Religious Miscellany by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 9, 1875

Religious Miscellany.

By Editor

—The Methodists are to build a church in Rome.

—The National Council of Switzerland has passed resolutions for the suppression of Convents and Sisters of Charity.

—The Welch population of Virginia City intend soon to build a church in which the services will be conducted in their native tongue.

—The United Presbyterian Church has sent its first female missionary to China in the person of Miss Mary E. Galleraith, of Barnet, Vermont.

—The pamphlet of Gladstone has elicited a reply from Cardinal Manning, in which the latter says that the ex-premier is among the chief apostles of the revolution against the peace of the Christian Church.

—The Rev. Samuel I. I. Schereschewsky, missionary to China, has arrived at San Francisco from Peking. He has been translating the Bible into Chinese under the auspices of the American Bible Society.

—During the recent yearly meeting of the English Society of Friends in London one of the most striking usages of the Society was abolished, namely, the compulsory support of the poorer members by the society. Practically, the rule has been found to prevent the increase of membership. John Bright, M. P., took an active part in procuring the change. The statistics of the society in England are as follows: Regular members, 14,199, against 14,080 last year; attendants on worship, not members, 1,767, an increase of 517.

—An Italian newspaper gives some interesting information relative to the annual revenues of the cardinals. Each Prince of the church has an income of $6,000. Cardinal Patrizi has in addition $8,000 as Cardinal vicar of Rome, and an equal sum from his benefices. Cardinal Amat draws $22,000 from his enormous benefices. Cardinal di Pietro receives $12,000 as Bishop of Albano, and has an equal sum allowed him by Portugal. Cardinal Sacconi has about the same revenue. De Lucca receives $30,000, Bigarra $8,000, Bernardi $100,000, Franchi $12,000, and a large stipend from Spain, while Chigi belongs to a very rich family.

—There are now sustained by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions 134 ordained American missionaries. With these there are laboring 75 ordained native preachers and 31 licentiates. In the schools of the Board are employed 167 American teachers, 160 of them being women. The total number of the working force of the Board in foreign lands is thus before us, 301 Americans, 502 natives. These laborers are steadily maintaining the gospel light in at least 240 places throughout the heathen papal world. They have now under their care nearly 7,000 communicants in their churches, and more than 12,000 pupils in their schools.

—The Freemasons have just appeared in a new role as guardians of society against the intrusion of mischievous members. In Costa Rica, two thousand masons appeared in the hall of Congress, and petitioned for the expulsion of the Jesuits. The President, who is a mason, and several members, spoke against the Jesuits, and the result was that the Congress voted $1500 for their immediate wants and ordered them to leave the country. Many legislatures have done well in expelling the Jesuits, but that it should be done at the demand of the Freemasons, will strike many minds as singular.

—Not much more of an asylum would England be for the Jesuits than Germany if the former chose to enforce the law against them which stands still on her statute-books. According to that—an act of George IV.—every Jesuit who puts his foot upon English soil commits a misdemeanor and is liable to be brought up for his rashness. We ought to suppose however, that this law was long since dead beyond recovery; but not so, for Mr. Disraeli has just announced that while the Jesuits never have been or are likely to be disturbed as public offenders, he wished it to be understood “that the provisions of the act are not looked upon by the government as obsolete, but, on the contrary, as reserving powers of law of which they will be prepared to avail themselves if necessary.” This means, then that the presence of Jesuits is only tolerated in England, and by good rights they have no business there.”

—It is interesting to see how universally the custom of saying grace at meals is observed in England. The queen, in the absence of her chaplain reverently asks a blessing. The children do the same at their lunch. The very beggar on the curbstone, as he eats his crust looks up and says: “The Lord make us thankful.” The Lord Mayor has a lunch provided for him at noon at the expense of the city. He is joined by the two sheriffs, and any strangers who may happen to be present. In his magisterial garb his lordship, without cant or pretense, offers a brief grace before the food is touched. At the Lord Mayor’s dinner at Guildhall, grace is sung by the entire company rising to their feet, and singing the lines which have been sung for the same purpose since 1515. When the costermongers, street-sweepers, boys from the ragged schools, and street walkers, are brought together for tea, at each gathering grace is sung by the entire company; and thanks returned in the voice of song.