The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-02-16

failed, with liabilities of S25, ,517 ,991.
This shows an increase of failures over the
previous wear of $50. OF the above
failures in this country, eight hundred
and eighty-seven were in New York city
The largest number of failures in 1876,
were realizsd through the western states,
sho heaviest liabilities in the middle
states.
A CORRESPONDENT of the English Me-
chanic insists that m musical sounds stImu-
late the growth of plants. He gives an
instance in this point. In a barren sec
,ion of Portugal he built small con-
servatory and endeayored to cultivate
roses and other flowers under shelter. but
in spite of his precautions and industry
they did not flourish. One day he took a
harmonium into the green house and
played for several hours. This practice
he maintained for several months and
was surprised to see n gradual but rapid
recovery of health on the part of his
plants. He attributes their improve
ment to the influence Of music, and un-
j. conducive to vegetable life.
EFFORTS have been made, with par
tial success only, to ascertain the proper
tion Of children in Sunday schools to the
whole number of children in the country
of school age. The census of 1870 puts
the number of children in the states and
territories, between five and eighteen
years, at IL, 2,055, ,443. The statistical sec
retary of the international Sunday school
convention, E. Payson Porter, makes the
whole number of Sunday school scholars
in forty-seven states and territories,
$50, 200. Some of these are no doubt
under FIVE years, and others over eight
cen years of age. There are in the whole
country 69,S71 Sunday schools, and
$4,000 officers and teachers. These
statistics, however, do not include Ro-
man Catholic schools. Estimating lib
orally for these, it appears certain that
lot much more than fifty per cent. of
thc children of school age in the United
states receive Sunday school instruction.
Reckoning by states, Pennsylvania stands
first, with 1860 Sunday schools; New
York next, with 5000; Illinois third.
with 1861 Ohio fourth with 5,545.
A New York journal gives general
review of religious progress for the year
1876, which shows, 50 far as externa
evidences go, that the cause of christianl
ity has not gone backward during the
last twelve nonths. The denomina
tional memberships in this country have
materially increased in all directions
which is the result of the persistent and
organized reyivals all over the country.
The Methodist Episcopal church has in.
creased its gain from 1000 in 1875 to
$4,000. The northern PRESBYTERIAN
church reports a gain of 10000. The
! protestant Episcopal church has in
creased the number of its cemmunicants
by nearly $4,000, and the Lutherans re-
port gain of $1,000, partly through
German immigration. The northern and
southern Methodist churches have been
reunited after an arrangement of thirty
years, and other wounds of long standing
in other denominations have been healed
Ibis Is good domestic record but the
missionary labors Of American churches
IN distant lands have borne fruit in graft.
lying numerical abundance. Even in
Turkey, iD spite of untoward eaus;.;----,
me eause mas prosrered and the e.,snel
has been sa.read.