News and Notes by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 29, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 21.

News and Notes.

By Editor

RELIGIOUS.

—The Protestant statistics of Japan, which have for the first time been collected, show eighty-eight churches, with a total membership of 5,591, a gain of 1,822 during 1883.

—The Reformed Catholic Church, New York, of which Rev. Jas. A. O'Connor is pastor, meets in the United Presbyterian Church, 25th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues. It has an average attendance of about 2,000 persons.

—In Beecher's church, on the 18th inst., after the sermon, Remenyi, the Hungarian violinist, entertained the congregation with several airs on his "stringed instrument," sitting for the performance on the steps of the pulpit.

—At the Methodist General Conference the salaries of bishops were fixed at $2,000 per annum and traveling expenses, and the salaries of general officers at $1,350 each and traveling expenses. Worn-out bishops are to receive $1,000 a year, and a bishop's widow $25 a month while she continues a widow.

—The law awakens the sense of responsibility and gives us a high aim, which the gospel enables us to reach. Without the moral law to awaken conscience and arouse the sense of responsibility, grace would be ineffective. It is the united action of law and gospel which produces spiritual progress.—Christian Union.

—Dr. Mark Hopkins says that most young ministers do more harm than good the first year after leaving the seminary. No wonder the Christian at Work thinks "there is a screw loose somewhere in the ministerial mill." Perhaps the "mill" itself is not consecrated on the right principle. We wish that the harm-doing of all ministers might be confined to the first years of their ministry.

—The Arlington Street Unitarian Church, Boston, now includes in its membership "any person of full age, habitually attending the services, and contributing to their support either as proprietor or pew-holder, including the adult members of their households, and persons statedly occupying sittings with them." If all churches should adopt this plan, they could report a large increase in their membership; and there are doubtless many persons who would be surprised to find themselves suddenly transformed into good church members.

—Dr. Virchow, of Germany, probably the greatest master of physical science now living, at the tercentennial celebration of Edinburg University, declared that "evolution has no scientific basis." This is no news to us, for we know that it has no Biblical basis, and that true science cannot contradict the Bible. But how will Prof. Virchow's testimony affect those ministers who have accepted evolution as a fact because some infidel scientist (?) has "supposed" that it might be true, and have diligently sought to make the Bible seem to uphold the theory? What excuse will they now have for disbelieving the Bible?

—The circulation of indecent literature amongst the young is becoming somewhat alarming in San Francisco, according to a report of a discussion in the Congregational Club last week. Rev. Aaron Williams said that as he was riding in a street-car several school-girls entered, with their books. One of them had a Police Gazette, and they all seemed impatient to get at the contents. Rev. Joseph Rowell said that the managers of some young ladies' schools were afraid to publish catalogues lest the vendors of vile literature should get hold of them and mail specimens of their books to the girls. A young lady of his church told him that books with the vilest of pictures had been in circulation amongst the High School girls. Another clergyman said that books of that character had been found in one of the Grammar Schools where his children attended, and some boys and girls of prominent families had been expelled for promoting their circulation.