The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-12-07
Religious News and Notes.

Rev. Jacob J. Abbott D. D., formerly of
this state, died iu New Haven, Conn, Dec. .,
after long illness
The Methodist Episcopal church In Gardiner
celebrated its semi.centennial anniversary on
Wednesday.
Rev. Q. Richardson, late pastor of the Bap-
fist church at Tenants Hsrbor, has received
aud accepted call 70 the passionate Of the Bap-
tist church in West Haven, Vt.
A capital Of $4,000 has been raised for
Protestant newspaper to b. published in Paris.
Publicstion will be delayed until the capital
reaches $4,000.
The prospect seems to be that the Barron
Memorial church will be as long in buildiug as
the Iem2le'of Solomon. The pledges amount
now 10 dolly $4,000 Only about $3.50 have been
contributed for The last four mooths.
The final revision Of the New Testament by
the American and English commission, will be
finished in the course of a year, and probably
published soon after, in advance of the Old
Testament, the revision of which will not be
complete for several years.
The Catholics have free and easy church
fairs. They held one in Brooklyn recently at
which lager beer was one If the principal arti-
Giles OF traffic. II the Spectator in rsffies failed
sorroTs IN the flowing bowl in the next room.
Since the beginning Of modern missionary
work the Bible has been translated into 212
languages, spoken by $50 100000 human beings
and distributed at the Tate OF nearly twelve
every minute. Thirty-nine of the languages
referred to never had a written form until the
missionaries created it.
Rev. j. t. Bixby, pastor of the Unitarian
church in Belfast, has resigned and his resgna-
ton has been reluctantly accepted by his par
ish. He goes to the Unitarian church at Mead
vile, Pa, and will deliver lectures there twice
q week b9fore the Uoitsrian Theological school
in the department of Religious Philosophy.
A clergyman who was recently settled over
church in this county accepted the pastorate
on condition that none of his parIshioners
should speak i'll of him while he remained.
This is we'll, bnt it would have been better had
he stipulated also that he should not bs made
the victim of donation party.
The Belfast clergymen are discussing the
story of Jonah and the whale. Rev. S. Good
enough, Universalise, believes TIT tie fish that
swallowed Jonah was sal-fsh-ness. Rev. Mr..
Gerrish is going to say something upon the sub
ject, and after the clergymen get through the
Journal promises to illuminate the subject, SO
that we seem to be in fair way Of having this
troublesome matter finally settled. a
Henry S. Richards, sn ex-Epscopal clergy
he Joined their faith. He deserted Protestant
ism because it was an emotional religion. The
unity OF the Catholic church and the intallibl-
ity Of the Pope were the attractions which
Catholicism furnished. He wanted church
with head to il, and the Catholic church was
the only one which had one.
Rev. Henry Morgan is doing for Boston what
Tslmsge is for New York-rendering the Po-
lice Gazette less of necessity to those who de-
light to dwell upon the phases of crime. The
darce houses, Mr. Morgan says, he visited him
self and alone The had employed females to look
up the Spiritual mediums.) He links Boston
has sadly degsnerated since the days Of the
Puritan fathers. There Certainly unmis-
taxable signs of degeneracy on the part OF some
of her clergy.
The New Religion is the name Of new re-
ligious journal jast started at Norway id this
state. 1t takes the place Of the Norway Ad-
vertiser which died, we infer from this fact, be-
cause it failed to give its readers enough of
soifiinal food. The New Religion is euited By
R-v. j. Seitz, Universalst clergyman. Its
name ia q misnomer, for its editor says it is not
his purpose t. advances any new system of
theology or religious belief Eclectic would be
better title as what is proposed IS to pick out
from prevailing systems OF belief what parts of
them seem BEST
The revival meetings which have been in
progress in Watervile for some weeks closed
Monday. "The big hit of the evening"" says
the Rsv. e. Martin IN letter TO the Kenuehec
Journal, )" was made by Mr.D E. Hodges. The
big hit was made possible By the frs names of
tue principal clergy uen who had taken part ia
the movement, w: Ezra, Samuel, Ezekiel,
Absalom and Amos, all Bne names, aud coz
han M lodi NA,Aa II.
passages OF Scripture Mr.. Hodges hit was re-
oeived with enthusiastic demonstrations on the
part OF those present.
The inducements held out by soma Of the
New York churches to people to fill the pews
are somewhat amusing. Many OF them are
patterned after the advertisement of the
shrewd merchant who knows tho value of
printers ink, which shows that the children of
light learn from the children of the world.
900 young men wanted for these services
seems designed 10 convey the impression that
500 young men can get situations. One church
apparently has nothing better to offer than a
promise that everyone will be supplied with
hymn book. Another guarantees that the ser
tnnn shall not be over fifteen minutes in length
we Suspect that this church is crowded.. While
still another tells the public that there Is to be
no collection. One minister's eerl. on is Illus
trated by beautiful painting. Several appar-
su6iy HUI StfODG III tuoir pulpit U6penI on the
choir to fill the pews. One of these announces
rare musical talent. Hogan, thu reformed
gambler" is the sensation one of the churches
has secured, while another less fortunate has
found nothing better than Jane Benson, the
noted Evangelist.
We occasionally hear of cases of special an
swer to prayer, bit generally long way off
where it is diff cult to verify the alleged facts.
We are now favored with one close at hand,
which is told in lions Herald. A lady 10 Sac
carappa who had reckless and gscoffing son
was strongly impressed one night recently to
pray for his conversion, and accordingly did so.
The son had left home that night as usual maxi
ing light Of religious things, but about ten
O'Clock be heard voice saying "Prsy." He
tried to laugh off the IMPRESSION, but still heard
the voice, and the next morning he announced
o his mother that he was converted and nara
led the circumstances. Somewhat similar to
this is the case Of Mrs. Charles A. Bemis of
Holliston, Mass, who claims to have bsen cured
Of an Illness of long standing through the
medium OF prayer. She did not pray her
self, bat employed q doctor VINO protested
to cure in this way. The doctor rscited several
verses of Scripture then they all knelt ia
prayer, the doctor first having dipped bis finger
10 oil and anoiDted her forehead. At the con-
cusion Of tbe prayer Mrs. Bemis says she found
herself abls to wals, though she had not been
able to do so for years before, and is now as
well as ever.