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ber, 1875, in St. Andrew's Church, Toronto, in which he expressed views at variance with the doctrines of the Church on the subject of everlasting punishment. He had been called to account by the lower courts of the Church, and examined by committees, but failed to satisfy his examiners, avowing that he held "that there was ground to hope that God would eventually remove sin and suffering entirely from every part of his dominions." Mr. Macdonnell spoke in the discussions on his case, and explained that his position was one of doubt. He was ready to believe the truth of God on the doctrine in question, but had not been able to satisfy his mind as to what the truth actually was. The Assembly adopted the following action on the case:

That this Assembly, sustaining the reference for judgment, find that, in the statement made before this Assembly, Mr. Macdonnell has declared that he does not hold the doctrine of everlasting punishment in the sense held by the Church and formulated in the Confession of Faith; nevertheless, that he has adopted no doctrinal views contrary to the Confession of Faith: Therefore, Resolved, first, That the above twofold statement is not satisfactory to this Assembly; second, that a committee be appointed to confer with Mr. Macdonnell, in the hope that they may be able to bring in a report as to Mr. Macdonnell's views which may be satisfactory to this Assembly.

The committee subsequently reported that Mr. Macdonnell had met with them and stated that, while he was desirous to meet the wishes of the Assembly in regard to conference with the committee, he respectfully referred them to the statement he had already made before the General Assembly, as clearly defining his position, and that the report of that statement, which was published in the Daily Mail of June 16th, was substantially correct. The committee offered the following minute relating to the case, which was adopted by the Assembly:

Considering-1. That this General Assembly has declared that the statement of his views made by Mr. Macdonnell before it was not satisfactory; 2. That, on meeting with the committee appointed by the Assembly to confer with him, he signified that he had at present no further statement to make, by which his position toward the doctrine in question might be modified; 3. That the doctrine of the eternity or endless duration of the punishment of the wicked, as taught in the Confession of Faith, is a doctrine of Scripture which every minister of this Church must hold and teach-the General Assembly feels under obligation to continue its care in this matter; but, inasmuch as Mr. Macdonnell expresses his regret for having preached the sermon which gave occasion to these proceedings, has intimated that his mind is at present in an undecided state as regards the doctrine in question, and has engaged, while seeking for the light, not to contravene the traditions of the Church, the Assembly, in the hope that Mr. Macdonnell may find his views in accord with the standard on the subject in question Resolved, That further time be given him carefully to consider the matter; and that he be requested to report through his presbytery, to the next General Assembly, whether he accepts the teaching of the Church on the subject. The Assembly would commend their brother to the guidance of the Spirit

VOL. XVI.-43 A

of Truth, praying that, with the Divine blessing upon the further study of the Word of God, all difficulties as to the Scriptural evidence of the momentous doctrine incurred may speedily cease to perplex his mind.

(b.) A number of ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Canada in connection with the Church of Scotland refused to enter into the union with the Canada Presbyterian Church, and, after the union was consummated, declared themselves to constitute the synod in connection with the Church of Scotland. This synod met in Montreal in June. The Rev. David Watson was appointed moderator. Trustees were appointed for the various funds of the synod, and the usual committees were also appointed. A petition was presented from the congregation of West King, praying for ordinances in connection with the Church of Scotland, and complaining of the proceedings which had resulted in their being deprived of their church property. A list was presented of congregations in similar circumstances. It was agreed that a commission, with synodical powers, be appointed to watch such cases, and, if that were called for, to appoint a deputation to proceed to Edinburgh and attend the next General Assembly, or the meetings at any time of the Colonial Committee of the Church of Scotland.

VI. PRESBYTERIANS IN SCOTLAND. (a.) The Church of Scotland.-The General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland met in Edinburgh, May 18th, and was opened ceremonially by the Earl of Galloway as her Majesty's Lord High Commissioner. The Rev. Dr. Cook, of Borgue, was elected moderator. The statistical report stated that the total revenue of the Church for its various agencies and schemes had been £350,621, as against £282,834 in 1875. The income for the colonial scheme had been £17,138, and that for the Jewish mission £6,035. The income for home missions had been £11,857.

The report of the Endowment Committee showed that 25 churches had been endowed during the year, making a total of 240 churches endowed since the scheme was projected. The total number of charges, parishes, unendowed chapels, etc., now in possession of the Church, was 1,473. The income for home missions had been £11,857, showing a considerable increase over the income of the previous year. The income for the Jewish missions had been £6,035. The missions were established at Constantinople, Alexandria, Beyrout, Salonica, and Monastir. The income for foreign missions had been £12,949, and the expenditures for the same had been £8,679. An overture, declaring clergymen of the Church of England, among others, eligible for admission into the Scottish Church, was rejected, and an amendment was adopted declaring Presbyterian ministers alone eligible. A case of approach to ritualism in the church of Dunse was decided by the Assembly. An altar-cloth and cross had been introduced into

the church. The synod had ordered them removed. The Assembly, on appeal, confirmed the order of the synod.

(b.) Free Church of Scotland.-The General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland met at Edinburgh, May 18th. Dr. Thomas McLaughlan, of Edinburgh, was chosen mod erator. Report was made that the sum of £70,357 had been raised for foreign missions, and £5,191 for the conversion of the Jews. The report of the colleges made mention of a bequest of £13,000, a gift of £8,000, of the raising of £10,000 toward a fourth chair in Aberdeen College, and of a legacy of £17,000 to the new college. The total amount of funds raised for Church purposes during the year had been £534,450 108. 9d. A motion was adopted by an overwhelming majority, to the effect that nothing in recent legislation has altered the attitude of the State to the Church which led to the disruption; that the Free Church should not be moved from the ground which it had taken, etc. On the 25th of May the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland, consisting of 36 ministers and 34 elders, came into the Assembly, with its moderator at its head, and the union of the two bodies was formally consummated.

(c.) Reformed Presbyterian Church. - The Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland met at Glasgow, March 13th. The Rev. David Taylor, of Glasgow, was chosen moderator. The statistical reports showed that the Church included 42 congregations, with 7,500 members, and that its annual contributions amounted to about £14,000. The synod, by a vote of 57 to 6, adopted a resolution in favor of union with the Free Church. This resolution, having received the approval of the presbyteries and synods, had now become the resolution of the Church. The Committee on Union was reappointed to carry the negotiations to a conclusion. The union with the Free Church was finally consummated in the General Assembly of that body, May 25th.

(d.) Reformed Presbyterian Synod.-The Reformed Presbyterian Synod of Scotland met in Glasgow, May 8th. The Rev. Robert Wallace was chosen moderator. His address was upon the duties devolving on covenanted witness. He spoke of the Church over whose synod he was moderator as the true Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Church called Reformed Presbyterian, which was about to become amalgamated with the Free Church, had no proper claim to the designation Reformed Presbyterian. That Church had been for a number of years violating many of the distinctive principles and practices of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The business of the synod was of a routine char

acter.

(e.) United Presbyterian Church.-The following are the statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, as reported in May, 1876: Number of congregations, 620; of elders, 5,075;

members, 190,242; Sunday-school teachers, 12,129; Sunday-school scholars, 92,502; average Sunday attendance on church, 85,000. The total income for 1875 was £419,965.

The General Synod of the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland) met in Edinburgh, May 11th. The Rev. John Rankine was chosen moderator. The synod, by a vote of 373 to 45, gave its sanction to the union of the United Presbyterian Church in England with the English Presbyterian Church. An animated debate took place on the question of Disestablishment, at the end of which the synod resolved to issue a pastoral letter advocating a sev erance between the Church and the State. The attention of the synod was called to the case of the proposed monument to Thomas Gillespie in the churchyard of the Abbey of Dunfermline. It was intended to inscribe upon the monument a record of Mr. Gillespie's expulsion and deposition by the General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland, but the Government had refused to allow the word "deposed" to be used. A resolution was passed, declaring "that the synod hear with surprise and regret of her Majesty's Board of Works' refusal, and remit it to the Disestablishment Committee to cooperate with the United Presbyterian Presbytery of Dunfermline, with power to memorialize the Government in regard to the matter."

The

VII. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND.— The fortieth meeting of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church in England was held in Liverpool, beginning May 1st. The Rev. Dr. J. Oswald Dykes was chosen moderator. statistical report showed that the number of communicant members of the Church was 29,045-1,963 more than the number reported the previous year. The total amount of receipts for the year had been £98,484, and the total amount paid as stipends for the year had been £38,069. The total income for home missions had been £2,133. Seven new fields of labor had been occupied. The expenditures of the Foreign Mission Committee for the year had been £8,268, or £505 in excess of the income. The committee had twelve missionaries in China, besides three who were at home for rest, fifty-six native evangelists, and twentythree students. The mission-stations were at Amoy, Swatow, and the island of Formosa. A motion for the immediate consummation of the union with the United Presbyterian congregations in England was carried, with only two dissentient votes. The Union Committee was reappointed to arrange for the reunion on the 13th of June.

The synod reassembled in Liverpool, June 13th, to perfect the union with the United Presbyterian Synod. The latter body met at the same time in a neighboring church in the same city. After transacting some routine business in each court, including the approval of the basis of union, the members of the two bodies marched in procession to Philharmonic

PROKESCH-OSTEN, COUNT.

Hall, where they coalesced. The minutes of the two synods were read, and the moderators in turn declared the two churches one. The first Synod of the Presbyterian Church of England was then constituted. The Rev. Dr. Anderson, of Morpeth, was elected moderator. Deputations were received from various Presbyterian churches in the United Kingdom, and the synod was visited by the Nonconformist ministers of Liverpool in a body. The United Church will consist of eleven presbyteries, with 263 congregations, 50,000 members, and a yearly income of £160,000.

VIII. IRISH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.-The General Assembly of the Irish Presbyterian Church met at Belfast, June 5th. The Rev. John Meneely, of Belfast, was elected moderator. Report was made that the total income of the Church for the year had been £141,152 98. 9d., or £1,307 58. 3d. less than the income of the previous year. The report of the foreign missions was stated to be the most satis factory that had ever been presented to the Assembly. The work was carried on principally in India and China. The subject of instrumental music in the churches was again discussed. Five of the congregations, which were reported as in offense the year before in employing instruments, had agreed to give up their use if the Assembly would provide them with precentors; but the ministers and congregations of Enniskillen and Queenstown still held out, and refused to submit to the decision of the previous Assembly. Action in their cases was deferred.

The Elementary Education Committee made a report of their action during the year, in opposing the attacks which had been made upon the non-sectarian system of education.

IX. WELSH CALVINISTIC METHODISTS.-The annual meeting of the Calvinistic Methodist Association (which, in spite of its name, is a Presbyterian body) was held at Tredegar, in June. The Rev. T. James, of Llanelly, presided. The following is a summary of the statistical reports: Number of churches, 33; of ministers, 30; of preachers, 8; of leaders, 123; of communicants, 2,339; of candidates for membership, 322; of children in the Church, 921.

X. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN NEW SOUTH WALES.-Union of the Presbyterian churches was effected in New South Wales in 1865. In 1876 there were in the colony some 66 ministers and 108 churches, besides other preachingplaces, with a total seating capacity for 24,000 persons. The number of Presbyterian churches in the colonies and mission-fields in the Southern seas was 407, with 350 ministers.

PROKESCH-OSTEN, Count ANTON, an Austrian diplomatist, born December 10, 1795; died October 26, 1876. He became, in 1827, chief of the general staff of Admiral Count Dondolo, with whom he remained until 1830. In this position he concluded treaties for the amelioration of the condition of the Christians with the Pashas of St. Jean d'Acre and of

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 675.

Syria. In 1831 he went with the Austrian army to Bologna as imperial commissioner; in 1832 he was sent on a special mission to Rome, and in 1833 to Egypt, to mediate between the Sultan and the Viceroy. In 1834 he was appointed embassador to Greece, where he remained up to 1849, having been raised to the rank of major-general in 1843, and created a Freiherr (baron) in 1845. In February, 1849, he went to Berlin as embassador, remaining there until 1852; and in 1853 he became President of the Bundestag (Federal Diet) in Frankfort, having been in the mean while raised to the rank of lieutenant field-marshal, and created a privy councilor. In 1855 he was appointed imperial nuncio and embassador to Constantinople, and in 1867 envoy extraordinary to the same court, in which position he remained up to 1871. Upon his retirement from the service he was created a count. He wrote a number of works on the Eastern countries, his chief work being "Geschichte des Abfalls der Griechen vom türkischen Reich" (6 vols., 1867-'68).

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. In the table on next page is given a summary of the statistics of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America for 1875-'76, as they appear in the Church Almanac for 1877 (Pott & Young, New York). The aggregate number of communicants is given as in forty-three dioceses and nine missionary districts. The number of communicants in the whole Church is estimated in the Church Almanac as 286,000. The aggregates of other items are given by the Almanac in a "general statistical summary " (in many instances incomplete), as follows: Number of dioceses, 45; of missionary districts (including Africa, China, and Japan), 13; of bishops, 59; of bishops elect, 2; of priests and deacons, 3,192; whole number of clergy, 3,251; number of parishes, about 2,800; number of ordinations in 37 dioceses and 5 missionary districts, 214; of candidates for deacon's orders in 35 dioceses and 5 missionary districts, 251; of churches consecrated in 18 dio. ceses and 3 missionary districts, 53; of baptisms in 40 dioceses and 9 missionary districts, 41,453; of confirmations in 43 dioceses and 9 missionary districts, 26,954; of Sunday-school teachers in 39 dioceses and 7 missionary districts, 24,894; of Sunday-school scholars in 40 dioceses and 7 missionary districts, 235,509; amount of contributions in 40 dioceses and 8 missionary districts, $6,804,448.29.

Whittaker's Protestant Episcopal Almanac and Directory gives as the number of communicants in the diocese of Arkansas, 768; in Florida, 828; in Oregon and Washington, 756; in Niobrara, 415; in the African missions, 400. This Almanac also gives the following totals: Number of bishops, 59; of bishops elect, 2; of priests and deacons, 3,171; of parishes, about 2,900; of baptisms, 42,031; of confirmations, 26,761; of communicants,

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The forty-first annual meeting of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church was held in Philadelphia, Pa., October 10th. Reports were made of the receipts and expenditures for the year, as follows: The total receipts of the board were $295,000.65; disbursements, $309,451.81; debt, $72,705.66: investments, $139,507.16. From and including 1835 till October, 1876, the total amount received and expended by the Domestic Committee had been, in round numbers, $2,500,000, giving an annual average of nearly $61,000 during forty-three years. More than fortythree dioceses and ten missionary jurisdictions had, for longer or shorter periods, been given to the work of the committee, and all but sixteen of these had also been receivers. Fortyfour dioceses and missionary jurisdictions had contributed to the work of the Indian Commission. Contributions were also acknowl edged from England, Japan, and Liberia. Two young men of the Chippewa Indians had been ordained to the diaconate, two others were ready to enter upon the same office, and four more had been received as candidates for holy orders. The missionary bishops of Japan reported that there were at Ozaka station 4 presbyters, 5 teachers, 27 communicants, 2 day-schools with 24 scholars, and 1 Sundayschool with 25 scholars; and at Tokio station 2 presbyters, 4 teachers, 35 eommunicants, 4 day-schools with 61 scholars, and 2 Sunday-schools with 68 scholars. Two persons had been baptized at Ozaka, and 19 persons had been baptized and 17 confirmed at Tokio. The Bishop of Hayti reported that there had been 50 baptisms and 27 confirmations in his diocese, and that there were in it 283 con municants and 88 Sunday-school scholars. The Commission of Home Missions to the Colored People reported that the normal school at Raleigh, N. C., the school and parish at Petersburg, Va., and the high-school at Charleston, S. C., were in a highly successful and prosperous condition. The Bishops of Nebraska and Dakota, of Colorado and Wyoming, and of Montana, Idaho, and Utah, made reports showing a steady advance of the interests of the Church in their respective dioceses.

A special meeting of the House of Bishops was held in Philadelphia, October 13th and 14th. The principal business of the meeting was the election of missionary bishops for the dioceses of China and Cape Palmas, Africa. The Rev. Samuel I. J. Scherenschewsky, D. D., was elected Missionary Bishop for China. Dr. Scherenschewsky had been elected to the same office one year before, but had then declined to accept it. At this time, however, he yielded to the renewed call of the bishops, and signified his acceptance. The Rev. John T. Magrath, Rector of St. Paul's Church, Jackson, Mich., was elected Missionary Bishop of Cape Palmas.

The seventeenth annual meeting of the American Church Missionary Society was held in Philadelphia, October 25th. The Rev. S. H. Tyng, D. D., presided. The receipts of the Society for the year had been $54,550.50. In the field of domestic missions the Society had more than one hundred and twenty-five stations, representing fourteen dioceses and three missionary jurisdictions. Forty-three missionaries had been commissioned, eight had resigned, one had died, and thirty-three were now in active service. In the field of foreign missions the Society occupied the city of Mexico, with a district surrounding it, having a radius of from two hundred to four hundred miles. More than sixty congregations were officially connected with the Church of Jesus, or, to describe it by its full legal title, "The Mexican Branch of the Catholic Church of the Lord Jesus Christ Militant upon Earth." The worship of this Church is guided in accordance with a provisional service-book, entitled Prayers and Hymns." This work is liturgical and responsive in character, and is to be enlarged and perfected by the legislative body of the Church, under the advice of the bishops who compose the Mexican Commission of the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Its ministry is constituted of men who were ordained by Bishop Lee, of Delaware, on his recent visit to Mexico, who have also been aided by former Roman Catholic priests who have renounced their Church. Seven candidates were awaiting holy oders. Many lay assistants were employed.

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The tenth annual meeting of the Evangelical Education Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church was held in Philadelphia, October 26th. Bishop Vail, of Kansas, presided. The report of the Board of Managers showed the financial condition of the Society to be as follows: Money on hand at the beginning of the year, $737.23; amount received during the year, $24,536.83. The Society was free from debt, and, notwithstanding the stringency of the times, had aided every worthy student who had applied for help. Forty-six students were on the Society's roll at the beginning of the year, and twenty-four had been added since. The number still upon the rolls was forty.

The annual meeting of the New York Bible and Common Prayer-Book Society was held in New York City, October 22d. Report was made that during the year the Society had given away about 28,000 volumes of Bibles, prayer-books, and Testaments. The Society was at present engaged in publishing in separate parts a translation of the prayer-book into German, made under the supervision of a committee appointed by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

The forty-third anniversary of the Bishop White Prayer-Book Society was held in Philadelphia, in October. The Society had during the year distributed 17,965 volumes of Bibles, prayer-books, and hymnals, at a total cost of

$3,900. The receipts of the Society had been $2,620, leaving a deficiency of $1,280.

The anniversary of the Society for the Increase of the Ministry was held at Philadelphia, October 8th and 9th. The report was made for the year ending September 1, 1876. The Society had begun the year with $625.74 in the treasury, and had received till the date of the report, from 45 dioceses and missionary jurisdictions, the sum of $28,869.66. Its expenditures had been $32,939.50. It had aided 153 scholars, representing 42 dioceses and missionary jurisdictions. One in eight of all the clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church now living had received help from the Society. It had assisted students from every diocese studying in every college and seminary of the Church.

The third meeting of the Church Congress was held at Boston, beginning November 14th. The opening address was delivered by Bishop Huntington, of Central New York. The Bishop of Massachusetts presided, and delivered an address of welcome to the Congress. The following topics were discussed during the sessions: "The True Place of Art in Christianity;" "Foreign Missions, under our Present Knowledge of Non-Christian Nations, their Morals and their Religions;" "The Relation of the Protestant Episcopal Church to the Freedom of Religious Thought;" "The Relations of Secular and Religious Education;" "The Morals of Politics;" "The Just Liberty in the Adaptation of the Services to the Varied Wants of the People;" "The Prevention and Cure of Drunkenness;" "Revivals and Christian Nurture."

The Diocesan Convention of Iowa met in Davenport, May 31st. At a former meeting of the Convention, the Rev. J. H. Eccleston, of Philadelphia, had been elected bishop. The validity of the election was disputed on account of some informalities, and Dr. Eccleston declined to serve. A new election was therefore necessary. A letter was read from Dr. Eccleston declining a nomination. On the first ballot, the Rev. W. Stevens Perry, D. D., President of Hobart College, Geneva, N. Y., received a very large majority of the votes, and was elected. A resolution was unanimously adopted commending the action of Dr. Eccleston in the case. Dr. Perry was ordained bishop at Trinity Church, Geneva, N. Y., September 10th.

The tenth annual session of the National Convocation of the Haytian Church was held in Port-au-Prince, beginning June 11th. Conferences on religious subjects formed a prominent feature of the meeting. The educational institution set on foot by Bishop Holly was cordially approved. It was decided to celebrate the completion of the tenth year of the existence of the Church by giving a contribution of one hundred dollars to the centennial fund of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States, that Church having been the

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