p. 175 | News and Notes by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 16, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 11.

News and Notes.

By Editor

FOR THE WEEK ENDING JANUARY 9.

RELIGIOUS.

—Archbishop Ireland recently dedicated a church for colored Catholics in Minneapolis, Minn., which cost $78,000.

—In a colored mission in Chicago, at a meeting held Christmas night, a man named Williams became conscience stricken and confessed to having committed murder in Ontario. The matter is being investigated by the police.

—Dr. McGlynn asserts that no retraction was required of him by the pope's representative as a condition of his restoration to the church and to the priesthood. This is a severe thrust at Archbishop Corrigan, and will account for the latter's alleged hostility to Satolli.

—The report that the czar has ordered the Ministry of the Interior to transfer to the Holy Synod the administration of all Russian Church affairs is confirmed. This is certain to result in putting further vexatious restrictions on non-orthodox religions, and will probably lead to persecutions. It is feared the chief sufferers will be the Lutherans, who are mostly Germans or of German descent.

—The California College is a Baptist institution. The Leader is a Baptist paper. The following, from its editorial items, would indicate that the Baptist "shell" is becoming somewhat softened: "A California student from a Presbyterian family was two years ago skeptical. Now he cheers his friends with his Christian firmness and conviction. The faculty are rejoiced to hear of his quiet decision to enter the Presbyterian ministry after his college work is over."

—New York dispatches say that an ecclesiastical turmoil is quietly working in the Catholic Church on account of the mission and actions of Monsignor Satolli, the papal legate to America. A strong party is opposed to some of his positions and discussions, while others are equally determined to sustain him. There is enough American sentiment and jealousy in the church to feel quite sensitive over the appearance of a foreigner, other than the pope himself, to settle disputes in this country.

—Dr. MacArthur, of Calvary Baptist Church, New York City, is reported to have said: "The Catholics want this country, and it would not surprise me to find a Roman Catholic presuming to aspire to the presidency." This is an extreme of bigotry worse than that of the Catholics. Why is it any more presumption for a Catholic to "aspire to the presidency" than for a Protestant? Freedom of conscience, religious liberty, and equality before the law, are guaranteed by the Constitution to all citizens alike.

—Mexico is a Catholic country, and Christmas is a Catholic festival. We would naturally look to such a country for the highest type of celebration. Here is a significant dispatch from the prominent city of Queretaro: "Thousands of people from the City of Mexico and other cities are here in attendance on the most successful of all Christmas cocking mains and bullfights. All the leading bullfighters in Mexico are to display their prowess. In the fights yesterday three banderillos were severely gored and several fine horses were killed."

—The vote in the New York Presbytery on the charge of heresy against Prof. Charles A. Briggs, of Union Theological Seminary, shows that the Presbyterian ministry are much divided on the questions at issue. There were six votes taken on as many different charges of heresy, and, although the accused theologian was victorious on every ballot, the votes were quite close. The case will again be appealed to the General Assembly. It seems that the more this celebrated case is prosecuted, the more unsettled the ministry becomes in regard to what constitutes heresy.

—The pope has made another new departure and addressed an encyclical to the Italian people in their own tongue. This fact is said to create more attention than the document itself, because it is the first instance of the kind on record. An influential cardinal says that "the monarchic era of the administration of ecclesiastical affairs is passing away, and is being succeeded by a popular and democratic era." But be it remembered that this policy is deemed expedient in order that the influence of Rome may be extended. The supremacy of Rome is the object sought; how it is obtained is comparatively a small matter.

—A dispatch from Shepherd, Mich., says: "It is learned that Miss Loomis, who died recently, was placed wholly under the care of a Detroit Christian Science priestess named Adams and was not permitted to have any medicine. Nothing but so-called praying was done for her, and she soon became a raving maniac, so that several powerful men had to hold her in bed most of the time. The priestess, with the aid of some of the girl's relatives and friends, prevented anything being done for her. They drove all disbelievers away from the house. In her sane as well as her raving moments the girl kept up constant prayer until she became exhausted."