RELIGIOUS NEWS AND NOTES.
—News from New York, Dec. 10, states that “the annual sale of pews in Plymouth Church took place last night. The total amount realized was $48,421.” No comments are needed. —The Pope on Thursday received the students of the American College, who read an address and presented a sum of Peter’s pence. The Pope in reply dwelt on the marvelous progress Catholicism was making in America. —The day fixed upon by the government for the inauguration of the President occurs this year on Sunday. Twice before in our history when it occurred on that day the ceremonies were deferred until Monday, and it is the general supposition that they will be postponed this year. —The English revisers of the Old Testament have held forty-one sessions. They have carried their revision as far as Ezekiel 44:14. The English revisers of the New Testament have held sixty-five sessions. At their last meeting they reached the sixth chapter of Hebrews. —The Seventh-day Adventists of this country, through their missionary, the Rev. J. N. Andrews, have commenced the publication of a paper in Switzerland, which is printed in the French language. The newspaper has 400 subscribers, scattered through different countries of Europe.—N. Y. Tribune. —Mr. Thomas K. Cree, who has been working with Messrs. Moody and Sankey in Chicago, having entire charge of the details of the work there as well as in Philadelphia last winter, expects to make a tour of the Southern States, beginning January 10, at the Y. M. C. A. State Convention at Petersburg, Va. —Almost all of our religious exchanges have had much to say in regard to the existing complication in government affairs; but, in the words of the Advocate, we would say, “As the question to be settled is beyond the reach of editors and contributors, we have chosen to wait in silence, trusting in God, and in the officers whose duty it is to act when the proper time arrives.” —In compensation for the destruction of the American chapel at Yen Ping Fu, China, a year ago, an apology has been sent by the local authorities, to the United States Consul, a sum of money paid for the books and other property destroyed, the chapel rebuilt and delivered to the missionaries, and a proclamation issued explaining the rights of foreigners who reside in the interior. —In Cardinal Antonelli’s will provision was made for all the servants in his employ at the time of his death. To those who had served him twenty-five years their full monthly wages were to be continued as long as they should live; those who had served him fifteen years were to receive two-thirds their monthly wages; and those who had served him less than ten years, one-third their monthly wages. —Dr. S. Wells Williams, Secretary to the United States Legation at Peking, having had a series of questions concerning Chinese emigration addressed to him by the Congressional Committee, has made a detailed reply in which he makes the following sensible remarks: “I think the effects of Chinese emigration upon commerce and industry are on the whole highly beneficial. In respect to morals, it will probably be detrimental, unless measures are taken to remove the ignorance of these strangers, restrain their vices, and treat them justly. If we, who live in China, had been treated as they have been in the United States, I think a war would have ensued to defend us in the possession of our treaty rights, or we should have had to leave the country.”—Portland Transcript.