Notes on Passing Events.

THAT was a sad chief reason which Dr. BONAR gave at the end of last year for the suspension of the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy-the growing indifference to prophetic studies. But we do not marvel at this indifference, when we reflect that, to but few readers of I prophecy, is the matter more than a prediction of events, instead of "precious promises " in which they are personally interested and will actually share. Therefore, having "no part nor lot in the matter," they cannot feel as "those within the covenant. They simply read it for diversion and change; whereas, the heirs read the promises for strengthening, purification, and comfort of hope. BIBLE ECHO will delight to speak of the good things to come for the "faithful." Articles will be prepared immediately on the resurrection, the second advent, the palingenesia of the world, the subjection of everything to God, and our happy inheritance of all with Jesus-the only immortal of earth's kings.

A CORRESPONDENT, writing in the Christian Standard of April 15th, on Mildmay Park Conference Hall, tells the world that "Evangelism may be an ism as distinct from truth as was Christianity from the religiousness of those who claimed to be of Christ' in Corinth." We shall agree with the writer of this sentiment; for, to our knowledge, the mass of the so-called "Evangelism," current in England under that name, is a composite of heathenism, paganism, and the self-conceit of schoolmen, coloured with the words, and dressed up in the phrases of the Spirit. The only true evangelism is to be found in the words of the true evangels, of whom Jesus, the Anointed, was the most illustrious.

DR. A. BENISCH, a Jewish doctor of acknowledged ability and standing, has just delivered a number of talented discourses before his co-religionists, on the "Rise and Development of Judaism," at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, which have been readably and well reported in successive numbers of the Jewish World. In these "lectures," the doctor gives us some insight into the history of the dogma of immortal-soulism, tells us why it was adopted, when, and the moral condition of his nation at the time; and what truth of God it threw into insignificance, and virtually succeeded and nullified. The doctor's remarks are important as history and fact, and deserve presentation in a future number of our paper. For the present, however, we record that Dr. Benisch believes for himself in the "immortal soul;" but we cannot see how he can logically do this with the historic knowledge he possesses. We thank God we have no antipathy against his race, but a feeling of deep sympathy with it: and sincerely do we pray that such men as the doctor may find rest to their souls in Jesus, the Nazarene, the Messiah that

was to come.

THE Universe (Roman Catholic Newspaper), in an issue of April, says that a statement made by Victor Emanuel, that he seized the Pontifical States merely to accomplish his father's vow, "did not choke the pious son who uttered it," adding, "which we exceedingly regret." Generous regret! The same wretched organ of Romanism speaks of the charities which appeal during the present month to the hearts of the public as "the many swind

ling organisations which will have their public demonstrations at Exeter Hall," and "commends" to them a mission to the Affghans, whom it hints may be "the lost tribes," saying, "it will be a good raising-the-wind cry." A perusal of the paper in question will give any one sceptical of the bitter and insulting spirit of Romanism a better proof of it than a thick volume on the same subject.

AN ingenious advocate of eternal torments (R. Baxter, a clever lawyer), uses in his book the following argument:-The wicked, who are to be shut up for ever in the burning lake of fire, will be, to all eternity, the monuments of God's wrath and hatred to sin." A monument "shut up "!! Believing as we do in the entire ultimate destruction of the wicked (Ps. cxlv. 20; Matt. x. 28), our reply to this is: The Lamb, as it had been slain, in the midst of the throne (Rev. v.),-He will be to all eternity the monument of God's hatred to sin, as well as the full expression of God's perfect grace and glory in the conquest and extermination of it.

EVERY DAY We see advertisements for lost property, Ladies leave bags full of jewels in hansom cabs, though some showing eccentricity on the part of the losers. why they carry these articles about so loosely does not appear. Puppies and Angora cats are continually going astray, as also canary birds, parrots, and dormice; while pocket-books "of no use to any one but the owner seem to lead a nomade existence. But these befallen a young Ritualist, whose "Sin Book," has been are small losses_compared to that which has lately mislaid or stolen. In this awful volume he had written down a great many venial, and four or five mortal sins (he is uncertain as to the number), but that is of small moment. From his love for sweets it is presumed that one of the direst sentences runs thus-"I ate too many pancakes on Shrove Tuesday," but we are not informed whether he considers this a venial or a mortal sin. “I wasted too much time in dressing for vespers" may, perhaps, be another. A young lady is supposed to have found the "Sin Book." This, the latest vagary of Ritualism, is, however absurd it may seem, a positive fact. We can scarcely imagine a more unwholesome employment for a lad than keeping a "Sin Book."— The Echo.

ENGINES and ships of war are rapidly perfecting. Report about the latter tells of tremendous ugly-looking ironclads, one of them significantly called "the devil,' otherwise "the infant." Now Government is to produce a gun of eighty-one tons. The casting of the tube for this gigantic engine took place at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, on Friday last. The ingot is made of crucible steel, and required for its construction 628 crucibles, each containing 70 pounds of metal, the total weight being thus nearly 20 tons. The casting occupied 42 minutes, and employed 194 men. The ingot thus produced, measures 42 inches in diameter, and 13 feet in length. This will have to be re-heated and hammered out to the proper dimensions for the tube in the rough, after which it will be bored, turned, and tempered in the Royal Gun Factories at Woolwich. Nasmyth's hammers, each of 25 tons weight, are used in its forging To toughen the engine it is plunged bodily into a tank of several hundred gallons of rape oil (where it is allowed to soak for about 12 hours.)