Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

June 21, 1893.A FAMILT PAPEB.fied, risen, exalted and loving Savionr.In writing of a " revival of the eldership,"one of our most valued exchanges. The Presbyterian,says that " the office of elder—presbyter—isthe fundamental idea in the PresbyterianForm of Government. During the lastfew years the elders have come more distinctlyinto their proper plaoe, standing in line withthe pastors, bracing, helping, and oftentimesleading them. It is an evidence of the perpetuityof the church that the men from and ofthe people are found in our spiritual courts,bringing with them their business and common-senseviews of matters ecclesiastical, readyfor plans of progress and for resistance againatdangerous innovations."Among the eldership are "lawyers with nationalreputation ; phy.sicians, bankers, businessmen whose wisdom guides the financiallife oi the States ; farmers, often the mostthoughtful of men, having usually more timeto meditate than any olher class—all makingup a great lay host able to guide either churchor nation. Esteeming highly the greatness oftheir birth-right or call, they haye given a statiilitywhich assures us that the church of theful ure, in form, in doctrine and in practice,will be continued to those who come after us.Tbe ministers are now more or less distracted,and need this conservative force. In the present excitement they may not be as trustworthyleaders as those who stand nearer the individualchurches, and have charge of their destiny.Pastors come and go, but the eldership is aconstant quantity, and where elders rule well,tfaey are usually eliminated only by death." It seems to be one of the gains of ourtroublous times that we are getting greaterloyalty and personal devotion outof church sessions.The duty now devolving upon this armof the service is to watch the flock ; to see thatthe membership is kept together and strengthened—tbatthe forces are moved to action, sothattheymay bepreserved from demoralization.An idle army is a terror ; all the temptations ofindolence will assail it. The best protection isthe order, 'Forward march!' In tbe missionsof the churcb, at home and abroad, and in tbeinstitutions that replenish depleted ranks, letbenevolence take tbe lead, and let unity be tbeforce that will keep out all invaders and preservethe peace. Let the elders not only cometo the front, but stay there."THE IDEAL MAN.No dreamer vowed to theory and beautyWith aims so glorious none their heights may ken ;But one who faithfully just does his duty.And fears no man among his fellow-men.Union Ssgnal.—Ma^ry Warner Snoad.—The President has given publio notice of his intentionto call an extra session of Oongress betweenthe lst aud 15th of September, "to deal with a financialcondition whioh is the only menace to the country's welfare and prosperity." To this special sessionhe will undoubtedly recommend the repeal ofthe SilverPurchase Bill of 1890, the effect of which, it is seen,isto deplete our own treasury of gold, which "iseagerly seized by other nations for the purpose ofstrengthening their credit at our expense."TheWeek.—Representative ministers had a meeting in BibleHouse, this city, June 5, to consider the establishmentof a daily religious paper in the oity of Paris. If theenterpi;ise ean be made to succeed there. New Yorkmight again try the experiment.—Immigration to this country during the firstmonths of 1893 was very greatly restricted, but it hasagain increased, until, during April and May, the arrivalsamounted in round numbers to 150,000 ; andthe total for the year will in all probability reach halfa million, as against 374,741 in 1892. One fifthofthose already here are Italians, aud Jews from Russia,and the proportions of the remainder are flrstGermans,theu Irish and Scandinavian. Most of theseexpect to reside in Chicago, their purpose largely dueto the attractive annouucements of foreign steamshipagents and promoters of the World's Fair. There isAsiatic cholera in Hamburg, also in Marseilles andother cities of France, and its spread to other ports ofthe Mediterranean is eertain. If our immigration officersfail of their duty to vigorously enforce immigrationand quarantine laws, the consequences maybe incalculably serious.—Twenty-two government clerks were killed andmore than fiftyseriously injured, on June 9, by lhegiving way of the floorsof Ford's Theatre, Washington,which was used for government purposes. Thesurviving clarks charge Colonel Ainsworth with criminalresponsioility for their prf sence in the buiidmg.This is the theatre in whieh Lincoln was assasinated.—The Federal Court in Ohicago on June 8, decidedto grant the injunction prayed for by U. S. DistrictAttorney Milchrist, on the part of the government, torestrain the local directory from opening the World'sFair gates on Sabbath. On June 9, an appeal wasgranted to Chief Justice Fuller, who entered a suspensionof the temporary injunction restraining theDirectory from opening the gates on Sabbath, andfixed June 15th for a hearing of the case.—The increasing confidence of all parties in thehonesty of the provisional government in Hawaii, andthe growing desire among the natives for annexationto this oountry, give reason to txpeot that anotherproposal for annexation will be made to the Presidentand Congress, and that, with a favorable reportfrom Minister Blount, it may meet with acceptance,and the islands become a part ot the Union.—When the Emperor of Germany dissolved thelast Eeichstag, his speech was understood as a threatof coercion and tyranny in the event ol the defeat ofhis Army B.U, but he has now disavowed any inten.tion of restricting the parliamentary franchise evenshould the new Beichstag refuse to accept the ArmyBill, and so the general elections, which began on the15th, were proceeded with amidst a good deal betterfeeling.—There is brighter hope for woman's enfranchisementwhen so conservative a paper as the Sun of NewYork becomes her champion. The Sun recently publishedan editorial in which occurred these words ]Both morally and physically, women are highernow than at any previous time in history. The consequencesof their emancipation, as it used to becalled by the women's rights agitators, have provedaltogether nappy, instead of deplorable. They aremore honored and more honorable than ever, morepowerful, more fitto be the mothers of a strong andnoble race When, therefore, the time comesthat women ask for and receive the suffrage on a fullequality with men, and it seems to be approaching,we have no fear for the result. Theirs will be a graciousrule in the state as it has been a gracious rulein society. Whatever they want of political privilegesthey can have, and they will want nothing which theyGladstone Praises the Free Chnrch.will not nse for tho benefit of the world.Among the notable things which distinguishedthe jubilee year of the Free church ofScotland, was the reception, by its Assembly,of a letter from the Premier of Great Britain.Mr. Gladstone did not let the great occasionpass without associating his name with the remarkablehistoric events which it commemorated.In 1843 the Free churchmen of Scotlandreceived scant courtesy, and no commendation,from noble lords and ministers of the crown.Now, in 1893, Mr. Gladstone presses forwardwith a great band of followers behind him, tocongra'ulate the church*which has achievedsuccess and established itself in Scotland as areligious institution second only to the Nationalchurch in power and influence. More thanthis, he distinctly grants, Anglican as he is,tbat the p:iDciples ou whicii tbe fathers of theFree church planted themselves must be recognizedas sound and trne by all Protestant people."I consider it," said Mr. Gladstone^ inhis letter to the Moderator of the Assembly,"to be historically true that the distinguishedleaders of the Free church movement, some ofwhom I have the honor to call friends, were, intbe course they followed half a century ago,tbe genuine representatives of the ScottishEeformation. It was wholly beyond disputethat the procession of May 18, 1843, wben itset out from the Assembly Hall, and when itsmembers gave up their temporal goods and expectationsfor the sake of conscience, contributeda noble and heart-stirring spectacle, ofwhich the glory belongs, in the flrstinstance to,and mnst be the most precious inheritance oftbe Free church. But it was entitled to excite,and did excite, the cordial and enthusiastic ad -miration of Christendom. Ifc Was, indeed,justly felt that mankind, and especially Christianmankind, were the better for such an example."This is high praise, because it is afrank recognition of the fact, by the man whodirects the British Government in the presentday, that the statesmen of 1843 were blunderersin policy and purpose, and that the band ofPresbyterian preachers who marched down thestreet that high day in the old city of Edinburghwere the genuine representatives of theScottish Eeformation.—The Preshyterian.New York University.The University of the City of New York haareason to be prond of i*s history and achievements.Some inteiesting facts on these pointswere given by Chancellor MacCracken in hiaaddress at the sixty-first annual commencementlast week. Here are some of the things hesaid: "The New York University wears atriple crown and distributes honors in threerealms. The present year she gives 312 degrees;151 in medicine, 72 in law, in arts andscience 85. We give also four degrees in theology,but we assume to do nothing more thanrecognize doctors of divinity; we do not makethem. Tbe present year closes with the largestundergraduate enrollment in the history of theuniversity. The increase has led us to add aregular college fee to the nominal chargeswhich have been enforced since 1870, but wehave already provided, until the yeai 1900, liberalprize scholarahips which represent the incomeof over $200,000. We have received tbiayear additions to our wealth of over $100,000paid of legacies or subscriptions. Besidesmoneys actually given to us, the recent pledgesof alumni and undergraduates for their fraternityhouses at University Heights are a real additionto the university's strength. They willbe happy useful centers of nndergrate life ifwisely directed. I' will take leess than $100,000in addition to present pledges to give us ourwhole University Heights property free of obligation.Only one opinion of its character isheard, that no college has a site more beautiful."