Earlier text: Taking Thought for the Morrow

The Theological Drift.

In the review of a book by Prof. George Frederick Wright, the New York Independent of March 27 raises the question, “How old is man?” The title of the book is “The Origin and Antiquity of Man.” After speaking of Professor Wright’s ability, the Independent tells us that it can not accept unqualifiedly all of his ideas, and closes by saying, “But it must be remembered that the effort to reconcile science with Scripture rests on a narrow theory of inspiration.”

Ridiculous and Extravagant

One feels to repeat many times the line of Burns's,—

“O, wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel's as ithers see us.”

For instance, a despatch from Paris to a New York paper, under date of February 12, says: “A very fop of a dog, wearing the latest and extremest doggie modes, appeared on the boulevards to-day. It led an elegantly dressed woman by a silver chain, or vice versa. The dog wore a sable coat with a pocket which contained a delicate lace handkerchief, and rubber shoes protected it from catching cold. Two diamond earrings glistened in each ear, which was pierced at the tip and base.” It is just such things as these that rouse the hatred of what are called the lower classes, and which breed revolution.

The Sphinx and a Temple

A little note in the Independent of March 27 says: “The Independent refused to give credence to the story of the discovery, by Professor Reisner, of a cavity and temple inside the sphinx, and last week positively denied the story as a reporter’s invention. Since then we have seen cablegrams from Europe doubting or denying. It is all a fake.”

In London and the World.

The Rev. Mr. Crawford, a returned missionary from Central Africa, where he has been for twenty-three years, declares, after visiting London, that nobody reads the Bible any more in that city, and it has really become a pagan city. Vicar Darlington, of St. Marks, Kensington, declares that there is a wave of indifference spreading all over London: “The numerous counter-attractions to churches, such as bands and picture places, have something to do with this,” he declares. “Sunday is no longer Sunday in this city.” And that is about the way it is in every city of note throughout Christendom.

Meat Prices and the Vegetarian Diet

An advance of three cents a pound wholesale in the price of mutton has caused the prices of other meats also to be advanced. This places the wholesale price of fancy mutton at sixteen cents a pound, which is said to be the highest at which it has been sold in forty years. The soaring of price of meat is not an unmitigated evil, for it is teaching a great many people that they do not need meat anyway. Some are finding out that they can get on better without it than with it. The men and the women who intelligently restrict themselves to a properly prepared vegetarian diet get on much better and cheaper than the meat eater. The big trust that controls the prices of meat, and that is able, with just a word, to advance the price in this way, is not overly scrupulous in regard to the selling of diseased products. It is true that meat is supposed to be closely inspected; but at the same time, it is an open secret that the inspector is not above being bribed, and hence very much diseased meat is openly sold in the market. And, besides, the methods in vogue in many places of fattening animals fills them with disease, yet this very meat will pass the ordinary inspector and appear to be the very best and choicest. Many people will testify that they have not used meat for years, and that they are stronger and in better health than when they used it. The meat-eater is under the necessity of eating the poisons that, through the breaking down of the tissues, are constantly in the very healthiest of animals. Flesh foods are not a necessity, and can be dispensed with to advantage by any one who will take the pains to learn how to select and cook a proper vegetarian diet.

Serbo-Montenegrin Union.—

A note passed between the Balkan allies and the powers on April 5 is said to be received on both sides in such a spirit as to hold out the hopes of immediate peace. But the allies have made certain demands; and if these are not acceded to the fighting will continue. Among the items over which there is strong contention is the holding of Scutari by the Montenegrins. A despatch from King Nicholas, of Montenegro, answering a telegram from the National Zeitung, says:

“We hold the profound conviction that our cause is just before God and men. Scutari was the ancient seat of our kings, and it is indispensable to our national development. Only brute force of numbers can compel us to give up this territory.”

If pressed too strongly, the Servians and the Montenegrins have made all arrangements to blend their kingdoms into one in order to hold more strongly for their contentions. Nicholas of Montenegro will abdicate in favor of Peter of Servia. There is a strength developing among the Slavs that is ominous to the continued peace of Europe; and in view of the march of events that are driving the world to Armageddon, it will be interesting to keep watch of the situation.

Pope in Critical Condition

The pope is in a very critical condition of health. His temperature has gone up to 103, and the doctors are not able to reduce it. He was reported to be in an improved condition of health for a time, but this relapse has come from chronic Bright’s disease, which is of more than a year’s standing.

Woman’s Suffrage Defeated in Three States

On April 7 Massachusetts and Iowa defeated woman's suffrage in their legislatures; and it appears, from the returns, that the measure has been defeated in Michigan on a popular vote. The initiative, referendum, and recall measure seems to have been carried in the latter state.

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