The Washington herald., 1911-08-27
THE TREND OF THINGS
Neglected Folks at Home.

The American Bible Society finds fields
for its Bibles not alone in Asia and
South America, but last year it prosecut-
ed q considerable work along the line
OF the barge canal now building across
New York State, and in the $1oO, ZOO. 600
works under construction in the Catskills
TO supply New York City with water
Even Coney Island was entered, and with
some success N the sale of Bibles.
On the barge canal there are at work
Greeks as well as Italians. A Greek
colporter has been at work among his
tellow-countrymen and has had the good
fortune to wake up ministers of regular
churches in Central New York cities to
The fact that foreign missions have ar
rived at their doors. In consequence
Syracuse, Utica, Rochester, and Buffalo
churches have entered upon work for
Greeks, Bohemians, Scandinavians, 1tal-
lans, and others
Throughout Long island religious des-
titution and Bible need have been gen.
orally found. Even in Brooklyn. a city
of churches, the society's agent dis
covered a great lack of Bibles and sue
ceeded in placing Bohemian. Scandina-
Wan, and Italian colporters in the field
both to reach laborers of their nationali-
ties and to stir up the churches to the
needs at their doors. The agent reports
that the ministers knew, in most cases,
Of the needs but lacked workers to supply
them.
The Astor Affair Turned to Use.
The Federal Council. the central body
in which practically all Protestant bodies
in the United States are Joined for social
and other work, takes up the question
of a uniform divorce law, mentioning the
forthcoming Astor-Force wedding as its
reason for so doing. One of the primary
objects OF the federation was to decrease
If possible the national scandal of di-
vorce, and in view of developments,
the council proclaims again its standards.
These are:
Il. 1t is pre-eminently the duty of the
church 20 guard and presrve the integ-
rity and purity of the family.
80. The lower sense of the sanctity of
marriage and the consequent prevalence
of divorce is a threatening danger to
the integrity of family life.
g. 1t Is the duty Of the church to in
sistently proclaim the inviolability and
sacredness of the marriage tie.
Il. The church must more conscien-
tiously enforce the Scriptural form re-
garding the remarrying of divorced per-
sons
The council announces its intention to
90 all II can 10 secure common divorce
and remarriage laws, whether through
national legislation or by the States. II
is calling on ministers and laymen for CO.
operation.
Echoes from Races Congress.
Fifty countries were represented in
the first Universal Races Congress
which concluded ITS sessions at the
University of London early this month.
In welcoming the delegates, Lord
Woardale. who presided. said that the
congress might be regarded as an in
tegral part of the great peace move
ment which is fast permeating the
conscience of the world. He expressed
the wish that it might be the begin
ming of more human contact between
all races. A young Chinese resident
of Washington was the occasion of
emphasizing the need of these har-
monizing national influences. as 1t is
stated that the same journals which
stated of the congress in London also
told how Edward S. Moy, who has
been president of the Chinese branch
of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion, was refused accommodation at
every hotel in Ocean Grove. N J., and.
but for a chance meeting with friends,