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

breakfast and remarked, plea sanity:
II hope You are going to- meeting TINS
morning, Harry?
well. I'm not" replied Harry with a
crouch.
And why not?" asked his father.
I'm never going to meeting any more,
l never got any good from meetings.
You'll find no meetings in hell, sir.
said the doctor solemny.
It'll not he for the lack of the min
listers" was Harry's reply. and the genial
old gentleman smiled grimly and passed
on.
Presbyterian Building.
At least two of the public monuments
in Belfast have been erected in honor of
Presbyterian d:vines Rev. Dr. Cooke. of
whom the above story is told and the
Rev. Hugh Hanna and che Of the largest
and most beautiful buildings In the city
is the Presbyterian House, where there
is an assembly hall that will seat ...an
people. smaller halls and committee rooms
and the offices of the various missionary
societies and other organizations belong
ing to that denomination. Ii was erected
by private subscription and dedicated
with great ceremony two eyars ago. 1t
is the headquarters OF Presbyterianism
In the north Of Ireland and its noble
tower can be seen for long distance.
On the second floor Of the building arc
clubrooms. reading rooms. an amusement
men Of Presbyterian families a sort of
denominat!onal Y. NJ c. A.-and strange
TO say the amusement room Is fitted up
with two billiard tables which I am tod
are in great demand every evening The
janitor in charge admitted that sofne of
the stricter members of the sect had made
urgent objection TO this form Of enter
ta1nment, but the committee was not
willing to let the devil have all the fun
The general assembly OF the Presby-
terrain Church holds ito
in the big hall of the new Presbrteriaa
building. and all the other decnomina-
tional gatherings are held there. At the
last assembly the Rev. DIR. McIlveen thu
moderator. reviewed the prog@Hsa Of tina
denomination during the last forty yrs~s
IT was tine, he said. that It's numbers. AS
reported by the Official canr'Is had rot
Increased. In common with other 80
bgioNs denominations, the PresAyt arians
had lost 2-geiy Ivy emg"afion Many of
their members, especially thu young and
vigorous. had gene fcrth to rsek homes
III the colonies o.: tho empire OF .hc Great
republic OF the wet.
Church Statistics.
In lie period to which he v.as referring
the population % Ireland had decreased
more than a sn'll'en. and while In com
parsson with the other large denemsna-
lions tha Pres,Iyt -rians had ruff,-o, lesa
had decreased n0. Nn. But they had 900
mora families than they he'd forty yaa~-
ago and 6e00 NOR contributor. to thu
stipend fund. The givings o. tin n>orle
to various objects had more than doubled.
There had been an annua, Increase OF
$4,000 in the stipend fund. x75.C0o In the
ordinary Sabbath offerings. and more than
$4,000 annually 10 missions. During the
same time more than $5,2ouNO had been
invested in the erection and repair OF
churches, manseS and other Preshyter an
buildings. The Church House at Belfast
had been erected at a cost OF 500 900, and
$5,2oO,0O0 had accumulated as capital in
the hands of the boards OF trustees cf die-
ferent benevolences
In addition to the 70 PRESBYTERIAN
churches in Belfast. the directory notes
3I under the care Of the Church OF Ire
land. 30 Methodist, Is Roman Catholic,
Congregationai:sts, Baptists, . Nora
VANS. 1 Friends Meeting House. 1 Jew
ish synagogue and societies, called Ply
mouth Brethren. who announce Breaking
of Bread at 80 am. and Gospel at I
Pm making total of 176 houses of
worship.