capital, Addis Abbaba, are really the only two stable cities in the country which is made up largely of nomadic tribes. The capital itself, it is said, has a stable population of some 60,000 inhabitants, and a floating population of something like 50,000.

However, the Englishman has not gone to Abyssinia merely for his health. If he has built railroads, it is because there is business there. The English can open commerce in these out-ofthe-way countries where other nations could not. England's merchant marine is so numerous that it touches every country that has any foreign commerce whatever. Abyssinia's chief port is also touched by the Austrians from Trieste, and by the Russians from Odessa. Germany, which always has a keen eye on all commercial prospects in Africa, has not thought it advisable yet to trouble Menelik's kingdom with her wares. The United States has practically no merchant marine for foreign trades, and all efforts on the part of this country to do business with Abyssinia are not likely to be fruitful in the immediate future. The English own the only railroad, and, if we have to depend on both the merchant marine and the railroads of other countries to get our wares to the Abyssinian markets, our trade is likely to fall short. Of course, the wants of the Abyssinians will grow. Now their chief demands are cotton, silk, woolen manufactures, and arms. In return for these things, they export coffee, gold, ivory and skins.

The interest awakened, of late, concerning the affairs in Abyssinia, make it worthy of some study, and students of current events may hunt up their encyclopedias, and books of travel, to learn what they can of this once historic land of Ethiopia.

Will he Lose his Chances for the Senate?

Somebody has been writing the New York Sun, declaring that monogamy is not working well in this country, and recommends New York State "to get ahead of a little band of 'Mormons' out in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, by setting to the rest of the Union the example of legalizing polygamy." The correspondent bases his recommendation upon a census report that out of 24,249,191 females, of fifteen years of age and over, in the United States, 7,566,530 were single. The Sun then gives the following

table of statistics, showing the total women in this country of certain ages, the number of them that are married, and the number single:

It will be seen from the above table that the females in this country between 25 and 44 years of age number 10,199,782. That of these 1,805,952 are single. In other words, of that total number of marriageable women, more than one in every six are single, and the Sun declares that marriage is the most successful of human institutions, and that we are even doing better than other civilized nations of the earth. The table reveals an evil which forebodes no good for the future growth of the country; that is, the growing inclination to postpone marriage so late in life that the opportunities of bearing children become as small as possible. Taking Church Census.

The recent religious discussions have led to a determination to ascertain what proportion of the people of the country attend church on the Sabbath day. New York has recently been undergoing a church enumeration to find out what per cent of the people in that great city go to church on Sunday. Two enumerations have been made, and the general results show that the proportion of church-goers is about twenty-five in the hundred. Among the various religious denominations that thus observe the Sabbath day, the Catholics stand highest; after them, the Episcopalians; and then various other Protestant denominations. This shows a very strong religious sentiment on its face, and yet it does not give a correct idea of the religious sentiment throughout the country.

There are several reasons why these statistics may be very misleading. In the first place, among the Protestant denominations, religion has come to be regarded largely as a code of morals; and people often go to church to listen to beautiful things said by some eminent speaker. Such church-goers are very apt to regard religion from the standpoint of art. Beautiful thoughts, beautifully expressed, on moral questions, constitute their chief interest in relig

ious life; there may not enter into their feelings, much reverence for a divine being to whom they feel under any special obligations.

However, it is gratifying to learn that the people of this country are not devoid of interest in religious subjects. What the effects upon the masses of the higher criticism will be, it is difficult to say. The higher criticism denies the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and sets at naught the most cherished devotion that Christians have in the past maintained toward the Bible. The preachers, as a rule, throughout the country, are following the higher criticism, but it is doubtful whether they will succeed in taking the most of the people with them. There is a certain distinct and strong reaction against the higher criticism, by a number of able exponents of the scriptures, and it may be that the higher criticism is merely a passing wave, that will subside as other popular theories have subsided in the past.

It would be interesting to know what proportion of the Latter-day Saints is found in our places of worship on the Sabbath day. If we include the children who attend the Sabbath schools, it would certainly seem that more than twenty-five per cent of our people attend church on Sunday.

The Latest Sensation Over Emperor William.

Recently the Germans built a cathedral at Metz. On the facade of this cathedral, a statue of Daniel the Prophet was reproduced, and, upon unveiling, it was discovered to be a reproduction of Emperor William. Even the lines of the mustache, twirling upward, are quite distinct; the forehead of the potentate is true to life, and the features correspond in a very remarkable manner. There has been a great deal of gossip among people privately, and the unofficial newspapers have made ample mention of it. The socialists seem to be the most wrought up. One paper hinted that the Emperor had become a monomaniac. The paper was promptly suppressed; and the editors of several other socialist papers were punished for lèse majesté. The people throughout the country became so interested in this sculptured Daniel, that it grew to be of national importance. The statue was photographed, and the picture of it put on postal cards, but the postal cards were promptly suppressed by the government.

THRILLING EXPERIENCE AT SEA.

BY ELDER JOHN A. HENDRICKSON, PRESIDENT OF THE CHRISTIANIA CONFERENCE, NORWAY.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.-(Psalms 42: 7, 8).

Let me tell the readers of the ERA of an incident in my experience which happened on the evening of November 29, 1903, as I was on a journey over the Baltic, from Stockholm to Finland. We had nearly passed over the Baltic and were well up towards the gulf of Finland, sailing on smoothly, and apparently securely, in the handsome steamer Wellamo. It was five o'clock in the afternoon, at which time, during this season, it is well-nigh dark. The steamer was built for accommodating about five hundred passengers, but had only fifty on board. We had just eaten dinner, and I had returned to my room to adjust my toilet. Every person on board seemed happy in the thought of reaching land within two hours, when suddenly, and without warning, the boat began making motions similar to those of an engine which has jumped its beaten track. Instinctively we all knew what had happened. Hidden rocks under the water had struck the vessel! In deep silence the passengers stood astounded, scarcely breathing, when suddenly the ship began turning, and then it dawned upon us that the trouble was perhaps more serious than we had anticipated. Everyone scampered on deck, myself included, and we then saw that the ship was gradually going over. Darkness had settled down upon the waters; a strong wind was moaning in the rigging, and the snow descended with the gusts.

I returned to my state room, put on my fur coat, muffler, and other effects, and kneeling down offered a few words of prayer; then, clinging to the sides of the railing, I climbed on deck again. I met the fireman first, his face was black as Cain's. Breathless, I asked him if there was danger! I know not what he answered, but saw that he was buckling on his life preserver. On deck, there was all confusion! In answer to my prayer I had received an assurance that my life was safe, yet, notwithstanding, I experienced an uncomfortable feeling. Life protectors were called for, and, a bunch lying close beside me, I began handing them out as rapidly as I could to those who called. When all were provided, there was but one left, which was on the upper side of the boat, and that one was without the necessary strings; so it appeared that I would have none. Men and women, from the captain down, were well provided with cork-belts, and, indeed, appeared ready for a wet time.

Great excitement prevailed in the darkness. The scene was one never to be forgotten; but, in the midst of it all, I noticed that on an occasion of this kind many people believe in prayer; in fact, no one knows how many people believe in calling upon God, until they are caught in some such circumstance as this. Several women asked me to help them, I cannot say why they did so, unless it was that I was not loaded down with life protectors. I tried to calm them, and told them that we would be safe, but, at that time, it looked hopeless.

In about ten minutes, the boat was well over on its side. Tables and all other movable affairs were turned up-side down; the people were rushing hither and thither almost frantic! The boat then struck another rock, and could proceed no further. The captain shouted, "No danger!" but few there were who believed him. Women were weeping, men were yelling, and all on board hung close to the upper railing. The passengers waited thus for two hours in the darkness and storm, with their life preservers buckled on. An effort was made to lower the life boats, and they were lowered, but the wind was so fierce as to make their use unsafe. At one o'clock in the morning, the Lord favored us, and we were picked up by a passing boat, and at 3:30 landed in safety at Hango, Finland. Just before leaving the wreck, the storm ceased, and the