p. 431 | News and Notes by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 7, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 27.

News and Notes.

By Editor

FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 30.

RELIGIOUS.

—The great Spanish pilgrimage to Rome during the past two weeks contributed to the pope about $228,000.

—The Italian Government is about as near bankrupt as a government can be and live, yet it supports 23,255 monks and nuns.

—It is said that the closing of a Protestant church in Madrid recently was brought about by "the continued energetic protests of aristocratic ladies."

—Representative Johnson, of North Dakota, has re-introduced what is practically at least the famous Blair Sunday Rest Bill in the lower house of Congress, and Senator Kyle, of South Dakota, has introduced a like measure in the Senate.

—In a recent speech in the U. S. Senate Mr. Peffer stated that "our Sunday schools are beginning to teach their pupils to be soldiers. They are employing military men to teach the Sunday school scholars military discipline." It is true the whole tendency of the times is toward education in physical combativeness. The true Christian will "put on the whole armor of God," and being drilled in its use he will want no other.

—People who advocate political religion feel the necessity of continually asserting that they do not want Church and State union. They well know the antagonism of American principles to such a union, hence they are compelled to garnish their Church and State principles with assertions that they do not mean Church and State union. A paper read before the Parliament of Religions in San Francisco last week, after disavowing such a union, argued that corrupt politicians "should be made afraid of the churches." It is evident that unless the churches have some means of exercising authority in political matters, they will be powerless to incite any fear of their opposition.

—An effort is being made in the South African Republic to enact stringent amendments to the Sunday law. The Standard, of Johannesburg, stoutly combats the amendments, showing up the absurdity of such provisions as make certain acts sinful in a village that are allowed in the country. But while the arguments of the journal are good on some lines, it gives its argument all away by admitting that such a law may be right, if somewhat modified. If we admit the propriety of any Sunday law, we stultify all argument against inconsistent provisions, because it is impossible for such laws to be consistent. However, the "mark of the beast" is being pushed the world around, and the warning against its reception is the message to be proclaimed by the servants of God in all lands.

—Some Protestant journals and orators seem to be doing valiant service against the encroachments of Roman Catholicism upon our governmental structure. They apparently see the approaching evil, and are earnest in their efforts to avert it. But they are standing on the quicksands of Catholic dogma—Sunday and other church festivals, consciousness in death, religious legislation, etc., etc.—and are unwittingly being engulfed in the very element against which they are frantically contending.

—The Catholic Mirror, referring to the passage of the bill by the Reichstag permitting the return of the Jesuits to Germany, makes the significant comment that "although they have been turned out of many places, it is their boast that they have always come back—and by invitation." Yes, the "deadly wound" of the papal beast is fast being "healed," as saith the prophet (Rev. 13:3, 12), and it is just as certain that after her restoration her power will be of short duration—"one hour" (chap. 18:10, 17, 19).

—The attention of the San Francisco Methodist Preachers' Meeting on the 23d inst. was largely given to the action of the Board of Education eliminating those portions of Myers' History which are offensive to the Catholics. Resolutions were passed demanding the restoration of the rejected portions of this textbook; declaring that "the action of the School Board was not even a compromise, but a yielding to the arrogant demands of the archbishop;" and appointing the second Sunday in May as a day upon which the ministers of the denomination in the city would preach upon this topic.

—One of the great features of the revival services conducted by Rev. B. Fay Mills is the midweek sabbath. He urges it everywhere, and asks business men to close business and come to meeting. But in giving an account of such an occasion in Norwich, Conn., the Bulletin of that city says that a large assemblage gathered in the Universalist Church to unite with the evangelists in sanctifying the important day. Usually Mr. Mills observes Wednesday as the midweek sabbath, but at Norwich it was Tuesday on which the sanctifying service was held, and the report does not say which day was sanctified.

—The Christian Statesman urges the Christian people of Pennsylvania to say to the party that nominates a certain aspirant for office, "If you nominate a man for lieutenant governor who is the enemy of the Pennsylvania sabbath law you will have our combined opposition in the election." But the Reformed Presbyterian Church, which is the foster mother of the National Reform Association, of which the Statesman is the organ, forbids its members to vote so long as the Constitution does not formally recognize the Deity. Now if it is wrong for Christians to vote, how are they going to legitimately oppose a candidate for office?

—Pittsburg and Allegheny, Pa., together form a real hotbed of Sunday lawism. The Occident, referring to the fact that the new postmasters of those twin cities took possession of their offices on Sunday, draws this comparison: "You will notice that the above places are back East; but away up in the mining region of Redding, California, the postmaster is dead over his office on Saturday night, in order that he might be in the Lord's house on Sunday." The Occident is a Sunday paper, and its defense of the manner of Sunday observance in a State where there is no general compulsory law, against that in a State with a very stringent law, is good testimony as to the imbecility of such legislation.

—Before the defeat of the proposed Christian amendment to the Constitution, the organ of the National Reformers was very sanguine of the support of the great majority of the people of the country. But it now enumerates such a "formidable force" as having been arrayed against the measure that the great majority were defeated. This curious position is hard to explain, when we remember that the friends of the measure did all the petitioning, and only their advocates had any hearing before the Congressional Committee. Another curious feature of the argument is that Catholics are all counted as against the measure, while at the same time they are all being reckoned as in favor of the pending Sunday Rest Bill.

SECULAR.

—In consequence of the miners' strike, there are 10,000 idle men at Clearfield, Pa.

—On the 27th inst. the third consignment of California cherries for the season sold in Chicago for $1.00 per pound.

—The miners' strike in Russian Poland continues to spread, and several collisions have occurred between troops and strikers.

—Hon. A. Van R. Paterson has resigned his position as Justice of the Supreme Court of California. His reason is that the salary affords him "but a bare living," and he has an opportunity of becoming partner in an established practice promising a larger income.

—It is stated in press dispatches that the Canadian Knights of Labor propose to march an industrial army to Ottawa, to demand the abolition of the protective tariff.

—Within the past week welcome showers of rain have fallen in nearly every section of California, which has somewhat enlivened the hitherto gloomy crop prospect.

—The St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans, was destroyed by fire on the night of the 28th inst., entailing a loss of four human lives and over $300,000 worth of property.

—In Kansas City, Mo., on the 18th inst., the District Court granted twenty divorces inside of two hours. In neither case did the defendant in the case appear in court.

—A Terre Haute, Ind., dispatch says that "the block coal miners at Coal Bluff have been induced to quit work, and it is believed the entire Indiana field will yet be induced to quit."

—A resolution introduced in the U. S. Senate, providing for the appointment of a special committee to hear the grievances and wishes to be presented by the industrial armies now en route to Washington, received but six votes.

—On the 23d inst. fifty women attacked some officers who had arrested a miner near Uniontown, Pa., and a number of the assailants were knocked down with the butts of rifles, while others were stabbed with bayonets.

—The gold product of the United States for 1893 was about $40,000,000, an increase of $7,000,000 over the product of 1894. On the other hand, the silver product of 1893 was $80,000,000 against $75,000,000 in 1892, a decrease of $15,000,000.

—On Sunday, the 22d inst., 400 workmen of Hold-Mezo Vasarhely, Hungary, attempted to recover Socialist documents seized by the authorities. The police fired into the mob, severely wounding six men, and slightly wounding several others.

—There are so many "industrial armies" rising in various sections of the country that they have become too numerous to mention. Of themselves they do not amount to much, but they presage a revolution that ridicule and contempt will not put down.

—The California Department of the Grand Army of the Republic held its annual encampment in this city last week. A prominent feature of the occasion was a grand procession; in this the "industrial army" now being formed in the city, several hundred strong, desired to participate, but were refused the privilege.

—The law against processions or gatherings in the Capitol grounds at Washington has not been very rigidly enforced for some time in the past. But, now that Coxey's "army" is on hand, even the Odd Fellows are stopped at the gate of the forbidden grounds, thus establishing a precedent for denying the privilege to the "Commonweal."

—The French Government has promulgated a decree forbidding diplomatic and consular officers to marry without permission of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on pain of dismissal from office. The design is to prevent diplomatic entanglements through the influence of foreign wives. It has been explained, however, that the decree does not apply to French representatives in the United States.

—Most pathetic accounts are published of the recent earthquakes in Greece. The port of Atalanta was laid in ruins, as well as several villages in that vicinity. The death roll in the district south of Atalanta is reported at 238, with a large number of injured. Thousands of people are camping out, and there is great destitution and much suffering. The government is doing all it can to afford relief.

—A correspondent in the celebrated Topolobampo Colony, Mexico, presents the scheme in the light of a gigantic fraud. He says that about 1,200 people have been deceived into going down there to suffer and go hungry just to put money into the pocket of a confidence man who has taken about $200,000 of their means for stock in the so-called "Credit Foncier," which company never had a real existence. If men would follow the advice of their Lord, and lay up their treasure in heaven by doing good with it on earth, they would not be caught in such traps.

—The State superintendent of public instruction of Indiana has rendered a decision to the effect that devotional exercises cannot be enforced in the public schools of the State. According to the provisions of the Constitution, the superintendent says the only thing the Legislature intended to authorize school authorities to do was to place the Bible in the schools, and leave the use of it to the judgment of the teachers. A rule requiring the devotional exercises might interfere with the consciences of the teachers, some of the children, or some of their parents, and is not wanted. The law authorizes religious exercises in the school, but does not enforce them.

THE ATONEMENT. Part I, "An Atonement Consistent with Reason." Part II, "An Atonement as Revealed in the Bible." Pacific Press Pub. Co., Oakland, Cal. Cloth, $1.00.