RELIGIOUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 752, 30 July 1886, Page 6

RELIGIOUS.

Sir Monier Williams has been lecturing at the late May meetings on * Christianity versus Buddhism.’ It seems that a doctrine called Neo-Buddhism is abroad, both in Europe and America, and even_ in India, where it was supposed to be extinct. The Professor thinks it very awful that people should profess this dark religion ; yet, according to his own showing, there are many Christians who profess a far less noble faith. The learned Orientalist, as Sir Monier undoubtedly is, tells us that Buddha’s first sermon contains the cream of his doctrine, and is : ‘ Mirth is suffering, decay is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, the presence of objects we hate is suffering, separation from objects we love is suffering, not to obtain what we desire is suffering, clinging to existence is suffering, and the eight-fold path which leads to cessation of suffering is right belief, right aspiration, right speech, right conduct, right means of livelihood, right endeavor, right memory, and right meditation.* It is a curious effect of the agricultural depression which is reported from Kent. The incomes of the Wesleyan ministers have, it is said, been adversely affected to such an extent that it is found necessary to rearrange the circuits. The result is that some districts which have hitherto had two ministers will henceforth have to put up with one.

A hundred years ago there were not more than 30,000 Christians in pagan countries. Now the number is close on 2,000,000. The Salvation Army is completing arrangements for holding in London a monster international religious convention. The managers announce that they have secured five of the largest halls in London for the accommodation of the thousands expected to attend. The convention will open on May 28th, and will last one week. The Duke of Argyll takes exception to Mr Gladstone’s statement, in the House of Commons recently, that the non-established branches of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland maintain the doctrines and disciplines common to them all ‘if possible with greater vigor and precision than the Established Church.’ His grace asserts that Dr. Chalmers to the last held firmly, almost passionately, to the principle of Establishment, and that he looked to the abolition of patronage as the one measure which would accomplish for spiritual independence all that could be desired. • Now that Germany has gone into the colonising business on a somewhat extensive scale, there is a noticeable change on the part of many German Protestants. Some of the churches aud congregations are already bestirring themselves, and by many who formerly had no faith in missions the missionary is frequently spoken of as the pioneer of civilisation. In the Congo region, on the north-east coast of Africa, and in New Guinea, Germany had visiting missionfields ; and it will not be at all wonderful if North Germany should become before long in mission work a rival of Great Britain and America.

In twenty-five years the number of Protestant missionaries in China has grown from 150 to 500, and of churches from 50 to 400. A quarter of a century ago there were no theological schools for students, and only four of eighteen provinces were occupied with missisonary posts. Now 260 students are found in 20 schools, and missionary labors are carried on in all the provinces but one.

The call for female missionaries in India is receiving increased attention. A school has been established in London which has for its object the training of ladies for mission work. It is called the Zenana and Medical School. It appears that already some sixty ladies have gone forth from that school to'different parts of India, and in connection with the Episcopal, Wesleyan, Baptist and other churches.

The Norwegian Lutherans in the interior

of Madagascar, in ISS4, baptized 1,521 persons, and received '2l Roman Catholics and 62 Independents and Friends into their congregation, making the entire number of their members now 6,446. They have 1,678 candidates for baptism, an average attendance on worship of 35,000 persons, 30,000 children in the schools and 636 native preachers, five of whom are ordained. They have also on the West Coast 50 baptized, reported during the year, and 600 or 800 attendants at church, wich three native teachers.