SUMMARY OF NEWS. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.-Advices from Europe are to the 4th inst.

CREAT BRITAIN.-The House of Commons adopted withont debate the motion granting precedence over all other business to the Franchise bill. An amendment to the address in reply to the royal speech, offered by an Irish member, declaring that the administration of the laws in Ireland is unsatisfactory, was rejected by a vote of 4 yeas to 219 nays.

The mill owners of Dundee have resolved to reduce the wages of operatives five per cent., owing to the depression of trade. Thousands of work people are out of employment, and the municipal authorities are devising measures of relief. The agitation among the "crofters" of the island of Skye is increasing. A circular has been distributed urging them to cut the telegraphs, burn the shooting lodges, poison the deer and adopt desperate measures of defence.

The Health Exhibition in London closed on the 30th ult. The total number of visitors was 4,167,681. The Ministry is said to have abandoned the Australian Federation bill on account of the opposition of the Assembly of New South Wales.

IRELAND.-The municipal authorities of Limerick, by a vote of 27 to 5, have decided to persist in their refusal to pay the tax assessed for extra police. It was expected that some members of the corporation would be arrested.

FRANCE. An agitation is in progress in Paris against the price of bread. A meeting of the bakers held to consider the request of the Prefect that they should reduce the price, refused to do so, by a vote of 341 to 204. Monster demonstrations to force the bakers to make such a reduction are mooted in the city by the working men.

Ships leaving Marseilles are now granted clean bills of health, the cholera having ceased to be epidemic. The French Minister to Morocco threatens reprisals unless outrages on Jews who are French subjects be stopped and the parties indemnified.

GERMANY.-Elections for members of the Reichstag have just been held, resulting as follows: Conservatives, 69; Centre, 95; Imperials, 24: Nationalists, 35; German Liberals, 31; Poles, 16; People's Party, 32; Alsatians, 14; Guelphs. 5; Socialists, 10. In 79 cases there was no choice, and second ballots will be required.

The official invitations to the Congo Conference fix the 12th inst. for its meeting. The assistant delegates are to hold a preliminary meeting on the 8th. It is said that England, France and Germany have agreed upon the leading points of the programme, and it is expected that other Powers will accede to these without prolonged discussion.

HOLLAND.-The elections for members of the Second Chamber of the States General resulted at The Hague in the re-election of the present Liberal members. The returns from the provinces are incomplete.

The Dutch steamship Maasdam, from Rotterdam for New York, was burned at sea on the 24th ult. The passengers and crew, 186 in all, took to the boats, and remaining near the ship, were rescued the same evening by the German steamer Rhein. Not one was lost or injured, although the sea was very rough, and a severe storm arose two or three hours later.

SPAIN. A commercial treaty with the United States has been agreed upon between the American Minister and the Spanish Commissioner, relative to Cuba and Porto Rico. Sugar, molasses and raw tobacco from those islands are to be admitted to the United States free of duty, and the duties on other articles reduced. American flour and cereals are to be imported into

the colonies on the same footing as from Spain, and duties on cattle, salt and fresh fish, and most American manufactured goods will be largely reduced.

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.-The Emperor, in receiving the Hungarian Delegations on the 28th, said that he had every reason to expect a prolonged period of peace for the Empire, the foreign relations of which, especially with neighboring States, are very friendly. The recent conference of the three Emperors at Skierniwice, he said, attested their complete agreement in maintaining peace on the basis of the maintenance of treaties and mutual confidence.

EGYPT. The advance of the English expedition for Khartoum has reached Wady Halfa, but much confusion exists in the transport service, and stores arrive there very irregularly, owing to the difficulty of get ting boats past the cataracts. The total force allotted to Gen. Wolseley is 8000 English troops, of whom 5000 are to be taken to Dongola, leaving 3500 in reserve at Wady Halfa. The Mudir of Dongola promises 3000 natives in addition, from the mercenary tribes. A number of Canadian boatmen are employed in managing the boats on the Nile, and they have got 120 boats past the second cataract.

A report has been received in Cairo that the Mahdi, during Ninth month, hearing of the advance of the British forces, sent additional forces against Khartoum, which at the end of that month was surrounded by 150,000 rebels. Supplies failing, the garrison began to waver, and some of the officers, complaining of having been deceived by a promise of British aid, demanded that a retreat should be made to Dongola, threatening otherwise to join the Mahdi. Gen. Gordon consented, but a panic arose, and 8000 soldiers and civilians deserted in a body, while 2000 embarked with Gen, Gordon. The rebels harassed the retreat to Shendy, where the flotilla was disabled, and finally the whole force was captured. Gen. Gordon was sent as a prisoner to the Mahdi's camp. The English Government disbelieves the report, and no confirmation had been received on the 3d. A dispatch from Dongola to Reuter's Telegram Co. on the 3d makes no mention of the fall of Khartoum, but says that at the last accounts the Mahdi was collecting his forces around the place and had summoned Gen. Gordon to surrender. Gen. Wolseley at Dongola replied on the 3d to an inquiry from the Government as to the situation at Khartoum, that an officer further advanced telegraphed that Arabs from the south reported all quiet; and that a messenger sent to Khartoum some days before reached that place and was received by Gen. Gordon. The Mahdi with a strong force had advanced upon Amderman, opposite Khartoum, and called upon Gordon to surrender, but the latter replied that he could hold Khartoum for twelve years. The Mahdi then retired a day's journey south, saying he would not fight for two months.

DOMESTIC.-The Director General of the New Or leans Exposition has announced that its formal opening will take place Twelfth mo. 16th. Applications for space will be received until the 25th inst.

The public debt statement for the 1st inst. showed a decrease of $8,307,192 during last month.

The International Meridian Conference at Washing. ton closed on the 1st inst. Upon the resolution adopting the meridian of Greenwich as a universal initial meri. dian, only the St. Domingo delegate voted in the negative, those of France and Brazil abstaining from voting.

The result of the Presidential election on the 4th inst. was in doubt when this paragraph was written on the 5th, the decision probably depending on the vote of New York.

Fourth Annual Report of the Committee on the Ministry of Indiana Yearly Meeting.

To the Yearly Meeting:

The past year has been one of much active service and of great spiritual blessings, and with gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His unmerited mercies, we submit our fourth annual report. The great objects constantly before us have been, to so promote the work of the Ministry as to be instrumental

(1st). In the salvation of sinners. (2d). In building up believers in the most Holy Faith; and (3d). In encouraging a loving loyalty to Christ as the Head and the Church as His body, in all our members. We have constantly kept before us the great fundamental principles:

1. That all true ministry of the Gospel is from the appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is He who by His Spirit prepares and qualifies for the work, and that the gift must be exercised in true dependence upon Him. (London Discipline, P. 53-)

2. That the privilege of education and training have led many to a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and to a cultivation of the understanding, which have become truly serviceable when yielded up in simple dedication to the Lord's own teachings. (London Discipline.)

3. It is the prerogative of Christ Jesus, our

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POETRY.-The Will of God-Leave It With Him-A Song for
Middle Age..
SUMMARY OF NEWS.

Lord, to choose and send forth His own Ministers. That there must be a distinct call to the ministry before the Church acknowledges it, and that the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit is necessary before one can move in this office. (London Discipline.)

4. That women as well as men are called into the full exercise of the Gospel Ministry, and that their labors have been attended with equal blessing and authority.

5. That the words of the Saviour must be constantly borne in mind, "Freely ye have received, freely give," and that Gospel Ministry must be free and without pecuniary reward.

6. That the Ministry is not an exclusive and separate priesthood, but that all who come unto the Lord Jesus Christ are spoken of as a Holy Priesthood, and are required to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ.

7. That the Ministry of the Gospel should not be hindered by lack of pecuniary help, and that

they that preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel; ". and that when meetings liberate ministers of the Gospel for any service, they should provide the necessary pecuniary means for their traveling expenses, and, when necessary, provide for the maintenance of their families while engaged in this service. (Ind. Discipline, p. 95.)

The question of the proper pecuniary support

of those called to Gospel labor is one of the most difficult and embarrassing ones. The work of Church extension could be carried forward to an almost unlimited extent if we had the necessary pecuniary means, and some definite arrangement by which the work could be cared for after it is organized and put in motion. Several very earnest calls for ministers to labor and establish meetings are before us; in some instances accompanied by an offer to prepare a place of worship. The evangelists have been very earnest and faithful, and their labors have been greatly blessed, but they are frequently obliged to leave the work in new hands, who are unequal to carrying it on. We have endeavored to encourage the development of the various gifts in the Church, so that meetings when formed may be built up and sustained by those who are called out amongst themselves; but in many instances the need of a regular Ministry on the First day of the week is sorely felt. How to supply the deficiency is a difficult question. From one new meeting, where an earnest appeal was made for a minister to remain who had been successfully laboring amongst them, the writer says: "You will probably say that we are depending too much on the minister, and not enough on the Lord; but you cannot expect that in a year's time we should be like some old Friends' meeting." This is but one sample of many calls that reach us. We believe that if our membership generally could be filled with the idea that their obligations, both spiritual and temporal, are first due to God and His church, and to carry these convictions into practice, the Church would grow in numbers and in power, and the name of the Lord would be greatly magnified.

We desire to bear testimony to the earnestness and devotion of the ministers of the Gospel within our Yearly Meeting. Many of them have shown a willingness to submit to great personal sacrifices, and we believe there is an increased devotion to the work and a growth in spiritual life and power amongst them.

We have received full reports from fifty of the ministers who have been engaged in evangelistic work the past year, from some of which we make the following extracts. Our dear friend, Robert W. Douglas, who has been for the past four years closely occupied, under the immediate supervision and direction of our committee, says:

"I have, as in the past, been quite actively engaged going from meeting to meeting, visiting, instructing and encouraging the churches in the right way of the Lord. I have attended all the Quarterly Meetings (several of them repeatedly) belonging to the Yearly Meeting, except two, and have had considerable other service in nearly all of them to good satisfaction. I have also attended quite a large number of our Monthly Meetings, six series of meetings, one camp meeting, one general meeting, and the opening of two meeting houses. Meetings of all kinds held and attended, 312.

"I have, as way opened for it, held meetings

where revival meetings have been held by our evangelists, for the purpose of instructing those who have just come into the light and liberty of the Gospel, but who needed to be built up in the faith and hope of the Gospel. I have held quite a number of special meetings for the explanation of our denominational views, such as the Spirituality of the Gospel; the Headship of Christ in the Church; the Priesthood of believers; the disuse of typical rites and ceremonies in the Church of God. In this service I have met with a great deal of encouragement and sympathy, not only from our own members, but also from members of other denominations.

The

"This report closes four years of very active service in connection with the work of the Yearly Meeting's Committee. I have endeavored to faithfully carry out the suggestions of the Committee and the views of the Yearly Meeting. I thankfully acknowledge the uniform kindness and sympathy of the Committee and other Friends, from the beginning of the work to the present time. prayer of Moses is the desire of my heart, as I close, for all the servants and handmaids of the Lord in Indiana Yearly Meeting:" "Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children; and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

(To be continued.)

From The (London) Christian.

THE IDOLATRY OF MUSIC.

SIR,-I was pleased, on taking up The Christian of this week, to find that "A Lover of Music" has given airing to a subject which has been too long overlooked in our places of worship. It is not my intention to go into the rights and wrongs of the subject, but a few plain facts may, or ought to, open the eyes of both our ministers and fellowChristians.

Take, first of all, paid choirs, consisting of men and boys, cassocked and surpliced: you will find the boys, in nineteen cases out of twenty, to be the worst behaved boys at service, as well as away from it. from it. They feel they have a special license to be bad. Then the senior members: you will also find that the same percentage "have no fear of God before their eyes," but (from experience I speak) are guilty of all manner of evil and vice. A leading choirman in one of our cathedrals is, I know from acquaintance, an infidel, and yet daily goes to sing praises to God! What mockery!

Turning from paid to voluntary choirs in churches or dissenting places of worship, you will find much evil there, even though all profess to be serving one Master, Christ the Lord. The choir commences well, but after a time jealousies, envyings, and strifes soon take the place of Christian charity. Nature has given one a better voice than another; he or she is soon picked out for solos, then the devil quickly gets a footing, and things go on from bad to worse. This is no picture of the imagina

noble purposes and high aims which should always mark men who have received the gift of genius and who make up the glorious guild of authors, may some indignant orator on this platform, appealing not in vain to these, our heroes, call upon those deep-set, burning eyes of the poet to flash in indignation, and on those mobile lips of the orator to open in rebuke.

I have been asked to speak to you on Whittier as a poet. Let us attempt at first some answerperhaps a very imperfect one-to the question. "What is poetry?" It is an answer which is true

as far as it goes to say that poetry is a form of artistic composition, whose object is to please; that it differs from science, history, argumentative composition and ordinary prose, in aiming at beauty, not merely or primarily at truth; and that accordingly, in form and diction, it departs from the ordinary and commonplace, and seeks the aid often of rhyme, and perhaps always of some kind of metre, of elegant language, and of metaphor and other figures of speech; and that especially it is the mouth-piece not of reasoning, but of fancy and imagination. But all this fails to reach the heart of the matter. That poetry is the voice of fancy and imagination, is the nearest approach, among these statements, to a true definition; but writing may have all the qualities I have named and yet not be poetry in the highest sense. These are little more than the poet's robes and his instruments. What is the function he himself performs by their aid? What is the proper purpose of his existence? First. The poet is a Seer; by which I mean not so much one who foresees the future as one who discerns the present, and follows and understands both the thought and the action of his day; one who has a deep insight into the heart of things, looking below their outward shows, and seeing them as they really are; one who discerns the elemental truths, which underlie our destinies and our lives; who sees the full significance of common, everyday experiences, and reads the meaning of laughter and of tears; whose heart keeps time to the still, sad music of humanity, while it also throbs responsive to the trumpet notes of conflict and the pæans of victory. The great bards of history have not sung merely to amuse. They read the meaning of life; they learned by their own suffering, or by sympathy with the suffering of others what they taught in song. Homer shows us, says Goethe, that man in his life above ground enacts hell (he does, and he shows us much more). The Greek tragedians, Milton tells us, unfold the mysteries

"Of fate and chance and change in human life, High actions and high passions best describing." Virgil, says Cardinal Newman, "gives utterance, as the voice of nature herself, to that pain and weariness, yet hope of better things, which is the experience of her children in every time;" Dante transmits to us the deepest thought and the most earnest feeling of the middle ages; Shakspeare, in the full spring-time of our modern epoch, portrayed every characteristic, every capacity, nay, every yet untried possibility, of our human nature; Milton,

(To be concluded.)

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE

RELIGIOUS TOLERATION PROCLAIMED IN CUBA BY A ROYAL DECREE FROM THE KING OF SPAIN.Three years ago a Mission was organized to establish religious services in Philadelphia, conducted in the Spanish language, and to disseminate evangelical principles in the island of Cuba.

Under the faithful ministrations of the late Parmenio Anaya it prospered, and it became necessary to afford applicants an opportunity to enter the Protestant communion. It therefore applied for admission into the Protestant Episcopal Church, and is now under the supervision of Bishop Stevens, of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. In 1882, the Ladies' Bible Society of Philadelphia were induced to send Sen. Alberto J. Diaz to Havana, to promote the circulation of the Scriptures. At this period Cuba was closed to all such efforts, except what was done secretly and without the knowledge of the authorities. Religious meetings conducted in the Spanish language were for the first time publicly held. There were some disturbances and opposition from the ecclesiastical authorities, but the work has gone on without serious interruption, to the present time.

In 1883, a zealous member of the Mission, Sen. Pedro Duarte, resolved to go to Matanzas, his native city, and test the matter of religious toleration under the revised statutes of Spain. A commission was obtained for him from the American Bible Society. Upon arriving there, he publicly announced his mission in the newspapers, disseminated the Scriptures, and organized a congregation of Protestants.

The Priests denounced his acts as illegal and dangerous to their Church, and demanded their suppression. The authorities would not do this, but were forced to appeal the case to the Home Government at Madrid, where it has been under consideration for some months. The result has been, a dispatch from the Minister of the Colonies at Madrid, dated Angust 6th, 1884, to the Governor-General of the Island of Cuba, which contains the Decree and Royal Order Circular, sustaining Sen. Duarte and in favor of religious freedom.