News and Notes by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 2, 1893

News and Notes.

By Editor

FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 26.

RELIGIOUS.

—Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales declined to contribute to the Salvation Army fund for a Christmas dinner for the poor.

—General Booth, of the Salvation Army, is anxious to raise money to plant a colony of London's poor in the Canadian Northwest country.

—In Moscow, Russia, the people assembled in the churches on Christmas eve were compelled to remain all night on account of a severe storm.

—The Chicago Times correctly remarks that "the Sunday question is more important than may be supposed; the Sunday persecutions in Tennessee would be extended elsewhere if the Sunday law advocates had their way."

—The Detroit Presbytery recently deposed Rev. H. P. Wellton, of the Thompson Presbyterian Church, and the church resolved to withdraw from the Presbytery. "Heresy," or some other disorder, seems to be rife in the ranks of the Presbyterian ministry.

—A few weeks ago we noted the fact that Rev. J. Herndon Garnett, Baptist, had gone over to the Unitarians. To this we can add that Rev. G. B. Allen, a Congregational minister of this State, has done likewise. Also, that Rev. Theodore Haven, son of Bishop Haven, of the Methodist Church, has gone the same way. The general plea of those who go to the Unitarian fold is that they seek a broader platform, and therefore a wider field. But, logically, it is an evidence of spiritual backsliding when ministers seek a fellowship that is practically without a divine Saviour.

—Rev. S. Doi, pastor of the Japanese Methodist Church, of this city, has added eleven young men to his church since the beginning of the Conference year.

—The question of repealing the act of Congress closing the World's Fair on Sunday is bringing the subject of the "venerable day of the sun" more prominently before the public this winter than ever before.

—A Chicago dispatch says a call has gone forth for a great Catholic Congress in that city during the World's Fair. The subjects to be discussed are,—The social question as outlined by Pope Leo XIII. in his encyclical on the subject, Catholic education, and the independence of the Holy See.

—Alexander Russell Webb, who recently resigned the office of United States Consul at Manila to preach Islamism, is said to be in India soliciting contributions to a fund to be spent in sending Islamic missionaries to the United States, and he is reported to be having immense success. By a few days' work in Bombay he secured $5,000, and in Calcutta and Rangoon, $10,000. In Hyderabad the subscriptions of Mohammedans already amount to more than $11,000. He promises much of the money secured in India to establish Islamic newspapers and lecture courses in American cities. He also designs to publish a new translation of the Koran.

—Bishop Phillips Brooks declares that the custom of the House of Bishops, of the Episcopal Church, of doing business with closed doors, is "un-American and needs change." Perhaps he is right in advocating open doors, but this idea of setting up Americanism as a standard of right or wrong in religious matters is becoming too much of a fad. Some teachers of Chinese think that they have accomplished a great work for the Lord if they can induce a pupil to put on an American dress and cut off his cue. Such teaching is deceptive. God never commissioned his laborers to preach Americanism. He wants them to preach the gospel, and his word is the standard of right. The worship of American custom is simply idolatry.

—The Christian Standard, noting the fact that the archbishop of Montreal forbade all under his authority to read certain liberal journals, under pain of excommunication, adds this comment: "Plainly, neither we nor the Canadians need go to Europe to find despotism of the deepest dye." That is true; nor need we go to the Catholic Church to find it. Only a few weeks ago, in the State of Tennessee, men were worked in the chain-gang for conscience' sake; and in the same State thirteen Christian men are even now under indictment, and awaiting trial. And these are victims of persecution by members of so-called Protestant churches, because they keep the Sabbath day according to the commandment of God, rather than according to the commandment of men.