either Latin or Greek, is to Calvinism. All Western reforms, from the Lollards to the Lutherans, have been Augustinian. What is the explanation of this? It is very simple. From the legalism of the old system the transition is an easy one to many extreme points in the opposite direction. So, instead of externalism and merit of works, we have the so-called doctrines of grace, with a monergism which necessarily implies the whole system of decrees, and election and irresistible working of the Spirit. Wesleyan Arminianism wisely mediated between these extremes. May we not conjecture that if the earnest-hearted Cyril had found in his Western travels in the seventeenth century a man like Wesley, whose views coincide in many respects with the Eastern

TURKISH TYPE.

theology as distinguished from the Augustinian which was revived by Calvin, he would have given his countrymen a type of doctrine more scriptural and less repulsive than that which naturally excited the indignant opposition of Mogilas, Philaret, and Dositheus.

As soon as Cyril's Confession was published in 1633 there was a storm of indignation. The

French ambassador at the Sublime Porte gave material aid to the Jesuits in fanning the flame. and in appealing to Greek prejudice against Western heresies, which were represented as imperilling all ecclesiastical order and the very foundations of Christian faith. The plots formed succeeded, and Cyril became a worthy successor in the See of Constantinople to the great Athanasius. Cyril, too, seemed to be contra mundum. Indeed, when Greek and Latin united against him he was worse off than Athanasius, who, when persecuted in the East always found a refuge and friends in the West. Five times was Cyril deposed and sent into exile or prison, but as often restored through the mediation of England and Holland. What a confession of weakness by his foes, the fact

that they destroyed the printing press which, at much expense, he had brought in 1629 from London.

At last the great man succumbed to the malice of his enemies. Having been imprisoned for some time in a tower on the Bosphorus, which stands to-day just in front of that magnificent American institution, the Roberts College, he was most cruelly strangled and his body thrown into the sea. His successor, Cyril of Beroa, who was a prominent agent in the murder, was approached by a determined multitude of admirers of the martyr, who demanded the dead body of their great bishop. It was cast up by the tide, but by order of the new prelate was again flung back into the sea, but reappearing once more it was obtained and buried. Cyril of Beroa himself was shortly afterwards deposed for various crimes. The next Patriarch, Parthenius, was generous enough to give the great Reformer appropriate sepulture. And so the brave Cyril took his place in the noble army of martyrs. He has left us an example of a great and good man, nobly struggling for the truth, and he has also left us what all Western Greek scholars very highly prize, the gift of one of the five great manuscripts of the Greek Testament, that known as the Codex Alexandrinus, which he presented to Charles I. of England, and which is now deposited in the British Museum.

In his catholicity Cyril has not been altogether without imitation in the East. Bryennios of Nicomedia, the discoverer of the Didache, has, in our own times, in the same broad-minded spirit held fellowship with evangelical Protestantism, and in 1884, at the tercentenary of the University of Edinburgh, received the degree of D.D. It is only recently that Bishop Thoburn, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, had the privilege of introducing to the North India Conference a Greek Archbishop, who was much impressed with the striking spectacle of American Methodist zeal in its grandly successful work in the far East, and gave the Conference his episcopal benediction.

What is the future of these Oriental Churches, who can tell? See them in their vastness and variety, aggregating ninety millions of Christians. These represent: first, five small national Churches, four of which are heretical, the Chaldean, which is Nestorian; the Armenian, Syrian and Coptic, which are Monophysite; and the Georgian, which is Orthodox. Then there is the Greek Church proper, which has its branches and separate organizations in Turkey, Greece, Russia, and in the several countries adjoining the Danube. The titles of some of the chief Bishops of these Churches are extremely curious. Dionysius of Constantinople successfully rivals His Holiness at Rome, for he is "The

Most Entirely Holy Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch." Sophronius is "The Most Blessed and Holy Pope and Patriarch of the great city Alexandria, and of all Egypt, Pentapolis, Libya and Ethiopia; Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Archpriest of Archpriests, Thirteenth Apostle

ROBERT COLLEGE, ON THE BOSPHORUS-CASTLE IN WHICH CYRIL LUCAR
WAS STRANGLED TO THE LEFT.

and Ecumenical Judge." Yet this good man, weighed down with such a title, has a pastoral charge of only six thousand souls. To disentangle this great mass of Oriental Churches, and to determine their respective degrees of validity, is a task worthy of the most devout sacerdotalist. Whether he would succeed in getting into

communion with so many "Most Blessed Fathers of Fathers," or in bringing them into communion with him is quite another matter. It would be a grand success if he could; but who would be the Archpriest of all the Archpriests, Dionysius, the "Most Entirely Holy Archbishop of Constantinople," or his younger brother, whose episcopate is so much more influential and beneficial, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Of Prelatical Churches there are nine in the East, and in the West there are the Roman Catholic, the Anglican, the Lutheran (in Scandinavia only), and the Moravian. The last two, especially the Moravian, make very little of their succession. If our salvation depends on our finding out among them all "the true Church," what are we to do? In narrowness of spirit the largest of these Churches are the most sectarian of all the sects. They ignore and anathematize each other. The Anglicans are not quite satisfied of the Scandinavian succession. The Romanists pronounce the Anglican succession a piece of falsehood and political craft. Oriental Churches again regard the Romanists as arrogant schismatics, whose intolerance is all the more irritating seeing that there are more Christians outside the Roman Catholic Church than in it. Until the Prelatical Churches

"These different sects who all declare
Lo, Christ is here, or, Christ is there'

settle their difficulties among themselves. Methoʻlists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists and Congregationalists can quietly afford to await events, cheered by the fact that the best evidence of apostolical succession is apostolical success. Always willing to treat courteously the Lambeth panacea of the "Historic Episcopate," they wait patiently to hear what is this Episcopate. Where does it exist? And what is the use of it if it can be found? In the meanwhile we are ready for fellowship with any Christians who will have fellowship with us, and to rejoice with loving sympathy in recognizing all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as members of the Catholic Church, and especially to hold in the highest esteem such broad-minded men as Cyril Lucar, PATRIARCH, PROTESTANT and MARTYR.

Он, let me feel Thy presence in the darkness!
Hold me with Thy Strong Hand-

And lead from out the gloom, past every shadow,
Into our Father's land.

—Amy Parkinson.

AROUND CHENTU.*

BY THE REV. V. C. HART, D.D.

CONGENIAL Companionship is a blessing anywhere, but nowhere more so than upon a country trip in China. The writer was greatly favoured in having upon this trip the hearty fellowship of Rev. Mr. Peat, of the American Methodist Mission. Although but April, the thermometer was up in the eighties in the shade, and a stifling atmosphere pervaded everybody and everything. This was evidenced by the slouchy appearance of both tradesmen and coolies-robes half adjusted to the person, and stockingless feet were the order of the day. Hucksters were sprinkling fruits and vegetables with questionable water, and forming into clusters fresh cherries, the first of the season. By 12.30 p.m. we were in our sedans, pushing for Pi-hsien, sixteen miles distant. Our coolies go at a good pace, turning to right and left, dodging wheelbarrows, chairs and caravans of yellow cows, heavily laden with bags of rice and other heavy produce.

Within ten minutes we were out of the push and confusion of the Chinese city, and within the gates of the Tartar city, where all is calm, sedate and stagnant. The Tartars are few in numbers compared with the Chinese, but sufficiently numerous to make things lively and unpleasant for their less warlike neighbours. The streets nearest to the gates are often scenes of violence and bloodshed. The Tartars carry long daggers-although there are periodical proclamations against the practice-and use them freely when inflamed with wine. As saloons in a Christian city degrade by their presence, and cheapen property, so the Tartar quarter; and the presence of a few thousand lawless idlers degrade and cheapen the property of their conquered neighbors. Alas! when will there be a return of patriotism, and the overthrow of this vagabond government?

The Tartar quarter, occupying the western section of the city, is something like two miles long and one wide. It is well shaded with numerous species of valuable trees, and adorned here and there with neat temples. The parade ground is one of the chief objects of interest, and is well patronized by the Tartar gentry,

*These pages from the Journal of the Superintendent of the Missions of our Church in China, will be read with special interest in view of the war now waging between that empire and Japan. Our readers should pray earnestly that these shakings of the nations may be overruled by God for the furtherance of His Kingdom, and that our faithful missionaries in both these lands may be graciously protected by His power.—ED.