The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-08-26

the high-priced hotels, or at private
boarding-houses. The resident pop
ulation of Saratoga are generally
good Christian people, which fur
nishes, after all, the very best
guarantee of fair treatment CDR.
Srong's," " in the walls of which
charming place for quiet people we
are now spending our fourth season,
was never so good. An elevator, a
sky-parlOr, roof promenade, and
other Improvements added during
the past year, combined with the
elements of comfort which it before
possessed, make it, to us, the most
delightful summer resting place we
have found anywhere. The class of
people who come here, year after
year, are among the best in the
land; and the cultivated gentleman
and his lovely family who preside
over the house, spare no pains to
contribute to the comfort and enter
tainment of the one hundred and
fifty guests who abide under their
roof. Prayers in the parlor at nine
o'clock every morning, is feature
which contributes-much to the tone
of the house, and, no doubt, operates
not only to bring good people hither,
but also to keep bad ones away.
Among the guests of this season
may be mentioned: DR.. Cuyler of
Brooklyn, Bishops Cranberry of
Richmond, and Hurst and Foss of
the Northern Methodist Church
Rev. DR.. Warren, president of Bos-
ton University, and Rev. Mr.. Ball,
successor of DR.. Leyburn in a large
church in Baltimore. But one of
the most interesting incidents of
our sOjourn is the coincidence of
your correspondent meeting with
three of his cherished classmates of
student life atUnion Seminary, Vir-
ginia, Rev. Drs. John f. Cannon of
st. Louis, George Summey of Ches-
ter, SC, and L. b. Turnbull of Rich
mond, Va. To be together again,
under one roof, after eighteen years
of labor in widely separated fields,
has been most delightful
A few days ago we availed our
selves Of the opportunity of hearing
in the Episcopal church, the Right
Rev. Henry G. Potter, d. D., LID,
Bishop of New York. 1t was on the
feast of the TRANSPORTATION, and his
sermon was based upon that bril-
liant event in our Lords life which
has always been a favorite topic for
the consideration of His thoughtful
followers. But the Bishops sermon
was a disappointment; not as to its
diction, but its doctrine. The OBJ
ject of the speaker was to encourage
prayers for the dead, a custom not
approved by any cannon of the Epis-
copal Church. He said, "If we pray
for our loved ones when they 90 to
a distant country like China or In
dia, why should our intercessions in
their behalf cease when they leave
us for another wOrld?' The answer
is obvious-because if they have
gone to perditiOn, the Bible saws
between hell and heaven "there is a
great gulf fixed, and those who
would pass cannot" And, on
the other hand, many passages OF
Gods word teach the doctrine well
expressed in the Westminster Cate
chism. "The souls of believers are
at their death, made perfect in holi-
ness, and do Immediately pass into
glory their bodies being still united
to Christ, do rest in their graves
until the resurrection" / should
like to ask the Bishop one question
If you got down on your knees tC
pray for a saved soul that is gone IL
be forever with the Lord, what coulC
you ask for? They are already per.
fectly blessed and have entered
upon the full enjoyment of God tC
/ all eternity The sweetest thought
about our dead i'm Christ, is tha-
they have passed above the need o.
prayer. ROBERT p. KERR.