News and Notes by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 10, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 57.

News and Notes.

By Editor

FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 3.

RELIGIOUS.

—General Booth declares that of over ten thousand lost women rescued by the Salvation Army, eight thousand have not relapsed into sin.

—A London paper states that the pope has sent an expression of sympathy to the director of the Moniteur de Rome, who was recently expelled from Italy for the expression of treasonable sentiments. From this we suppose the pope is in sympathy with the sentiments expressed by the exile.

—Evangelist S. M. Martin discoursed on the subject, “Why We Keep Sunday,” in the Christian Church in this city on the 2d inst. His tirade against those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord was in fulfillment of Rev. 12:17: “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

—A missionary in Japan writes that the spirit of war is deeply affecting the Christian bodies, and native preachers are urging their flocks to engage in the conflict with China, to lay down their lives for the flag of their country. But that is not so surprising as the fact that in this country professed Christian ministers and Christian journals point to the Japanese advancement in the art of war as evidence of advanced civilization and Christian progress.

—Miss Frances E. Willard, of the W. C. T. U., despite her efforts to unite politics and religion, emphatically protests against the introduction of militarism in the church. The growing popularity of youthful military organizations in connection with religious work is to be deplored, but it is a logical companion of political religion. The ultimatum of political power is military power, and when the church seeks the support of political influence, it virtually appeals to the power upon which that influence relies. On this subject of militarism in the church the Baptist Record says that “the churches that meekly allow it are sowing the wind, soon to reap the whirlwind.”

—Chaplain McCabe, known as the great money raiser of the Methodist Church, has evidently been dreaming of late. This is what he says he is going to do: “I am going to induce every member of the Methodist Church to subscribe 25 cents a week to the cause of foreign missions. That will net in one year the pretty sum of $32,000,000. When I get this money, or the first month’s installment of it, I will hire a ship like the Majestic or Lucania and load it with 2,000 missionaries and start on a tour of the world. I will drop off a missionary wherever they appear to need one, and where they want a church I will leave money for building one. As soon as I have dropped that load of missionaries, I will come back after another cargo of them.”

—The Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor seems to be failing in one of its prime objects, that of bringing about a union of churches. And, strange as it may seem, it is the Methodist Episcopal Church that is backing out. The Epworth League, a distinctively Methodist society, has come to the front as a rival, and there is a strong effort being made to induce the Endeavorers of that church to come over to the League. The California Christian Advocate, Methodist organ, says: “We have observed that the most successful churches and pastors are those that have employed distinctively Methodist methods in their work. There is a turning again to the old Methodist altar.” The Endeavor Society of the First M. E. Church of this city are stoutly resisting the overtures of their pastor, who favors the change to the Epworth League.

—Rev. D. Hanson Irwin, pastor of St. John’s Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, is having trouble with hoodlums, who assail him with stones, dirt, and abusive epithets as he returns home from church on Sunday evenings. He was at a loss to account for their persistent enmity, and a couple of policemen followed him at a short distance to note results. When the usual crowd assailed him, two of them were arrested, when one cried out, “You are an A. P. A.” Mr. Irwin denies having any connection with that order, but, having been at Metropolitan Hall one evening when Rev. J. Q. A. Henry, an A. P. A. lecturer, was discussing the public-school question, it is now supposed that the assaults are made because of the impression that he is a member of the American Protective Association, and therefore bitterly opposed to the Catholics.

SECULAR.

—To-day (Dec. 3) is the time for convening the national Congress.

—Late advices from China state that rebellion is rife in the provinces of Kwang Tung and Kiang.

—It is said that Great Britain, France, and Russia will act as a triple alliance in all matters pertaining to oriental affairs.

—The village of Metamore, O., was destroyed by fire last week, leaving twenty-five families homeless.

—In consequence of continued tumults in the Portuguese Cortes, the king has closed the session. He will call it again when he deems it necessary.

—A Brussels dispatch says that three persons were killed and twenty injured by an explosion in a factory at Canelle on the 2d inst. The building was blown to atoms.

—Striking employees of Shelly Brothers’ factory, at Holgate, Ohio, became intoxicated on the night of the 27th ult., and twice set fire to the establishment, causing a loss of $2,000.

—Late press dispatches state that destitution in the western counties of Nebraska, owing to the drought of the past season, is daily increasing, notwithstanding efforts to aid the sufferers.

—John Turpin and Wm. Cassidy, of Franklinville, N. J., are suffering from hydrophobia, and it is feared they cannot recover. They were both bitten by a mad dog about three weeks ago.

—Mrs. Grannis, the noted temperance and social purity reformer, is making war upon the low-cut dresses worn by New York society ladies to the operas. Her crusade is making quite a sensation.

—A San Francisco Committee of Unemployed reports 15,000 men out of employment, with the number constantly increasing, and no prospect of any improvement in the condition of labor the present winter.

—The Southern Pacific Railroad Company, besides reducing its force at every possible point, has begun a general reduction of salaries, which, it is said, is to reach every employee, from the heads of departments down.

—A New York dispatch states that Japan has succeeded in purchasing the Chilean cruiser Esmeralda. As a blind it was first nominally sold to Ecuador and by that government to Japan. The price was $1,000,000 gold.

—A West Point, Miss., dispatch says: “Forest fires are raging in the surrounding bottoms, resulting in large losses of timber, fences, etc. There is scarcely any water, no rain of any consequence having fallen since August last.”

—All the plate-glass manufactories now in operation in the United States are represented in a meeting at Pittsburg, called for the purpose of forming a combination. The design is to decrease the production and increase the price.

—Congressman McGuire, of this State, will present, during the present session of that body, a petition signed by 200,000 voters of the Pacific Coast, praying that the government take possession of the subsidized Pacific railroads on the maturity of their mortgage bonds.

—The Tribune, of this city, states that wheat is worth fifty cents a bushel in California, and it costs nearly as much more to ship it to New York or Liverpool; yet a larger loaf of bread is made by the bakers of either of those cities than is made here, and sold for less money.

—A press correspondent at Rio Janeiro states that Asiatic cholera has broken out in that city, and that the authorities have been endeavoring to conceal the fact. He also states that yellow fever has appeared in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, in a district where it never was known before.

—A New York City dispatch of the 28th ult. says that the American Sugar Refinery has decided to close all the refineries of the company in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. It is also stated that 50,000 operatives will be affected by the stopping of these works. The reason assigned is that the business does not pay.

—A St. Petersburg dispatch says that the proclamation of amnesty issued by the czar on the occasion of his marriage includes the accused Lutheran clergymen of the Baltic provinces. It is expected that all such persecutions will be dropped, and that the order for the expulsion of German officials and workmen from Russia will be rescinded.

—The Brazilian Congress has passed a bill allowing foreign residents to engage in the coasting trade free for two years. After that the privilege will be accorded only to vessels flying the Brazilian flag. President Moraes has sent an agent to Portugal to arrange for the restoration of diplomatic relations, which were suspended during the administration of President Peixoto.

—At Tacoma, Wash., on the night of the 28th ult., a long stretch of water front made-land slid into the bay, carrying with it a Northern Pacific Railroad warehouse, office, cattle sheds, and pump house for the hydraulic work of filling in tide land. A boathouse in which a family resided was also upset, and a young girl aged 15 years was drowned. A watchman was also drowned.

—Another of the war governors has closed his account. The death of Hon. Joseph E. Brown, ex-United States Senator, ex-supreme judge, and ex-governor of Georgia, removes another prominent landmark of the civil war. He was governor when Sherman was marching through that State to the sea, and after the war was an ardent participant in the work of reconstruction.

—A daily paper of this city (date, Dec. 1) has the following in display headings: “The poor are in great need. Hundreds of larders are empty. Make these needy ones happy Christmas day.” Twenty-five days seems like a long time for people with empty larders to wait for relief. Wouldn’t a little provision distributed in the meantime be better than a gorge on Christmas day?

—At Elmira, Cal., on the night of November 28, four tramps were run over by a freight train, and three of them were instantly killed. The fourth, a mulatto boy of 17 years, is thought to be fatally injured. They were warming themselves by a fire at the side of the track, and had fallen asleep. The injured boy gives the name of John Brisco, and says that his mother lives in Davenport, Iowa.

—It is variously rumored that overtures of peace on the part of China are under way, and that a truce will soon be proclaimed. Meantime Japan is following up her victories in quest of further advantage. It is stated that China has negotiated a loan of $6,000,000 in England; if this be true, it is settled that Great Britain will see that a line is drawn somehow and somewhere on Japanese conquest.

—In regard to the extensive massacre of Armenians by Turks, it is said that Great Britain has warned Turkey that article 61 of the Berlin treaty, which guarantees the security of Armenians, will be enforced, through the intervention of the powers, unless the result of the inquiry commission’s labors shall be absolutely satisfactory and the reforms promised in Armenia be effected without delay.

—It is said that Chicago has a greater proportion of pauperism than any other city in the United States. This is partly accounted for by the fact that Chicago has more than 200 millionaires. Such aggregations of wealth by a few cannot fail to beget a corresponding want on the part of others. How the Golden Rule would even up the bounteous supply which the earth produces under the kind providence of our heavenly Father!

—On the 1st inst. Colonel Oates, who, according to the official count, had received 27,000 majority for governor of Georgia, was duly inaugurated, with military display. Captain Kolb, the Populist candidate, claims that the election was fraudulent, and had himself sworn in by a notary public. He attempted to deliver his inaugural on the steps of the Capitol, but was prevented by the military, and delivered his address on the street.

—The assistant attorney general of Siberia arrived in San Francisco last week, en route to St. Petersburg. On his way he is inspecting State and national prisons, having visited those of Japan and Hawaii. He will make a report of his investigations on his arrival at St. Petersburg. He was shy about talking to newspaper reporters, as he said they exaggerated what was said to them, and when the papers were received in Russia the one interviewed was placed in an embarrassing position.

—A New York World correspondent reports an interview with the king of Corea. His majesty desires that his country shall be absolutely independent. He appeals to the civilized nations of the world to preserve the integrity of his kingdom, but relies especially upon the United States. This government made the first treaty with Corea, and promised to befriend it. Notwithstanding the fact that the Japanese army of invasion is at his disposal, he would like to have a few United States soldiers to protect his person.

—Not long ago U. S. Attorney General Olney decided that a receiver of an embarrassed railroad company had no right to discharge an employee of the company on account of membership in a labor organization. Now comes U. S. Circuit Judge Dallas, of Philadelphia, and decides that such receiver may discharge employees for the reason assigned. Evidently the conflict between organized labor and organized capital is not yet at an end. Appeals to courts will not be likely to quiet the contention so long as the opinions of leading court officials so widely differ.

—The new czar of Russia is making himself popular by throwing off many of the customary autocratic features of royalty. He has dispensed with the military police body guards of the palace. His order withdrawing the troops from the line of march on his wedding day is said to have produced a wonderful effect. The people could hardly believe that they would be allowed to stand and witness the procession without the usual hedge of soldiers in front of them; and when they saw that it was really true, they were wild with enthusiasm, and manifested their delight by many demonstrations of joy.