News and Notes | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 30, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 38.

News and Notes.

RELIGIOUS.

—There are now in France only about one hundred and thirty McAll missions; about one-third of them in Paris and two-thirds in the provinces; and yet they secured a total attendance of nearly 1,200,000 persons at the gospel preaching service alone in the last twelve months.

—Dr. A. T. Pierson thinks that the world could be evangelized—not converted, but have the gospel preached—in eleven years. He says: "If Ahasuerus could send a decree through 127 provinces (2,000 by 1,200 miles) in less than nine months, surely we can cover thirteen times the space in eleven years.

—The largest building for Sunday-school purposes in Brooklyn will be the new edifice connected with the Tompkins Avenue Congregational Church. Its cost will be $80,000. Included in the accommodations of the building will be reception rooms and rooms for committee meetings, which will hold about twelve hundred persons.

—The Protestant Episcopal diocese of Indiana presents the following statistics: Clergy, 34; lay readers licensed, 34; parishes, 39; organized missions, 13; churches and chapels, 56; families, 1,824; communicants, 5,554; Sunday-school teachers, 234; scholars, 2,797; value of property—churches, $539,560; rectories, $66,000; total, $605,560. Total of offerings, $75,426.33.

—The Canadian Missionary Mackay, on the Chinese island of Formosa, is very strongly advocating the training of native preachers for the work among their countrymen. One of his reasons is an economical one; an American, even if he lives like a native, will cost $1,000, whilst a genuine native will live on $100. Still, the training of a native ministry must be done by foreigners.

—The Jewish Times and Observer says that "the existence of a colony of Jews in China has been long since established, but their isolation leaves us in general ignorance of their history, their government, their habits or customs." It is stated, however, that Rev. Dr. Glover, of Cambridge, Mass., who has made the Jews of China a special study, is endeavoring to learn something more definite concerning them.

—A year or two ago the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity of New York City imported a pastor from England, and for so doing was fined $1,000. During the present month a number of foreign professors for the new Roman Catholic University at Washington, D. C., will arrive in this country. Protestants are anxiously watching to see, whether the law will be impartially enforced in their cases.

—Lieutenant Wood of the U. S. navy, who has recently returned from the China station where he had served for several years, has made the statement that he believes "that there is not a Chinese convert of sound mind within the extent of China." He unhesitatingly pronounces Christian missions a failure. The Lieutenant's statement has provoked a great deal of sharp criticism from both Protestants and Catholics, the latter being especially caustic.

—According to the Christian at Work, thirty-four missionary societies are at work in Africa, and all its 200,000,000 souls are practically within the reach of Christian missions. Thirty-three societies have begun work in China, and all its 350,000,000 souls may be visited with the message of the gospel. More than fifty societies have entered India, and the light is dawning upon its 250,000,000. Turkey and Persia and Japan are filling with mission churches and mission schools. Practically the whole world is open to the gospel.