ODDS AND ENDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11809, 11 August 1900, Page 3

ODDS AND ENDS.

The five hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Gutenberg, the inventor of modern typography, has been celebrated on the Continent. Gutenberg was born on June 25, 1400. It is. a singular and beautiful fact that the first book printed with movable types was the Bible. In the National Library at Paris may be seen the copy of a Bible now known as the Bible of Forty-two Lines (so-called because it has 42 lines to the page), which has this autograph of the illuminator who decorated the Book: —" Here endeth the first part of the Old Testament :of the Holy Bible, which was illuminated, rubricated, and bound • by Henry Albrech, or Cremer, on Saint Bartholomew's Day (August 24),' the year of'bur Lord, 1456. Thauks be to God. Hallelujah." Gutenberg's name dpes not appear in this book, but there is internal evidence that it issued from his press. Gutenberg, after contending against great difficulties, died on February 2, 1468, poor, . childless, and almost friendless; but not before he had successfully laid the foundations ot an art which was soon to dominate the world. Dr Parkier has received and accepted an invitation to speak at the celebration of the union of the ifiee Church of Scotland and. the United Presbyterian Church in October. The N.S.W. Congregational. S.iS. Union have repommended • tlie Evangelical Free , Church catechism for adoption in their schools. Two of .the- most prominent figures in the Congregational Church of. the generation just i. passing off the stage have recently died. Dr Park; the celebrated professor at Andover, in the time of her highest usefulness, fell asleep at Andover, in his ninety-second year. Dr li. S. Storr, one of the greatest preachers of his age, died on June 5, at a good old ag3. Both maintained their mental vigour in a remarkable way. The funeral sermon of the late Dr Park, of Andover, was written thirteen years ago, when his death was expected. It wa^ a manuscript of sixty-eight pages, and the writer of it was the late Dr Storr, who died just one day before Dr Park. The recognition of the Rev. Allon Poole, late of Invercargili (New Zealand), took place on June 14, at the Southgate Cnurch, Chase Side, London. Professor A. M'Caig, 8.A., LL.D, .presided. The Quadrennial Methodist Conference of the United States has abolished the time limit in the pastorate. The term had been extended -to five years at a preceding session. The bishops in their message to the conference favoured a return to a' shorter term of pastoral service, but the limit was abolished, notwithstanding. This has been one of the distinguishing features of the Methodist Church, and the results of the change will be observed with interest. At the eighty-first annual Conference of Primitive Methodists held in Bristol, the Rev. Joseph Odell was elected president by an overwhelming majority. Mr Alderman A. Adams (Lowestoft) was then appointed vicepresident, and the Rev. R. Jones, of Bury, was elected secretary of the conference. Bishop Thornton said he would cease to be Bishop of Ballarat an hour after he preached his farewell sermon on Sunday evening, July 8. He had occupied the see for 25 years, and " now he retired solely to make room, after a long term of office, for a new diocesan, whose advent he believed would be for the good of the see." In this action the Bishop hap ■ carried out a theory of his, that clergy should not stay for life in their parishes, nor bishops in their dioceses. The Church Missionary Society last year accepted 103 new missionaries, as well as 23 who were transferred from other societies. Of the 103, 51 were women and 52 men, 19 of the latter being university graduates. At a recent Methodist conference Dr Robertson Nicoll, the well-known literary critic and editor of the British Weekly, gave wise counsels to ministers on their reading. When asked for a list of books to read he had always one answer, " Read the New Testament." It was surely worth reading apart from all questions of its inspiration and authority. It was worth while to understand what Christ and.His apostles meant. He mentioned Dr Edwards on Hebrews as having first shown him the nature and full force of the mystical union of Christ and His people; but said Robertson's notes on Corinthians were chiefly . Paul in modern dress. He amused the con-

ference by saying they would get little good by reading trash in the form of leading articles in the religious journals or fiction, novels, poetry, etc. They would get most good by reading the New Testament.

The General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, by 592 votes to 29, resolved on union with the. United Presbyterian Church of Scotland. T'1"; in ion will take place in (>''■!■'- MOV .

New Zc'al:vnd'ii athletes at the front 1.-, cricket, football, or t.'ie hunt; jt'o s'lines in any sport or game, His prowess h».s a world-wide fame. But training has its usual ills, tj* over-heat that causes chills; 'J.'iie.'i don't delay, but health secure, By taking Woods' Grcnt Peppermint Cure,

A Great Injustioj; is very often done because some self-assertive people imagine it is next to impossible to make an error. Shakespeare must have made an analytical study of the human heart before he uttered those warning words: " Man, kr.ow thyself, then others learn to know. ' This is a lesson we should ali try and perfect ourselves in, and when this has been done we have to face the significant fact that unless we cultivate good health, prosperity and happiness cannot abide with us. Holloway's Pills will aid us to do this. The1 most eminent medical men agree that for the preservation of good health and cure of disease there is nothine to ecmal them.—23