GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11650, 11 May 1901, Page 6 (Supplement)

GENERAL NEWS.

A JEWISH MASTERPIECE. It is announced that the first of the 12 volumes making up the great Jewish Encyclopedia will be ready for distribution next month. This colossal new work is pronounced to be " the greatest Hebrew literary undertaking since the Talmud,'' and it is being brought out under the auspices of the Jewish Chronicle. Eighty thousand pounds is being expended upon its publication by the Funk and Wagnalls Company ot London and New York, which, curiously enough, is a Christian firm, as it appears that no Jewish concern was willing to shoulder the huge undertaking. On it iOO editors from all parts of the world are engaged. Among the endorsements and patrons of the work we j?ote the names of the Chief Rabbi; the Bishops of Islington. Peterborough. Clifton, and Bath and Wells : Mr. •Balfour. Lord Kelvin, the Marquis of Ripon. the Countess of Warwick, and Sir Samuel Montagu. Bart.

IKE COXUREOATIOX OT ST. YXVI. S. Archdeacon Sinclair gives, in the March Temple Magazine, some particulars with regard to the numbers who flock to St. Paul's daily and on occasions of special importance. The" morning congregation is. from first to last, perhaps some 25130. not all being present at once: the average afternoon congregation is a little under 2000. and the evening congregation upwards of 5000, so that nearly 3000 people worship there during the day. On weekdays the morning service at ten has a congregation of about 100. the afternoon at four some 400. and on Saturdays something like 700 or 800. The seating capacity of the cathedral is 5000. The archdeacon, it is interesting to note, considers that on the whole the tendency nowadays is towards increased church attendance. "I think if you can gel tht right man. who is a really vivid and sympathetic preacher." he said. " his church will always be full, and where there are empty churches it- is because the man. however excellent, has not got the special gifts required." This, of course, does not apply to the city, where there is an enormous superabundance of church accommodation for the resident church population. FOB ARSENIC SEARCH THE HAIR. An interesting paper communicated to the Lancet establishes the fact that arsenic soon appears in the hair of persons who have been taking the drug medically or inadvertently. as in arsenical beer. The results are of great toxicological importance. M. Cautier. of Paris, in his well-known investigations of the action of arsenic on the human organism, referred to the probable elimination of arsenic by the hair, and the chemical analysis of hair may prove a valuable aid to the diagnosis of arsenic poisoning.

'" FAVOURITE HYMN'S." The Sunday at Home recently asked its readers to send on a postcard the name of their favourite hymn. Some 370 adults responded., and the result is briefly as follows: —Hymn (first line). (1) "Rock of Ages, Cleft For Me." 37 votes: (2) "Lead. Kindly Light, Amid the Encircling Gloom," 22 votes: (2) "Peace, Perfect Peace, in This Dark World of Sin." 22 votes: (5) " Jesu. Lover of Mv Soul." 19 votes; (4) " AJjide With Me! 'Fast Falls the Eventide." 14 votes: (5) "Just As I Am, Without One Plea," 10 votes; (6) "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say," 3 votes : (7) " There Is A Green Hill Far"Away." 7 votes: (8) "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds." 6 votes; (8) "Thy Way. Not -Tine. 0 Lord." 6 votes: (9) "'The King of Love My Shepherd Is." 5 votes: (9) "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," 5 votes. The following hymns had four votes each : " Oh Love, That Will Not Let Me Go;" "My God. My Father, While I Stray:" "0 Jesus, I Have Promised:" " Come* Unto Me. Ye Weary;" " 0 God. Our Help in Ages Past:" "On the Resurrection Morning:"'" Take My Life and Let It Be;" "There Were Ninety and Nine That Safelv Lay." REMARKABLE DEATH OF A PRTEST. A sensation has been aroused at Nantes, the Morning Post Paris correspondent reports, by the sudden death in remarkable circumstances of Father Souillard, who has been holding a special mission in the town. The reverend father had been preaching in the cathedral on the subject of eternity ahd death, and his powerful sermon had made a. profound impiession on his listeners. At its close Father Souillard assured his audience with much solemnity that in the course of 20 years' experience of special missions he had always observed that the mission sermon was followed in a short interval of time by a sudden death in the parish, and he expressed his trust that should this lot be in store for a member of the congregation he would be prepared to meet his end. After uttering these words Father Souillard left (be pulpit and went into the sacristy to rest. In a few minutes he re-entered the church, but as he walked towards the choir he fell to the ground stricken down by an attack of apoplexy, to which he succumbed on the spot. HIS GRACE OF MANCHESTER, HIS DEBTS AND A BREACH OF PROMISE. The case of the Duke of Manchester was mentioned in the Bankruptcy Court recently, in connection with the public examination of the bankrupt, who has tiled a statement of affairs under his failure showing liabilities £37,794, of which £50,710 was returned as expected to rank, and assets estimated at £7545. Mr. Frank Brough. who appeared the creditors if the examination was now adjournment of the case was desirable, inasmuch as the bankrupt's father-in-law. Mr. Zimmerman, had recently come over to this country, and was looking into his affairs. Mr. Zimmerman, however, has not yet completed his investigation. It was. therefore, thought that it would be in the interests of the creditors if the examination was now adjourned. All parties consenting. His Honor ordered an adjournment until May 10. The Exchange Telegraph Company states that an appearance has been entered by the Duke of Manchester to the writ for breach of promise issued against him by Miss Portia Knight. It is understood that the damages will be laid at a substantial amount.

PRAISF. FROM THK POPE FOR CARDINAL VATTGHAX. The Pope has addressed a warmly-ex-pressed Encyclical better to Cardinal Vaughan and the Bishops of the Province of Westminster in commendation of the joint letter recently issued from Archbishop's House to English Catholics. Here is one passage from the Pope's letter:—"You have done most wisely in issuing a solemn warning against the subtle and insidious spread of rationalism, than which no poison is more fatal to Divine faith. In like manner, nothing is more in accordance with right doctrine than what you have laid down as to the obedience due to Episcopal authority ; for subjection and obedience to that authority are in no sense optional, but plainly a duty and a main foundation on which' the Church, of God is built. We therefore most heartily give you our praise and approbation for these things." In another passage the Pope observes that "in the midst of most grave occupations and many sorrows, the close union between the Episcopate and the Apostolic .See has always brought to us the greatest consolation." " CONFESSION"" IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Much indignation is reported to have been aroused at Dover, owing to the refusal to present for confirmation some lads who had been attending confirmation classes at St. Bartholomew's Church because they had declined to go to confession." One boy is quoted as stating:— "Two years ago I was a candidate for confirmation at this church, but I was not se;.t up as I would not confess. One day the Rev. invited me to his house, and while 1 was there asked what sins I had committed. I replied that J was no! prepared to tell him. He opened a little book and asked me a lot of questions from it. I declined to make confession. At last he said he was going down to the post, and asked me to come with him. ITe took hold of my arm. and on the way back he stopped outside the church and unlocked the door. This was about half-past nine, and there was no one else in the church. Pie took me up to the altar, made me kneel down, and asked me a number of questions from a hook. 1 would not, answer. At last he said, ' Von must look up at me and answer two questions, or you will not be confirmed.' I said 1 should "not answer if he asked me any more such questions. He kept me twenty-live m'nutes in the church. Finally he put me two questions to be answered, which I did, and he let we go." Other boys tell similar stories, ami two who refused were, it is said, told that they could not be presented for confirmation. To the female candidates attending the classes a list of questions was submitted, to which they were exuected to ' mark " Yes" or " No'' in reply.