Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1882 — RELIGION & SCIENCE. [ARTICLE]

RELIGION & SCIENCE.

The South Australian Bible and Prayer Union has 1,660 members. Bishop Bowman is making alow but apparently sure progress toward recovery. Of the 160 Southern Presbyterian churches ip Texas, seventy-five have no pastors. The Sabbath should be used for the three-fold purpose of rest, worship and doing good. The Rev, Dr. William J. Reid has lust completed the twentieth year of tis labors as pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg, Penn. In Nebraska, out of 138 ohurches only fifty have buildings. In Minnesota, out of 120 missionary churches, seventy-nine have no church. There is a marked increase in the number of the theological students in Germany. In 1870 there were 1,586; last year, 2,384. A French newspaper says that the Jesuits are about to undertake the conversation of Wales. On the railroad of Continental Europe the Introduction of mineral oil for lubricating purposes is proving both efficient and economical, * A The Emperor of Russia has given 20,000 rubles to the St. Petersburg Geographical Society toward meeting the expense of another polar station at Nova Zemba. The French Government is disposed to foster the various systems of the application of electricity to railroad purposes in order to obviate, as far as possible, the dangers of travel. A vein of hot water has been tapped near St. Etienne, France, at a depth of about 1,500 metres. This new geyser sends a volume of hot water and carbonic acid to a height of twentysix metres. An eniment Arabian naturalist and physician of the tenth century named Temini states that in ancient times the pitumen of Judea was used to preserve the vine from the ravages of parasites. | Varnish for writing on glass may he made of 600 grains of either, 30 grains sandarace, and 30 grains mastic. Dissolve and add benzine until the varnish imparts to glass a roughened appearance. Use cold.

Dr. Laws, of the Livingstouia Mis-' sion, writing from Lake Nyassa, announces that the New Testament is being translated into Chinyanja and Chitonga. These two translations are additions to the 32 Africa languages into which portions of the Bible have been rendered. The whole Bible has. as yet, been published in only eight of the many hundred languages oi Africa. Bir William Thomson anticipates a broader generalization than the present one, which shall include elasticity as a mode of motion. The Kinetic theory of gases requires that the molecule or atom be elastic. But he insists that until this Kinetic theory explains chemical affinity, electricity, magnetism, gravation, and inertia is and must remain a dream. Among the experiments now being conducted by a chemist at the Royal Shorthorn Dairy at Dytchleys Essex, England, are tests which will or may disclose more of the powers of carferal already well known as a filtering medium in the removal of ammonia from sewage. It has been found that all the ammonia is taken up by the carferal, as is indicated by testing the fluid after it has passed through the filter and the resultant is a material valuable for breaking up and manuring heavy land. The extensive use into which bromide of potassium has come renders the assertion of Herr Maschke of great importance. He finds that this bromide of remarkable sedative properties is largely contaminated with lead. The samples he tested were only reduced to a clear liquid after the addition of an acid. Hydrosul* phuric acid is the best agent to use in making the test, wiht the exception of, perhaps sulphide of ammonium. Lead-poisoning is a dire alternative for nervousness or sleeplessness. The Evangelistic Committee of Twenty-five of Boston, has issued a circular In which it is said: “However earnestly faithful Pastors labor, large numbers in every city cannot be induced to attend any church service, many of whom will listen to the Gospel when it is brought to them, * * * will crowd into public halls, theatres, and similar buildings, when, such places are opened for Gospel services.” It is therefore proposed to carry on meetings in public halls and tneatres. A newly-invented instrument, by Professor Heeren, for the purpose of testing milk, seems to work well. It is named the “pioecope,” and it consists of a dish of black vulcanized india-rubber, having in the middle a very flat circular depression. A few drops of the milk well mixed are put in the hollow and covered with a plate of glass painted with six shades of color, raaiatiDg from a small une flored circular spot in the middle. The colors range from white gray to deep bluish gray. The layer ot milk is seen through the uncolored spot in the center, and its color can thus be compared with the radiating colors, and its quality is judged according to the color with which it coincides. Thus the richest color, stands for cream, the next for very rich milk, and then follow formal, inferior, poor and very poor.