Religious News and Notes.
By Editor
—A Mormon preacher was recently shot and killed by a mob of ten men in Catoosa Co., Ga. —The Jews have been excluded from Manhattan Beach, which is likely to injure the proprietors more than it will the Jews. —Bishop Gilbert Haven, at a celebration on the 4th, at Woodstock, Conn., pronounced a very strong eulogy on the ability and patriotism of Gen. Grant. —The Central Baptist church of Oakland, and the late pastor, Geo. Guirey, still keep up their "unpleasantness" by cross talk in the daily papers. —A petty Italian prince, who is a gambler and profligate generally, has denied to Protestants the privilege of worship in his territory, on the ground that it would endanger the unity of the faith! —The Chicago Interior, speaking of certain religious parties in Ireland, says, "They, too, want to put a stick in the wheels of Sunday trains, and with them, as with us, the stick is forever broken and the train runs on." —The N. Y. Christian Advocate and the Richmond Christian Advocate have been indulging in remarks about the deceased Bishops Ames and Andrews which lead many to think the "Christian" is nearly lost in the "Advocate." —The railroads centering in Boston have revoked the half-fare passes given to ministers, and a Boston clergyman gives the following reason;— "Many of the ministers let their friends have the use of their certificates of being entitled to half-fare and so cheated the roads. If the leaders of God's hosts are so lax in their principles, he does not wonder that the railways will not trust them." H. W. Beecher recently said he had been a teetotaler most of his life, but is not now, as he had adopted the use of malt liquors with good effect; upon which the Witness says:— "These words of Mr. Beecher have caused grief to thousands of his firmest friends, who have stuck to him through good report and evil report. To-day he is the idol of lager-beer drinkers, and his name will be toasted in every saloon in the country." —A new movement is on foot in England to promote "Christian union." An association has been formed called "The Church and Stage Guild," made up of representatives of the church and theatres. A circular states its object to be:— "1. To promote religious and social sympathy between the members of the church and the stage. 2. To hold meetings for these purposes from time to time, at which papers may be read and questions discussed of common interest to the members of the Guild. 3. To meet for worship at least once a year." There is but little difference now between "the church" and the theatre, and "worship once a year" is often enough to accomplish the result desired. —The will of the late Pope has been made the subject of dispute. Pius IX. left two-thirds of his private property to his relatives. Not content with receiving the interest of the bequest, they desire to get possession of the capital, and an important legal action is likely to grow out of the matter. Three Cardinals were made executors, and the efforts of Leo XIII. to mediate between the contestants have thus far come to naught. Surely if the Pope is competent to declare the meaning and intention of biblical truth, his reading of an ordinary will should be accepted as final by the faithful. It looks as if the Roman Catholics had no more faith in Papal Infallibility than Protestants have. —The United Presbyterian, commenting on modern churches and church life, remarks:— "There are two kinds of religion in vogue among evangelicals. The one insists on vivacity, raciness in church services, and gayety, sociability and amusement in the life of the people. It wishes ministers who can make a religious service sparkle with a liveliness bordering on levity itself. The other kind demands sobriety, earnestness, and the decorous, thoughtful way of worship that is recommended by Paul. It deprecates the effort to run the prayer-meeting, Sabbath school and Sunday services into mere entertainments having for their object the gratification of sensual tastes and appetites." It is scarcely necessary to say that the kind referred above is largely in the majority. —The following from the Pacific Christian Advocate, if not strictly religious, is "just as true as preaching." "Girls, don't be foolish. You are made of flesh and blood. You ought to know you can't get a No. 2 shoe on a No. 4 foot. You act just as if you thought God had made a mistake. Now, just look at that dress! It wouldn't do for a fly-net and the wind is blowing a hurricane. You can't deceive anybody. People know you suffer in your tight shoes and corsets, and without proper clothing. Now, do take advice and loosen up a little, just to get one good, long, pure breath of fresh air, and let your foot spread out until it is at rest. You are not angels, and if you keep on in this way it is doubtful if you ever will be. You are silly. Men don't love wasps, and they have no use for silly, simpering, sauntering, slip-shod, groaning women. Do let your feet and hands and waists grow. If you think you can get through the world without muscle you are deceived. Nothing is so lovely in the world as a girl nature-made, with vigor and bloom and muscle and brain-romping, laughing, glowing with health and toned with purity."