Away from Rome—Belgium.—Protestantism is making substantial progress in Belgium, notably among the mining and artisan population of the districts around Leige, Charleroi, and Mons. The ministerial staff is largely drawn from Holland for the north and from Switzerland for the south. Two ex-priests, M. Abel Sellé and Baron Béthune—the latter one of the founders of the famous Benedictine monastery at Maredsou—are active agents in evangelistic work. In Spain there are very hopeful signs of a turning towards Protestantism. The people are beginning to refuse to acquiesce in the policy of persecuting the Protestants, and the more influential papers are awakening to the shame that religious persecution brings on the nation. The name “Protestant,” which has been held in the greatest contempt, seems to be losing something of its repulsiveness to the popular mind. Mr. Bain’s book on the “New Reformation” should greatly encourage the supporters of Protestant missions in Catholic countries.—Christian World.
“The English Churchman.”—This healthy, high-toned Protestant weekly is one of the best religious weeklies published in our time. It is a relentless opponent to all the ritualistic movements in the Church of England, and is the powerful organ of the Low Church party in that Church. As a special feature, it has rich, spiritual articles weekly. Sanity in judgment, high-toned Protestantism, and a deep religious seriousness are some of its features. It may be obtained through any news-agent.
Rome ever the same.—Speaking in the House of Commons during the debate on the English Education Bill, Mr. Dillon gave some idea of Rome’s implacable hatred to the Bible. “A great gulf,” he said, “divided the position of the Catholic Church and the position of the Church of England. The latter Church to a large extent accepted simple Bible teaching as a good foundation and were not hostile to it. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, objected to it, and he warned the House that if they were forced into a choice between purely secular education and simple Bible teaching, Catholics would unhesitatingly accept the secular.”