RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF NEW YORK CITY.
A LATE press despatch gives the following statistical information regarding the religious status of New York City and its northern suburbs:— "About half the population of the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx is outside of the 'sphere of church influence,' according to a chart prepared by the New York City Baptist Mission Society. The 103 Catholic Churches have 543,163 members. The membership of the other denominations is as follows: First, Episcopal, 121 churches, 65,900 members; second, Presbyterian, 70 churches, 28,766; third, Lutheran, 33 churches, 21,157; fourth, Methodist, 67 churches, 15,511; fifth, Baptist, 50 churches, 15,310; sixth, miscellaneous, 37 churches, 15,153 members; seventh, Hebrew, 46 churches, 10,892 members; eighth, Congregational, 14 churches, 3,018 members. "With a membership in the 103 Catholic Churches, therefore, of 543,164, a membership in all the other 439 churches of 180,009, and 360,018 persons added as being within the 'sphere of influence' of these churches, the number of persons within the 'sphere of church influence,' according to these figures, is 1,083,191, leaving 916,809 persons outside of church influence. "'In no other American city,' says William H. Brearley, corresponding secretary of the Baptist Mission Society, 'may so large a percentage of the population be classed as habitual non-church goers; nowhere else is so large a proportion of the children out of the Sunday-school. I believe the time will come when the columns of the secular New York press will be largely used by the Christian church to supplement its effort in trying to reach and elevate the submerged million.'" It is to be hoped, most sincerely, that they may be reached some way. Here is work for Christians to do. SECRETARY-OF-WAR ROOT has sent to the House Committee on Military Affairs a collection of opinions on the army canteen question gathered by the Adjutant-General. This was done in view of the pending bill, whose enactment would prohibit the sale of liquor upon military premises. The Secretary accompanied these documents with the following remarkable statement: "I think the enactment of the proposed bill would be injurious to the temperance, morals, and discipline of the enlisted men of the army." The inference to be drawn from the Secretary's remark is that, by permitting liquor to be sold in all the military reservations and army camps, the temperance, morals, and discipline of the soldiers will be enhanced. In like manner are the temperance, morals, health, and domestic happiness of a city or village enhanced in proportion to the increase of saloons and the saloon element, and the happiness, morals, and temperance of the family are enhanced as the facilities for dispensing strong drink are increased. If this were true, then it could be truly said that all the work ever done by temperance advocates and temperance organizations had tended to increase intemperance. The one statement is as true as the other. THE British relief column entered Mafeking on May 18, after a rapid march of five days. For much of the distance the relief column was marching parallel with the Boer army, which sought to head them off. On May 13 a determined effort was made by the Boers to capture the city. The attack was repulsed, the Boers losing over a hundred men in killed, wounded, and captured. On May 22 the advance guard of Lord Roberts' army was reported to be within forty miles of Johannesburg, and General Buller's army has advanced as far as Laing's Nek, where serious opposition is expected. The railway tunnel through Laing's Nek has been blown up, to impede the advance of the British. Reports from Pretoria state that the exodus from the Boer capital has already begun in expectation of an early siege. The British War Office has issued a statement of the casualties during the war in South Africa. This shows the number of those killed, wounded, captured, and invalided to be 28,936. THE strikes of street-car men in Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo., are still in progress, altho most of the car lines are in operation. As reported last week, a federal injunction was issued against interference by the strikers in the running of the cars of Kansas City. An injunction has also been issued against the strikers of St. Louis. The injunctions have served to keep down most of the demonstrations in both places, and make it possible for most of the lines to be operated; but this only contributes to a widening of the breach between employer and employee, and incenses the employee against the general government as well as the firm that had employed him. Thus are the forces of strife arraying themselves in preparation for the coming storm. The true Christian, in these times of unrest and strife, will heed the admonition of the Lord through Timothy, "The servant of the Lord must not strive." A PARTY of eighty American soldiers were ambushed by Filipinos in the northern part of Mindanao, May 20. The Americans routed the natives, killing 51.—The sultan of Mindanao asks the United States authorities to approve the selection of Dato Mandi as heir to the sultanate. This approval, if given, will be a unique affair in the history of the American republic. It is difficult to reconcile the true democratic idea with the authorization of the establishment of an unlimited monarchy.—The order to General Bell to organize municipal governments in Southern Luzon has been rescinded, owing to the fact that the small American garrisons there are surrounded by Filipinos, and are unable to do more than hold the towns. IN the advocacy of Sunday laws, and in the presentation of the claim that they are an essential factor in the promotion of temperance and social morality, it has been quite common to refer to Scotland as a prominent example of strict Sunday observance. But the following late press despatch is rather counter to the stereotyped argument: "Scotland is fast losing its reputation for stolid piety. Last year's statistics just issued show the prisons were full to overflowing, and that the officials were at their wits' ends to know where to confine the culprits. The number of prisoners shows an increase of over 600, chiefly due to husbands attacking their wives, and indecent assaults, which the commissioners declare spring from intemperance." THE city of Sydney, Australia, is reported to be in the midst of a serious epidemic of the bubonic plague. Up to April 25 there had been 144 cases, with 52 deaths. A systematic house inspection and house cleaning have been inaugurated, and an army has been organized to exterminate rats, 12,000 of which had been destroyed up to the above date. Medical examiners have found the plague germs in the stomach of fleas. Thus through vermin, flies, and rodents the stopping of the plague in any place where it gains a foothold becomes almost an impossibility. It is spreading to many other cities in Australia, both along the coast and in the interior. THE envoys of the Dutch republics were received by the State Department at Washington on May 21, and were informed that the United States could do nothing for them, but would maintain strict neutrality. TURKEY has entered the world's race in the preparation for war. A consignment of 220,000 rifles, 16 batteries of artillery, and 96 rapid-fire guns, made in Germany, has just been shipped from the factory to Constantinople, and the army is being remodeled after the fashion of the German army. Foreign shipbuilding firms have been asked for bids for renovating Turkish gunboats, and the Turkish admiral is in America now visiting navy-yards, and carrying with him the authority to purchase or contract for war ships in this country. Of course, the meaning of this is clear to him who is familiar with God's Word. The consummation is approaching. HARROWING reports of death from starvation continue to come in from the famine districts of India. The conditions are specially distressing in the native States, which are not entitled to government charity, as they pay no taxes for imperial support. During the month of March, in the small State of Marwar, 3,667 deaths occurred in the famine camps, hospitals, and poorhouses, while at Dhaulera, out of 30,000 persons, 1,719 died from starvation during the month from February 23 to March 25. THE recent death of the grand vizier of Morocco is another disturbing element in international politics. The sultan is a mere boy, and a weak ruler, and complications with France are threatening. France, it is reported, has already shown signs of a readiness to take advantage of Morocco's internal troubles, for the purpose of increasing her own possessions in Northern Africa. A cable from Algiers states that a religious war has begun in the southern part of Morocco. JAPAN has just closed a very successful naval maneuver, in which all her war vessels took part. The maneuvers were arranged for the purpose of impressing foreigners with the strength of the Japanese navy, and seem to have achieved their object in that particular. The fighting machines of Japan are among the most formidable in the world, and Japan seems destined to make herself felt in the controversies of the nations. THE city of Boston now requires physicians to report all cases of consumption, as they would any other contagious disease, and the health authorities will disinfect all houses in which deaths from tuberculosis occur. The board of education of Oakland, Cal., has decided to employ no teachers who are suffering from tuberculosis. Teachers must pass a medical examination before they can enter upon their work. THE Supreme Court of the United States has rendered its decision in the matter of the governorship of Kentucky, which is to the effect that it has no jurisdiction in the matter. This leaves the case entirely with the State, and, as the State Legislature had already decided that the Democratic lieutenant-governor should succeed to the office of Gobel, who was assassinated, the governorship contest is closed. THE American section of the World's Theosophical Society met at Chicago on May 20. Delegates were present from many of the State organizations. Permanent officers were chosen, and arrangements made for the spread of this seductive branch of Spiritism. The secretary reported an encouraging increase in membership and funds. A SEVERE earthquake shock swept across Mexico on May 16, doing considerable damage along the west coast, especially in the towns of Morelia, Jalisco, Colima, Pintos, and Zapatillo. The earthquake along the western coast was followed by a tidal wave, which destroyed many fishing boats and drowned several natives. DR. KOLDEWEY, director of the excavations at Babylon, has informed the Oriental Society of the discovery of a canal built of Aramean bricks, which is believed to be the long-sought East Canal. A temple called Ernach, of the goddess Niniach, was laid bare, and stones found inscribed from the time of Nebuchadnezzar. OWING to the revolution now in progress in Colombia, the finances of the country are in a desperate condition, paper dollars being worth only five cents. A battle is reported to have occurred recently between the rebels and government troops, in which the former were defeated, with a loss of 500 killed. THE St. Louis Exposition of 1903 is now a certainty, the municipality having raised the $10,000,000 required as a guarantee to secure an appropriation of $5,000,000 from the general government. The Exposition will be held primarily in honor of the purchase of Louisiana by the United States. THE investigation of the postal frauds in Cuba show that there are millions of counterfeit stamps in circulation. The postal affairs of Havana are in a hopeless tangle. The director of posts has been suspended, and will not be allowed to leave the island until he is cleared of suspicion. THE anti-foreign movement is spreading in China. Seventy-three native Christians were murdered recently in Pechili province, many of the victims being burned alive. Missionaries declare that the persecution is more bitter than for many years.