The Washington herald., 1909-02-20
NEWS AND NOTES.

The Young Peoples Missionary Move
ment has a new general secretary. Mr..
Harry Wade Hicks. late of the American
board
4 farmer in Central India has lately
been sentenced 70 transportation for life
because he offered a human sacrifice in
Thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest
A new Roman Catholic mission 70 the
Chinese in New York City was lately
opened. 4 French missionary from China
is in charge. with a native catechist from
Canton.
Although the idea Of a bishop is foreign
to the Baptist polity. yet IN India, China,
Korea. and Japan tie Baptists have ap-
pointed district missionary overseers,
whose work is practically that Of a
bishop
The National Laymens Missionary
Movement in Canada. which has this
winter held a series OF city campaigns
across The. continent Is to culminate in a
great laymen's congress in Toronto March
sI-ApriI f. Laymen from all parts Of the
Dominion viii attend
Rev. J. p. Jones. D. D. one OF the fore
most living authorities upon India and
the author Of several books -,pon that
country. has lately returned 70 the States
10 take part in the Congregational united
campaign
There has been much talk Of the es;ab-
Iishment OF benevolent aid departments
in connection with the brotherhood mcRe-
rnent in the churches Lately there has
been organized The Christian Frater-
nity." which is a combination OF church
relationship and fraternal order benefits
The local lodges are called households
Three exist in Omaha
According 70 the latest summary Of re-
Ugious statistics. there are now IN the
United States 81 2S5,543 church members,
a gain during the year Of 720,647. This in
crease is less than normal. for the aver
age membership gain during the past six
years has been S12.IlS The churches hav-
ing more than a million members are:
Roman Catholic. y. .73l; Methodist
North. BIZ rs: Regular Baptists South.
, O54. .3o1- Regular Baptists (colored). 1884,
So: Methodist Episcopal South. 1.7fs
SO. Presbyterian North. 1-Z7S.725: RegU-
lar Baptists CNOrth). LIs7.356- Following
these are twenty-siX denominations with
more than 10000 members apiece. Alto
gether I55 denominations are listed
Eight years ago international attention
was attracted 70 the conflict in Scotland
between the United Free Church Of Scot
land and the Wee Frees. Of recalcitrant
members Of the Free Church who would
not enter the union. BY decision OF the
House Of Lords the latter were given the
property Of the old denomination. Now
the Wee Frees. according 10 the West
Minister. are threatened with disruption
in their own ranks. Their general assem-
bly, has forbidden the use of 'uninspired
hymns and instrumental music. and
they have further regulated the posture
Of the body to be insisted upon during
the singing Of psalms and the offering OF
prayer. All congregations must sit
when they sing and stand during prayer
Furthermore. the Wee Frees" have de-
ciared that no minister from any other
Presbyterian denomination viii be eligi-
bic even to receive a call TO a Free church
until he has applied for admission to that
church and passed an examination and
has declared himself opposed to ''unin-
spired hymns and musical instruments"
Il is also forbidden that any member Of
the church shall even suggest that these
regulations are IN any sense at fault or
to be disregarded. One consequence Of
these restrictions is that the Wee
Frees" were not invited to the celebra-
ton held last year by all other Presby-
terian bodies in the interests Of the SOL
diers Of Scotland