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TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS. FER, ANNUM. VOLUME *XL., NO. 41. IWf. PATIENCE. Were there no nigo* we could i ot read the star?, Ihe heavens would turn info a blinding glare; Freedom is best through the prison bars, And rough seas make the haven passing lair. We cannot measure joys but by their lo^s. When blessings f;>de away we see them then; Our richest clusters grow around thecros*, And in the mghb-uuie ai.ge s sitg to men. The seed must first lie buried deep in earth, Before the lily opens to the sky ; So “lignt is sown,’* and gladness has iis birth In the datk deeps where we can only cry. “Life out of death” i3 Heaven’s unwritten law; Nay, it is wri ten in a myriad form?; The victor’s palm grow on the fields of war. And strength ana beauty are the fruit of storms. Come, then, my soul, be brave to do and be^r: Thy 1:1*3 i r.ruised that it may be more >.weet; The cross will soon be left, the crown we’ll wear— Nay, we will it at our Saviour’s leet. And up among trie glories never told, Swce'er than mn c of the marriage-bell. Our hands will strike the vibrant harp of gold l’o the glaJ s<>ng “He doeui all things w 11.” —llenry Burton, in “ The Sun toy Mjyazine.” Contributions. THE LORD’S TABLE-UNDER OUR KOIOILI.t WHO AltK IJtmgO TO IT. The invitation in our book of Discipline is: “ Ye that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins and are in love and charity with your neighbors, and iniend to lead anew life, following ihe commandments of God, and walking from henceforih in His holy ways ; draw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your com'ort, and make your humble confession to Almighty God, nuekly kneeling upon your kuees.” lu some places there is an honest differ ence of opinion as to who are inteuded in this invitation. Some hold that the invi tation is meant to extend only to members of our own Church, and to members in good standing in other communions. In support of this view they point to the p’actice of our ministers who in their ora! interpretations of o ir formula at the table, generally limit the invitation to our members and those in good standing in other Churches. It is further urged that to invite persons not members of any Church to the Lord’s table would in’reduce coulußion, and some times encourage a desecration of the sacra ment by giving to the out-breakiugly wicked an excuse lor coming. Again, it is insisted that the s gnificance of Church membership would be let down and crippled, if any without the pale of the Church are invited to commune. But some of us hold, on the other hand, that every true penitent may be properly in vited to the Lord's table,whether he be tech uically a Church member or not. And as we have been asked for the reasons of the faith that is in us, with your permission, Mr. Kditor, we will give a condensed statement of them through the Advocate Possibly a little discussion may lead to truth and uni fortnity of procedure. At any rate, when the proper authority shall determine either view to be the law ot the Church, we shall con form to the ruling. First, then, the words of our invitation express just this much: Their literal and most obvious meaning embraces the true penitent without reference to his Church re lations. There has to be something taken as understood, which is outside the words of our formula, before theirituport can belim ited to Church members only. Next, one leadiug purpose of this sacra ment, as we think, i3 in harmony with the taking of our invitation in its literal and wider sense. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is a memorial service—“ Do this in remembrance of me. ’ The purpose was and is. to keep the memory refreshed with the truth that the sinner needs the atoning blood of Christ, and especially for every truly pen iteut siuner that blood was shed. And who more than the true penitent needs the en couragement of this assurance? Moreover, the efficacy of this blood is pledged to him in the Holy Scriptures ; and shall we deny him the mere symbol, when God himself declares his title to the thing signified, and when Christ instituted it to assure his confidence iu that title ? Again, baptism is regarded by the Chris tian world as the door into the Church. One is not regarded as properly a member until baptized. This, then, is the leading initia tory proceeding. But it is a settled question in Methodist theology that the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was instituted before the sacrament of baptism, before there was any such door to enter, and before the Church under the new Christian dispensation was fully organized. If the apostles themselves were ever baptized into the Christian Church at all. it was after they had already par taken of the Supper, when origiually insti tuted by our Lord. Under the old six months’ probation sys tem, probationers who were not even abso lutely candidates, but only experimenting for six months to see whether they would be candidates tor membership, were invited to the Lord’s table even before baptism in many instances, and assured that some had found the blessing at the sacramental board. Our Baptist brethren when charged with being close communionists, reply: “ We are close communionists only in the same sense and upon the same p inc'ple that you are close communiomsts. We invite to the table only Church members; so it is with yon. We regard as members only those who have been bap'ized ; so it is with you. The only difference between us is as to what consti tutes baptism.” Now this is a complete parrying of our thrust, while our prevailing practice i3 to invite only Church members to the table of the Lord. But if we would harmonize our practice with the language of the invitation as it stands in our Discipline, then our conduct would no longer furnish them with this reply. The Church is designed as an organism of help to the individual, and through and by means of which the individual can afford the best help to others. It is the instrument •with the use of which he can do more and better work for the Master than he can pos sibly do without it; while he receives more than every human instrumentality could pos sibly afford him without such organism. Through this organism the inspired word is printed and publish <SU And through the Church the m.oislry it furnished to proclaim and expound it. And after it has furnished this help to outsiders and pursnaded the sin ner to a point where “there is joy in heaven” over him ; is it true to itself and to a ieadiug purpose of its organism then to draw back and say to the penitent. “ This, the Lord’s table, is a help you cannot have until you are baptized into the Church”? In the gos pel,we preach to the sinner tocometoChrist —“nor stand upon the order of his coming.” But when he gets to where we can help him most and he most feels the need of the help we can give, shall we then draw back the hand of help because he does not grasp it in.some arbitrarily prescribed manner? We ttrisiiaw Sliotaie, say arbitrarily prescribed, because the Scrip tures do not prescribe that he shall be first baptized or take the vows of some religious body before he can take the sacrament. Mr. Wesley organized his Societies for the {felp of such as desired “ To flee the wrath to come and be saved from their sins.” And such desire was the only condition pre viously required in order to admission. In the Methodist Church, South, this is all that is required now, while other communions require first “an experience of grace.” When one is regularly received into the Church, our teaching is that to take the sac rament is a duty as well as a privilege. It is the command of Christ. Now, if it be the command of Christ to the penitent who has drawn near and put himself under the pupilage of the Church, it is also the com mand of Christ to him away out yonder cry ing “ what shall I do to be saved?” But that he may obey that command, is it not the duty of the Church to encourage him to duly and ask him to come and partake of this sacrament? But nnder the prevailing practice, a sinner at a protractedtffceeting may reek the Divine fjjvor,with God, present himself as* a for Church-membership, and if fi reason of convenience to the pastor or others the vows are not administered, he must be de nied that help to obey the command of Christ, withont which obedience on his part is impossible. To those who argue for this close commu nion in our Ctiurch on the ground that it is the prevailing practice, it may be replied : that while prevailing practice may be strong as a habit, as a principle for determining our duty it is worse than useless unless right in itself. To the argument that unworthy persons would be encouraged to approach the Lord’s table by this broader interpretation of our formula, it may be answered truly, that more of the unworthy by an hundred fold do ap proach the table just because they are mem bers than ever would approach the table from the world, because that true penitents from the outside were invited. If our form ula were used without qualification for the benefit of the truly penitent who were not members, only such would—unless, by re mote possibility one might come deliberately to mock and insult, and such a person would be easily discerned and readily disposed of. To the argument that this broader inter pretation of our formula would let down and cripple the significance of Church mem bership, we answer—if so, it can only be because Church-membership has come to signify too much, and needs taking down. If Church-membership has come to mean that the Church is too pretentious for her appointed work—the work of furnishing every possible aid to such as are struggling for entrance into the invisible Church—then such significance ought to be crippled, that the Church visible may come down to her proper work of helping all to obedience, both without and within her enclosure. A. A. Robinson. Manatee, Florida, 1877. THE DANCE—IDOLATRY. Mr. Editor: In m'-Taeiy-times the masses of sinners are asfShiahed he<' Jiaße the Church of the living God is so utterly opposed to the practice of dancing. The expressed as tonishment only shows how blind the dancers are upon the questions of morality and purity. Apart from the sensualizing effect of the liberal mixing and mingling of the sexes in the dance, the whole practice is shown to be contrary to the word and will of God as a species of idolatry. The first mention of dancing found in the oldest and most authen tic record couples it with the “ golden calf,” This connection reveals dancing as one ot the most prominent forms of Egyptian idol worship. It was to arrest this high treason against the God of heaven and earth that Jehovah commanded Moses, from Sinai’s flaming summit, to go down into the camps of Israel. And when Moses came to the point from which he could behold the Israel ites, and “saw the calf and the dancing" his “ anger waxed hot.” God commanded him to separate the "dancers" from the rest, and then slay each and every one of them. And on that memorable day no less than three thoasand dancers were slain. All this transaction shows the judgment ot God upon the question of dancing, as coupled with the “golden calf.” Hence, in all ages the Church of God has beeu uncompromisingly opposed to the dance of sinners, as practiced in ancient and mod ern times. And if any branch of the Church can be found to day that does not oppose dancing, it is proof that that branch is withered and dead. The dance is not only injurious to the men tal and moral man, but is an active agent in demoralizing society. It was one of the mighty factors in the downfall and ruin of ancient Athens. It has seut millions to hell, and has millions more on the way. Angus Dowi.ing. Lawrenceville, Ala., August 30th, 1877. THE SUPREME RULE OF RIGHT. As an inquirer after truth, I enjoy whatev er comes from the pen of A. T. Bledsoe LL.D. His “ on the Will," and his “ n gl the first hooks that made me The Southern Review, a constant visitor to my father's home, was ever a welcome guest to me. If I were afraid to read from a man who thinks, I would give np the Southern Review. Nor can I regard a3 a dangerous man, the one who, with the fear of God be fore his eyes, dares to think boldly. Especiallv have I been benefitted by the Southern Review in the field of ethics. “The Perseverence of the Saints.’-’ as defined and elaborated by Dr. Biedsoe, while enlighten ing my understanding, has confirmed my heart in its hopes. Then his review of Dr. Gregory’s “ Christian Ethics,” in the April number of the Southern Review has shown plainly that not only the non Christian works, but also largely of Christian authors “ lack the sole true foundation ” of ethics, and that Dr. Gregory has based his morals on the on ly true supreme rule of right. “ The book presents the new ethics,” says Dr. Bledsoe. “It bases the science on God. It gives a clear, positive, Christian solution to the great problems of life. Whatever its defects in non essentials, in the main 4>oint it does not fail. It is based on the right foundation.” And yet “ W. P. L.,” in the Southern Christian Adnocate of May 15th finds fault with the definition of the ground of right as given by the reviewer, and would substitute one of his owu. The reviewer says, “ The grOUnd or norm of right”—as set forth in Dr. Gregory’s book—“is the creative will of the personal God as expressive of the nature of God." W. P. L says, “ God is at the same time the ground and supreme rule of right.” Now, while at the out set, the re viewer told us plainly that the book reviewed “ bases its science on God,” yet the review er’s other words are only a more definite PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & COMPANY, FOR THIUIETHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. way of expressing the same thing, and not as W. P. L. says, “ restrictions and limita tions” thrown around the will of God. “God,” says W. P. L., “is at the same time the ground and supreme rule of right.” How is God known except by His nature — the attributes that make Him God ? Then God, as the rnle of right, must be known by His nature. Else how could an unknown object be a rule of right for man. But how is His nature to be known except by the will of God. Anri how can this will make known His nature except by its creative power, as revealed in the constitution of the world, in the constitution of the agent, and in the in spired Scriptures ? Hence “the creative will of the personal God as expressive of the nature of God,” is ihe supreme rule of right by which the per sonal man may act, while, “ God is at the same time the ground and supreme rule of right ” is only a “ glittering generality with out any very clear drift.” Geo. Williams Walker. * Selections. From the Nashville Christian Advocate. LETTER FROM BISHOP MARVIN. NO. XXXVI. —CONSTANTINOPLE. The best position for a great capital, both political and commercial, in the world we inhabit, isthat occupied by the city of the Sul tan. Any one who will take the trouble to study its geographical relations will soon convince himself of this fact. It is the center of a most remarkable system of waters, the like of which is nowhere else found. It has the great Mediterranean Sea on one hand, and the Black Sea on the other, and is on that most remarkable channel which connects the two with a depth of water at all points much more than sufficient for the largest vessels. The Medi'erranean is 2,500 miles long from Gibraltar to Beyroot, with a coast line great ly extended by the Aigean and Adriatic Seas. It washes the shores of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and touches many of the fairest and most fertile regions of the earth. Human civilization dawned upon its shores. From immemorial ages it has been the highway of an opulent commerce. The length of its coast line, following all its irregularities, and taking its larger islands into account, is more than 10,000 miles. On the other side the Black Sea extends from the Bosporus to the Caucasus, bounding Asia Minor and Armenia on the north, and Western Russia on the south, having its coast line extended by the S -a of Azof, and receiving the waters of the Danube, the Dnieper, and the Don, opens to it a vast area and some of the richest regions of Europe. Thus all of Western Asia, East ern Europe, and Northern Africa, are at the very door of Constantinople, which is accesi ble to them by easy water communication, and is so related to the different parts as to hold the thread of their commerce in her hand. The area that she thus commands ex tends over a range of latitude and embraces a variety of productions which ought to give rise to the most active commerce, of which she would be the center and chief point of tlißsrlfciiirun* T'tV'JU t.Lo and the Suez Canal open all the world to her, east and west. If the Bosporus had been in the hands of the people who have made London, Constantinople would have been equal to two or three Londons. Just at the end of the Bosporus, where it enters the Sea of Marmora, is Constantino ple, ou the European side. As you enter from the Sea of Marmora you have the city on your left. By the time you fairly enter the Bosporus you see an arm of water a mile wide starting out at right aDgles from it on your left. It penetrates the land about ten miles, first in a direct course, and then, to ward the head of it, curving to the right This is the Golden Horn, the mouth of which is the harbor of the city, which lies on the sea on one side and on the Golden Horn on the other, with an oval point on the Bospo rus, as the shore curves around and turns up the Horn. The business front is on the Horn. But, as at New York, there are three cities here—one on the opposite bank of the Golden Horn, called Pera, or sometimes Galata, and one on the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, call* ed Scutari. The principal city itself i3 called Stamboul by the Turks. So, on the western side of the Bosporus there are Stamboul and Pera in Europe, with the Golden Horn divid ing them, and on the opposite side Scutari in Asia. Southward from Scutari, and only a short distance from it, fronting on the sea, is the old city of Chalcedon, a place of little consequence now. This cluster of cities is said to contain a population of 1,000,000. The shores of the Bosporus are bold and beautitul in a very high degree, often rising in steep elevations of three or four hundred feet, just above the city. The ground on which the city itself stands is not so elevated, but sufficiently so for the finest effect in the display of its bnildings. Those which show to the best effect are the mosques, of which there are several very large ones, their domes and minarets rising above all other buildings, with a cluster of smaller domes around the base of the great one. In Statu boul there are also the buildings of the Sub lime Porte—that is, the great Government offices—not in a very commanding posi tion. But the building occupied by the Minister of War is some distance from the others, on a commanding site. Besides these public buildings and mosques the houses of Stamboul are generally of a poor class. The same is true of Scutari. But a large part of the city of Pera is occupied by Europeans, and in this quarter the houses will average well with those of our American cities. The East and the West are face to face here. You may prs from the streets occupied by ele gant European retail stores, cross the Golden Horn on a bridge, aud in twenty minutes find yourself in the midst of au Oriental bazaar. The contrast is striking and impressive. The two civilizations are represented in the aspects of the contrasting scenes. The European shop, or store as we call it in America, with ample room, and goods classi fied and neatly ranged on shelves, the whole place having an aspect of order and con venience, with an air of artistic arrangement, on an open street, belongs to a different world from the narrow, covered street of the bazaar, with its little crowded shops, eight or ten feet square, having the whole front open upon the very edge of the street; or, what is often seen, the goods exposed for Bile in the street itself, sometimes on a little platform, and not unfreqnently on a piece of canvas, spread on the pavement. In Stamboul there is no room for carriages, except on one or two thoroughfares. Even in Pera only a few of the streets are wide enough for wheels, and they are paved so badly with stones a foot in diameter, as tc make in unpleasant. Most persons get about on foot| or on h&raeb&ck, MACON, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1877. We reached Constantinople on the same steamer with Dr. Schaff’s party. An Eng lish gentleman and his two daughters had joined the party at Beyroot, so that we had quite a crowd together. On landing, there was a little show of examining trunks by a customhouse official, and then the baggage was placed on the of the human ani mals, who were waiting for a job. A walk of half a mile up a rather steep street, paved with large stones so as to make a lumpy sur face, each stone being from six to twelve inches, bronght us to the Luxembourg Hotel. It is the poorest hotel in the city having any claim to respectability, a fact which we did not know beforehand. If we had the thing to do over again we would never set foot in side of it. We were in Pera. After breakfast the whole party started out to see Stamboul on horseback. You ought to have seen us, ten men and four ladies, four of the men Amer icans, counting Dr Schaff, all the others Euglisb; mounted on fat stallions that were squealing aud spoiling for a fight all the time It happened that the finest one of the lot fell ,to me—a magnificent fsti well groomed, and so full of life that he cfifcld not hold himself still. But he was well broken, and, by nature, tractable. Besides that, he bad the most powerful bit, with tremendous leverage; it almost hurt my con science to draw upon the reins. Three hos tlers went along on foot, whose business it was, when two of the horses charged upon each other, to dash in and part them. We crossed over to Stamboul, weut to the Sub lime Porte, and got a firman authorizing us enter the mosques, rode through the streets to an hour or two, and passed out through the old wall at the Ssven Towers. How proud ly my Arab did comport himself, and how anxious he seemed to whip every other horse in the crowd; yet he responded to my voice and hand with more of affection than fear, apparently, so that I soon felt quite at my ease. But after we got beyond the wail some of the party set off, not on a gallop, but on a run of full speed. I thought my Arab would go mad. He was fairly frantic with the irrepressible sense of power. To be passed and left behind by meaner horses was too much. It took the full advantage of the powerful bit to enable me to moderate him into a rapid gallop, and at that he bound< and into the air, and shook his head, and kick* and, so that he was a magnificent spectacle. Could an old time Methodist preacher be condemn ed if he enjoyed such a moment with a sort of intoxication of delight? In fact I claim credit tor not disgracing the cloth by dis tancing every thing on the field. I scarcely know any thing in the way of physical enjoy ment better than the sense of being b irne along by a bounding horse that scarcely feels your weight while yet you reiu him and con trol him at your will. We visited all the principal mosques, though none of them are equal to the princi pal mosques at Cairo, nor at all comparable to the mosque of Omar at Jerusalem. That of St- Sophia hus a special interest for Chris’ tians, as it was built for a Christian Church’ and long used as such. The Moslems chang ed it in some respects, but the body of the -at v — *—*w.—r places eveu the cross is to be seen, though, in mo3t instances, it is more or less muti latfd. It was built by the Emperor Justinian, who boasted, when it was dedicated, that he had eclipsed the work of Solomon. It is indeed a magnificent structure. But I can not undertake to describe it. Another old Christian Church, the Church of St. Irene, is now used as an arsenal. Guns, and pis tols, ands words, are stacked all over the floor, aud hung thick on all the walls and columns. We happened at Constantinople at the time of the Aunual Meeting of the Mission aries. It was an occasion of great interest, especially as the war just commenced may place some of the missionaries in the interior in difficult, and even perilous, situations. Their annual sacramental-service was one of much interest, and constituted another occa sion of which we have enjoyed so many, in which we might commune with the people of God in the symbols of our Lord's death. From San Fraucisoo on, our way has been marked by sacramental opportunities. What though these brethren are not of our own immediate sect? and the service not in the form we are moat accustomed to? They are the followers of our Lord, and this bread is broken “in remembrance of him.” More over, they are men who have forsaken all to follow Christ. Our followship with them is deep and holy. At that service T met the Rev. Dr. Long, of the M. E. Church. He was the first Superintendent of the Bulgarian Mission of that Churcu, but has beeu now for some years Professor of Natural Science in the Robert College at Constantinople. The history of this institution is a remark able one. Mr. Robert, a merchant in New York city, a man intelligent in Oriental and missionary affairs, came to the conclusion that the cause of Christ would be served in a very effectual way by the establishment of a college, under evangelical auspices, at Con stan'inople. He had the good fortune to se cure ground near the city, on which he erec ted a large stone building, well adapted to its purposes. It is situated six miles from the lower bridge of the Golden Horn, on one of the moat commanding summits in the vicinity, just at a curve of the Bosporus, commanding a magnificent view of that most remarkable channel in both directions, to ward the city, and toward the Black Sea The view from the summit of the college edifice is remarkably imposing. Across the Bosporus the Asiatic hills rise in grand masses, steamers and sails dot the water-line below, villages in quick succession lie along the shore, the palaces and suburbs of the city, on both banks, refresh the eye to the right, the Black Sea is just beyoud the range of vision on the left, the hills of Europe lie in the rear, while the curve of the Bosporus, with its deep depression between the two continents, forms a magnificent arc on the cord of which the college stands- 1 believe I have never known a public building in so grand a situation. Upon the invitation of Dr. Long, I spent a night at the college. There have been as many as 200 students at one time in attend ance, though the numb-r at the present is reduced to 120. The cause of the falling off is not to be sought outside of he prostration of the business of the country, vhich sym pathizes with the universal in Europe and America, and, from 1 oca Nausea, is exceptionally severe in Turkey, informed by intelligent men that for two years there has been no business done beyond a trade in the necessaries of lifJ Students come from all parts, but <&iuo|j from Bulgaria. Three or four different*® guages . mk mmmm the i-.JH.'-. be a& examination in that lan guage. Aof, This institution is not connected with any Church,! but is founded upon a strictly evan gelical basis. The religion of the Bible is taught is it as a part of the curriculum, aod the wor4is preached in its chapel. Its grad uates go abroad everywhere, deeply ground ed in thd saving truths of the Christian faith. The curriculum of the college covers the whole classical and scientific course, and it has established the reputation of thorough ness waiting in the native schools, which must in better times command a large pat ronage among the higher classes. The scien tific and philosophical apparatus, I observed, is very i.tnple and in excellent condition. In company with Dr. Schaff I attended the opening exercises in the morning. Afte-i roll-call, reading of the Scriptures in concert in Engljsh, and prayer by the Rev. Dr. Washburn, the acting President, Dr. Schaff was eaiifed upon to address the students. When ‘‘the old man eloquent” sat down, the cheering was the heartiest I ever heard in a college. As for myself, I will risk the saying that the opportunity of address.. „ ihose young men was one of the most gratifying incidents of my tour. I have rarely bad a better average of faces before me, or spoken to a more attentive or respon sive audience. By the way, I had one false impression corrected. I had supposed that every Sclav had light hair and complexion, and blue eyes. In many instances quite the reverse is true. The Mohammedan patronage of the school ha 9 always been small. Just now there are none of that claBS. Missionary laborers here have little or no access to the Moslem popu lation. *lt is next to impossible for a Mo hammedan to avow himself a convert to Christianity, not only on account of the over whelming social pressure, but also on ac count of official interference. It is among nominal, Christians alone that anything is or can be done, so long as the Ottoman rule continues. The 'Arks impress me favorably in some respects. Physically, they are a fine race. After their fashion, they are cultivated. Thqjf oWmßra are easy and pleasant. So long arjneir religious prejudices are out oi sight, they are polite. They are brave and self possessed. Asa matter of course, there must be great force in them to have acquired, and to retain for centuries, such foothold in Europe. The time was when it seemed us if ihey wogld master the whole of Europe, True, their power has been waning for a long time now, and for a quarter of a cen tury they have owed their continued exis fence, w Europe at least, to the English. For some real or fancied cause, England has thought it necessary to her general policy to keep the Sultan on the Bosporus. But in spite of*dl, the work of disintegration goes on. She has lost Greece, as well as Eastern Hungary. Rouniania aud Servia are as good as lost. She finds little Montenegro more than a match for her. It is ssid she is ready to give up Crete. Even in Syria, the Gov ernmenl of the Lebanon has a certain au tonomy, which almost amounts to independ ence. In Africa she retains only a pretense of c"" A onon F.rrnnf oni) t.ba Kui’howu S'ates, and it is likely that before these lines are in print her boundary will be changed so that both in the E ist and in the West she will show a diminished area upon the map. The cause of this is inherent in the Turks themselves. They are not progressive ; they are a human fossil. In immediate contact with that Europe which is so vital with forces born of Christian thought, fossil Turkey must suffer disintegration. It is the order of the day to exhume and scatter fossils—to label them, and lay them away in museums. The Turk is a barbarian, and barbarism can not exist in Europe. The day is rapdly ap proaching when it can no longer exist even in Asia; but in Europe it is already intoler able. Bulgarian massacres, under the very nose of Christian Europe, are a stench that cannot be borne. Upon no pretext of finan cial or imperial exigency can England con tinue to patronize such a government. At this moment the ministry of Great Britain represent the commercial and imperial in stincts pf the nation on the Eastern ques tion, while Gladstone represents the con science of the Eoglish people. The ministry, it is true, have had a sort of formal triumph in Parliament; but Christian civilizition has the real triumph in the fact that the govern ment is forced to declare i'self neutral in the war, thus abandoning its barbarian pro tege to its fate. Events crowd upon each other in time of war, and I am well aware that before this ge’sinto type there may be anew state of facts. In any course ot eventualities, the Powers especially England, will see to it that the supremacy of the Bosporus shall not fall into the hands of the Russians. But the day is advancing when the empire of the Sultan will be no more. The gan grene has spread too far and struck too deep to be arrested. Even the Turks themselves feel that they are under shadow of a swift coming doom. The hour is inevitable, and is near, and Europe will have to assemble her embassidors in high debate on the ques tion of the Bosporus and of Constantinople. The_B>sporus mast be free—must be the property of the world. So much, I suppose, may be taken as a foregone conclusion. But to whom shall Syria belong? and Asia Minor? and the European Provinces? Poor preparation for self g ivernment is there any where. How shall they be preserved from anarchy? How shall the advance of civiliza tion be assured to them? Must they be par titioned among the Great Powers? or is lo cal government, unner the protectorate of the Powers, possible? What greed of em pire may not be awakened ! But above all, Cons antinople?—how to dispose of Constantinople? Let it be a free city, say some. Let the young kingdom of Greece have it, say others. Ah I Greece is anew destiny ot empire dawning upon Athens? Who can tell? At the least, she will desire to annex Thessaly and Macedon. With less than this she can scarcely be a respectable power. But the future is not within my horoscope. At bes', I only see men as trees, walking. The light of the present is reflected upon it but dimly. But at dawn we know the sun is flaming along up toward the horizon, and his resplendent disc the damps and darkotss of the night will vanish like the hideous phantasms of an oppressive dream. All ' mephitic vapors” and s'.fling, miss" matic death odors will be dissipated. And the dawn is upon the Levant —not Phoebus, drawn by celes ial steeds, evolving fl une by very friction from his whirling wheels, but the very San of Righteousness is mounting Kesky and taking supremacy amid the s’gns SHLven. The doom of barbarism is in his ■g. “Mephitic vapors” of ignorance, moldy smell of superstition, and op tion, and despo'ism, and infidelity, must io the glow of bis beneficent beams. So much we may predict with assurance, but what the effect may be upon the map of the world I cannot conjecture. That must be left to diplomacy, and, perhaps—to war. But no diplomacy, nor even war, brutal as it is, can check the civilizing, saving power of that blessed gospel, whose radiance shines more aud more unto the perfect day. To an American it is cause of gratulation, upon visiting the East, to find America con tributing so much to the advance of the dawn here. By preaching the gospel, cre ating a literature, and es’ablishiug colleges, the new West beyond the Atlantic Ocean is contributing mightily to the final result. It cannot but be that when the revolutionizing forces of modern civilization shall have reached their issue. American thought will be found to have been a powerful factor in the processes which led to it. For myself, though there is so little done by Methodists uf either hem sphere in this particular field, I rejoice greatly that the work isiu his hands so truly and deeply evangelical. The pres ence of God is with the American mission aries in Ess’ern Europe and Western Asia My tellowsuip with Ahem I have felt to be as unselfish as it is deep. If they do not ad vauce the g’ory of my particular Church, they do wh it is the only vital thing—they advance the glory of Christ. But amidst it all my heart yearns for China. There is our opportunity. God himself has set. beipre us the great aud ef’ ftctual door there. By his help and grace we will go in and possess the land. E. M. Marvin. Athens, Greece , May 17 1877. THE SURRENDER. I bad l*mg of siu been weary. And my heart was very sore, When I stood one emly morning Outside a chapel door. And the chant came floating outward,— “heave all and follow Me ” And I thought if I should enter Perhaps I t-houid be tree. So I knelt low at th altar. And laid mv treasures there: One by one. with yadness, slowly, For some were very fair. But one whs go very precious That I kept it; I was weak. And I thought, sure all the others Will give the peace I seek. I rose and left the altar, Hoping 1 should be bl r ft. Bun my heart was just as heavy. And mv soul received no rest. Then T bu It a grand cathedral. And gave nlui* far anil wide, But my wishes wo*-e not pruned, Nor my bright hopes verified. And none of my mighty efforts. None of my patient thought. Gave to my spirit comfort. Or brought the*bo >n I sought. And I journeyed the wide world o’er In sea v ch of the missinsr peace, Toiling from morn till evening, And finding no release,— Till I came again one morning To that little wa Mils place Where I had left my treasures, Hoping to merit grace. And I herd again tbo music Ol th 1 ’ chan', “Leave all for Mel” And I cried, “I will, my Mas’er, If Thou wilt make me free 1” Once more I knelt at the altar, And, bowng tow uiy head, I dropped my cherished treasure; Then all my sadness fled. And suddenly all around mo With radiant glory beamed ; A Wli *P 8- Tf seem eff “ " " That the very gates of heaven Were oped unt > my soul. And tile peace that passeth knowledge Came down a”d in >de me whole 1 —Annie Annetrong , in Zion's Herald. THE SECRET OF POWER. There are great questionings regarding the wonderful power of eminent evangelists of the present day. “ What is the secret of his power,” say men, as they hear of the success which some man has in winning souls to Christ. The one weapon with which the Christian is to fight his battle is “ the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” This is his only instrument of offensive warfare, and if soldiers go forth to fight wilh swords, of course the secret of their power is in having swords, and strength, and knowing how to use them. A man who goes into battle without a sword, or with a sword which he has never drawn from its scabbard, might wonder at the power of another whose flash ing blade pierced and clave asunder every thing which opposed his progress ; but sure ly no sensible person could wonder at the poworlessness of a man who went to war and left his weapons at home. I have read of an old Scotch Covenanter who had been, I think, in twenty four differ ent battles in the course of his life ; and it was noted after his death that the trusty old sword which he had carried, had on its edge four and twenty distinct gaps, which showed that it had seen the hard service of battle on many a bloody field. There would not be much question as to the source of that man's power, as compared with one whose slender, polished, gold-bilted blade, had never been drawn except on dress pa rade ; who had never struck an effective blow in his life ; who was entirely ignorant of the use of his weapon—so much so that he was quite as liable to grasp it by the point as by the hilt. The secret of the power of evangelists whom God honors is seen in a well thumbed Bible, marked and scored, and studied, and bearing on every page of it tokens of the most careful inspection and critical investi gation ; while the secret of the powerless ness of many who profess to preach the Gospel is exhibited in their Bibles which bear no marks of study ; in their minds iu which human theology dwells richly, but from which the Word of God is almost ex eluded ; in their libraries filled wiih novels, old sermons, and worthless trash ; in their testimony which almost entirely omits the sacred Scriptures, and which frequently misquotes, misinterprets, and misapplies the passages which are used. God has sent men to preach His Word, and that Word is Spirit and it is Life. None but those who use that Word, being familiar with it and profoundly conscious of its truth, and of its power ; none but those whose souls are permeated by its divine and eter nal energies, can be effective soldiers in the fight of faith to which we are called. Study, Oh man of God! to show thyself approved; and if from a child thou hast not known the Scriptures, or if thy knowledge of them hath been vague and indistinct, take that Word as the voice of God speaking to thine owu soul, and let it solemnly impress, and thoroughly pervade, thy heart and life, and thou shalt find that we have a treasure in vessel, and that “the excellency of pdtofer is of God and not of us."— Ar mory. Ik any man or Church have the Spirit of Christ, it will be like him. His life on earth was noticeable for three things : for the quiet, faithful performance of the duties of com mon life as a son aud laboring man ; then, when he was called to it, for going about doing good; lastly, by preaching the gospel and by self-sacrifice for the salvation of souls,— Friend’* Merino, Condensed from National Sunday-school Teacher. INTERNATIONAL LESSONS October 14, 1877.—Paul'at Jerusalem. Acts xxi: 27-39. Golden Text. —'‘Theservant is not great er than his Lord. If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you." —John xv: 20. Topic. —“ Blessed are they which are per secuted for righteousness’' sake.' I Matt, v: 10: Home Readings.— Monday, Johnxv: 1-27 —Persecutions Foretold; Tuesday, 2 Tim. lii: 1-17—The godly to suffer: Wednesday, 1 Pet. iii: 1-22—If ye Suffer, H ippy are ye ; Thursday. 1 Pet. iv: 1-19—Partakers of Christ’s Sufferings; Friday, J s. i: 1-17 — Blessed is he that Endureth ; Saturday, 2, Cor. iv : 1-18—Troubled yet not Distressed; Sunday, Rev. ii: 1-11—Ba Faithful unto Death. Time. A.D. 58—Feast of Pentecost. Place —Jerusalem. Ruler—Nero. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Preliminary. —At last Paul stands in Je rusalem ready to meet the fate which, for so long a time, has menaced him from afar. His first experience is not an unpleasant one. The brethren receive him gladly— not all the brethren, of course, but those especially, whose approval he most coveted. It was one of his main objects in visiting J erusalem to present a report of his work among the Gentiles, in order to remove the false im pression concerning it, and to dissipate the prejudice against it existing among “the Pharisees which believed ” The report was given in detail to the official board, if it might be so called, consis'ing of James, the Lord’s brother, and the elders. When they heard what marvelous things the Lord had wrought by his hand, they “glorified” the Lord—probably had a service of praise on account of them. But although they were satisfied, and even rejoiced over his works, still they were fearful of how he would be received by those Jewish disciples who, though believing the gospel, still held to the ceremonies of the law and whose minds had been poisoned against Paul, by reports that he had been teaching that all the Jews who were among the Gentiles should forsake the customs of Moses. The number of believ ers had so greatly increased that the elders could say to Paul: “Thou seest, brother, how many thousand s of Jews there are which believe.” These Jews, while they had ad mitted that the Gentiles should not be com pelled to be circumcised, or had, at leas',, submitted to the decision ot the council call ed to consider the matter, still looked upon the movement with jealousy, and were dis posed to resent any intimation that, the Jews ought not to be bound by- the ri'e. The victory at the council was only haif a one. The Jews who had unsuccessfully opposed Paul in the cities where he had labored, had been industrious in circulating false reports as to the character of bis teachings. He had never advocated that the Jews should not circumcise their children. His circum cision of Timothy was a complete refutation of that charge. But he had taughi that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availed anything. 11* had taught that the rite was of no value, so far as salvation was concern ed. Gal. v: 6; vi: 15; 1 Cor. vii: 18, 19. And so, while it was technically untrue that he had ins'ructed the Jews to forsake the customs enjoined by Moscr. yet, in fact, lie had done so in that most effective way—by saying that it was of no consequence. He had circumcised Timothy, not because of respect to the law of Moses, but “because of the Jews.” It was wholly an obedience to expediency, instead of to law. Among the ways in which he had shown his emancipa tion f om the customs of the law was in his familiar intercourse with uncircumcised Gen tiles, Fur his cowardice in this same mat ter—for his endeavoring to conceal the fact that he. also, had eaten with Gentiles—Paul -had.openly rebuke) port ant in' event to even i? the brethren had wanted to conceal it. A pub lie meeting, on account of the desire of the multitude to see and hear him, was an inevi table thing. In order to prepare them favor ably to hear what he had to say. the elders recommended that he should join certain Christians in the observance of what was probably a Nazaritic vow. It was a vow us ually taken in time of sickness, or of danger, and, according to the Rabbins, lasted not less than thirty days. From the directions given concerning it, Nutn. vi, it is plain that it involved considerable expense. This was sometimes borne by the richer who wished to share in the honors of its performance— to obtain Ihe credit, without 'he pain, of its sanctity. So had Agrippa i. done only a short time before, on his arrival from R ime, to take possession of his throne. * And what the king had done for popularity,” says Howson, "it wag felt that the aposile might do for the sake of tru h and peace.” The argument, of the elders was, that if the people should see, as they could not fail to see, the apostle in the act of carrying out one of the most severe of all of the customs of Moses, a Nazaritic vow, and should also know —and they would take pains to see that it was known —that, he was bearing the expenses of the other four engaged in the same act, these facts would wipe out the prejudice against him. The scheme is so much like the politic recommendation made to the Gentiles concerning circumcision (xv: 13-21), that, evidently, it was born in the brain of James. We know that it is said that “they” did it, but such advice is always the voice of a single man, before it becomes the deliverance of a body. Their request was strengthened by their reference to the circumstance that they had recogniz-d the fact that no such thing could be required of the Gentiles. It was as if they had said: “We have done that much for you ; now do this much for us.” Beaten (27-32). — It is rare that mere policy wins a perfect victory. So far as the Jewish Christians were concerned, they may have beeu placated, but this step proved to be the means of bringing upon him a fate worse even than that his friends nad feared. They had been afraid of prejudice, hut this threw him into the grasp of hate. When the seven days were almost ended. Wtiai seven days are he> e referred to is not q nte clear. They are supposed to be the final seven days in which the vow would be completed Jews which were of Asia. The hatred which had been foiled at Ephesus had a sudden and better opportunity granted it at Jerusalem. The Jews from I hat city saw, and recognized, their old opponent, and, unhesitatingly, made use of unscrupulous means to rid them selves of him forever. Adroitly cloaking their spite in the guise of zealfor the temple, they raised the cry that he was polluting that holy place, by bringing into it an uu circumcised Gentile. Nothing would so quickly rouse the anger ot a Jewish mob, as to suppose that in their midst was an apos tate Jew, guilty of such a sacrilege. A mob is not apt to stop to investigate any such charges Ihe character of the accusitions against Paul are worthy of a little attention. They were, first, —That he was teaching all men everywiiere against the people, the law, and the place 'lnis charge is remarkably like that which was brought against the martyr Stephen, whose death Paul “was consenting unto.” How ofien Paul had occasion to think of Stephen 1 When the stones were raining thick upon him at Lystra then, most vividly, must the last moments of the mar lyr have been present in his thought And now, again, when his life is once more put iu extreme peril, it is upon the same false charge through which he perished. The fate of Stephen seemed constantly to rise and confront him, a reproachful and humbling reminder of the part he took in it. The allegation was true in neither case. Both Stephen aud Paul, in the best had spoken fot the temple, instead of speak icg against it; for they had declared that the Lord of the temple baa come. The second charge, that he had caused the temple to be polluted, had no other founda tion than that they had seen Trophimus, of Ephesus, in his company, and “supposed” that he had brought him within the sacred precincts. It is not likely tliat the men who made the accusation believed it. There were those who did, however, on the ground stated. To associate thus familiarly with a Gentile was sufficient reason to believe any thing to be true that was alleged against him. When one has, in one instance, overstepped the line of morality, as laid down by “good society," what a host of offenses are soon laid at his door, and find ready credence I F. M. KENNEDY, D. D., Fdilor J. ff. BURKE, Assislant Editor A. (1. HAYGOOD, D. I)., Editorial Correspondent WHOLE NUMBER 2071 The populace were just in the temper to ac cept as true anything that might be imputed to Paul. The sort of affrout of which they deemed him to be guilty was a very aggra vated one. in their estimation, for, on the marble pillars that surrounded the court of the Israelites wag the inscription : “On penalty of death let no foreigner go farther. ’ ’ Of course, if the tresspassing foreigner were deemed worthy of oeatb, much more the false Jew who made it possible for him to trespass. Drew him out of the temple. So that it might not be desecrated by their purposed act of violence. The regard for the proprieties, under such circumstances, is a keen satire on human nature. Many would never think of offending against them, who, unhesitat ingly, transgress in the weightier matters of the law. Forthwith the doors were shut. It has been suggested that they were closed to prevent, his fleeing to the altar for refuge But. this is hardly probable. They were most likely shut by the priests, with the same intent that one would now shut, a church in 'be time of such disorder. Went about to kill him. That is, trying to kill him. Weapons were not at hand, and so they were seeking to accomplish their end by beating him. Bound 33 oti). —The sudden appearance of the Roman soldiery put a stop to their murderous proceedings. The Roman gov ernment knew that its throne in Palestine was seated over a vo'cano, which was liable, at auy time, to break forth, and, hence, they kept a large force at hand ready to quell any popular uprising. Especially were they watchful during the progress of a least like that of Pentecost, for, then, great numbers assembled from all pans of the world, more bitter in their hatred of the Roman rule, even, than those who had constant experi ence ofit. On this account, therefore, there was a guard more than usually large, and more than usually vigilant in the tower of Antoni% The watchman, looking down upon the court, easily could seethe commo tion that had arisen, and, in a moment, it was filled with Roman soldiers. Like the mob at Ephesus, they knew that they were liable to be called in question for that day’s uproar, and the thought of this, as well as lhe sight of the disciplined ranks of the sol diers, had something to do with the alacrity with which they left off beating Piul. Ran down. To Ihe mob it looked as if the sol diers were going to charge upon them. Round with two chains. ’To two soldiers, just as P ter was bound, when sleeping in prison. His arms only being prisoned, be was able still to walk. When thus pinioned he scarcely could have helped thinking of the prophecy of Agabus, an l of its quick fulfillment. The endeavor of the captain to ascertain the offense of wtiich, he took it for granted, Paul was guilty, was unsuccessful, Like the similar riotous assembly at Ephesus, “the more part, knew not wherefore they were come together.” No two agreed as to the cause of their assault upon the prisoner. D spairingof finding out what his crime was, lie com nanded him to be carried into the “castle.” or rather, barracks. Brave (35-39). —In ail this there was much to try one’s nerve If takes a courage which but le v possess, unblencbingly to face an enraged mob. He, already had had a taste ot 1 h-ir anger, and, now that lie waif surrounded by the guard, the multitude, dis appointed of its prey crowd J so against the soldiers that the pressure hit I Paul off from his feet. It was in ilia’ -y that he was “borne of the soldiers.” They could not get at him, but they could, an and did, show 'heir impotent spite by crying: “Away with him 1” It was the same cry that had spoken the doom of Christ, some thirty yeai b.-.lore. And how did Paul bear himself in the midst of this terrible ordeal ? In a way t iat, com pels our admiration. His courage never deserts him ; he never loses i ven his com -1% Ml command. That ques ion, spoken as it was, in Greek, revealed the fact to the uaptaiu that he had been laboring under a mistake. He had tiken Paul to be the Egyptian Im postor who, Josephus says, led out a rabble on the heights near the city, promising them that, at his word, the walls of Jerusalem should fall down. His deluded followers were routed and scattered by Felix, but he escaped. Perhaps the captain was a little disappointed that Paul was not the Egyptianl His question, literally, is: “Then thou art not that Egyptian?’ Upon learning whence he was, he treats him with more respect, and readily grants him leave to speak to the people. But th'iß permission never would have beeu granted, we may be Bure, merely from the fact that Paul was a citi zen of Tarsus. Tits carriage in peril had commanded the respect of Uie eoldier, who knew how to appreciate true courage. As the raging of the waters but the more clearly snow how immovable is the rock against which they dash, so every trial but made the real greatness of the apostle the more conspicuous. We think our friends will all agree that the lesson committee have chosen a queer place at which to close this lesson. They leave Paul just as he is ready to speak to the people. We shall have to wait a whole week for the sermon! Iu order to be effec tive, things usually have to make closer con nections than that 1 There is one good reflection that we can leave with our classes as a closing thought; and that is, that this arrest was God's way of answering Paul’s desire to go to Rome I He put him on his way without expense to himself or to the Churches, and that, too, without mateiially hampering him in his mission ot preaching the gospel 1 No doubt that he would have choseu uifferentlj had a choice been given him—but would he have chosen so wisely? We see iu this, 83 in so many of the instances we have studied, how “all things work together for good to them that love God,” and how it is that the Lord can make the wrath of man to praise him. SUGGESTIVE TO FAULT-FINDERS. “Now, deacon, I've just oue word to say. I can’t bear your preaching I 1 get no good. There’s so much iu it that l don’t want, that I grow lean on it. 1 lose my time and pains.” “Mr. Bunnell, come in here. There’s my cow Thankful -she can teach you theologyl” “A cow teach me theology I What do you mean?” “Now see I I have just thrown her a fork ful ot hay. Just watch her. Taere now I She has found a stick—you know sticks will get into the hay—and see how she tosses it to one side and leaves it, and goes on to eat what is good. Theie again! She has found a burdock, and she throws it to one side aud goes on eating. And there 1 She does not relish that bunch of daisies, and she leaves them, aud —goes on eating. B-fore morning she will clear the manger ot all, save a few sticks and weeds, aud she will give milk. There's milk in that hay, and she knows how to get it out, albeit there may be now and then a stick or a weed which sue leaves. But if she refused to tat, and speut the time in scolding about the fodder, she, too, would ■grow lean,’ and tny milk would he dried up. J ust so with our preaching Le. the old cow leach you. Get ail the good jou can out of it, aud leave the rest. You will find a great deal of nourishment in it.” Mr. Bunnell stood sileut a moment, and then turned away, sayiug. “Neighbor, that old cow is no fool, at any rate. '—Dr. Dodd. Closet Prayer. —There is nothing that interests you that is too little to confide Ve yturGod in the solitude of closet iwtajer. You may enter into your chamber, and shut your door, and secure of a kindly hearing, you may tell your Father wnich is i secret of little things that worry and vex you aud returd you iu your spiritual life, which are yet so iutle that you would be ashitra and to confess to your nearest, triend ho.v great a space they filled up iu your heart. Fix it in your mind, that there is no duty, however little, which we can do without God’s grace; and no temptation, however small, which we can resist without God’s grace.— A. R. H. Boyd. There are some better than they seem. Partly lrom timidity and self-distrust, partly from temperament, partly from a kind of pride, they conceal their religion. They do pray in secret, strive against s.n, read the B ble, but they wear an air ot indifference or of apathy. Yet they have no right to do this. They violate a plain command. They, are not thus the “light of the world, ’•