Gleanings

54 IMPROVEMENT ERA. GLEANINGS. Religion in Japan: Bishop McKin, the Episcopal prelate of Tokio, recently stated that out of a total of 150,000 converts in Japan, the Roman Catholics are first with about 50,- 000, and the Greek Catholics second with 23,000. The Episcopalians number in the neighborhood of 10,000. He says that in the matter of church government, ritual and theology, the Episcopal and Greek Catholic churches in Japan are closer than any other religious bodies, and intimates that the two bodies may soon be united. Annexation of Hawaii: The Hon. John R. Proctor takes a hopeful view of the proposed acquisition of Hawaii by the United States. In his opinion annexation is urgently demanded by our own interests, as well as by considerations of national honor involved in the continuation of the protectorate maintained in the islands by this government for more than fifty years. The Forum. Sects in England: Mr. Howard Evans demolishes the absurd fallacy (due to Whitaker) as to the existence of hundreds of sects in England. Practically there are not more than twenty. Of these ten evangelical Protestant denominations provide 7,600,000 sittings, while the Established Church only seats 6,778,000. The clergy of the Establishment of all sorts number 20,495. Contemporary Review. Moving the Great Grain Crops: The wheat crop of the United States for this year of 1897 is estimated at 500,000,- 000 bushels, one of the largest crops on record, and fortunately for the farmers the European demand has raised the price, and is sending the golden grain eastward at an unprecedented rate. Over 200,000,000 bushels will be demanded by the Old World, and the shipment of this enormous bulk is taxing the capacity of the railroads and grain-carrying vessels on the lakes, of canal-boats and ocean steamers, to the fullest extent. Harper's Weekly.