EDITORIAL.

It is deemed fitting that some explanation should be made of the late appearance of this number of the QUARTERLY. The transfer of management was made late in December and the new publication office had to secure suitable supplies, which could not be done, as in the case of Greek and Hebrew type, without considerable delay. The delay, however, secured to our readers such admirable articles as those by Herrick Johnson, W. W. Moore and R. C. Reed. Other articles had been secured by the former editor, Rev. S. C. Byrd, some of which are published in this number and some reserved for the April number which may be expected the first of that month.

We take this opportunity to thank our contemporaries North and South for their kind words. We hope to fulfiil their predictions of success. A Review of the character of the QUARTERLY has necessarily a limited circulation, among the more scholarly of our ministers and people. It is moreover entirely dependent upon its subscription list for the necessary expenses of publication. But its value to the Southern Church can hardly be estimated in stimulating special study along the lines of theological and philosophical literature as well as in the value to others of the results of such studies as are published and preserved in our own Review.

The editor asks that subscriptions be promptly paid, and pledges his best efforts to render THE QUARTERLY well worth the subscription price.

It is perhaps not amiss to state clearly the position of the editor. He is responsible for the management of THE QUARTERLY, editorially and financially. All communications should be addressed to him, and correspondents will please note that the publication office is at Charlotte,

North Carolina. Associated with the editor are Dr. Stricker and Dr. Summey, who have had charge of THE QUARTERLY from the beginning. Dr. Beatty has consented to serve in place of the lamented Dr. Barnett, and Rev. S. C. Byrd has agreed to remain with THE QUARTERLY as associate editor. Thus the four theological schools of the Church and four sections of the South are represented.

(Hereafter this department will be devoted to a review of the religious events of the preceding quarter.)

SOUTHERN PRESBYTERIAN.

The year 1898 will be remembered as one in which a large number of noble and useful servants of Christ were called to the higher service of Heaven. On January 4, Rev. R. L. Dabney, D. D., LL. D., died at his home in Texas and the mortal remains were borne to the cemetery at Hampden-Sidney, Dr. Moses Hoge officiating at the funeral services. Born March 5, 1820; student at Hampden-Sidney College, the University of Virginia, and Union Seminary; pastor of Tinkling Spring Church; Professor at Union Seminary, first of History and then of Theology; Chaplain in the Confederate Army; Chief-of-staff to General T. J. Jackson; Co-pastor of College Church; Moderator of the General Assembly of 1870; Professor of Philosophy in the University of Texas and Teacher in the Theological School at Austin; he was great in all the varied activities of his useful life. The books which he has given to the world can only partially represent the man as he was, the greatest scholar of the Southern Church, and perhaps the first theologian of his generation.

Rev. John L. Girardeau was to Columbia Seminary what Dr. Dabney had been to Union. He was born on James Island, St. Andrew's Parish, South Carolina, on November 14, 1825. Graduating at the College of Charleston with high honor and later at Columbia Seminary, he began his

pastoral work at Wilton Church and then went to Charleston where he engaged in work among the negroes, a cause in which he was always profoundly interested. He also was a chaplain in the Confederate service, then became pastor of Zion Presbyterian Church, Charleston, and in 1876 was elected Professor of Theology in Columbia Seminary. His active labors ceased in 1895 and God called him home in midsummer of this year, 1898. He was a man of intense conviction, of deep spirituality, of simple, humble piety, and one of the most gifted pulpit orators the South has produced.

Rev. T. D. Witherspoon, D. D., was a man who combined profound and accurate scholarship with energetic and practical work for the Master. At the time of his death, November 3, he was Professor in Louisville Seminary, Chairman of Synodical Missions for Kentucky, and during the summer he had been personally conducting the evangelistic work in the mountains.

Early in the year, January 14, Rev. E. A. Ramsey, D. D., rested from earthly labors. He graduated at Davidson College and Union Seminary, and at the time of his death was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Memphis. He was an earnest, evangelical preacher and a man of great vigor of body and mind. He was useful in his day and generation.

Rev. E. H. Barnett, D. D., was a preacher of no mean attainments but his pastoral work in its thoroughness and far-reaching influence was the despair of his brethren of the ministry. With pulpit gifts that kept his large church well filled the year round, he was untiring in his visitation of his people and in the effectiveness of his pastoral work. He was greatly beloved. His death occurred on the 20th of September. He was one of the first editors of the QUARTERLY.

Rev. J. M. Rawlings, D. D., passed away on the 1st of February. A soldier at sixteen; graduating after the war

at the University of Virginia and Union Seminary; pastor of the Second Church, Lynchburg; Chaplain at the University of Virginia; Pastor of the church at Spartanburg, S. C.; Chancellor of the University at Clarksville, Tenn.; he had only begun his career of usefulness and promise when he was stricken with paralysis, from which he never recovered. He was editor of the North Carolina Presbyterian for a year and was constantly preaching as opportunity offered. He was on his way to an appointment on the last day of his life and kept it with his Master in Heaven.

Rev. J. N. Saunders, D. D., was another gifted and influential minister, and so was Rev. D. O. Davies, D. D.

Other true and faithful sons whom the Church has mourned during the past year are Rev. W. C. Vardell, Rev. W. P. Allison, Rev. James Knox, Rev. T. B. Ewing, Rev. J. J. Read, Rev. J. C. Conoly, Rev. J, T. Hendrick, D. D., Rev. F. McMurray, Rev. J. V. Barks, Rev. T. E. Smith, Rev. James R. Crews, Rev. Robert Morgan, Rev. John C. Dinwiddie, Rev. J. D. Thomas, Rev. Rufus W. Shive, Rev. R. A. Bowman, Rev. Wm. H. Matthews, Rev. J. K. P. Newton, Rev. T. Smith Simrall, Rev. W. E. Keller, Rev. T. S. Johnson, Rev. C. E. Chichester.

THE HOUSTON CASE.

The prominence of Rev. M. H. Houston, D. D., in the Church, his unquestioned ability, his deep spirituality, and especially the services he had rendered as Missionary, Secretary of Foreign Missions and Missionary again, made his case a celebrated one, and while his trial before Louisville Presbytery occurred on December 23, 1897, there was some correspondence between him and his Presbytery during the past year and much discussion of the several aspects of the case. The Presbytery after some remonstrance with Dr. Houston finally cited him to trial for views and practices at variance with the Presbyterian Standards, and passed sentence of admonition against industriously spread

ing his opinions. Thereupon Dr. Houston read a letter to the Presbytery in which he said: "I now give back to the Presbytery of Louisville all rights and privileges that I received by my ordination as a minister of the Presbyterian Church, and I take my place as a private member of the Church."

This action was almost universally regarded as a wise and peaceful issue of the case. Dr. Houston was supposed

to have requested a dismission from the ministry according to Chapter 12, Section 3, of the Book of Church Order. In fact we have his authority for saying that he would have been more than glad if the Presbytery could have taken that view of his letter. But the Presbytery on April 15 adopted a report saying that it did not seem admissible to consider Dr. Houston's letter a request to be divested of his office, though it resolved to communicate with Dr. Houston its readiness to consider such request from him. Dr. Houston did not answer a letter from the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery, so in September another was written to which Dr. Houston replied:

DEAR BROTHER:-I have received to-day your letter of the 13th inst., with the enclosed "Presbyterial Report of Louisville Presbytery." As you state in your letter that you desire to be assured that this enclosure has reached me, I very cheerfully send you this acknowledgment as a matter of Christian courtesy. A former copy of the Presbyterial Report which you sent me was not acknowledged by me for the reason that on December 23, 1897, I gave back to the Presbytery of Louisville all rights and privileges that I had received by my ordination as a minister of the Presbyterian Church, and took my place as a private member of the Church.

With cordial wishes for the welfare of yourself and all your associates in the Presbytery of Louisville, I am,

Fraternally yours,

M. H. HOUSton.

Upon the receipt of this letter the Presbytery

Resolved, That the Presbytery does hereby institute process against Rev. M. H. Houston, D. D., and cite him to appear before this Presbytery at its approaching spring session to be held at Anchorage, Ky., on Tuesday, April, 1899, to answer to the charge of contumacy.

And the Presbytery does hereby appoint Rev. J. S. Lyons, D. D., Rev.