The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-04-18
Religious Intelligence.

"A correspondent who writes us from Cum
berland Centre has lately discovered in look
ing over some old papers, document of unu-
sual interest. 1t is letter written by the
Rev. Edward Payson, and addressed to the
"Church and Congregation of the Second
Congregational Society in Portland" 1t is
signed by Payson, is endorsed on the back
Rev. Edward Payson's Acceptance of his
CALL" and its contents exhibit the humility,
the earnestness and the deep, Christian faith
of the writer If the paper referred to by our
correspondent be not copy but the original
letter of acceptance sent by Mr.. Payson to
the society with which he was so long associ-
ated, then it is indeed to many persons a very
interesting document.
The Rev. Nv William of Trinity church,
Lewiston, recently received a fattering invita-
ton to become an assistant Rector OF one of
the most influential New York churches; but
has yielded to the urgent entreates of his
people to remain with them still longer.
Rev. o. II. True, for four years pastor of
the Free Baptist church in West Lebanon de-
livered his farewell discourse March 80. He
has taken charge of church in North Sctu-
ate, r. l.
Rev. J. H. Windsor, of the First Parish
(CongregationaD of Saco, on Sunday last re-
signed his pastorate, to take effect from that
day.
The Rev. Horatio Ilsey has removed to
South Freeport, and commenced preaching to
the Congregational Society there.
The School Street Universalist Church at
Boston has invited the Rev. Henry j. Cush-
man to become associate pastor with DIR.
Miner; and has also voted that the relation Of
DR.. Miner 10 the society, as senior pastor,
shall be permanent one.
Ten missionaries of the American Board
are about to sail for different stations eight of
whom are new laborers. Three of these 60 to
the Bulgarians, numerous and most interest
ing people in the northwestern part of the
Turkish Empire, just on the borders of Rus
STA. There are some five and a half millions
of these people, and it is proposed to give them
twelve missionaries.
"A new religious sect called the Nazarenes,
which has arisen in Hungary, is attracting
considerable attention. Its members are at
present confined to the lower classes. They
are ultra-Protestants, and their rapid increase
priests. They reject separate priesthood,
and refuse to pay for the support of the Cath
Ollie clergy. They accept the two Protestant
sacraments, but reject infant baptism. Like
the Friends, they object to judicial oaths, and
refuse to fight in the army. They attach the
highest importance to the Word of God, and
peruse it diligently in their homes. Their
church government is Congregational, but
they are rather exclusive toward other Chris.
tians They are said to be mainly confined tc
the country, but to have made converts in
Pesth, Vienna, and other cities.
In recent article in the Congreg alton
aliSt, Prof. Calvin Stowe speaks as follows
about the Jews:-'The present aspect of ju-
daism throughout Christendom is well nigh
astounding. l take regularly three Jewish
newspapers, two in English and one in Ger
man, and every week they contain articles
against Christianity, very determined, and not
unfrequently bitter and violent. The Jews
are very active, and rapidly growing in
wealth and influence. There are ten regularly
employed preaching rabbis in New York city
and nearly as many synagogues Cincinnati
is not behind New York in this respect, and
there are four or five in Boston. They are
establishing schools of the highest order, and
have commenced operations for an American
Jewish National university of the highest
class, and they already have one or two theo-
logical seminaries. As to their spiritual aspiI-
atoms, some of them seem devout and sober;
but their writer's mostly, so far as have seen,
are about ON level with the Radical" pub
lished IN Boston. They seek no p1oselytes,
but are the deadly enemies of Christianity"