Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-03

parish being priest-ridden in Belfast. For
while the ministers exercise a powerful
infiuSlce. they must stick closely to the
Westminster Catechism and the Confess
sion of Faith. and give that Interpretation
of the Scriptures which the members of
their congregation consider orthodox. or
they are likely to have trouble.
The Irish are the most old-fasllioned
kind Of Presbytcrians. being stricter than
the Scotch Few churches allow musical
Instruments or hymns that rhyme. and
the congregations follow precentor with
with turning frok in chanting RouSes
version of the Psalms of David The Rev.
Mr.. McGaughan. who recently returned to
Belfast with some modern ideas from the
Third Presbyterian Church i'm Chicago.
introduced an innovation in his order OF
service in the form of one hymn. His
congregation have finally accepted it to
please their minister, but one prominent
member of the church declined to be
party to such frivolous and unorthodox
proceedings. gave up his pew and has
AIKEN n letter of dismissal TO another
hurch in the neghborhood. which sticks
, the customs of his fathers.
Keep Sabbath Holy Till Afternoon.
The people here remember the Sabbath
lay TO keep 1t holy. until afternoon.
here are no railway trains or street cars
.'unning III the morning and you cannot
20 boats. arrive or depart from the docks
sunday, and when / took walk along
10 river front last Sunday / found the
IN who were accustomed to work there
i! sitting around eating "willicks'' or
eriw!nkles-a sort Of water snails which
:, picked upon the beach of the bay and
re peddled about by old women and
mall boys, like chestnuts. You can buy
half pint Of them for a penny. The
,eddlsr had paper Of long pins in his
tasket and gives one to each purchaser
~ pry the snailS out of their shells.
That seems 20 be the Sunday morning &C
-upation. But Sunday afternoon every
body comes OF: for a good time. the
streets FIJI up With promenad ers and the
tramcars are crowded with excursionists.
Strong in. Presbyterian Churches.
The Belfast directory gives a list OF
sixty orthodox Presbyterian churches,
ard they are ccrseruuvely numbered
from the First Presbyterian Church to
tire Fifty-Eislth Presby terrain Church.
with two extras, called the Strand Pres
bvterian Church and Albert Hall Preshy
.erian Church. III addition TO these are
Ave "non-subscrib.ng'' Presbyterian
churches, whose members have refused
- subscribe To some article of the Con-
session Of Faith, but are otherwise crtho-
Iux and are numbered with the elect:
Sur reformed Presbyterian churches"
ore Original Secession Church Presby-
rrian," one East Reformed Presbyte
ian Church" and one United Free Pres
.yterian Church. making altogether
seventy-two Presbyterian churches in a
city of $50 coo inhabitants-an average OF
one Presbyterian church for every 1900
inhabitants.
AS was passing under the archway Of
Queens College today with Presbyte :.
rian doctor Of divinity from Cincinnati
we intercepted an old gentleman and IN
uuired the name of the church with the
handsome spire across the street.
That's the Fifth Presbyterian Church,
was the polite reply
And what church is that over yonder.
THAT'S the Twenty seventh Presbyte-
rian Church"
Naughty Son Of Minister.
you see. in having an abundance OF
Presbyterian churches in Belfast one
ought to feel certain Of salvation
I'm not so sure of that" was the re-
ply. I'm not convinced that a Belfast
Presbyterian is any more certain OF sal
alton than the rest of us. We once had
here a famous doctor of divinity. He was
a great man and good man. and you will
the railway station in the middle OF the
square-the Rev. DR.. Cooke. He was
highly respected and revered by the
community, hut his son was a scapeErace
and gave the old gentleman great deal
OF trouble and anxiety. One Sunday