JOTTINGS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14204, 18 November 1911, Page 11

JOTTINGS.

The population of tho world as to religions boltef is approximately as follows:—Christianity. 477,000,000 ; (Vuifiu-iniiism, 2o6,000,000 ; Hinduism, l>07,000.000; Islam ism, 177,000,000; Huddhisni. 148,000,000; Taoism. 4»,(iOO,OOO; 11,000,000; lndaism 7.000.000; Polytheism 118,000.000. Of tlio thrw leading creeds abovo, the hint is dominant in Europe and America, th« swooiul in China, and the third in India. Buddhism is at its ln\sfc in Japan. Wo do not vouch for the accuracy of those figures, but proM'lit thorn as of interest and "worthy. <if as far as possible. Th»> "houso of retreats" for llotnan , Catholic layinon in now in regular ojktati<m w; Statoii Island, iv jNew York City. Kvery Friday a group of laymen from the city and its environs gathers in tin*, quiet placo to hear lecturvs and spend Sabhath in devotion. Tho practice of week-end vacations is growing among business men in all tho great cities of the country, hut thus lar no Protestant laymen have projwsptl to devoto this respite from mnney-inaking to the uses of their souls. Certainly here is one Catholic example tnat tho Protestant Church could very wisely adopt. Th.? Rev. A. .\". Joluuson, M.A., the „ homo secretary of the London Mis- • sionary .Society, at the haJf-yoarly niretiiisi of the North Wales Direct nix and Missionary Secretaries of the »Socioty. held at Chester, presented a copy of the Welsh report of the L..U.5., which has just been issued, and which shout, that tlie Congregational churches of Wal«s and the Welsh churches in -I'Jigland raised the sum of £8176 os '•cl during tho year towards tb>« funds of tin , society. This total is considerably less than the total of tho previous year, and the decrease is undoubtedly ,<l|ie. t<i sonic degree, to tlu> industrial tlistiirUinco in the county of Glamorgan, but is is felt that the low level of spiritual life in the Churches at the , present time is also responsible for the (leej'ea.so in the amount raised; this wiis telt by the Union of WeJish Independents! ami at their annual meetings they passed a resolution calling upon til,- members of the churches to be faithful in tho practice of the means ordained for the deepening of tho spiritual life, so that their <*?nse of responsibility to God and mmi might be awakened, and an intense desire* kindled in their hearts to give Christ to tho world arid the world to Christ, A new archreolorricnl expedition has left England for Jerusalem to continue tho work of tho past two seasons ,on the hito of ancient Zion, with a view to di.<eovering tho burial places of r !David and Sofomon. The expedition is radoj Captain Parker, brother of tho