p. 383 | Religious Notes

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 24, 1882

Religious Notes.

-It is said that more new churches have been built in Washington Territory since January 1, 1881, than in the previous five years.

-Mr. Moody recently received a petition from Chicago, with sixteen hundred names attached, asking him to return home, and join in the evangelization of Chicago.

-Serious Anti-Catholic disturbances have occurred at Montsurs, Mayenne, France. A mob destroyed the church doors with dynamite, but the police prevented it from attacking the priest's house.

-The Legislature of Texas has repealed the law which taxed colporteurs of religious books annually fifty dollars. Besides this, it has imposed a tax of $500 on all persons who sell the Police Gazette and similar illustrated papers. Good for Texas.

-An "Orthodox Hebrew Congregation" has just been organized in Oakland, under the name of "Beth Jacob." This is in addition to the already existing First Hebrew Congregation. California Medical College Hall has been selected as the place of meeting.

-The Journal and Messenger, Jewish, thinks that "the question of adapting Judaism to its present environment in civilized lands cannot be longer shirked, and should form the subject of an International Jewish Conference." This may signify a great deal, and it may not mean very much.

-The Bishop of Hongkong says he has been repeatedly stopped while preaching, and asked if he is not an Englishman, and if his is not the country that sends opium to China; and when he admits the fact, they tell him to go back and stop the opium, and then they will talk about Christianity.

-Bishop Nestor, who was at the head of the Greek Church in North America, with headquarters in San Francisco, committed suicide by jumping from the steamer St. Paul, off St. Michaels, Alaska, a short time ago. The intense pain caused by neuralgia, to which he was subject, is supposed to have driven him to the act. He was a native of Northern Russia, and fifty six years of age.

-The Salvation Army in England is losing favor on account of the irreverence displayed in the programmes and meetings. For example one announced a "Salvation Charge" a "Great Exhibition of Hallelujah Lasses," "Tremendous Free and Easy," "Great Charge on the Devil," "Hallelujah Galop," etc. The friends of the movement are protesting against such irreverence. Lord Shaftsbury said in regard to it: "The excesses of the Army are producing great irreverence of thought, of expression—turning religion into a play, and making it grotesque."

-A correspondent writing to the London Spectator lately adduced some curious instances of the crusade against religion which is being carried on by the departmental and municipal administrations in France. A lady applied for the post of head mistress of a communal school. The examiners found her qualifications admirable, but finally asked her: "Suppose that in reading a lesson to your class you met with the word "God," what word would you use in place of it?" "I should read right on as it was written," was her answer, and she was therefore rejected. Another instance: A list of books suggested for a public library was lately subjected to an official censor, and he struck out "Robinson Crusoe," as being too religious in its tendency.—N. Y. Tablet.