The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-07
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.


The aggregate membership of tho
Baptist churches in the United States
is S,O7O,O47.
1t is reported that there arc 5000
Japanese in this country, of whom 9, 900
have been baptized by missionaries in
their own land, or since they came to
the United States.
According to tho English Congrega-
tional Year look for 1890 thore are
1855 churches and mission stations in
England and Wales, an increase for the
year of thirtY-three
-Thcre were 90, 7GO white and 13, oo4
colored children enrolled in the public
schools in the city of Washington tor
the year 1889. There was 235 colored
and 45S white teachers, and the total
cost OF instruction was SiS7,455
-Irussia's new compulsory law re-
quircs each and every child to attond
tho public schools from the end of his
sixth year to the end of his fourteenth
year, and during the entire school sea-
son. uneXcused absence is punishable
by fine or imprisonment.
The Detroit journal lately started
n movement to remove the rubbish
around the site of Jacobs Well, one of
the few spots in Palestine which with
out much doubt corresponds to tho one
mentioned in Scripture, and mako If
moro convenient of access to visitors.
Iho mouth of tho we'll was found to be
at tho bottom of cave or crypt which
is In ruinous condition. All efforts to
repair it, however, have boon in vain, as
the Greek Church of Russia has bought
the site and refuses to allow it to be
touched for any purpose.
Rev Hiram Gee. OF Ithica, \. "
has given 5000 to Syracuse Univer-
silly Tor the purpose Of cndowing an art
fellowship. The proceeds arc to be
used in sending to Europe such gradu-
ates OF line arts as the faculty may elect
to the fellowship for two years Of special
and professional study. The condi tions
on which the fellowship is to be ac-
copied require that its recipient shall.
during his term of foreign study, make
copies OF at least two representative
paintings, statues, or other works Of
art in tho leading galleries Of Europe,
the same to be tho property of Syracuse
University.
-Rev. w. Muirhead, of Shanghai,
who recently paid visit TO japan. re-
ports: "Thc missionaries arc pursuing
their work with vigor and assiduity.
They have their preaching places, lect-
ure halls, schools, colleges, Bible and
tract depots, etc, and arc endeavorinp
to spread tho Gospel with might and
main throughout the country. There
arc now some so 600 converts. and the
number profcssedly connected with
Christianity is said to be about 100 600.
or course these present all varieties,
but tho missionaries speak worry highly
Of their native pastors and others, who
seem only too eager to go ahead and got
every thing into their own hands,
Sabbath Readings
The clergy Of the Russian church
are divided into two classes, according
to their means OF sustenance. One nor
ton receives their regular salaries; tho
other have to work in tho fields which
the church apportions to them, and to
depend on the gifts and collections
from thoir parishioners. The latter are
known as the ''whito" clergy. Now the
Synod is working out plan for putting
the entire clorgy on regular salaries
and abolishing tho system of church
collections. The sum of 81, S4l, 600
roubles will DO required annually for
the salaries of the white" clcrrv.
which will be graded according to their
respective Offices. A special tax will
be imposed upon the 'ortho6ox'' to raise
that sum.