News and Notes by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 27, 1890

News and Notes.

By Editor

RELIGIOUS.

—The Italian Chamber of Deputies recently passed a bill depriving the clergy of the direction of all charities maintained by public funds.

—Dr. Lyman Abbott, who succeeded Henry Ward Beecher as editor of the Christian Union, has also been installed pastor of Beecher's Brooklyn Tabernacle.

—The Christian Cynosure says that "it has been announced that on various railroads in this land, Sunday freight trains will, for the future, be discontinued." Further, that "even in France, with its great 'continental Sunday,' a movement in the same direction is noticed."

—In the course of a conversation on Christianity, a missionary asked a well-known Brahmin in Calcutta whether he had ever read our Bible. The man looked at him, and calmly and slowly answered, "I have read the New Testament eighty-three times, and the Old Testament twenty-seven."

—A secret circular sent out in New Mexico to the faithful Catholics, by the church, has been brought to light by a correspondent of the Pittsburg Christian Advocate. This circular exhorts all the faithful to secretly work by all secret means for the interests of the church in the constitutional convention to be held next September.

—The pope has issued an encyclical which sets forth the principles which shall guide Catholics in their relations toward the State. The encyclical says "they must obey when such a course does not entail disobedience to divine laws. In countries where the State opposes Catholicism, Catholics must combat the enemy, but must not tie the church to any political party."

—New York City may be designated as a Catholic town, as it contains eighty Catholic Churches, in which are said every Sunday 392 masses. These buildings have a seating capacity of 411,700, and standing room for 146,470, making a total of 558,110 Catholics who can fulfill their religious duties on Sundays by attending the sacrifice of the mass. During the year five new churches have been erected.