The morning call., 1893-10-16
DID NOT PREACH.
ReY.Mr. Duncan's Friends
Disappointed.
His Former Pulpit Declared Vacant
DR.. Mackenzie breaches There
in the Evening.

Contrary to the expectations of num-
ber of people who had thought the matter
settled, Rev. Mr.. Duncan did not preach
at the Pacific Presbyterian Union Mission
yesterday morning.
Severa, would be churchgo ers who, not
knowing of any change in arrangement ts,
gathered at the mission at the hour ap-
pointed for service, found closed doors
confronting them, and were simply in-
formed that the meeting would not take
place. The majority of those. however.
who had elected TO sit under Mr.. Duncan's S
minisIration outside the walls of mis- for
mer church had been Informed on Satur-
day that the mi ssion would not be open to
them. so the number of disappointed ones
was not large.
Inquiry being made as to the change of
plan it was ascertained that Dir. Black
we'll, the superintendent, was supposed to
be responsible for the inhoS pitable appear
ance OF the mission yesterday morn ing.
AS Presbyterians of no less standing than
Thomas Magee, Charess A. LatoD. d. w
Horsburgh, James Horsburgh Jr. aud DR..
Hemphiil had been instrumental n secur-
ing promise OF tie place Tor the little
band who, positively refusing to continue
their aitendanc at the Howard Presbyte-
rian Church. under present circumstances.
found themselves in the uncomfortable
position of Noah's dove during its first
flights, considerable surprise is felt at the
present state OF affairs.
The gentlemen above mentioned, who
are all attendants at Calvary. did not in
any way ndorse or adopt the new move
ment. They simply thought it best TO
keep the thirty or forty concerned therein
within the fold Of presbyterianism, aud
were willing to help them secure place
in which 10 worship. AS the Pacific
Presbyterian Union Mission belongs to no
special church, but to the whole presby-
tery, it was ron sidered that there could be
no objection to the holding of services
there, but events have proved the contrary
to be true.
The matter will probably be fully con-
sidered during the week and some definite
decision and plan arrived at before next
Sunday.
The Presbyterian Mission, known as the
Doane Mission, as it is conducted by Rev.
f. A. Doane, which is situated abont two
blocks souh of the Pacific Union Mission,
held services as usual. In the evening the
preliminary steps were taken TO organize
this mission into regular church, ana IA
petition signed by the members on this
occasion will be presented to the presby-
terry as sooD as possible.
The evening service at the Howard
PRESBYTERIAN Church was conducted by
Rev. DR.. Mackenzie, who was deputed by
the presby terry at their last stated meeting
to declare the pulpit vacant.
DR.. Mackenzie opened the meeting by
reading a selection from the psalms, fol-
lowed by portions OF the twelfth and
thirteenth chapters Of Pauls first epistle
to the Corinthians, which he accompa-
MED by brief explanatory remarks.
After an earnest prayer, n which he
particularly besought that Gods blessing
might rest upon those absent from their
accustomed ilaces, DR.. Mackenzie deliv-
cred the message which had been intrusted
to him.
"At the last meeting of the presby terry"
he said, your pastor asked to be released
from the rastorate Of this church. Your
representatives there present joining in
this request, the presDytery decided to
dissolve the relation existing between him
and you, and / have been sent to declare
to you their action. aud tell you that the
way Is clear for you to secure another
pastor"
Continuing. DR.. Mackenzie made touch
ing reference to his former past0rate eight
years since in the church the pulpit of
which he was TO occupy for the evening,
and then announced his text, which was
Deut. xxx 80 s'The secret things belong
to the Lord our God, but those things
which are revealed belong TO us and to our
children forever"
The discourse was fervent plea to all
humanity to discontinue the searching
into the mystery of our existence and en-
vronment, which has, the speaker said,
"beeome a passion with mankind" but
leaving the secret things" to God, 60 on
in the light revealed 10 US and simply.
plainly, honestly and earnestly do our
duty.
The principal point made was the re-
lation of knowledge to duty. and it was
clearly shown that duty was paramount
always.
Man sets out on foggy sea-" said DR..
Mackenzie, land his fraii bark is sur
rounded by little circle of light; beyond
that is an enshroudiDg mist, into which
his eye can by no means penetrate. The
only thing Tor him to do is to do his best in
the light that is his and trust God for the
rest. The man who does his duty to-day
need have no fears for tomorrow. The
uDknowable need have no terr0rs for the
man who does the best he knows in all
ways"
In the course of his sermon DR.. Macken-
ze scored those who prey upon the weak
side of human nature by pretending to see
through the mists that surround u.s." The
advertisements of this nature which appear
In the columns of the daily press he stig-
platized as ''diabolical." and he declared
that IL was ''diabolism still more diaboli-
cal to come. as these pretenders do. to
hearts bowed down with sorrow and tell
them false tales OF their beloved ones and
the beyond"
The Orloff diamond is now set in the
Russian scepter just under the eagle on
top.