Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-09-25
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.

The aggregate membership of the
Baptist churches in the United States
is 3,O70,O47.
1t is reported that there are 3, 900
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 the English Congrega-
tional Year Book for 1890 there are
1855 churches and mission stations in
England and Wales, an increase for the
year of thirtythree.
There were %, 76O white and 13,OOi
colored children enrolled in the public
schools in the city of Washington for
the year 1889. There was 235 colorcd
and 458 white teachers, and the total
cost of instruction was S4S7, 455
-Prussia's new compulsory law re-
quires each and every child to attend
the public schools from the end of his
sixth year to tho end of his fourteenth
year, and during tho entire school sea-
son. Unexcused absence is punishable
by fine or imprisonment.
The Detroit Journal lately started
movement to remove the rubbish
around the site of Jacobs Well, enc OF
the few spots in Palestine which with
out much doubt corresponds to the one
mentioned in Scripture, and make il
more convenient of access to visitors.
The mouth Of the we'll was found to be
at the bottom OF cave or crypt which
is in ruiuous condition. All efforts tc
repair it, however, have been in vain, as
the Greek Church of Russia has bough,
the site and refuses TO allow it to be
touched for any purpose
Rev Hiram Gee, of Ithica, n. Y,
has given $4,000 to Syracuse Univer
sity for the purpose of endowing an ar
fellowship. The proceeds arc to be
used in sending 10 Europe such gradu
ates of fine arts as tho faculty may cleo
to the fellowship for two years of spccia
and professional study. The conditions
on which the fellowship is to be ac
cepted require that its recipient shall
during his term of foreign study, make
copies of at least two representative
paintings, statues, or other works o
art in the leading galleries OF Europe
the same to be the property Of Syracuse
University.
Rev. w. Muirhead, of Shanghai
who recently paid visit to Japan, re
ports: 'The missionaries arc pursuing
their work with vigor and assduity
They have their preaching places, lect
ure halls, schools, colleges, Bible ant
tract depots, etc, and arc endcavorin,
to spread the Gospel with might ant
main throughout the country. Their,
are now some 10000 converts, and th,
number .professedly connected will
Christianity is said to be about 100, 009
OF course these present all varieties
but the missionaries speak very highl,
OF their native pastors and others, VIII
seem only too eager to go ahead and ge
every thing into their own hands. y
Sabbath Readings.
The clergy of the Russian churc1
are divided into Two classes, according
to their means of sustenance, One poi
tion receives their regular salaries; tn
other have to work in tho fields whic
the church apportion, to them, and t
depend on the gifts and collection
from their parishioners The latter ar
known as the white" clergy, Now th
Synod is working out plan for putin
the entire clergy on regular salarie
and abolishing the system of churc
collections Tho sum of 32,S4l, &C
roubles will be required annually TO
the salaries of the white" clergy
which will be graded according to thei
respective offices. A special tax vii
be imposed upon the orthodox" to rails
that sum.