Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-12-30
Religious Intelligence.

NtiSiOuS lnteIllHcnce.
The Chronicle mentions n revival in Brook
field, Vt which has been increasing for some
time.
The pastoral relation between Rev. +. W.
Taylor and his church in Williamstown, VT,
was dissolved by an Ecclesiastical council ON
the 9th inst. The cause is the state of Mr.
Taylor's health he being disabled by disease
with no hope of recovery except bya residence
III Il warmer climate.
An Ecclesiastical council was also held in
Chelsea on the 18th, to consider the subject
of dissol,ing the pastoral relation between
Rev. II. 5. Hubbard and his church. They
decided against disturbing that relation. and
advised the church " i'll view of the present cir
cumStanccs, and Of those delinquent members,
whq have apparently made Gctious OPPOSE
ton to the church and to its pastor; that
they proceed untcdly, in spirit Of Christian
love, to commence and carry forward gospel
labor with these offending brethren, until they
are brought to confess their wrong, or until
their confluence in this wrong renders ncccs-
sary the painful act of accommodation.
The Directors Of the American Tract So
cirtv held Il meeting in New York ON Monday,
and after the reading Of appeals for tracts
from various quarters of the globe, made APP
preparations rs follows for the next three
months:
I" For tho several missions in China. So
800 for the missions in Northern India.
900 for nine missions in Southern India,
4 Urn 1,r C,un+ rios mn tlir MrIi trrrnunnu
including Italy, 3,400; for continental Eu-
rope, $500; for the Sandwich Islands and
Canada, 100 ; reserved to meet new claims,
500 The receipts of the Society for the past
month were So ,226, including SIS, lO4 for
publications the issues from the Depository
for the same period amounted to as, lSj;
and the gratuitous circulation among the dos
titutc since April LIST, exceeded 81 900 900.
The Pittsburgh papers announce the early
publication OF IL volume Of ID iscourscs-chchy
doctrinal and practlcal-by Rev David Do
bic of the Presbyterian Church of that vii
lage, formerly of Montreal,
Rev. Jacob W. Cooper, a Methodist clcr-
gvman of South Groton. Mass. was arrested
at Lowell on Saturday evening, for breach Of
promise, and was carried back to Groton in
the custody of the sheriff. He is accused of
having promised to marry two ladies of his
congregation.
A pamphlet has been issued by the clergy
men of the Episcopal Church, in Connecticut,
on the inadcquateness of their salaries, the
average being only $3.50 per annum.
There are twenty-four Catholic churches in
the city of New York and its vicinity, and
nine converts. At eighteen Of these churches
the English language is preached in five, the
German and one, the French
There are seventeen Jesuit Colleges in the
United States.
prptcstantism il represented to be growing
much faster than Catholicism in Canada.
Thirty years ago the population of Canada
was about $50 600. of whom less than one
third were Prot ,stants. Now it is about two
millions, and more than onc-half are Protcs-
tants. The increase of the Protcstants has
been at least 900 900. while Catholicism has
gained but GEO 900. This is chiefly owing to
the fact that of late the larger portion Of the
emigrants to Canada have been Protcstants
On the 9th ult. the first Chinese Church
was OrSalllI'u III Dill francisco, with IL lrcH
hyterian organizations \ new Chinese
chapel will b. completed i'll a month, and it is
believed that large number of the Chinese
will eagerly Improve the opportunity of re-
criNing instruction in the Christian religion.
The Observance Of Christmas as holiday is
common to all Christian communities, and
dates from the earlier days of Christianity.
1t was first observed as a festival, 4. ID. 9S.
In the second century feast was established
in honor of the birth of the Saviour by the
Pope Phosphorus, and in the fifth century
the Western church ordered Christmas to be
celebrated forever ON the day of the old
Roman feast of the birth of Sol. Christmas
sermons preached by ST. Chrysostom, Dec.
18th, \ D, $50, and by Paul, Bishop OF
Emesa, Doe. 18th, \. d, !3l, are still on re-
cord