News and Notes by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 3, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 56.

News and Notes.

By Editor

FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 26.

RELIGIOUS.

—Rev. Henry L. Kellogg, editor of the Christian Cynosure, Chicago, died on the 15th inst., from the effects of injuries received when his home at Wheaton was burned, a few days previously.

—The Board of Trustees of the Western Theological Seminary of Pittsburg have rejected the recommendation of the Presbyterian General Assembly that all Presbyterian seminaries be placed under the control of that body.

—The new czar of Russia is said to have assured a deputation of Polanders that he knows no distinction between the different religious professions, that he loves all his subjects equally. If that is true, then all subjects in exile for their faith will be returned to their homes. We will see.

—The American Bible Society has suffered a heavy loss by the burning of its house in Yokohama, Japan, used as a depository for Bibles. The entire stock of books and sheets was much injured by fire and water, but the plates were, fortunately, stored elsewhere and thus are uninjured.

—The Very Rev. S. R. Reynolds Hole, dean of Rochester Cathedral, England, now on a lecture tour in the United States, expresses the opinion that saloons should be open part of the day on Sunday. His opinion is based on the beer-drinking custom of his own country. He says "the workingman in England must have his beer with his Sunday dinner," and he naturally supposes it is the same in this country.

—The Protestant papers persistently keep before the people the incident of last August when a Roman Catholic mob at Quebec attacked two Protestant mission houses, hurling stones and breaking windows. But when a Protestant mob, at a more recent date, attack a Seventh-day Adventist house of worship at Shady Side, Md., break the windows, drag a leading member in the street, and threaten the minister's life if he does not leave the town, these Protestant papers have no word of protest.

—Archbishop Corrigan having forbidden Priest Thomas J. Ducey to attend the sessions of the Legislative Committee now investigating political crookedness in New York City, the priest has appealed to Papal Delegate Satolli. Ducey is reported to have said: "I do not recognize that a bishop or any other man has the right to interfere with the liberty of an independent citizen, whether he be a priest or a layman, unless that man is violating the law of God, some defined law of the Christian religion, or some law of the State or nation."

—The Board of Directors of the city schools of Alameda, Cal., have interposed an objection to the W. C. T. U. literature, which has been freely distributed. They let it all go until statements to the effect that a man could not be a good Christian and use tobacco found their way in. This, it seems, was coming too close to the Christian standing of some of the board, and it was thought to be time to call a halt, and restrict not only the literature but the lectures on temperance which had been introduced at the instance of the W. C. T. U.

—A half-breed Cherokee Indian named Blackwell is under arrest at Claremore, I. T., charged with treason. He has been posing as a prophet sent from God to proclaim the coming of Christ. He founded the town of Blackwell and built for himself a church. Then he went into the Cherokee Nation and founded the town of David, and has been offering lots for sale all over the Territory. But, by a law of the Cherokee Council, it is high treason to sell real estate to one not of the nation; hence the arrest, although Blackwell insists that he is operating under the special direction of the Lord.

—"Why do the Jews not accept Jesus as their Messiah? is ably answered by Dr. Felsenthal in a pamphlet."—Unity. Think of the folly of writing a pamphlet to answer such a question, when everybody knows there is but one reason, and that a brief one, namely, because they do not believe in him. If the pamphlet is designed to give a reason for not believing in Jesus, that, too, is brief and simple—it is because they do not believe the Scriptures. So that pamphlet is a superfluity in every sense. But all classes of people, of whatever nationality, who reject the Messiahship of Jesus, are actuated by the one sentiment, —unbelief of the Scriptures.

—Bishop McQuaid, of Rochester, N. Y., is out with a sharp denunciation of Archbishop Ireland, of St. Paul, Minn., for his conspicuous intermeddling in politics. Amongst other things he says: "I contend that this coming to New York of the archbishop of St. Paul to take part in a political contest was undignified, disgraceful to his episcopal office, and a scandal in the eyes of all right-minded Catholics of both parties. It was, furthermore, a piece of meddlesome interference on his part to come from his State to another to break down all discipline among our priests and justify the charge of those inimical to us, that priests are partisans and use their office and opportunities for political work.

SECULAR.

—The city of Montreal is preparing for a world's fair during the summer of 1896.

—A case of Asiatic leprosy has been discovered in Grand Forks County, N. Dakota.

—Rubenstein, the great Russian pianist and composer, died at Peterhof on the 20th inst., of heart disease.

—A gang of outlaws shot and robbed the occupants of three adjacent farms near South Bend, Ind., on the 20th inst.

—China has lost her best war ship by an accidental collision with one of their own torpedoes at Wei Kai Wei.

—Spain has paid $17,500 indemnity for outrages perpetrated upon American missionaries at Ponape, one of the Micronesian Islands.

—A press dispatch states that the town of Marion, county seat of McDowell County, N. C., was entirely destroyed by fire on the 25th inst.

—Ex-President Peixoto, of Brazil, is about to visit the United States, on the advice of his physician. The new president, Moraes, has pardoned forty political prisoners.

—In New York City, on the 21st inst., a crowd of hungry cloak makers, with their wives and children, thronged the strikers' relief headquarters begging for provisions.

—The U. S. Treasury Department has decided to issue $50,000,000 in government gold bonds, bearing five per cent. interest, and there is a rush for a chance at the investment.

—Fruit growers in Fresno County, Cal., are trying the experiment of shipping fruit to the San Francisco market by mule teams, on account of the high railroad freight tariff.

—It is announced by telegraph that the strike of shirt makers in New York City is practically over, a reduction of ten per cent. in wages having been agreed upon by arbitration.

—The crop of oranges in the Narcossee settlement, Florida, is being sent to England, where satisfactory prices have been received on two large consignments already disposed of in that market.

—St. Petersburg advices say that Czar Nicholas II., on the occasion of his approaching marriage, will issue a manifesto of clemency, remitting arrears of taxes and modifying sentences of certain criminal classes.

—The scheme for a union of the Central America governments is said to be a failure. Costa Rica is credited with the only stable government on the isthmus, due to the fact that it does not interfere in the affairs of the other governments.

—There has been a large exodus of French-Canadian families to the New England States of late. It is estimated that nearly 3,000 have left Canada for Lowell, Holyoke, and other milling centers in Massachusetts since the middle of October.

—There is said to be great excitement at Lone Mountain, twenty miles from Middleborough, Ky., on account of the discovery of gold. The rush is so great that Judge McCampbell, on whose ground the find is located, has appealed to the governor for protection.

—The German Government expense estimate for the coming fiscal year is increased by $17,500,000 over last year on account of increased army expenses. Under the new military law it will increase at about the same rate for five years to come. This is a peace estimate.

—A reporter in St. Petersburg recently conveyed in his description of the dress worn by the czarina the impression that it was an old-fashioned gown, and now the press censor has forbidden any Russian newspaper from commenting upon anything worn by her majesty.

—The Canadian Deputy Minister of Marine has repudiated as impracticable the scheme of placing a 20-knot steamship service on the route between Great Britain and Canada, toward which the Dominion Parliament last session voted an annual subsidy of $750,000.

—Dallas, Texas, advices of the 24th inst. state that "the drought continues without a sign of rain. Water wagons are doing a big business hauling supplies of artesian and river water to private residences." It is also stated that prayers for rain were being offered in the churches.

—It is said that Queen Victoria, on account of chronic rheumatism, will be an almost helpless cripple the rest of her life. It is impossible for her to step up or down, even into or out of her carriage. A specially designed chair has been provided for carrying her majesty up and down stairs.

—Official dispatches from U. S. Minister Denby and from Admiral Carpenter, commanding the Asiatic squadron, confirm the news that the Japanese have captured Port Arthur, one of China's greatest strongholds. The place was taken on the 21st inst., after eighteen hours' fighting. Immense quantities of coal and ammunition fell into the hands of the victors.

—A monk in Valencia, Spain, has been prosecuted by the queen regent for stating that she had become a member of a Freemason lodge. A short time ago it was stated that she had prosecuted a newspaper publisher for announcing that she had allowed the boy king to be initiated into that order.

—A discovery has been made near Churintzio, State of Michoacan, Mexico, of thirty human bodies in an advanced stage of decomposition piled up on one another in a cave. Cleofas Gomez was robbed and murdered recently. Pascual, his brother, while searching for him, made the discovery, which explains many disappearances.

—The St. Petersburg correspondent of the London Telegraph says that absolution placed in the hands of the dead czar was intended to frank him about the spirit world for the first few days after death, unmolested by evil spirits. This is a custom dating from the time of Theodosius, who was besought by Prince Simon to bless him in life and death, and he wrote the prayers and placed them in Prince Simon's hands after death in this manner.

—Reports from the great earthquake in the southern part of Italy are more serious than the first accounts. At Procopio 200 dead bodies were taken from the ruins of one building, and 48 were found under a wrecked church. At Palmi every house was rendered uninhabitable, 15 being totally destroyed, and 300 people were more or less injured. At Seminara 5 persons were killed and 200 injured. The villages of Barapir and Santa were totally destroyed.

—The town of Shelbyville, Ind., had a narrow escape from entire destruction on the night of the 22d inst. By mistake the natural gas was given a high pressure in low-pressure mains, and at midnight over 500 stoves and heaters were melted under the intense heat, and buildings were beginning to burn in various quarters. The flow of gas was stopped, and by heroic efforts to stop fires only three buildings were burned. If the discovery had been delayed but a few minutes longer, the town could not have been saved.

—Late advices from Madagascar state that the people are desperately opposed to the annexation to France. Prince Rakotenana, the princess, and other relatives of the queen, are preaching a holy war. Fanatics harangue the people, and are stirring them against the French by displaying the heart and entrails of children found, they declare, in French residences. The Hovas, the ruling tribe, declare that the French kill and eat children. The Hovan Government has promised to protect English missionaries.

—A Hallettsville, Texas, dispatch of the 24th inst. says that on the night of the 22d a gang of robbers blew up a large safe in a mercantile house in the town of Shiner, setting fire to the store and burning nine buildings. When the people heard the explosion, they rushed to the place, but were kept back by armed men, while others gathered up the treasure. After leaving, the robbers were followed by a sheriff's posse, who brought back four men, two of whom were recognized by citizens as having been of the party. It is thought that they secured at least $25,000, and the loss by fire is about $100,000.

—The Grand Jury of McLennan County, Texas, has returned an indictment against all the officers of the Standard Oil Company, from President Rockefeller down. The indictment charges them with violating the trust law of Texas by making a conspiracy to control prices. Application will be made to the governor for a requisition on the governors of New York and other States for the extradition of the indicted men. The attorney for the company says the same thing has been done before, and the indictments dismissed; therefore he thinks the present cases will have a like result. Quite likely, as the defendants are all wealthy.

—Commissioner Shields, of New York City, has rendered a decision which will affect the situations of many Chinese in this country. He held one Lee Yuen, who claims to be a merchant, for deportation, on the ground that he was a laborer before he returned to China two years ago and after he came back to America. Many Chinese laborers have small interests in small mercantile establishments in order to pose as merchants, but Judge Cox, of New York, defines a merchant as one engaged in the business of buying and selling, and who does not engage in any other kind of work. This decision renders hundreds of Chinese liable to deportation.

—It is said that Russia is Great Britain's natural ally, because if the great "bear" wishes he can be the "lion's" most dangerous foe. Therefore Great Britain consents to Russia's war ships passing out of the Black Sea through the Dardanelles, because it is better to have them do so as friends than as enemies. Yielding this point of the nominal treaty between Russia and the European powers is no more than yielding the point of allowing Russia to have a naval fleet in the Black Sea at all. Russia stepped over this provision of the treaty without asking leave, and has shown a determination to pass the Dardanelles whenever occasion demands. Hence it is no doubt good diplomacy for Great Britain to yield consent.