The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-08
NEWS AND NOTES.

The Swedish Free, the SWedlSh
Congregational and the Mission Cow
enant churches of the United States
have agreed to unite as one church
body, called the Swedish United Mis-
sion.
The international convention of the
Epworth league will be held at Seat
tie. July TIP. This will give the dele
gates the advantage of the special
rates of the Alaska ukon exposition.
An event of notable significance is
the closing of the great Mohammedan
University, Azhar. at Cairo, by the
British government because it was re-
garded as center of political sedition
and revolt.
A church. capable of seating ESQ
persons, and fitted up with seats, was
built within thirty-six hours by some
Seattle Presbyterians. The church is
a mission of the famous First Pres
hyterian church of Seattle, of which
Rev. DR.. Mark A. Matthews is pastor.
The "Congregationalist" reports
the discovery by DR.. Rendell Harris,
of Birmingham, England, of a Syriac
manuscript of the psalms or odes OF
solomon. There are sixty-one psalms,
evidently written by Jewish and
Christian authors within a century be-
fore and a century after the Christian
era The name of Solomon was given
in accordance with common custom.
Non-Comformists circles in Great
Britain are somewhat stirred by a
book. "Nonconformity and Politics."
which charges that the modern Free
Churches have wandered far from
their true mission of making saints,
and are now content with the lower
ideal of making politicians, or at least
men whose political activity is much
more in evidence than their spiritual
power.
The Presbyterians of Canada APP
T1ninfP6 q a crar1ara1 Rn1'h1V.
a committee on moral and social re-
form The other Canadian denomina-
lions followed this example and a
moral and social reform council was
established. This has lost it's strictly
ecclesiastical character by the addi-
oranges. says 1.-The Ineror.' who have
Joined hands with the churches in
persuit of the object indicated by the
name of the organization.
A society has been formed in Eng
land among the Established Church.
men, and having also connection with
Holland, for the purpose of promoting
closer relations between the Anglicans
and he Old Catholics. 1t bears the
name of Willibrord, the Saxon mis-
sionary who was the first Bishop of
Utrecht. The society seeks to -estab-
lish closer relations between the two
churches, looking toward ultimate
unity.
Three days before the ASSEMBLING
of the present British Parliament
there was a solemn procession of cler-
gy and ministers of all denominations,
says the Record of Christian Work"
to historic Trafalgar Square. where a
great demonstration was held in ia
vor of immediate legislation on the
pressing problem of the unemployed.
Established Churchmen and non-Con-
formists; Roman Catholics and Protest
ants, united in this great mass meet
ing aroused by the fact that there were
f1fty-thousand persons registered in
London alone as out of employment
The progress of Japan in charitable
and philanthropic work was illustrat-
| ed by a meeting a short time ago, I'M
| der government auspices, with six
! thousand dollars appropriated for ex-
/ penses by the government for the con-
sfderation of such subjects as orphan
ages ex-conYct homes factory girls
rescue homes blind asylums, leper
asylums, education of imbeciles. and
SO on. The conference continued
| through fifty days and the government
gave certificates to members who at
| tended the sessions regularly Both
! Christians and Buddhists were pres
! ent.
The various churches in Wales are
reporting notable recation from the
revival of three years ago. English
/ Baptists, in Wales, have a normal an
nual increase in membership of about
eight thousand. In 1905, the year of
| the revival their gain was nearly 81
| 600. In 1907 the net loss was 1904
and last year it was 5S69, says the
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