Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-14
RELIGIOUS NOTES
AND COMMENTS

According to a communication from the
Rome correspondent of the Boston Tran
script, the pope has abolished the sale of in
dulgences. The custom which the pope now
abolishes dates back, it is said, to the time
of the Crusades, when funds were being
raised all over the world to support expedi-
lions against the Mohammedans. who were
threatening the invasion of Christian Eu-
rope. The account says:
'"This abuse Plus x has now decided to
end and 1t is altogether likely that he will
succeed. for the papal document just issued
declares that even those who are in posses
sion of a copy of the bulla cruciata are not
to consider themselves exempt from any
obligation imposed by the church. and that
all dispensations covered by 1t are now null
and void" This, says the correspondent, is
one of the most important reforms yet in
stituted by Pope Plus x.
Some vigorous criticism is brought to bear
upon the churches in general by Rev. AL
gernon Sidney Crapsey of st. Andrews
Protestant Episcopal Church, Rochester N.
Y, in his recent volume entitled Religion
and Politics." The gist Of the authors con-
tention is that the modern church stands.
outside the current of influence welded by
the three great spirits at work creating
the world that is and that is to be- name
ly the spirit of scientific investigation, the
of social evolution. The remedy for the
present ineffectiveness Of the churches. he
declares, is in their becoming sclentlhc,
democratic and socialistic, conditions which
will result in a reuniting of church and state
in distinctly modern sense.
The striking suggestion Is now made to
form a Jewish settlement in Queensland,
and to use as the nucleus of this settle
ment the Russian prisoners of war of Jew
ish faith who are now stationed at japan,
or at least as many of them as do not wish
to return to their native land. The prop
osition is explained in a letter which has
Just been received by a prominent Hebrew
in New York from N. e. B. Ezra, mem
Der of the Jewish community at Shanghai,
China, follows
There is dawning a period of good pros
poets for some of prosecuted CO.
religionsts in eastern Europe, and the CO.
operation of the whole mass of Jewry is
needed to face the Jewish problem that is
so thickly looming on the horizon. There
has been of late several proposals made
to transplant the less happier lew into
a brighter atmosphere, where he can breathe
a life that is free from the droSS of the
infections of anti-Semitism The latest eff
fort in this direction is notable, coming as
it does from source that is wholly I'M
selfish in it's motives. 1t has just been
announced in today's issue of IsraePs Mes
senger that the principal mission of Mr..
F. Jones, the trade representative in the
east for the state of Queensland to Toxic,
is to endeavor to induce the Japanese. gov
eminent to permit Russian prisoners OF
the Jewish faith who do not wish to re-
turn to Russia to emigrate to Queensland,
presumably after giving parole not to en-
gage in the war
.''rhe Japan Chronicle of the 3Oth of July,
while commenting on the above subject,
makes the following striking observation:
- 1t may be doubted whether the Japanese
government will be in favor of any such
scheme, it might establish precedent
which would involve complications In other
cases. while 1t would involve the implca-
ton that one belligerent has the right to
decide as to the future of the forces of
the other party who may fall into his
hands. 1t may be questioned, however,
whether the Russian government would of
fer any objections to being relieved of a
part of its Jewish population
THAT the tone of the japan Chronicle is
sympathetic is obvious from the following
conclusion with which it ends it's COM
ments:
Communities, like individuals, tend to
move along the lines of least resistance,
and, given the necessary advantage as to
settlement there seems no reason to sup
pose that If Jews emigrate to Queensland
there should not, under proper guidance
be a future for taem as agricultnrists equal
1T is to be earnestly hoped that the mis-
sion OF Mr.. Jones will be crowned with sue
cess. / understand that the negotiation
is still going on between him and the jap
auese government, the result of winch will
be awaited with feverish Interest. / may
mention that A4r. Jones has interviewed
some of the members of the Shanghai
Jewish community prior to his departure
on his contemplated mission to Toxic. and
he expected to be back In Shanghai within
a fortnight"