tic, geography, navigation, surveying, practical mathematics, astronomy; natural, chemical and experimental philosophy, the French and Spanish languages, (I do not forbid, but I do not recommend the Greek and Latin languages), and such other learning and science as the capacities of the several scholars may merit or warrant.

"I would have them taught facts and things, rather than words or signs: and especially I desire that by every proper means a pure attachment to our republican institutions and to the sacred rights of conscience, as guarantied by our happy constitutions, shall be formed and fostered in the minds of the scholars.

"In relation to the organization of the college and its appendages, I leave necessarily, many details to the Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of Philadelphia, and their successors; and I do so with the more confidence, as, from the nature of my bequests and the benefit to result from them, I trust that my fellow-citizens of Philadelphia will observe and evince especial care and anxiety in selecting members for their City Councils and other agents.

"There are, however, some restrictions which I consider it my duty to prescribe, and to be, amongst others, conditions on which my bequest for said college is made, and to be enjoyed, namely: First, (surplus income to be added to principal, and principal to be preserved intact, only interest, income and dividends being devoted to the current expenses of the institution.) "Secondly, I enjoin and require that no ecclesiastic, missionary, or minister of any sect whatsoever, shall ever hold or exercise any station or duty whatever in the said college; nor shall any such person be admitted for any purpose, or as a visitor, within the premises appropriated to the purposes of the said college.

"In making this restriction I do not mean to cast any reflection upon any sect or person whatsoever, but, as there is such a multitude of sects, and such a diversity of opinion amongst them, I desire to keep the tender minds of the orphans, who are to derive advantage from this bequest, free from the excitement which clashing doctrines and sectarian controversy are so apt to produce. My desire is that all the instructors and teachers in the college shall take pains to instill into the minds of the scholars the purest principles of morality, so that on their entrance into active life, they may from inclination and habit evince benevolence toward their fellow-creatures, and a love of truth, sobriety and industry, adopting at the same time such religious tenets as their matured reason may enable them to prefer."

Nothing appears to be known as to the views of Girard concerning religious subjects, except from the provisions of the will, and from the fact that four of his ships were named, respectively, "Voltaire," "Helvetius," "Montesquieu," and "Rousseau," and the writings of some of these authors were in his library.

As to what should or should not be taught in the college, it must be conceded, that nothing could be made clearer than the testator's intent in that regard. And how has that intent been carried out?

In the first place, there has been erected, within the college grounds, an imposing chapel, of most elaborate ecclesiastical architecture. Such a building was never contemplated in the will, and had the testator supposed it necessary it would have been expressly forbidden.

Entering the chapel, there may be found in the pews a book called "a Manual for the Chapel of Girard College." In it are liturgical selections for morning and afternoon of every day in the month, besides special services for Sundays, Christmas, Good Friday, Easter and other holy days. The manual contains numerous forms of prayer, consisting principally of extracts from the Book of Common Prayer of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

In a petition for the sick and dying (p. 20), the orphans are taught to pray that departing souls "may be cleansed in the blood of Christ." On p. 23, in a responsive hymn which "may be said or sung" according to the rubric, is an address to "the everlasting Son of the Father," in which are used these words: "When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst humble thyself to be born of a virgin."

In the Manual are nearly two hundred hymns. The following may be taken as specimens:

Hymn 4, the following line:

"The God incarnate! Man divine!"

In hymn 8, in answer to the question how came the thousands of children in heaven, the answer is:

"Because the Saviour shed his blood

To wash away their sin:

Bathed in that pure and precious flood,

Behold them white and clean."

Not only blood atonement but the doctrine of the trinity is taught in these hymns.

Hymn 69, verse 1:

Hymn 74:

"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,

Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity."

"Wash me, cleanse me in the blood
That flowed on Calvary."

Hymn 134:

"Buried in sorrow and in sin,

At Hell's dark door we lay," etc., etc., etc. It would be an insult to the intelligence of our readers to assume that it is necessary to go into argument to show that the inculcation of these doctrines is a flagrant violation of the will.

But this is not all. While the injunction in regard to ministers is technically observed, lay preachers, of various sorts, are permitted to hold forth on Sunday, in this chapel, and expound the scriptures according to their own views. In a recent discourse, one of these lay preachers, while preaching an orthodox sermon, took occasion to ridicule Thomas Paine, one of our noblest revolutionary patriots, and a man whom Girard held, no doubt, in the highest respect. The lay minister held the character of Paine up to contempt, and characterized those who had met to celebrate his birthday, as "fanatics, long haired men and short haired women.".

It will be noticed, it was not only ecclesiastics and ministers who were to be excluded from the college grounds, but

"missionaries" as well. What are these lay preachers but missionaries? They are home missionaries detailed to operate upon the "tender minds" which Girard desired should be kept free from their influence until those minds could adopt "such religious tenets as their matured reason might prefer." Possibly if left alone their matured reason might reject the doctrines of the trinity, blood atonement of Christ, hell fire, etc., and they might by the light of history look upon Thomas Paine as a man as worthy of respect as Moody or Sankey.

The orthodox protestants congratulate themselves upon having outwitted Girard. One of the lay preachers, in his opening remarks, unwittingly admitted, that "the founder of the College never contemplated or intended such a service as then and there engaged their attention." In explanation of the manner in which it had been brought about to the glory of God, he quoted several times the lines:

"God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform."

Never was there so shameless a perversion of a great trust. If the American people, outside of Philadelphia, have any sense of honor and propriety, they will in some way combine to cause the City of Brotherly Love to be cited before the courts, to show cause why it should not be required to carry out in good faith the trust confided to it by Stephen Girard.

Those who may have an inclination to examine this matter further, are recommended to procure a small volume, written by Richard B. Westbrook, D.D., LL.D., and published by the author at 1707 Oxford St., Philadelphia, in which will be found these and other facts, and the whole subject fully and ably discussed.

NOTES OF TRAVEL.

PARIS-BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON.

On the 7th of October, 1884, in Paris, I first met Bjornson. He had just returned from Tyrol where he had been spending a couple of months. He received me very cordially, and invited me to dine with him next day. After dinner, we took a walk in the Bois de Bologne. We had been corresponding for some months, and the conversation turned very naturally upon the political affairs of Norway, which had been discussed in the letters. He is a large, broad chested man, with dark, bushy hair. He was then 53 years of age. Had a wife and five children. He has a frank, open countenance-is very interesting in conversation at times becomes very brilliant.

During the two months that I now spent in Paris, I had frequent opportunities of seeing and studying this distinguished man, than whom probably no one, since the death of Victor Hugo, stands higher in continental literature. Besides meeting him often on other occasions, I was a regular attendant at his Sunday evening receptions, where a brillant coterie of personal friends held conversation in four languages; French, German, Norwegian and English; and not a few of his guests could converse in either of the four.

One evening, I found him engaged in replying to a letter which he had received from Ingersoll; of whom he was a great admirer. The same evening he read to me his new poem, "Bonder de Kommer." "The Peasants are coming."

Bjornson prefers to reside in Paris, on account of its literary advantages, but he is a constant power in Norwegian politics. He represents the radical element-being in favor of bringing his native country as fast as possible to a publican form of government.