The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-17

grace, OEC the CnuICllSS <1l Q SiiNiAAoSN'O0
beginning to be affected. Some churches
of the first rank are finding is Impossible
to secure pastors, and are going to pc
compelled, strange as it may seem, to
let the bishop presiding send them one.
This is most unusual condition LOT d
charge that pays 5000 a, year salary. Inc
unrest grows daily.
THE INFLUENCE OF LENT.
The Lenten season now upon LIS Will
be observed, outwardly, ait least, by a
far larger number Of religious bodies thaIl
eyer before. Each year the formal keep
ing of Lent increases, not by society peo-
Pile, Episcopalians, Roman Catirohcs, ana
Lutl,erans alone, but by Presbyterian,
Baptist, Methodist Congregational, and
other evangelical bodies. Fasting has
practically gone out of fashion, and that
to a great extent among Roman Catholics,
bur increase in the number Of services,
cessation from social and other functions,
and other forms, show the more marked
hold the season has upon the American
nuhlii, than formerly. The Increase this
wear is abnormal
The Episcopal missionary organization
that has Immediate charge Of the work
in Cuba processes to, feel a good deal or
Indignation because the military govern
ment of the island compelled Episcopal
clergy to get a license, not alone IRON the
general commanding, but from the Gov
ernor of the State in which resides the
bishop having the Cuban work IN mana.
the United States Secretary Of State and
the Secretary of War. Ali of these licen-
SEES were necessary before the Episcopal
clergyman in Cuba was permitted to per-
form the marriage service. After every
thing had been done in the case OF Two
Episcopal priests, the Rev. Pedro fDuarte,
of Matanzas, and the Rev. Manuel r.
Moreno, of BOlondron, the Military GOV
ernor of Cuba issued a license to them,
directed to the Secretary of Justice OF
Havana. in which occurs the statement
that these persons are authorized to adj
minister the secraments~of the church.
The indignation arises from what is al
leegd to be the presumption OF the mill
tary power OF Cuba to authorize that.
which it has no shadow OF authority Tor
doing. The dignity of the Church is held
to be injured.
MISSIONARIES SUFFER-
The condition of missionaries in Brazil
is most pitiful. The cause is the fuctua-
ton in the value of the local currency.
Charges are openly made that private in
terests are manipulating the values. It
was long ago that the Brazilian currency
was upon a stable basis. One mission
ary, with O family of three children.
reports his milk bill for one month to
have been s14 and Cor the next month,
for precisely the same quantity, SAT. 9th
er values fluctuate in a similar way. Mis-:
sionary societies having work in Brazil
have been compelled to raise the sal
aries forty per cent, and with the raise
the societies are suffering from increased
appropriations, with no money to meet
them, and the workers on the field are.
still in the throes Of uncertainty and
poverty. Methodists and Episcopalians,
the two bodies in this country having the
most extensive missionary operations in
Brazil have recently brought men home
from the field and sent them to churches
here with appeals for money with which
to avert positive suffering. The whole
trouble is declared to grow out Of the
fluctuations of worthless paper cur
rency.