Religious Notes | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 3, 1882

Religious Notes.

-A Concordance of the New Testament in Chinese has been prepared by Rev. Mr. Noyes, of the Presbyterian Mission, Canton.

-The German Baptists, or Dunkards, at their recent annual Conference, which was very largely attended, decided not to permit any theological schools to be started in their brotherhood, or the calling of Sunday-school Conventions.

-An important legal decision affecting religious liberty has just been rendered in Austria. It is to the effect that parents have not only the responsibility, but the privilege also of determining the religious status of their children. Heretofore instruction and even baptism in the Roman Catholic Church was compulsory on all who had descended from Catholic stock, or who had left that church.

-As the result of his five years' work in China, Dr. Nevins counts one hundred villages which have become centers of Christian work, and in these are thirty churches. His parish extends over three hundred miles of country. Although the number of conversions has increased 20 per cent. in the last few years, there are still whole provinces, containing an average of 20,000,000 inhabitants, unentered by missionaries.

-Father Gavazzi, the well-known Italian patriot and orator, although seventy-four years of age, is once more in London pleading the cause of the Free Church of Italy. Speaking recently in Dr. Donald Frasier's church, Father Gavazzi stated that when a student, more than half a century ago, there was but one foreign theological college in Rome. Now there are English, Scotch, French, and American colleges representative of different religious denominations.

-A convention of women ministers was recently held at Hollis-street Church, Boston, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe presiding. Addresses in earnest advocacy of women's work in the ministry were made by Rev. Mrs. S. M. Perkins, of Keene, Mrs. C. M. Bisbee, of Dorchester, Mrs. A. C. Bowles, of Abington, Mrs. E. M. Bruce, of Maplewood, Miss A. H. Shaw, of East Dennis, Lorenza Haynes, of Fairfield. Miss Louisa Baker, of Nantucket, and Mrs. James, of Franklin. Before adjourning, steps were taken for forming a permanent organization.

-A new "Catholic League" for members of the Church of England is being formed with enthusiasm. It is proposed "to restore the ancient and catholic devotion to the blessed mother of God." One of the most urgent needs for the formation of the League is said to be the neglect of confession and the sacrament of penance. One of the promoters says: "Our idea is to strive to restore all Catholic customs and doctrines that were lost or hidden by the Reformers; and no one who is not prepared to do this in every point is, in my opinion, eligible for membership of the League"; and again, "I trust it may be clearly understood that it is requisite for membership that applicants be prepared to make no compromise with Protestantism. Men who do not invoke the saints, who do not go to confession, who communicate having broken their fast, and the like, will never, I hope, be allowed to join the League."—Christian at Work.