The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-11
THE CHURCH And UNBELIEF.
Attitude Of ths One 10 Tho Other Before
ths EcumenlCal Conference.
ABLE ADDRESSES ON THE SUBJECT.
bible Criticism and its Probable Result
Also Subjects OF Dissussion--A Re
suit of Reciprocity.

Conference was presided over by Rev. VIII
liam Arthur, Of England. =. M. Bunting. oi
london. was to have delivered an essay on
The Influence of Modern Scientific Progress
on Religious Thought" but as he was uh-
avoidsbly absent the essay was read by D. d.
Slack, NJ. A.. of London.
Rev. NJ. S. Terry. Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church. Evanston. H., made an adj
dress on the subject The attitude OF the
Church toward the various phases OF IN
belief lie said the Church had no dlVlne
commission es an organization 10 pronounce
indictment on any disputed point IN science.
philosophy or literary criticism. She tran
scen5ed her sphere when she attempted 20 IN
terfere with scientistsin in the settlement Of their
vered problems some people insisted that
Christians shouid explain all the points IN the
Scriptures on which their minds were not
clear. and bade Christians explain the great
problem of Jonah and the whale before they
were willing to believe. She welcomed all
Investigations and ought 20 do so. She had
no fear OF any serious or permanent injury
from any conflict between science and rehg-
ion but when the people had done their best
20 solve the great mysteries of the worl1
they should not ask the believers 10 give up
their faith and their belief IN God as the first
cause back Of all phenomena
BIBLE CRITICISMS.
The second address was delivered by Rev.
Mr.. Dawson. of Surry. England. Its subject
was on Bible criticism. He SAID II was not
generally recognized that te1tual criticism OF
the Old and New Testaments was desirable
and inevitable The process Of ascertaining
accurately and SCIENTIFICALLY the precise
original text was difficult and complex. In
the case of the New Testament the new
methods to be adopted and the results thus
reached were accepted by scholars with fairly
general consent. but in the case Of the Old
Testament much less progress has been made.
Many circumstances retarded the investiga-
tion. and the present exact critical value of
the MassOratic or traditional text remained
70 be determined.
President Dawson then discussed the prob
able results of criticism.
At the conclusion of the addresses discus
sion Of the subjects Of the morning session
WAS participated in by the delegates in five
minute speeches. five-minute addresses
were made by Rev. Frank Ballard of Liver
pool Eng Wesleyan Methodist Church Rev.
Dr. j. NJ Buckley of New Ork Rev. +. II.
Dewart Of Toronto; Rev. James Crabtree. Of
Manchester. Eng: Rev. William Arthur, of
London; Bishop Keener. and many others.
The session then adjourned for the day.
The members OF the conference went TO
Mount Vernon this afternoon.
RESULT OF THE RECIPROCITY TREATY.
The Bureau OF American Republics is in
iITIleu kLhh oHt Oh bAt ItbQlbc Rl bIS BStlptR-
city treaty with Brazil is the sale of one hun
dred and twenty-eight locomotives in that
republic by a locomotive works of Philadel-
phia, and in addition TO this twenty-four loco
motives are now being loaded at Philadelphia
Tor Brazil on the barkentines Maggie Thomp-
son and Eleanor NJ. Williams.
Under the reciprocity treaty with Brazil
locomotives and railway supplies from the
United States are admitted free of duty. and
the railway supplies Of that republic, which
were formerly exclusively of English manu-
facture, are now being rapidly replaced by
articles Of American manufacture.
AGRICULTURAL REPORT.
The October report Of the statistcian of the
Department of Agriculture relates 10 yields
per acre of grain and condition of corn. pota-
toes buokwheat and tobacco. The estimated
average yields are. Wheat. 10 bushels, oats,
2aS; barley, Z5.S; rye, l4.4. The condi-
ton of the corn crop Is 92.5; buck
wheat g2.7: potatoes, yl.3; tobacco. 1913
The yield Of wheat in throshlng has in
most districts proved higher than the appar-
ent condition of the crop at harvesting would
indicate. Ia the Ohio Valley States and IN the
spring wheat region the exceptional indyid-
ual yields have been more numerous than
usual carrying the State average to the verge
of the best records Of former years. The
averages Of the Middle States are nearly as
high. California presents q disappointing
>
and some districts notably the San joaquin
Valley. producing yields that are nearly fail
ures The average yields of oats are higher
than early returns OF condition would
indicate, though that OF last month showing
condition when harvested was the highest Tor
several years. slightly above the record OF
l-St Oats have evidently shared the bench
cent influences of the present season, yield
ing quite ~ to the popular expectation. The
tane may be said Of barley. The corn crop
was very promising last month. though a
little late IN danger of frost above the lati-
tpde OF 40 degrees and somewhat injured
already IN more nOrtherly districts
has improved during the month IS the result
Of the high temperature of the last two or
three weeks. A good crop IS assured. PO-
ttoes. which we're IN some sections threat
ened with rot on the 1T of September, have
come through the month in good condition
With the loss Of only half point. There
Was 8 slight lowering Of condition in Maine
and IN some states an improvement WAS
made. The average condition OF tobacco WAS
materially advanced during September by
lie fine weather for maturing.
CONDITION or COTTON.
Ment OF Agriculture makes the general
average Of the condition Of cotton 1871.
against s2.7 a month ago. Last year in 90
tODer lt was so. Besides this unfavOrable dlt-
ference IN condition the crop Is late this year,
and the chances against repetition OF last
year extraordinary length OF season OF
growth
The average condition by States Is "a fol-
lows Virginia. 72 North Carolina. 20; South
carolina, ~ Georgia. IS; Florida. "a; Ala
Dana. l6, Mississippi. a.; louisiana ~,
Texas. 7s Arkansas, rs: Tennessee, 10. The
Atlantic coast breadth has suffered more
nom adverse conditions than the Gulf
coast areas. Excess of moisture n August |
an early IN September with drought
ana high temperature tested the vitality
o. The plauts of the coast region
severely. causing shedding of leaves and
u,Q.l!s. premature opening and 3 light yield
vest oi the Mississippi there was Nariabie
tohpeiatnre. This section reports q smaller
loss o! fruitage by sudden changes Of tenn
pei"i0re and rainfall than the moro eastern
states. here are insect losses somewhat
general. though not unusual or very heavy.
tnIouEn most Of the cOttOn-belt from the
ca'efpiler. boll-wOrm aud army worm, es-
peciaiy IN bottom lands.
WASHINGTON NOTES.
=, The President in the cases of Pick Mills,
uu,enIy Mills. Daniel X Mills. Horace Davis, |
W. >: DAVIS aud j. =. Cramer of Mississippi. |
convicted Of Illicit dstlllng and sentenced |
sach u pay o fine of fi00 and costs and to 10 |
i,uprsoned IN county Jail for thirty days, |
aas RENTED the sentence Of each in the mat /
Yer "' paying the fine and costs. but refused |
" remit tue Imprisonment
hepDftS received M tho War DopartuQnt I