Article February 27, 1902 Issue

Religious Items

with contributions from Alexander Maclaren, Henry T. Colestock, E. F. M., Canon Farrar, T. L. Cuyler, J. A. Froude, Goldsmith, Goethe, Hare

The New Testament teaches, and the life of Christ illustrates the teaching, that as man conforms to Divine instructions, complies with the promptings of his better nature as thus enlightened, he enters upon a new and higher order of life, and as he progresses therein his experience becomes of a heavenly character because it is one of peace, joy, and satisfaction; of conscious union with the Father in its ruling thoughts, feelings, purposes, and deeds. This is the kind of life, that of exalted experience, that Jesus referred to as a possibility, and as an end to be earnestly sought, when he said, "The kingdom of heaven is within you." What is this kingdom which may be established within the soul? Surely it consists of pure desires, motives, affections, aspirations, and actions, which produce a character, a life, in which truth, righteousness, justice, love, sympathy and helpfulness, hope and faith are the ruling principles. Jesus brought that kingdom of heaven to earth in the sense of revealing and exeplifying the constituents of a heavenly life,—that which creates heaven for the soul in whatsoever part of the wide universe it may be. While on earth Jesus was in the kingdom of heaven because that kingdom was so fully enthroned within him.—The Universalist Leader.

Every year the Allgemeine Zeitung of Munich, publishes a carefully prepared estimate of the religious statistics of the world. According to the estimate for the present year, there are in Europe 384.500,000 Christians, 6,600.000 Mohammedans, 6,500,000 Jews. In all America there are 126,400,000 Christians; the Jews and healthen are not given. In Asia there are 12,600,000 Christians, 109,500,000 Mohammedans, 200,000 Jews, and 667,800,000 pagans. In Africa are 4,400,000 Christians, 36,000,000 Moslems, 400,000 Jews, and 91,000,000 heathen. And in Oceanla are 9,700,000 Christians, 24,700,000 Moslems, and 4,400,000 heathen. In the whole world there are 240,000,000 Catholics, 163,300,000 Protestants, and 98,300,000 Greeks, or a total of 501,600,000 Christians in a population of 1,54,509,000. It is a striking fact that Protestants are increasing in numbers faster than Catholics. In English-speaking lands, ireland alone has a majority of Catholics. The wealthiest Catholic Church is that of France.—Missionary Review of the World.

With the accession of the three West India islands from Denmark will come accessions to the religious forces in the United States. About sixteen thousand of the thirty thousand population of St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John Islands are actively identified with the churches. There are Moravian, Dutch Reformed, Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Church of England bodies. Excellent religious edifices are to be found in Charlotte Amalie, the largest place on the island of St. Thomas. Ministers of churches on these islands are white or black without regard to the color of those who attend their churches, there being no color line. Church schools abound to the number of five, and education in the public schools is compulsory. The dominating church influence is Protestant, and general intelligence is high, quite unlike the neighboring Porto Rico.

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