The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-01-07


ample of Japan.
The ArdrosSdn Herald is respon-
sible for racy anecdote of the late
Sir Peter Coats and a Free Church
minister, now also deceased, who
filled charge in a village, near the
Ayrshire residence of the worthy
knight. A few years ago, before
leaving on trip to America, Sir
Peter called at the manse of his
neighbor to bid him goodbye, but
as the good man was from home a
card was left on which Sir Peter
had written in pencil the usual for
mula, "P. p. c." But the French
valedictory message conveyed by
these initials was unknown to the
minister, who after long cogitation
arrived at an Interpretation which
he duly intimated from his pulpit
on the following Sabbath. He
gravely informed his flock that their
FRIEND and neighbor, Sir Peter Coats
had gone to America, but before
leaving had called at the manse,
and, not finding him at home, had
left his card with the letters "P. p.
c." written in pencil upon it. These
letters he interpreted as signifying
"Pray for Peter Coates;" and he ac-
cordingly led his people in prayer
for the safe conduct and return of
the genial knight. No one had the
courage to tell the minister of his
mistake, and he never omitted the
special prayer for Sir Peter until he
returned.
The New York World recently
gave a list of 122 Americans who
count their wealth at more than five
million dollars each. At the head
of the list are John D. Rockefeller
and William Waldorf Astor with
$125,000,000 each, and Jay Gould
with $100,000000. Both Rockefeller
and Gould started without a cent,
as did the majority of the others in
the list. Twenty years ago Rookie
Teller was a small store-keeper in
Cleveland, Ohio, and previously
had been a newspaper reporter. Jay
Gould was farmers boy in New
Jersey, and used to drive the COWS,
barefooted, when he was twelve
years old. Not one of the self-made
millionaires, the World points out,
is a drinking man. Not one of the
leading millionaires uses tobacco
and not one uses profanity.
Underlying all other public
questions, pressing, persistent, COM
handing, is the subject of educa-
ton. Important in every civilized
nation, it is in America of para
mount interest. In America we
have 100000 children enrolled in
the public schools alone; how to in
crease this attendance, how to lower
absenteeism, how to vast no money,
no energy, no time, but to make
every effort tell what methods are
best; what studies are essential !;
what influences are TO be stimu-
lated how to reach the hearts, the
minds, the consciences of these
children what ideals to put before
them-these are matters of most
profound concern. Our public
schools require BAT ,292 teachers, and
cost annually 1922, 455,252, or did
two years ago. These figures simply
show the magnitude of the system,
and are staggering even to the
Imagination but it is to be remem-
bered that the United States pen
sion list calls for more money than
the schools receive. The future of
the Republic is committed to these
100000 children, and to the hun
dreds of thousands in private and
sectarian schools to these, and not
to one or the other of the political
parties; to these, and not to any
Church, not to any organization
whatever.-LoltiSUdLe Courier-Jour-
nal.
1t appears to be the belief of
some that as man in the savage
state has for the most part been
largely, if not wholly, carnivorous,
he will, with the progress of civiliza-
ton, become entirely vegetarian,
or use only the products of animals,
as eggs and milk, with vegetable
food. A vegetable diet has been
found very successful in treating
kidney trouble and indigestion. In
point of economy it is an enormous
saving, not only in actual cost to the
consumer, but also in land, as of two
equal portions of ground, one rails
ing a cereal and the other beef or