all departments of government service, and forbids the running of trains for postal or other service, on the Sabbath, as clearly as it requires foundries and mills and anvils to cease from their din and noise. There is an application of this principle to our public education, which calls for more thorough investigation than it has yet received. It is strenuously asserted that no religious teaching can be given in schools supported by taxation without violating religious liberty, because, in the vast variety of religious belief and unbelief, no religious teaching can be given which will not be contrary to the religious belief or unbelief of some tax-payer. So Christians are told that they must teach religion at home and in the Sabbath-school, and let the state teach arithmetic and geography and grammar. If religion with us meant a creed or a catechism or a rite, this might do; but if religion means a spiritual power pervading and controlling practical life, it will not do. What would infidels say of a man who should propose to confine the religion of his family to Sunday and the daily half hour of family worship? They would call him a hypocrite. They would justly say, "If that man honestly believed what he teaches the children on Sunday and what he reads from his Bible and sings from his hymn-book and solemnly utters on his knees, it would go with him to the field and to the table and in all the various work and play and intercourse of the family. He would do just as his Bible bids him, where it says, "And these words which I command thee shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." But is such a sincere Christian, being a father, willing to have religion excluded from the whole school-life of his childrento have their intellects formed and trained under a system which forbids their teachers to find moral principles in the Ten Commandments, or wisdom in the Proverbs, or history in the Pentateuch, or poetry in David and Isaiah, or God in chemistry and astronomy? May the government rightly take for its treasury the money which such a father would use for the education of his children, and give him in return only an education which has all religion excluded from it? Must the government be so tender of the atheist's conscience, at the expense of putting such a strain as that upon the Christian conscience? Is the conscience, whose supreme law is "Fear God, and keep his commandments," so much less entitled to the respect of rulers than that which says, "There is no God, there is no immortality, there is no immutable moral right"? The Synod of New York at its last meeting affirmed its conviction that our national vigor and permanence are guaranteed only by a religiously-grounded morality; that there should be in every school maintained by the state the inculcation of such principles of dependence upon God and obligation to him as are essential to sound learning, safe character and wholesome citizenship; that the synod should bring the entire weight of its influence to bear against whatever, by statement or suggestion, shall antagonize the claims of the God upon whom we depend and to whom we owe obligations. The synod instructed its ministers publicly to recognize the difficulties in which the case is involved, and to bring those difficulties to bear as an argument for more thorough, intelligent and faithful religious instruction on the part of the family, the Sunday-school and the church. Surely these are words of truth and soberness. "PHILADELPHIA MANETO." Under this caption, one of the most thoughtful of daily newspapers, the Philadelphia Public Ledger, thus recorded the lessons of the great exhibition celebrating the Centennial of the National Constitution. This statement seems to us so sober and so clear that we would fain do what we can to give it permanence. Can any Presbyterian read it and not hope that in the next May Philadelphia may witness another not less impressive fulfillment of its happy-omened name? Let brotherly love continue. In all discussions and consultations concerning the sectional schism which has divided our American Presbyterianism, let us by all means speak the truth with manly frankness, but let us not forget the equal obligation to speak the truth in love. The greatness of that century-old idea of entrusting all power to the people through its various expressions in representative form, was illustrated in yesterday's street pageant. The procession of industry was a panorama which the American mechanic and laborer might indeed have reviewed with pride, had not he himself been the one conspicuous actor and figure there. The majesty of labor never found more triumphant expression than by this massive show of its everyday achievements. The motto, "We obey The motto, "We obey the laws," carried by a detachment of house painters, who went up Chestnut Street early -before 9 o'clock-proudly keeping step in their showy white overalls (working clothes), was a signal that leaped forth all along the Broad Street line. If any "foreign emissary" was about, he must have gone into hiding pretty promptly at this resolute show of true Americanism, of the bone and sinew, the heart and brains, of the power that is in these United States. It was the biggest "Labor Day" that ever dawned-asserting itself in its true constitutional importance and wide relations, not as the "platform" for any special demagogue to stride upon, but as the "motor" in all good government. Labor was seen yesterday, not as the primal curse, but the crowned conqueror, having put the material forces of nature to their uses, and put the intelligent union of a people to a century-old test and triumph. Could but some of those old Constitution makers, the delegates who dreaded the people (if once permitted to be counted into a national power)-could those skeptics but have come back yesterday to see the sturdy people themselves, glorying in their "habit as they worked," their fears would have vanished. For this was the glory of the pageant yesterday, the trade-pride that showed conspicuous, triumphant, and wore its due honors in its working clothes. By the very distinctiveness of its implements, its tools, its machinery carried along; by the overalls of the hod carriers no less than the working uniform of the railroads, the blouse of the miners, the aprons of other mechanics, the participants credited themselves with distinct pride in their separate vocations. That was the beauty of the whole line. No uniformed "masses" of labor rolled into studied consistency each with all, but severally, individually, every man and each division standing by his own business, proud of his business, not envying any other man his part in the constitutional show. 66 The workings of the beneficent instrument which has brought such power and progress to the people resident in them, and bearing their stamp, were sufficiently acknowledged. Yet there is another sentiment that had full sway in the hearts of all spectators and participants-the sentiment found in the good old motto of the city: "Philadelphia maneto;" See to it that brotherly love continue. That was seen to" yesterday and seen; it was exemplified. Everybody in the line or on the streets must have been aware that the bond of brotherliness, the true fraternity for our common prosperity, held together those unnumbered thousands of the spectacle and the spectators. These representative men and women had come out at the bidding of no dictator or dictation, but to exemplify Philadelphia herself, to show the homage that Philadelphia renders to constitutional institutions. The lesson of it all was a mighty one: that the bond holds and is strong for all emergencies of government, all conditions of self-respecting men. The flags that floated on the September air now and then carried the thought to other kinsfolk and peoples beyond the seas, to whom the union of states and the government of the people has been as a shining beacon. No king or kaiser could have commanded such a show, not even the material part of it, because the people alone, in whose hands the industrial problem has been worked out, made it vivid, historic, graphic. The contrasts that those floats carried were not the greatest ones-though they held the moral of the display. The nation then had for its working models of a government only patterns, crude as the ancient machinery compared with modern. The fathers struck out their patent improvement in a summer's sitting, without precedent and with only common sense and confidence in human nature for their guides. The hosts that witness to their sagacity today have but one way of confirming it, to revere and hold precious as life itself the constitutional principles which this week we commemorate, and, above all, “Philadelphia maneto." By the sentiment of true brotherhood alone will the priceless legacy be administered and continue to harvest its rich returns. CHRISTIANITY NOT COMPARABLE WITH OTHER RELIGIONS. At the late anniversary of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in London, Prof. Sir Monier Williams said that after forty years study of the non-Christian sacred books of the East he did not feel disposed to recommend missionaries to spend much time in becoming acquainted with them. It was true he had found some beautiful gems glittering amongst their teachings, and he had met with bright coruscations of true light flashing here and there amid the surrounding darkness, and as he continued his researches he began to think these books had been unjustly treated in the aspersions which had been cast upon them. He traced curious coincidences and comparisons with our own sacred book from the East, and was led to think that there must be something in what was called the evolution of religious thought -a theory about which there was a delightful fascination. There were limits to the truth of it, however, and he was glad of that opportunity of stating publicly that he was misled by its attractiveness, and that further consideration had led him to see its erroneousness. Its effect was to impart what was held to be a liberal breadth of view and a wide toleration; but it was a limp, flabby and jelly-fish kind of toleration, utterly opposed to the nerve, fibre and backbone that ought to characterize a manly Christian. the Bible were wholly unparalleled, and not THE UNITED STATES OF COLOMBIA. It does seem as if it would have been only just to Christopher Columbus if this continent which he discovered had been named Columbia. Perhaps it is this feeling which makes us like to call our country by that name, as we do in the song, "Hail! Columbia, happy land!" But none of the little readers of THE CHURCH AT HOME AND ABROAD will think that the title of this piece means our country. Most of them have studied geography enough to know that they must look on the map of South America to find The United States of Colombia, and they all notice that the name is spelled with an o where our Columbia has u. Yet doubtless it was named from the same great discoverer, to whom Spain and America are going to unite in paying such great honor in 1892. There are only nine of The United States of Colombia-less than one fourth as many as we have in our union. But their union is less than one fourth as old as ours, for it was formed in 1861, the first year of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, and its present constitution was adopted in 1863, the year of the emancipation of slaves by President Lincoln's proclamation. The government of that country is a good deal like our own, and its flag has three stripes and nine stars. A missionary in that country has sent this account of it, in which surely our young readers will be interested: This country is beautiful, full of mountains and valleys, and so there is a great variety of climate. On the coast and in the valley of the large rivers, one of which is the Magdalena, are the hot countries; on the elevated plateaus, such as the Sabana of Bogota, are the cool regions. The extremely warm parts are, like all torrid regions, hard for Caucasians. The most elevated places are trying to all, but especially to nervous people or those having heart disease. Be tween the extremes are very pleasant climes; but as the country is included between the equator and 7° of north latitude, only the very high parts are at any time very cool. A few mountain peaks are covered with perpetual snow, but nine out of every ten of the inhabitants never saw snow. In the hottest parts we scarcely expect to plant mission stations, at least not for some time, but we do hope to see the time when no missionaries need return home because of the climate, for there is variety enough to suit all needs. In the temperate climates the weather seems to a northerner eternal spring. The inhabitants call one half the year summer, the other winter. There is a rainy season, in which are many days such as we have in April and May, damp and chilly; but there are no killing frosts, and the flowers are always in bloom. At the same time one sees the violet of spring and the chrysanthemum of autumn together with the pinks and roses of summer in the yards of the houses. In the market the strawberry, blackberry, peach and apple, all may be bought on the same day; but the strawberries are very small wild ones, and the from one or two cents to thirty cents apiece. peaches are not juicy. The apples range They are brought some distance, and in this country that means great expense. The general modes of carriage are on the backs of horses, mules, donkeys, oxen, men and women. The last is very common in all parts of this country. One meets women on capital, with loads of hides or produce, or the country roads, in the towns, yes, in the perhaps planks or firewood, strapped to their backs. It is an odd sight to see a number of donkeys laden with brick or stone, or something else, go along tied together by nose and tail. Carts are little used. Of these very few have springs, and a fourwheeled wagon probably could not be found in the whole country. In Bogota are a few spring carts and coaches, but they are used only by brewers, etc., for delivering, and as diligences or stages. Huge ox-carts bring freight into the city from where it is possi ble. Nothing can come any distance in that way, because of the very bad roads. Away from Bogota carts are scarce, except in one or two large cities. There are two or three short railroads, but there are no time-tables or express trains. Some run trains whenever they have passengers and freight. The prospect for more roads is not bright. The scenery of this country is beautiful. The tropical parts are full of interest to one who has always lived in the north—the luxuriant vegetation, strange fruits, alligators, etc. The mountains are grand. Going from the coast to Bogota one ascends the Magdalena for about six hundred miles to Honda, thence across four mountain ridges to the plain or Sabana of Bogota. The road is rough and sometimes so steep one wonders how to get up; but the mules always manage that, if it is as steep as a house roof. The coming down is not quite so pleasant. Often the road is but a narrow path between precipices, or a ledge cut in the side of a steep descent, but a few feet between life and death. There are very few good roads in the country, and as a consequence very little travel for pleasure. Goods are carried at a heavy cost, making almost all manufactured articles very expensive, and produce cheap in the neighborhood where it is grown. There are very few good inns or hotels. Sometimes it is necessary to carry your own provisions. Some inns furnish nothing but a place to sleep and cook. As in the East, travellers must carry all else. The writer and his wife spent a night not long since in such a one. A cluster of mud huts and a corral or two for sheep and the beasts of travellers constituted the caravansary. The location was a mountain meadow, high enough to be pretty cold at night. In one of the huts was a fixed bed or shelf of canes. On this we put our blankets of rubber and saddle-rugs, and lying down in our clothes, covered with a quilt and a blanket, with difficulty kept warm. Buying eggs from the keeper we cooked them and made tea at the common fire. This was in another hut, and was in the patent cooking stove of the country, i. e., several large stones set on the floor After the and fire made between them. evening meal we sat with the family by the fire to keep warm. We read the story of Nicodemus, and sang in Spanish "What a friend we have in Jesus," our guide holding a tallow candle close to the book, and protecting the light with his hand, but the wind put it out once. The houses are nearly all either of unburnt bricks or mud in huge blocks. There are a few of brick in the cities. The walls are from three to four feet thick, except in the open country and villages of the hot country, where a wall is made of canes laid far enough apart to admit light and air, and the roof is of the leaves of "palm thatch," or of sugar cane. In the towns nearly all the roofs are of tile, and some few houses of brick. The style of house building is entirely different from that of our northern houses. The rooms open into a court in the centre of the house. This is open, and generally has a flower garden. This is the general plan used all over the country. The exceptions are mostly in the houses of the very poor. In the elevated regions fire is used only for cooking, hence warm clothing is necessary. Glass windows are very common in the cities of the high lands, but in the hot country the only openings are doors, which admit both light and air. The cooking utensils for putting on the fire, holding water, etc., are nearly all of rude pottery. Only the rich can have them made of metal. meals are after the French fashion, breakfast from 10 to 12 A.M., dinner from 4 to 6 P.M. Each begins with soup, followed by meats, eggs, bananas, fried potatoes, etc., and closes with sweetmeats and coffee or chocolate. The The ruling class is of Spanish blood, but the mass of the people are Indian, whose ancestors were enslaved by their conquerors. The hot countries have a large negro population. The Spanish race prefers the cooler regions. All are dirty. In the temperate climes the fleas swarm, so that travellers unused to such bedfellows can scarcely sleep. The better classes dress much as we do, except that the women rarely use hats. A mantilla is worn over the head or shoulders. |