former use, or from present want in the cold prison with which he was then threatened. But what inspiration is there here? says the sneering Rationalist. What need of any thing more than the ordinary human faculties and desires in prompting or giving such a message? He mistakes the matter altogether. Not far behind him is the commentator of the M'Knight school, who would defend, or rather excuse, the passage as teaching economy and attention to details, which, they would apologizingly say, is not unworthy of divine direction. The spiritually-minded reader is not stumbled at the passage, even if he can see, or imagine, no connection with what may be deemed the higher teachings of the Epistle. If, however, he is deeply imbued with the spirit of revelation, this care of Paul for his phailonés*-his old and tattered cloak, it may be will make him think of those most pathetic words, 2 Cor. xi, 27: "In labor and weariness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” It brings before the mind the lonely traveler with this old cloak wrapped about him as he climbs the snowy mountains of Pisidia, with their wild and dangerous passes, or lies upon the stormy deck during the nights when they were tossed "up and down in Adria," or finds its need on the bleak shores of Melita, where they had to sleep by kindled fires "on account of the driving rain and because of the cold." Whether he had left it at Troas many years before, when, after preaching until day dawning, he took his hurried land journey across the cape to meet the ship at Assos, (Acts xx, 13, 14,) or during some much later journey not mentioned in history, cannot easily be determined. In either view the mention of this want, simply and incidentally as it seems to be made, gives power and vividness, gives a more inspiring inspiration, we may say, to all his admonitions "to endure hardship (какоTabεiv) as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." There is inspiration in the mention of this cloak as something belonging to one devoted to the highest idea that ever inspired the human soul, and for the sake of which we might well pardon much of the trifling of Romanism, had it, indeed, pre • Some few commentators would give it the sense of satchel, or sack for holding books. But this is a mere guess, having no extrinsic support, and inconsistent with its mention as something separate. It is not at all likely that he would tell him to bring along the book-case, and then add, the books and parchments, afterward served to us so precious a relic. How near it comes to us! this common daily want of such a man-"a man in Christ," who was caught up to the third heavens and saw the vision of the Lord! Granted that such mention came in the ordinary course of the ordinary human faculties, still it was through inspiration; it may be maintained, as a single concrete portion of that one all-pervading, all-animating divine thought of which Paul's soul was ever full, whether in speaking of the incidents of his painful journeyings or in the utterance of ideas so new to the world, so far above the developments of any former ethics or philosophy, and which, even now, Rationalists like Strauss, Colenso, and Renan utterly fail to comprehend. And so we may say here, as Maimonides says in respect to the incidental narrations of the older Scripture: It is all the word of God, and in this respect of its divine sanction and authorship there is no difference between such a passage as that upon which we have been dwelling, "Bring with thee the cloak that I left behind in Troas, with the books, and especially the parchments" or such a one as this, "Prophecies shall come to an end, tongues shall cease, knowledge shall be found unsatisfying, but LOVE never faileth. For now we see in a mirror shadowly, but then face to face; now I know in in part, then shall I know even as I am known. Yet still endure (here and forever) faith, hope, and love-these threebut the greatest of these is LOVE." It was this divine love ever ruling in the owner's soul that rendered the cloak, the books, the parchments belonging to him, worthy objects of inspired mention; it was this that sanctified them, lifted them out of the common sphere of profane or worldly things, and made them all HOLINESS TO THE LORD. Other examples might be given, affording similar illustrations; but the use of this, though regarded as one of the least of all, and so frequently cited as an offendiculum by the Rationalist, is enough to show that "all Scripture inbreathed from God is also profitable for doctrine, for conviction, for direction, for education in righteousness." FOURTH SERIES, VOL. XXII.—8 ART. VIII.-FOREIGN RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. PROTESTANTISM. These amendments were accepted by the In October there was a three days' Conference of lay delegates of the Irish Church in Dublin. The Duke of Abercorn presided, and some four hundred delegates were present, including a number of noblemen, members of Parliament, and other influential and wealthy members of the Irish Church. One of the resolutions adopted was to the effect that the clerical and lay representatives should sit and discuss all questions together in the General Synod, with the right to vote by orders if demanded by three of either order at the meeting. It was explained that this recommendation of the Conference was not to apply to Diocesan Synods, but to the General Convention which is to be afterward formed. On the question of the relative proportions of the representatives of the dioceses, and also of the clergy and the laity, a resolution was adopted that the number of lay represent As THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN IRELAND.-The separation between the Anglican Church in Ireland and the State government compelled the former to undertake a reconstruction upon a voluntary basis. The General Synod of the Irish Church, a union of the two Provincial Synods of Dublin and Armagh, met on Sept. 14 at Dublin. It was the first Synod held in Ireland since 1713. The Provincial Synod of Armagh had met a few days previously, but that of Dublin had to be formally constituted prior to the union of the two into one General Synod. In the Upper House the Primate (the Archbishop of Armagh) presided; the Lower House elected the Rev. Dr. West, Dean of St. Patrick's and Christ Church, its Prolocutor. A protest against the disestablishment of the Church was adopted by the Lower House unanimously, while in the Upper House the Bishop of Down objected to it as un-atives for the respective dioceses should necessary. As to finance, all parties be partly based on population, and seem to be agreed that the remainder of partly on the old parochial system. the old possessions of the Church, which regards the proportion of clergy to laity, may be retained, will require to be the following resolution was carried by an largely supplemented by private lib- overwhelming majority: "That, in the erality if the Church is to be made opinion of this meeting, it is expedient efficient. In the matter of govern- that the number of lay representatives in ment, the Synod adopted a "scheme the General Synod should be to the for the reform of the Provincial Synods, clerical in proportion of two to one." with a view to a union of the Bishops, The clergy also had a private meeting clergy, and laity of the Church of Ireland in October, under the presidency of in General Synod." It proposed that the the Archbishop of Dublin, at which it clergy of each diocese should meet in a was resolved by a large majority that the Diocesan Synod, and elect a certain laity should have a common right with number of their brethren to represent the clergy to decide on matters of docthem in a General Synod, with whom trine and discipline in the future counwere to be included one Dean and one cils of the Church. Archdeacon for each diocese, who, with certain officers of Trinity College, Dublin, were to sit ex officio. The latter part of the scheme excited much discussion, and an amendment proposed by the Dean of Cashel, omitting the ex officio members, was carried, after an earnest debate, by 107 to 29. It was also unanimously agreed that all parochial clergy, whether beneficed or not, should be entitled to vote for clerical representatives, and that the representation should be in the proportion of one to ten in the clergy At a meeting of the Bishops, held in November, it was resolved to sit and vote as a separate order when they deem proper, or in other words, to have the power of vetoing any proposal with which they disagree. The majority of the laity seem to be any thing but pleased with this resolution. Another meeting of lay delegates was held at Armagh, presided over by Lord Rosse, at which it was moved by Lord Dunalley, and agreed to, that the meeting greatly regretted the resolution of the bishops, and understood "voting by order" to the High Church Anglicans. Reports mean that a majority of bishops and from Rome state that already a learned clergy together, and a majority of lay Church historian of France, Abbé Freprepresentatives, should be sufficient to pel, had been appointed to treat with the pass any motion. The meeting also Anglicans. strongly protested against the bishops having the power of a veto in diocesan synods. Thus a serious conflict begins to arise between the High Church and the Presbyterian element in the Church. ROMAN CATHOLICISM. THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL.-During the latter part of the year 1869 no important manifestations have taken place with regard to the Council outside of the Roman Catholic Church. The Bishops of the Eastern Churches, after declining the Pope's invitation, have observed an absolute silence. The hope of seeing a number of them attend had been abandoned even in Rome. Even the most sanguine among the champions of Rome did not expect more than two or three of them to be present. Within the Catholic Church the opposition to the ultramontane tendencies which animate the Pope and his counselors, and will control the majority of the coming Council, has developed a much greater strength than was originally expected. An extraordinary sensation was produced not only within the Roman Catholic Church, but throughout the Christian world, by a sharp letter from one of the greatest pulpit orators of the Church, Father Hyacinthe, against the ultramontane tendencies. Father Hyacinthe, belonging to a family of the name of Loison, has been for many years a monk of the Order of Barefooted Carmelites. His fame as a preacher having attracted the attention of the present liberal Archbishop of Paris, he was several years appointed to preach the Advent course of sermons in Notre Dame, In the Protestant world, several more the Lent course being reserved for the prominent bodies have taken notice of representative of the opposite school of the Papal invitation. In the United the Church-the Jesuit, Père Felix. His States the Moderators of the two largest sermons, which were entirely extempore, bodies among the Presbyterians have ran chiefly on general topics, such as sent a joint letter to the Pope, restating, Society," "Education," "The Famiin brief and mild words, the great doc-ly," "The Church," and attracted gentrinal differences which separate the eral attention, not only by the unusual Roman Catholic from the Protestant eloquence with which they were delivbranch of Christianity. In Germany, the Church Diet and several other societies have passed resolutions, explaining why there can be no hope of a reunion of the Protestant denominations and of Roman Catholicism, as long as the Pope occupies his anti-scriptural position. Dr. Cumming, of London, has called forth a letter of the Pope, not to himself, but to Archbishop Manning, of Westminster, in which the permission asked for by the Doctor, to plead the cause of Evangelical Protestantism in the assembly of Rome, is refused. A second letter of the Pope, however, informs the Archbishop that any Protestants who may wish to discuss the points of difference between them and the Roman Catholic Church, may come to Rome, and that theologians will be appointed by the Pope, with whom they may confer. The only body outside of the Roman Catholic Church which contains members who may go to Rome in pursuance of the Pope's invitation are 66 ered, but by remarkable liberality, which he manifested toward the Christian communities outside the Catholic pale as parts of Christendom. In many quarters his liberalism created a great uneasiness; and when, at a Peace Congress held in Paris, in 1869, he spoke in kindly appreciation of Protestants and Jews, he drew upon him a sharp rebuke from his superior, the General of the Carmelite Order. This led him to announce to the Archbishop of Paris the impossibility of his preaching again at Notre Dame, and soon afterward followed his famous letter to the General of his Order, in which he utters a bold protest against the tendencies prevailing in Rome, and renounces his monastic obedience. The effect of the letter was like a bombshell. Father Hyacinthe himself escaped from the trials of alternate applause and invective to which his stay in Paris, or even in Europe, would have exposed him, by a retirement to America. Most of the Liberal Catholics of France-the party of Montalembert, Albert de Brog The substance of the argument is as follows: Church is a limited monarchy, which lie, and the Correspondant-were sore- | VIII., Clement XI., Pius IV., we adhere ly tried by this unexpected move, to doctrines which appear to us true." which they censured as too rash and as extreme, saying that he would have served their cause better by remaining in his place, preaching whatever he would have to say from the pulpit of Notre Dame, and leaving the authorities to dispose of him as best they could. Still his protest did not remain alone. While Father Hyacinthe felt himself bound to protest against the Council from the stand-point of a common Christianity, another sharp protest was issued in the name of the old Gallican school by one of the French Bishops, Monseigneur Maret, Bishop of Sura, (in partibus infidelium,) and Dean of the Theological Faculty of Paris. Bishop Maret has written two volumes "On the General Council and the Public Peace," which he submits to the Council. More are to follow, but these may suffice as to the general tendency. In a circular letter to his brother Bishops he refers them to the preface of the book, written, he says, in the exercise of an episcopal right, and inspired by love to the Church and the Holy See. He has dedicated these two volumes to the Pope himself. In the letter addressed to His Holiness he writes first to excuse himself that he cannot himself be the bearer of his work, inspired, he repeats also to him, by his episcopal duty. "At the moment of the assembling of an Ecumenical Council," he proceeds, "which is called upon to perform such great tasks, and foreseeing, as I do, the sinister consequences wherewith projects might be fraught, conceived and proclaimed by venerable men who, however, do not seem fully aware of the perils of their undertaking-it appears to me both useful and necessary to draw the picture of the constitution of the Church in its greatness aud perfection, and in that unchanging character which its Divine Founder intended to impart to it." He has published this book, he says, so that all may read it-the Pope, the Bishops, the priests, the people, clerics as well as laymen. "I publish them before the Council, so that they all may have time to read them." Briefly, the whole work, from beginning to end, is devoted to one object to the most fervent and unsparing tight against the dogma of the Papal infallibility and to the defense of Gallicanism. "In professing all the respect due to the decisions and bulls of Sixtus IV., Alexander A number of the French Bishops have already openly declared against the work of their colleague, and few prominent men in the Church dare to be as outspoken as he. But very large is the party, even among the Bishops, who, though in a very moderate language, do not conceal that they disapprove of the clamor of the ultramontane party for a promulgation of the Papal infallibility as a doctrine of the Church. By far the most |