The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-29

budget OF this year showing a decrease
of S,500000 francs since the Presidency
of Mcmahon in 1878. This decrease has
been effected chiefly by reducing the
salaries Of the clergy and the sum re
ported for Archepiscopal and Episcopal
palaces, while in some instances appro.
priations for number of leading
churches and seminaries in Paris have
been entirely discontinued, as also the
665, 900 francs for French missionaries in
the East. The latter was discontinued
for political reasons, as since China's de-
feat by Japan, and the prosecutions of
the Armenians by the Turks, the mis-
sionary is likely to produce complica-
tions with countries with which it is to
the interest of France to be on good
terms. This indicates also the radical
weakness in this union of Church and
State. When religious interests have to
wait for recognition at the Elysee,
France can no longer be regarded as
force in the evangelization of the East
500
We have received from the transla-
tor. John Genedius, formerly Minister
from Greece to the United States copy
in English of the reply of the "Holy
Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox
Church of the East"-that is, the Greek
Church-to the encyclical of Pope Leo
XIII on reunion. The gist of this reply
is that the Greek Church is ready to re-
ceive proposals of reunion based on the
gospels and DEGREES of the seven holy
ecumenical councils; that this can be
done only provided 1.-The Bishop of Rome
shakes off once and for all time the
many diverse innovations which, con-
trary to the Gospel, have been stealthily
introduced into the church," that, in
particular, the church must abandon
the doctrine that the Holy Ghost pro-
ceedeth from the Father and the Son,
must use leavened instead of unleavened
bread, trine immersion in lieu of
sprinkling, permit the laity to partake
of the sacred cup, abandon the suprem-
acy of the Bishop of Rome. and erase
from its creed the novel dogma of the
immaculate conception.-O Outlook.
SOS
The pro Armenian Alliance, a new
organization with headquarters at
Washington. D. O., is sending out some
100000 pamphlets on the title page of
which are these notices: "God Against
Allah" Christ Against Mohammed,"
"Bible Against Koran" "Heaven Against
He'll" This Alliance. which is practi-
cally organizing new crusade against
the Turk, will hold national Conven-
tion in Washington, March 8, the dele
gates to be selected by the different
local clubs. Just how the Alliance pro-
poses to organize its campaign against
Allah, Mohammed. the Koran, and He'll
is not yet made known. 1t is big con-
tract the new Alliance has taken, but it
has the good wishes of practically every
American to start with as capital. Its
most effective way Of producing results
would be to memorabilia Congress upon
the subject. though without actual dec
laration of war against the Porte it is
difficult to see what more President
Cleveland and the Department of State
can do in the way of aiding the perse-
cuted Armenians.
Joseph Mayer, the Christ of the
Passion Play at Oberammergau, has
played his last representation OF the
scene on Calvary eighteen hundred
years ago. While aiding number of
men recently to place log on wagon
the log fell, crushing Mayors leg, which
had to be Immediately amputated.
There was much difference of opinion as
to the propriety or rather improperly of
the Passion Play, but since the last rep
resentation, a few years ago, the senti-
ment of the religious world crystallized
against the Passion Play to such an ex-
tent that an attempt to reproduce it in
America signally failed. This modern
survival of the old Miracle Plays" was
'survival of the fittest but it is not
probable that Oberammergau will again
attempt to revive it,
800
"A large number of the most promi.
nent and influential clergymen Of Toron-
to met last Monday and discussed a
scheme whereby Armenians may be in
duced to take up homes in the Canadian
Northwest. 1t is said that the govern
ment will make grant for this purpose,
and that this will be further supple
mented by a subscription fund, which
already amounts to considerable sum.
1t will be quite change from the eli
mate of Armenia to Canada, but there
will be compensations which will appeal
to the sufferers from Turkish misrule.
500
"A Montreal despatch says that a
collective mandment is to be issued by
the Roman Catholic Bishops shortly
calling upon every Roman Catholic
member of the Dominion Parliament to
support as a matter of conscience, the
governments bill remedying the griev-
aooaa oP tho yo;por;tu in Manitoba