Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-04-02
RELIGIOUS SUMMARY.

Christianity IN Cochin Chind.-The last num-
Der of the Annales de Ia Propagation de Ia Fol
! contains the following information respecting
| Cochin China and Tonquin These two coun-
| tries have since 1902 been united under the
name of the empire of AMMAN, and contains
population of about q, 100000 souls OF this
number, about $50, 900 are Christians. OF late
years, the number of converts has been greater
than it used to be, Notwithstanding the fierce
persecution of Christian which is carried on
by the government. The Roman Catholic
missionaries have divided the whole country
into seven apostolical districts, three in Cochin
China and four in Tonquin, and in each there
is a bishop with coadjutor. Of these IA pre-
lates, 10 are French and 4 Spanish, and they
have under their direction go European mis-
sionaries, and upwards of $40 native priests.
Schools for training priests have been estab-
lished, and they have now 900 pupils. The
missionaries and priests are assisted by $50
catechists, and by 1000 females, who devote
themselves to teaching the young and attend
ing the sick. Thus, the whole of the mission
airy staff is 1904 persons.
Interesting Discovery at Bethlehem-A letter
from Jerusalem, in the Gazette du Midi, says
"A very important discovery has been made
in the neighborhood of Bethlehem, near the
spot which is generally admitted to be where
the angel appeared to the shepherds. To the
eastward of Bethlehem, and midway between
town and the spot above mentioned, some
workmen, while employed in making an exca-
walton, found the ruins of an immense con-
vent of the period of St Jerome and st. Paul,
with evident marks of its having been after
wards repaired by St. Helen and the Crusad-
ers. The cisterns are very large, regular, and
in perfect state of preservation. The mosa-
ic pavements of several rooms have been al
rea6v laid hare and tho wOrklOan arc on tho
trace of the marble pavement of the church.
The satisfaction occasioned by this discovery
is so great that the inhabitants Of the village
of Betir-Sakour, Village of shepherds) hasten
to the spot, and offer their services on the
works gratuitously.
Revival at ConstantnopLe.-The news of
great and spreading revival of religion at Con-
stantinople is one of the most welcome and
cheering indications of the advancement of
Christianity that has been reported in long
time. The Bebek Seminary has been visited
by Divine influence as it was never visited be-
fore, and of some thirty-five students theirs,
not one seems left unawakened unhumbled,
unsubdued. The Holy Spirit has come with
mighty power into Miss Whttet's school of
fifty-five Jewesses, producing such state of
feeling among them that daily lessons have to
give place to daily prayers. There is every
reason to believe that quite number of them
have already received as their own essiah
and their own Savior that blessed One whom
their fathers rejected as an impostor.
Roman Catholics Becoming Lbaal.-The for
eign papers received by the Persia state that a
few days ago the Catholic municipality of vi
emma gave a striking proofof its spirit of reli-
gious federation, by contributing $4,000 ifs.
S25,000) towards the construction of Protes-
tant schoolhouse. His Majesty the Emperor
has just given $500 towards a new church for
the Jesuits, but he has also contributed the
same sum towards place of worship for his
Protestant subjects.
a great revival has taken place at Morris
vile, the shire Of Madison Co., N. Y The
hopeful converts embrace persons of all ages
and classes, from the man of gray hairs down
to the children, in all about one hundred souls
Whole families have come to Christ, and many
new family affairs have been erected. One
large and entire Bible class of young ladies,
and all but two of a class of young men in the
Sabbath school are the hopeful subjects of the
work
Growh an Io,od.-The first regular appoint
ment Of Methodist preaching in Iowa was in
1884, when Messrs. Randle and Mitchell were
assigned to "Gaena and De Buke Mission"
In 1886, there was reported membership of
l26. In 1910, there were Is preachers and
1914 members. In 1874, the Iowa Conference
was formed, with Is ordained ministers and 20
probationers and 1868 members The statis-
tics for 1858 show two conferences 247 itine-
rant preachers, 2O8 circuits and stations, 465
local preachers 81, 1873 members.
By Catholic almanac, recently published,
it appears in IVA there were but nineteen
priests in the colonies which declared their in
dependence in 1776, and in 1890 there were
but one bishop and twenty priests in the Unit
ed States. In 1903 there were two bishops, 68
priests and 80 churches. There are now As
bishops, 2l08 priests and 1884 churches.
A Baptist paper states that their mssona-
ries in New Mexico are meeting with open
and violent persecution, instigated by the
Catholic priests. One of the missionaries was
recently stoned and driven from his stand
while preaching, by mob led on by priest.
A remarkable act of adhesion to the Roman
Catholic faith has just taken place in Rome
1t was that of Negoussie, King of Tgre and
Semen, in Abyssinia. This sovereign did not
appear in person, but sent three of the natives
OF his States to represent him.
The Rev. Elnathan Davis, having resigned
the pastoral charge of the Trinitarian Church
in Fitchburg, the Rev. Marcus Ames of West
minister has accepted an invitation to take
charge of the Society. He will commence his
labors the first Sabbath in April.
Rev. c. M. Tyler of Galesburg, ILL.,, has re-
signed the pastorate of the First Church in
that place, and signifed his acceptance of
unanimous call from the Congre gational
Church in Natick, Mass, where he will be in
stalled soon
Rev. j. t. Duryea, tutor in Rhetoric in the
College ofNew Jersey, has accepted a call from
the Presbyterian Church in Troy, of which
Rev. E. Smalley, d. d., was pastor
Rev. N. Lassell has resigned the pastorate of
the First Congregational Church in Exeter.
n. H., and is expected to reside in Amcsbury,
Mass.
Rev. w. G. jackson, late of Lincoln, has re-
ceived and accepted call for settlement from
the Orthodox Church and Society in Dun
stabable.
The receipts of the Wesleyan Missionary
Society of England, for 1885, are put down at
fl3O,OOO, (about S650,0O0) a much larger sum
than any previous year.