The Portland daily press., 1869-01-25
Religious Intelligence

| Rev. NJ b. Smith has resigned the position
| of editor of the New York Protestant Church
man, because of his uncompromising hostility
to ritualism, which many churchmen who are
not ritualists nevertheless are disposed to toll
crate. Mr.. Smith says Ire preferred to with
draw rather than remain "a trammeled atlyo-
cate Of evangelical principles"
The Methodsts are to decide this year
whether they will accept the conference plan
of lay representation and other proposed
changes, and all members of the Churches,
male and female, over 21 years of age, are al
lowed to vote on these questions.
An immense moral, intellectual and rei-
gious revolution seems to be in progress IN In
dia. 1t is not merely the overthrow of idola-
try which is being gradually though surely cf-
fected, but the whole social system, the growth
ofthousands of years, seems to be changing,
| giving way to the influx of western civiliza-
ton. This great change, or revolution in
thought, is not the work of the lablrs of mis-
sionaries, or any particular Christian sect, but
| rather spontaneous movement of the whole
| people. Doubtless it has its origin in part in
the germ of Christianity planted by Christian
missions; and followed by more enlarged
system of education, the light of science, and
| the contact of western ideas; but the Hindoo
| mind, always acute, seems to have received 4
| new impetus. The colleges and schools are
| filled to overfowing, The educ ton of wom-
en- is among the new innovations. Literary
and scientific societies are springing up every
where. Scientific and literary journals, mag
azines, and newspapers are greatly on the in
1r,1k kIxa.. 4
Hindoo scholars leave Sanskrit and study
English and French. Caste, too, the greatest
enemy OF progress, is gradually losing its
power.
Rev. DR.. Doane will be cousecrated Bish-
op of Albany on Feb. I'd, the Feast of the Pu-
rifcaton. The refusal of the Standing Com
mittee of Pennsylvania to assent TO bis conse-
Grafton does not affect the general result, as
Mr. Doane's nomination has already received
| the consent of a majority of the thitty-nine
dioceses of the Protestant Episcopal Church
| in this country.
The enthronization of the new Primate Of
England is fixed for the 4th of February, in
| Canterbury Cathedral.
"A portion of the anti Ritualists in Austria
liza have formed what they designate Gree
Church of England" and have elected bish-
op. He went through form of conservation,
took the oaths of supremacy, and on the fol-
lowing Sunday held general ordination.
The Universalist Register and Almanac
for 1869 reports 81 new societies of the denom-
ination organized last year, IS ordinations aud
IL installations of ministers, and 2j dedicationJ
and re-dedcations of churches.
-Ihe decision against Ritualsm in England
doas not sfon ba cburcb Of
London, on st. Johns day, the rector preach
ed against the decision, and declared that
grievous wrong had been done by the judicial
committee Alter observing that patient en-
durance of wrong was one of the means oy
which the world was to be won Tor Chy'S'' Tue
preacher, without any formal conclusion, de-
scended the pulpit stairs ana resumed bis
nlace in the chancel. The service then pro-
ooodad Mr. Mackonoche himself being d
celebrant.
The Dover Morning Star publishes, under
the canton of "Our Denominational Work in
1868" report of the present status of the
Free-will Baptist Church is this country, from
which we CLEAN the following facts:
During the year, in the use If only the ordi-
nary means of grace, there has been an in
crease as follows-Two Quarterly meetings,
two churches, twenty-seven ministers and
2,0O3 members, besides the two associations
from the General Baptist, making 4,33I IN ali,
which is an increase ot nearly seven per cent
About 200 revivals have been reported N me
Star and Freeman, 1914 have been added to
our chur ches by baptism, 25 have received or
dination, "a have been licensed 10 preach, a
churches have been organized, Quarterly
Meetings constituted, and twenty-one meet
ing houses have been reported as dedicated.