliary societies, churches and
individuals. They say that during the four
years ending March 3lst 1885 the available re-
celpts have fallen short Of the expenditures bv
Y255, ,O9799, and the Managers of the Society
view with anxiety the heavy draft thus made
upon the reserve fund which IS relied upon to
continue the work without interruption from
temporary diminution of income" This state
ment IS also made The necessary expend-
lures for the translation, publication aud dis
trIbution Of the Scriptures in foreign lands
amounts to $4,000 a ear, and the annual
distribution Of Bibles Testaments, and portions
abroad exceeds half million copies OF these
10000 are circulated IN Mexico Cuba. and
South America. $4,000 IN Russia and Siberia
5O 600 IN the Levant. Al 600 in Japan, 223 900
in China and the remainder in different coun
tries OF Europe, Asia and Africa. The mission
ary societies Of the United States look to the
American Bible Society for generous aid in sup
plying them with Scriptures for the work of
foreign evangelization. - Presbyterian Banner
Writing from Jerusalem, Mr.. James
r. Hanauer chronicles in The Aheup,en an
interesting discovery near Sura'a the ancient
IOrah which lay near the southeast boundary of
Dan and the north h-west boundary Of Judah
Hearing that a remarkable stone had been
noticed on a hillside near Sura'a by one Of the
Jewish settlers at Artoof Mr.. Hanauer visited
the place, and found not a mOnOith as he had
been led to suppose, but an actual rock altar
with steps. The dimensions Of the altar have
not yet been found, as its base is covered by
earth and heavy stone blocks, but four or FIVE
feet Of Its height are above ground. This altar
rs only quarter Of q mile distant from Suraa