News and Notes by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 6, 1887

News and Notes.

By Editor

RELIGIOUS.

—Pope Leo, fearing the agitation in France for separation of Church and State, has sent instructions to all priests to endeavor to counteract the movement.

—It is announced that the Comte de Paris and the Duke d'Aumale will pay a visit shortly to the Pope at Rome. Probably "his holiness" would not be averse to seeing the old Bourbon régime restored in France, as that would place a Romanist on the throne of that country.

—Rev. P. A. Nordell, in an article to the Watchman, touches the true idea of "liberality," in the following passage: "We cannot be liberal with truth without becoming false to it. The intensest loyalty to our own convictions is perfectly consistent with the utmost liberality toward those who differ from us."

—Origen, who has been lauded to the skies as the father of theologians, is presented in his true character in the following words which occur in an article by Rev. Wm. Hogue, D. D., in the Watchman of Dec. 16, 1886: "He enthroned a metaphysical theology above the supernatural revelation, and then took the role of a qualified interpreter of that revelation; thus, by his wild style of allegorizing, muddling the clearest teachings, and leaving the reader in utter bewilderment."

—Dr. John Hall having expressed the opinion that a ruling elder is qualified to pronounce the benediction after a service, the Presbyterian Journal says: "Whatever argument may be constructed in favor of it from the scriptural view of the benediction, and from the essential nature of the office of ruling elder, we must concede that the pronouncing of the benediction does not ordinarily come within the prerogatives of a ruling elder, as they are limited by our written constitution." Upon which the Independent remarks: "Really, this is a remarkable utterance. If we must choose between the 'scriptural view' and the 'written constitution,' we go with the former."