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General News.

The following advertisement appears in German papers :—: — " Wanted, Paulus Melchers, Doc. Theol., and formerly Archbishop of Cologne. He was condemned by a decree of the Chamber of Correction in Cologne, dated July 28, of this year, to a subsidiary punishment of thirty days' imprisonment for unauthorised exercise of ecclesiastical functions. He was born at Munster, lately resident at Cologne, aged 64, light hair, brown eyes, plain features and thin stature. I call on the police authorities to watch for .the said Melcheis, to arrest him when found, and to produce him before me. Cologne, Noy. 14, 1877, the Chief Procurator." We leave our readers to make their own comments on such a state of affairs. During the great concourse of strangers into Rome for the late King's funeral, no less than three churches were broken into, and the tabernacles were robbed of the sacred vessels, the consecrated hosts being strewn about. Between the House of Commons and the office of the Daily Neivs in Bouverie-street, by means of the telephone, which is specially attached to the ordinary telegraphic wires running between the Houses of Parliament and the office of the paper, conversation was distinctly audible despite the noise from the other wires, and part of Parliamentary debate and summary in the next morning's issue was received by this novel and interesting agency. Ax official enumeration of the Methodists throughout the w-u-ld reveals the somewhat surprising fact that this sect numbers all told but 28,714 ministers find 4,383,888 lay members. This, it is true, is exactly 4,412,602 too many ; but. after all, what an insignificant number it is compared with the 250,000,000 who rejoice in being members of the Koman Catholic Church ? The United States are the strong hold of Methodism. There are here no less than thirteen different kinds of Methodists, and they number 22.974 ministers and 3,315,311 lay members. But they are a pushing people, and they apparently cany their sectarianism into politics, for one of their newspapers boasts that while five years ago there were only three Methodists in Congress, there are now twenty-five — eight in the Senate and seventeen in the House. If the American Catholics were equally well represented we should have twenty Senators and forty-two Congressmen. The Methodists, however, are vastly more numerous than the members of the Protestant Episcopal sect in the Uuited« States. The " Church Almanac" of the sect, just issued for the year 1878, gives the total number of communicants in the United States as 281,971. How many Senators and Representatives they have is not stated. The proprietors of the Daily News have presented Mr. Archibald Forbes with 2000 guineas and a silver cup, in recognition of his valuable services as war correspondent on the staff of that journal. The Italian Government has decided to return to the Royal family of the late kingdom of Naples their estates, which were seized at the time that thg country was absorbed into that of Italy. Marshal Canbobebt, who was sent by the President of the French Republic, and the Crown Prince of Prussia, who came on behalf of the German Emperor, to attend the fuaeral of the late King Victor Emmanuel, arrived both about the same time at Rome. A Paris paper had a telegram sent to it from fiome, reporting that the former arrived dressed in a black coat ; and M. Patrick MacMahoD, the Marshal's son, who accompanied him, actually made his appearance in an Ulster and with a small carpet bag in his hand ; whilst the Crown Prince and his suite, the famous strategist Blumenthal among them, appeared all in full uniform as officers of Cuirassiers, Hussars, and Lancers. The correspondent, in reflecting on the difference between the appearance of the two representatives, remarked in regard to Marshal Canrobert and M. MacMahon — " A. bad idea not to sport grand uniform — pity — everybody regrets it ; in Italy a mist', en scene is indispensable," whereas the Crown Prince answered the expectations of the Italian public much better. The French Home Secretary thought proper to have these telegrams stopped as being in bad taste." The matter has created quite a sensation in Paris. Me. Stanley had an audience of Marshal MacMahon on Jan. 18, and on the 19th was entertained at a splendid banquet at the Hotel dv Louvre by the Paris Geographical Society. A numerous and distinguished company assembled to meet the illustrious traveller. During the evening the Minister of Public Instruction presented to Mr. Stanley the academic decoration of the palm branches in gold, and the President announced that the society had awarded to him their great gold medal. On the 21st the members of the Paris Press Club gave a luncheon to Mr. Stanley. Several toasts were proposed in honour of the explorer, who, in replying to the first, said he always bore in mind that he was a plain journalist, and in the midst of great perils had remembered that he was the soldier of journalism, impelled by the journalistic instinct to explore unknown countries, and achieve what Dr. Livingstone and other renowned travellers had left undone. The Catholic Times says :— Emmanuel snubbed Gambetta. The latter asked for an alliance ; the former s'niled, and did not see that it was necessary, while the relations were so cordial. Gambetta boasted of having crushed (ecrase) clericalism, and expressed his readiness to convey to the French Government any friendly overture offered by Italy. Emmanuel replied that he kept an Ambassador at Palis, and the Marshal kept one at Rome ; consequently, custom at least prescribed the channel of communication. Gambetta was snubbed — unmercifully snuobed. Then, to complete the slight, the King apologised for detaining him so long from the myriads of people anxious to see him. Exit Gambetta, sadder and wiser. In the cathedral at Brunswick, Germany, it was recently determined to scour the walls and pillars. As the dirt of ages came off, the vindicators of cleanliness were rewarded by the uncovering of paintings of great merit that had been entirely forgotten. Sketches are to be made of them first, and then they are to be restored.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZT18780419.2.33

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 259, 19 April 1878, Page 13

Word Count
1,015

General News. New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 259, 19 April 1878, Page 13

General News. New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 259, 19 April 1878, Page 13