Evening star., 1901-06-01
IN THE CHU URCHE S

~ n Z - n u n ~ n z y
1t Is the general opinion among those who
are usually well informed on important
matters connected with the affairs Of the
Catholic Church that one result of Cardi-
nal Gibbons visit to Rome will be the as
sembling of a plenary council-the fourth
in America - in the comparatively near
future. The meeting, 1t is thought, will be
in Washington. This is made probable by
reason of new questions arising out of the
acquisition of the Philippines and Porto
Rico, and the future of the Catholic Church
in those islands, including the status of
Catholic clergymen in the islands, and of
the church property there.
The holding of the council will without
doubt mean much to the Catholic Church.
as Weil as to the country at large. Plenary
councils are unlike the general gath erings
OF Protestant churches. There is no special
period which must elapse between the hold
ing of one and the calling of another When
they are held the princes and prelates of
tne cnurch gather from all quarters of the
country, accompanied by the most learned
tneolog1anS, the most eloquent preachers
and the most powerful debaters that the
church contains.
Nearly seventeen years have Ella psed since
the last plenary council met in Baltimore.
During that period the complexion and per-
Sonnel of the hierarchy have greatly
changed; Cardinal Gibbons has succeeded
became the metropolitan of the leading
province of America, Archbishop ireland
mas Joined the ranks of the archbishops,
Archbishop kain has been transferred to
the province of st. Louis, Archbishop Chap
pelle to that of Santa Fe, then to that of
New Orleans and later to the Philippines
and Archbishop Riordan to that of San
FRANCISCO. Monsgnor Satolli then sim
PIE monSlgnor, came to America as the first
papal delegate, and returned a cardinal
he was succeeded by Monsignor Martinelli,
VINO was recently elevated to the .lonor of
the cardinalate. Other events that have
tranSpired have been the conception birth
and growth of the Catholic University, the
rise of Bishop Keane to the rectorsnip then
to the archbishopric of Dubuque, besides
many other things that might be men
toned.
When the call for such a council does
come there will be several cities in the
Ileiu as asplrants for the honor of enter
tanning it. At least Washington, BaIti-
more and New York will be considered
The claim is made for Washington that it
Is the residence of the papal delegate and
that the Catholic University would be
splendid place for the delegates to meet
For New York the claim is put forth that
1t is the wealthiest of the provinces while
for Baltimore it is urged that il is the
primal see of the country; that from it
all others sprang, and in that city have all
the plenary and general councils been held
The Maryland classis of the general
synod of the Reformed Church at its re-
cent session in Middletown, Md pledged
itself to pay 5000 to the fund for the build
ing of memorial church in Washington.
provided the Potomac synod, with which
the churches of the denomination in this
vicinity are affiliated, will pledge itself to
a like amount. Revs. c. S. Slagie, l. NJ
MCtter and E. r. Eschbach and Elders A
G. McCardell and John Gassman were ap-
pointed committee to cooperate with the
mission in this city in plans relating to
securing The necessary church building.
After more than twenty years of service
as vice president. Rev. DR.. George v Leech
has retired from official service in the Min
iSterial Relief Association of the Baltimore
conference, VI. E. Church This association
now has 1,64S members. These carry 31S4
certificates. During the twenty-three years
since its organization 231 deaths have oc-
CURED. 1t has paid out to the families OF
these deceased members about s461 900 Its
affairs are, it is said, to be prudently and
economically administered and it Families
through the entire ministry of the M Z.
Church.
The Home Mission Society of the Baptist
church, according to a copy of the annual
report, has employed ], 1.9 workers There
have been 1906 baptized in the mission
churches and 5537 have come by letter
The total membership of these churches is
59,o26 The rate of additions by baptism is
nearly per cent, eighty-one new churches
have been organized and $4,000 been given
by the churches for benevolent work In
the educational department a large per
centage of the money Of each year is given
to the higher education of the negroes of
the south. The policy of concentrating
the work in a few schools is steadily pur-
sued AT Richmond, Va, Union Uniyer-
Sty, one of the most efficient and usefuI
schools Of the whole country is now in
working order. A thousand students will
1t is predicted, soon be gathered there
The buildings at Spelman Seminary have
been greatly improved by the gift of Mr..
John d. Rockefeller. The Superintendent
reports that the negroes show an increas-
ing capacity for managing the minor
schools under their own care, and are very
liberal in providing means for their chill
dren to attend school, in which there are
1892 students.
The work among the foreign population
shows the great breadth of the society's
field. Less than one-half of its l. 100 mis-
sionaries are among Americans; S6 are
amC ng Germans 40 Scandinavians IL
French. IA Mexicans. 20 Indians 50
negroes, 10 Chinese. 3 Poles. Bohemians
Portuguese, Films, Italians, l Hebrew
Japanese, Hollanders, 6 Cubans and s
Porto Ricans. The increasing complexity
of the work, well as it's increasing ex-
tent, makes the management of its affairs
task of great responsibility
The funds contributed We're: From
churches, Sunday schools and individuals
$40 i25; from legacies. s145, ,102; from an
nuity funds released by the death of the
donors. $4,000; income on invested bonds
I1 81; contributions designated for schools
S1263l9; for other purposes Sill: for per-
manent trust funds, $5,102; annuity fund
contributions, $50. .S96; for church edifices,
$4T ,9S1.
The third annual report of the Babies
Branch of the Woman's Auxiliary of the
Diocese Of Washington shows a most inter-
esting condition of work and growth. There
are at present 4I5 Little Helpers whose
pennies have amounted in the past year to
$2i6. II. According to the report, the do
cese has been well canvassed by the secre-
tary. and 1t appears that almost every par
ish has a branch of the Little Helpers"
The largest amount given by the babies of
any one parish was the sum of SO. 10, given
from St. Pauls. Rock Creek. The sum COL
lected from the various parishes has been
widely distributed over the mission field
Africa, China, Brazil. Japan. Mexico and
what are now our domestic missions in
Cuba, Porto Rico and Manila have all had
their share. 1t is understood that much