News and Notes by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 25, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 46.

News and Notes.

By Editor

FOR THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 18.

RELIGIOUS.

—Some leading advocates of Sunday closing of the San Francisco Midwinter Fair propose to circulate petitions to that end throughout the Pacific Coast.

—Idaho has been made an episcopal diocese of the Catholic Church, and Monsignor Glorieux has been appointed bishop. It is under the jurisdiction of the archbishop of Oregon.

—The Catholic News denies emphatically that the doctrine of "mental reservation" in taking oaths and "the-end-justifies-the-means" theory were ever held by a single Catholic from the earliest ages to the present time.

—At a recent meeting of the San Francisco Ministerial Union the matter of a "Saturday half holiday" was advocated. A paper was read by Rev. Dr. Mathena, in which he claimed that "with a Saturday half holiday here all excuse for opening the gates of the Midwinter Fair on Sunday will be taken away."

—Professor Briggs, who for two or three years has been the cause of considerable trouble to the Presbyterian Church, delivered a characteristic address before the Congress of Religions at Chicago on the 16th inst., taking his disputed ground that the Bible is not infallible. Report says that "his liberal sentiments were accorded the heartiest applause."

—At a recent meeting of ministers in Chicago, Dr. Gifford raised quite a stir by expressions as to the questionable places he had visited and would be willing to visit. He stated that he had been present at political banquets where six or seven different kinds of wine were used, and in the heat of the discussion raised on the occasion, he declared that he "would be willing to go to hell to pray, if invited."

—The Western British-American says: "Rev. Mr. Cantwell is the latest seceder from the Church of Rome. Rev. Richard Hobson, of Liverpool, recently preached a sermon in reply to Cardinal Vaughan on the 'Reconsecration of England to the Virgin and St. Peter,' and Rev. Mr. Cantwell attended the church, in order, it is said, to refute Mr. Hobson, but as a result of the sermon he has severed his connection with the Romish Church."

—The Salvation Army has been defeated in Redlands, Cal., a whilom temperance city. The council passed an ordinance prohibiting the beating of drums, etc., in the streets, and two Army men were arrested for its violation. They appealed to the Superior Court, which sustained the ordinance. The California Prohibitionist, in substance, puts it this way: First, the city admitted a saloon; then followed the anti-Chinese crusade, and next came the anti-drum ordinance, aimed at the Salvation Army,—all within a month.

—A religious furor was created at Walla Walla, Wash., one day last week. A Catholic priest objected to the burial of a man in his family plot in the cemetery because it was supposed he had committed suicide. Consent was finally given on condition that no services be held. But a Protestant clergyman was afterward called to conduct services, and on arriving at the grave the priest attempted to prevent the burial. With a shovel he undertook to fill up the grave, but a brother of the deceased took the shovel away from him. The priest finally yielded on condition that the corpse be removed if the bishop so ordered.

—The Tacoma News thinks that the resolution of the Epworth League Convention of Vancouver, B. C., is rank heresy, and wonders if the Methodist Church and many other Protestants will endure the discountenancing of the social and other means of raising money as implied in the resolution, which is as follows: "Resolved, That in the opinion of this convention of the Epworth Leagues of the Methodist Church it is decided that the raising of money by socials is subversive of the true principles of the church. The Bible points out the true way for the raising of church moneys, namely, by free-will offerings according as the Lord has prospered the giver. This convention of leagues therefore binds its members to discountenance in every possible way the raising of money by the use of the bait of social gatherings."