The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-11
Religious Noiea


The Missionary Council OF the Protest.
ant Episcopal Church was in session last
week In Hartford, Conn. About forty
bishops AMI over two hundred laymen and
clerical delegates were in attendance.
Among the topics were Associate Mis-
sitns, Lay Helpers and Missions, Womcn's
AuNlllarles, Work among the Coiored
Race and work among the Jews. The
immediate management OF the missions
rests with the Board OF Managers I'm New
YORK but these yearly meetings OF the
Couf ell serve to stir up interest i'm the
cause OF mls1icns and make this branch OF
the Churchs work better known to the
people. Considerable Interest was felt
in the Anglican Missionary Conference in
London, which was held not long since
ana at winch there were a number OF
representatives frCm this country
IL Is reported that the persecution of
the Armenians In Fresno, Cal. to which
reference has been made az different
limes Is growing more malignant daily.
AS a consequence at the annual meet
ing OF the home and foreign organization
OF the Women of the Conversational
Churches on the Pacific Coast held at
ventura, Cal, recently. resolutions we're
adopted protesting against this persecIi-
ton, and extending to the Armenians
full assurance OF sympathy and fellow
snip. Similar action was also taken ty
the General Association OF Southern
California.
The Methodist Missionary Society re-
pOIlA receipts Tor the month Cf Septem-
Der OF So, le2 against ylSl. Oi2 for septem-
ber 1893. This makes the total receipts
for eleven months 1896, 652 against sgO6,-
55 for the preceding year.
For the first time in many years the
American Sunday School Union makes a
special appeal To the churches. The past
year has been one of the most success
full In the history of the society, show
ing the establishment of l7Sj new Sun
day-schools, and the conversion or nearly
1900 persons.
According to the Lutheran World In
a German population Of at least rs 600
there Is but one German Lutheran
Church In Cincinnati. The German con-
gregations there are independent ana
are served by coterie Of German eccle-
siastics, whose chief Gospel is that OF
liberty Of thought and license Of con-
duct" In a conversation with a number
OF these they We're asked whether they
were Lutherans. TO this they replied,
I'VE be Luthers men, but not Luther
ans" They also said they rejected the
Augsburg Confession, declared the Bible
their only creed, and had no such Rom
ish shackles as creeds." The divinity or
deity of Christ they denied, and when
their attention was called 10 passages
setting forth His deity they declared
that they were not written by an ApOs-
tie; but like the accounts Of the fall. the
Hood and the resurrection, are not 10
be believed" When questioned as 10
their view Of the Lords Supper they
Claimed that they were Zwinglians and
not Lutherans.
Probably one OF the most interesting
sects In Russia is the Dukhobortsi In
habiting large districts Of Western Trans
caucasia. Their name, "Wrestlers with
the Spirit indicates that the society
at its beginning held views analogous
to those of the German Pietists They
were men OF strong character and faith.
But as time went on, and active persecu-
ton OF them ceased they began 10 show
signs OF worldliness, to amass money
and land, and forget their pristine sim
plicity OF life. News from the Caucasus
now states that strangely interesting
revival movement is stirring these peo-
pie. Their leader Verigfn has called
upon them to divide their property equal
ly among all the brethren, and In re-
spouse 10 his call some OF the richest
Dukhobortsi have relinquished everything
they possess, one man probably the rich
est among them, having cheerfully with
drawn his whole property OF 5000 from
the bank and distributed IL among his
less opulept brethren. Verigin has
ordered In all the women OF the sect who
are In service in neighboring towns: they
are not TO leave their homes In the fu-
ture. And In view OF the possibility OF
"A future relapse from the faith their
energetic leader Is stirring them up 10
leave the fat lands or the Caucasus for
the remote and desoate steppes OF the
province OF Archangel Oh the shores OF
the White Sea. The Dukhobortsi number
about one hundred thousand.
Women work on the railroads and In