Evening star., 1899-03-11

Va: David Marx of Atlanta r Cohp os
Fort Wayne, Ind: Isaac r. Marcusson OF
macon, Ga; Emil G.. Hirsch of Chicago
Samuel Sale Of St. Louis Henry Rerkovitz
or Philadelphia. Leo NJ. Franklin of Detroit
l. Wlntner of Brooklyn, n. Y, and many
from Canada.
me tri-diocesan convention Of the Broth
erhood of st. Andrew comprising the do
ceses OF virginia. southern Virginia and
west Virginia, is TO be held in Charlottes-
VILE. May 18th, 1Ith and 18th next The
convention, which will be the first of the
KIND heid, is expected to be very successful
Inc question OF holding such a conference
mas been before the brotherhood for sone
time, but 1t was only recently that il has
taken such shape that IT can be looked for
ward to with certainty.
As far back as October 1897 when tba
national convention Of the brotherhood met
IN Bunalo, the members Of the brotherbood
Hn III tHe otoceses OF Virginia and southern
virginia teIt that a state convention would
result IN infusing new life into the order
ana IN the general upbuilding and strength
enlns OF the individual life of its members
ENefy indication points to most success
ful convention. Good speakers interesting
subjects, vital questions and everything
that goes TO make a convention helpful en-
thusiastic and profitable, the committee ia
making every effort to provide.
The apportionments for the expenses of
Ine general conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church of 1900, which are TO be
porne by the members OF the denomination
In this city, have been received by fhosa
VINO Wiil have the matter in charge Mem
pers OF the general committee which was
appointed to make all the ARRANGEMENTS for
the coming meeting, say they believe that
IN raising the funds necessary to pay the
expenses of the next general couferenca
they Will meet with difficulties unprece-
oented- Possibly they NAV be required IN
provide Tor additional lay delegates in
creaslng the expenses about SD WD above
Nhat was expected when the estimates
Were made.
The Christian Brothers of the Catholic
Church, who maintain colleges in NASH
lhSton, Baltimore, st. Louis St Joseph
Mo; San Francisco, Memphis and New
Mexico, are hghting against the influence
or an influential Frenchman who is an adj
wiser of the superior general OF the
brothers, whose name is Gabriel Marie and
who resides in Paris. This Frenchman, II
Is Is. understood, wants the pope TO order the
Chrlstlan Brothers in America to cease
teaching Latin in their colleges on the
ground that the brothers were organized
to teach the children of the poor who have
no need TO acquire Latin. The claim is
made in opposition that conditions here
are unlike conditions obtaining in France
and that to exclude Latin from the Wash
ington, the st. Louis. the San Francisco
and other institutions would mean their
ruin. The organization of Christian
Brothers dates from 1851. They have been
at work in this country about fifty years.
The Salvation Army in America wishes to
raise $1tS,UD during the 'self-denial week"
which begins Sunday of next week the
18th instant, and closes on the following
Saturday. The self-denial period among
the Salvationists in Europe and Australia
has just closed. and in each the sum of
$l2oeo0 was raised during the week.
Self-denial week is one of the many ori IL
nal ideas set in motion by the Salvation
Army to advance the cause of Christianity
There is a rwo-fold object in the effort
First. it is week for special spiritual ad-
vance among the forces of the army and
their friends and supporters, a sort of Lent
week; second, all unite In a supreme effort
to raise a certain amount of money, which
is turned into the general funds of the
army for extending its operations at home
and in foreign missions in India, Africa,
One of the chief features of the week is
for those who participate to deny them
selves of some luxury, and in many cases
even necessities are dispensed with. for a
few days at least, and the money thus
saved is turned over to the fund. 1t is moth
ing uncommon for the officers and soldiers
to abstain from meat, sugar. butter, tea,
coffee, etc. The effort is not alone con-
fined to the homes of army people, but
they get as many of their friends as pos
sible to join them. The wealthy are asked
to surrender some article of finery or
jewelry.
Each year the movement has been taken
hold of with increased zeal and enthusiasm.
In 1893 s400.00o was raised throughout the
world as a result of this annual effort One
specidl feature lnls year rs Wnat COM
mander Booth-Tucker calls 1.-THE Million
Cent Fund" One million people are to be
asked for one cent each, which in itself
will form quite nucleus upon which to
build.
A review OF the status Of fifteen of the
Methodist Episcopal churches and Sunday
schools in this city, prepared by one of the
leading members of the denominati ton, has
caused some of those interested to ask:
Are Sunday schools declining? The dates
in contrast are the years 1888 and 1898. The
number of Sunday school pupils in WASH
ington in 1898 was 5,107: in 1Sss, 4951, an
increase of 156. The whole case in Wash
ington for the ten years stands: Hamline-
Increase in church membership 2S per cent;
In Sunday school pupils, is per cent. Met
ropolttan-Increase in membership 80 per
cent; in Sunday school pupils, per cent.
Waugh-Increase in membership. 65 per
cent; decrease in Sunday school, "a per
cent. Foundry-Decrease in membership,
3 per cent; decrease in Sunday school, "a
per cent. Douglas Memoriai-Increase in
membership, III per cent: increase in Sum
crease in membership, . per cent: decrease
in Sunday school, A per cent. North Cap
itol Street-Increase in membership, ~ per
cent; increase in Sunday school, 40 per
cent.
1t is further stated that from 1865 to 1878
the membership in the entire Baltimore
conference increased 10 per cent and the
Sunday school of the conference increased
81 per cent.
The review concludes thus: "As far as
the above statistics are able to disclose
the condition of the Sunday schools a seri-
Gus problem Is confronting the church.
While TIE increase in membership is small
the Sunday schools have actually de-
creased. Where is the defect? What is the
remedy for this state of affairs?'