Worcester daily spy., 1859-04-30
RELIGIOUS ITEMS.

A late Watchman and Reflector contains
two communications, one from pastor and
the other from layman, earnestly advocating
open communion. Nearly a column and a
half of editorial comments follow, combating
the opinions advanced. The editor comedies
however, that there is "division of opinion"
on this point in the Baptist churches, and
thinks it would be "ide to repress discussion"
The Congregational Society at North Roch-
ester, Mass, has funds to the amount of $780,
including parsonage, which must be used for
Congregational preaching. A portion of this
money was given by Mr.. Ezekiel Turner, a
most estimabe Indian who recently deceased.
The Middleboro' Gazette says that for many
years he was leading spirit in the church and
society.
Rev. E. H. Sears, the author of a work on
Regeneration, (which, a few years ago, ex-
cited considerable interest among Orthodox
readers and of some of the best publications
of the Unitarian Association, in the last num-
Der of the Monthly Religious Magazine, of
which he is an editor, gives in his adhesion to
the ''new church" views, and distinctly avows
his belief in the supreme and absolute Deity
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says "every
form of faith that leaves out the essential Di-
vinity of the Lord Jesus Christ-Arian, Soci-
nian, and all shades between, is radically de-
fective-and every sect that gets stranded
here will die sooner or later of inanition, or
Arctic cold."-Cong
A clergyman in the county of Durham, Eng.
lately concluded morning service with the fol-
lowing words Brethren, next Friday is my
tithe day. and those who bring the tithes on
that day shall be rewarded with a good din
ner; but those who do not may depend upon
receiving County Court summons"
The Unitarian Association, having received
a fresh batch of images from its missionary in
India, fears that it will soon "have pandemon-
ium, if receipts of this kind continue :" and
only wishes it ''could as easily ship off some
of the idols worshipped in our country
The average income of the Mexican church
is twenty-five millions a year, while the reve-
nue. of the national government of the republic
is only fifteen millions.
From return made to the Bishop of Lon
don by his clergy, it appears that the annual
cost of the mnistrations of the Episcopal
Church in London is over twelve dollars to
each man, woman and child belonging to the
Episcopal congregations.
DIR. Thomas L. Nichols, the convert from
Spiritualism to the Catholic Church, is lectur-
ing in behalf of his new faith in Texas. He
finds the origin of Professionalism in the upris-
ing against the DEGREES of the Almighty in the
Garden of Eden. The following accounts is
related as having occurred at one of DIR. Mich
oPs lectures "In the midst of the lecture,
after an account OF an apparation of the Virgin
Mary to a Jew in Rome, and his subsequent
conversion, lady in the audience suddenly
pointed her hand at vacancy, and in a voice
which thrilled every one present, exclaimed
Sister don't you see the blessed Virgin 2 and
then swooned away, and was borne from the
room"
AT meeting of the Bowdoin Church of
Boston, held on the 25th inst, Rev. Edwin
Johnson received the entire vote of the men,
bers for pastor Of that church.
On Sunday evening last, Rev. DIR. Chaplin
of New York preached his eleventh annual
sermon, the services concluding the eleventh
year of his pastoral connection with the Fourth
Universast Society.
The sixty-ninth annual convention of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, in the diocese of
Massachusetts, will assemble in the Trinity
Church, Boston, on Wednesday, May 4, at 10
o'clock A. NJ. The convention will open with
divine service, a charge by the Bishop lin place
of the annual sermon, and the administration
of the Holy Communion.
A Paris correspondent writes GA curious
new sect of Christians, called Transmigration-
lists, have of late become very numerous in
France. Quite different from the Mormons,
their character is highly moral, and their
creed Christian, only they include all animals
in their idea Of universal mortality. They
profess to believe that being changed after
death into some animal will be their purgato-
ry. In Germany their increase is immense"
Daniel Vaughan has been ecturing at Gin
cinnati on the deluge. His theory is that at
the close of the geographical history, and
about the commencement of human history,
there was general deluge, of which we have
an account in the Bible, and of which there are
traditions among all people. He differs radi-
cally from most biologists, but is said to argue
his side of the question with great ingenuity.
The British Association for theAAdvancement
Of Science have received his papers with re-
spect, and the London Atheneum published
them.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher has gone on
lecturing tour Of two weeks TO the West, to
raise money for his brothers church, (Dr. L.
Beecher's,) at Galesburg, Ill. In the mean
time, DIR. Cheever supplies his pulpit.
Rev. Mr.. Barber lately of Cummington, has
become pastor of the Congregational church
at Jamaica, VT
Mr.. Moses Smith of the Union Theological
Seminary, who has assisted Rev. DIR. Porter,
of Pennington, Conn, has been invited to set
tie as colleague with him.
Rev. Calvin L. Park has asked to be dis
missed from his pastorate at West Boxford.
GENERAL SUMMARY.