The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-02
THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.

THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
New York city contains 373
churches. The Protestant Episcopal
denomination has 70 churches; the
Methodist 40; Romanists As; Presby-
terians As; Baptists 81; Jewish Syna-
gogues %; Lutheran II; Reformed
Dutch 10; African Methodists 9;
United Presbyterians Z; Reformed
Presbyterians ); Congregationalists 6;
Universalists 5; Unitarians 4; Friends
3; and miscellaneous q.
A writer says that the Methodist
clergymen who secede to the EpiscO-
pal Church, become the most exclu-
sive High church-men, arrogant and
supercilious sacerdotalistS, while those
who secede to the Unitarian faith pass
on to the extreme party thereof.
And is it not generally true that men
who 90 from one party 10 another,
become extremists lest the sincerity
of their conversion should be question
ed?
A Florence Journal says the Pope
has been presented with copy Of the
address from the United States TO
Archbishop Ledochwski, of Posen.
The Holy Father, in replying, spoke
most cordially of America, and said:
The United States is the only country
where | am really Pope in the eyes OF
the Government. | am always afraid
that European Governments shall OPP
pose or control my action, whereas |
can freely send pontifical documents
to the United States without fear Of
opposition on the part Of its govern
ment.
The oldest Catholic Priest in North
America is now stationed at st Johns
Church, Frederick, Md, the Rev.
John McElroy, 5. }. He was ordain-
ed by Archbishop Carol sixty years
ago, and has consequently spent half
IA century in the ministry. He isnOw 80
years old, and although bowed down
with the weight of three generations,
yet has sufficient strength to celebrate
mass and assist at the service of the
church. Some time since he became
blind, but after submitting to an OPP
Grafton in Baltimore his vision WAS
restored.
A letter from London says the
Archbishop of Canterbury's bill, for
the better regulating public worship,
is likely to lead to very serious conse-
quences. The bill has been prepared,
it is rumorcd, under the direct inspira-
ton of the Queen, and is intended to
check the rituahstic practices now so
largely prevalent. Ritualists are flu
rious about it, and declare that if it is
carried, the immediate consequence
will be the secession of a large number
both of clergymen and laymen from
the Established Church, and the or
ganization of a church of their own,
with one or two ex-colonial bishops at
their head.
The Presbyterian General Assem-
bly, has declined to answer the very
embarrassing question propounded by
one of the Illinois Presbyteries CON
corning woman's right to exhort and
pray in public. The Rock River
brethren desired to know whether a
literal Interpretation of the language
of ST. Paul would not prohibit women
from preaching, exhorting or praying
in a promiscuous assemblage. This
overture was referred to a committee,
of which DIR. Howard Crosby was
chairman. DIR. Crosby is celebrat-
ed Greek scholar, and he did not care
to imperil his standing among lin
gusts by attempting to soften down
the restriction laid upon women by
the Apostle, and reported that a liter
alinterpretation Of the passage referred
to docs prohibit women from preach
ing, exhorting or praying in promis-
cuous assemblages. This report was
warmly debated, but the accuracy Of
DR.. Crosby's Interpretation was not
questioned. The real matter at is
sue (although not expressed in Words
was whether Pauls injunction was
binding on the Christians of this age,
or whether it was intended for state
of society that no longer exists.-The
General Assembly refused to send out
DR.. Crosby's report as law for the
churches, but adopted substitute of
fered by DIR. Altman, which gives
discretionary power to pastors and
elders to permit women to preach, OK
hort pray in promiscuous assemblages,
or to prohibit them.