Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-01
RELIGIOUS NOTES.

There are 163, 2S more Baptists in this
country than there were last year. The present
total is set down as 2, 296, 327
The Western Methodist Book Agents have de-
rided to exclude patent medicine advertisements
from the papers published under their direction.
the Baptist Home Missionary society wants
70 raise $500 600 as q jubilee Offering to mark
its semi-centennial year. Some of the rich
BaPtists favor the project
1t IL seldom that sick bed presents as
many reasons of praise as that of the President.
From the beginning it has been an example Of
courage, patience. Christian manliness and gem
erosity.-United Presbyterian.
- The Episcopal Diocesan Convention, lately
held in Danvile. Va, voted that the clergy should
recognize the fact that the negroes within their
parochial bounds are an integral part Of their
work which cannot be ignored or neglected.
London Fun thinks it singular that SO
many who are remarkable for the noise they
make in church when shouting "Amen" should
be so singularIy silent and quiet when they are
asked to contribute toward the maintenance Of
their church.
The First District Conference of the A. e.
Church in session at Baltimore last week passed
resolutions strongly eondemning the practice of
holding campmeetings One minister present
said that member of his church spent S45 for
hack hire to camp-meeting, and refused to give
- The Seventh-Day Adventists are doing an
active evangeiistic work in western North Caro-
lima and eastern Tennessee, and the churches In
that region are looking anxiously forward to the
time when they can be organized into confer
ence The agents of the denomination are also
busy in Georgia and Alabama.
= More copies of the Westminster Assemblies
Shorter Catechism are now going out from the
press than ever before. The Presbyterian board
of publication have issued about Q OOO. 600 copies
and new editions are more frequent than any
other book Two thousand copies were recently
ordered, in the native language, for the West
African missions.
Deacon George W. Chapman has Just re-
signed the superintendency of the Union Temple
church Sunday school, in Boston, after a term of
service which will find few if any parallels. He
became member of the Sunday school in 1910,
and in 1S45 was elected to the superintendency.
He has therefore held the office over thirty-six
years, during which period over q, 900 scholars
have passed through the school,
designations among the Buffalo pastors APP
pear to have become epidemic, according to the
papers Of that city. The most recent one to
resign is the Rev. G.. NJ. Peters who has had
charge of the Cedar Street Baptist Church for
seven years. He intends to leave the pastoral
office and devote his time to business FAC
tuated" as he says, ''in this course by duties of
fiiial and family nature" which he felt he could
not disregard
Brother Kaoch. who has long been trouble
some to the Baptists of the Pacific coast now
withdraws from fellowship with them and takes
his church and his son Isaac jr. An independent
church is thus formed. The Baptists make no
concealment of their JOY at getting rid of the
kallOchs and their followers, whom they consider
pestilent set KallOch has announced that he
will retire from politics. but also announces
himself as a candidate for Congress.
The Boston Wdtctmon, Baptist asks
"Have we any preachers?" the question being
suggested by the fact that the leading papers Of
the denomination are publishing English instead
OF American sermons. 1t has theory on the
subject, that while Americans preach quite as
well as Englishmen. when an American pastor is
asked TO furnish sermon for paper he selects
one on some special subject, while English
preachers are contented to give their average
dlseOurses ION plain simple Gospel themes"
The first official Sunday school census in
the United States is now being taken by the
government. 1t is under the charge of Mr. John
ID. Wattles, of Philadelphia Circulars contain
ing number of questions are sent to every SUI
perlntendent. These questions cover the num-
Der of teachers and children, the ages of the
scholars. the number value and character of
books in libraries. the property owned the money
collected, ard the Increase in attendance since
1870. Ii is thought that five or six more months
will be required 10 complete the work.
- The Rev. William Arthur. father of the
President. was remarkable for his readiness in
debate Some years ago, at meeting of the
old Hudson River Baptist Association. the Rev.
Mr.. Walden, who had been settled in the west
but had recently taken a church at TROY said:
Il can tell brethren that if they think any sort
Of ministers will do for the west they are mis-
taken. 1t won't do to send second OF third rate
men there" Mr. Arthur was on his feet in a
moment. eycaiIning: Mr. Moderator | never
hpfDr nv thar oil bao
- The singular event Of the union of north
ern and southern Presbyterian church took
place at R0gersvile, Tenn, recently. Lots were
drawn to decide which church should 90 to the
Westinghouse of the ether for the CEREMONY
and then ballot was taken to determine the
ecclesiastical connection of the united church
and resulted in 1O2 votes for the southern and As
for the northern church. The officers of the two
churches resigned, from the ministers down and
'then," says the record. followed PRAYER and
benedlctiOn and Misunderstanding and quiet dis
sersal."
"A split has occurred in the synodical con-
ference, the largest Lutheran body in the
United States. The Missouri synod the larg-
est member oft, has adopted Calvinistic dec
iaratlon or doctrine on predeStinatiOn and
attempted to impose it on the other synOds
The joint synod of Ohio refused to accept this
view. and considered at its late meeting in
Wheeling, West Va, what course it should take
Al lie mdttcT II duOpteu a UeclaraIlOn OF ad-
herence to the doctrine of election as it is con.
tanned in the formula of concord and as it has
been taught by the teachers of the church,
especially that the ordination of the elect to
eternal life took place in view of faith l. e. In
view Of the merits OF Christ appropriated by
faith" as in accord with the Scriptures and the
confessions; directed that no other view should
be taught within its jurisdiction; decided to
withdraw from the synOdieal conference, and
announced that those members who felt bound
in conscience to oppose its doctrinal position
could not remain with it as brethren. This
synod cOmposes about one-sixth of the total
strength liz churches, ministers, and members Of
the synodical conference.
- The big Methodist council at London, which
closed Tuesday week, had large attendance of
delegates-an that could be desired; but the at
tendance of the public was not so great as would
have been the case in any American city, The
full audience Of the first day dwindled consid-
erably on the second, and the attendance during
the second week was nothing more than mod
erate-a fact which is said to have surprised the
American delegates An editorial correspon-
dent OF the Independent in reviewing the gath
ering, writes that the Americans were given
their full share OF speaking and attention. and
h0K nO HOnsG