A writer signing himself “K. M.” contributes to the “Fukuin Shimpō” an account of the methods followed by the Roman Catholics and of their work in Japan, said to have been derived from an interview with L’Abbé E. Ligneul. The following is a summary of “K. M.’s” article. (1) _The revival of Roman Catholicism in Japan._ This began at Nagasaki in 1865, where a church was built and when the descendants of the old Christians came forward in large numbers to welcome the arrival of foreign missionaries. Having mentioned the principal works of reference on the Roman Catholic Missions in Japan, M. Ligneul went on to speak (2) _Of the present state of their churches_. The following table gives the numerical strength of the mission:-- ===============+===========+==========+==============+============== | | | | FOREIGN ECCLESIASTICAL | | JAPANESE | JAPANESE | MISSIONARIES DISTRICTS. | CONVERTS. | PRIESTS. | EVANGELISTS. | (MALE). ---------------+-----------+----------+--------------+-------------- Tōkyō | 9,245 | 4 | 20 | 37 Nagasaki | 38,160 | 27 | 180 | 31 Ōsaka | 4,273 | 2 | 40 | 27 Hakodate | 4,643 | 1 | 20 | 20 ---------------+-----------+----------+--------------+-------------- Total | 56,321 | 34 | 260 | 115 ===============+===========+==========+==============+============== The fact that comparatively little is known of the work being carried on by the Roman Catholics throughout the country is no accidental affair. It is one of the principles observed by the whole mission to refrain from the use of the methods employed by other missions for making their work known to the public generally. _The Greek Church in Japan_ In the issue of the “Tserkovniya Vyedomosti” or “Church Gazette” (the official organ of the Russian Church) for March 29 (O. S.) there is a long article taken from the “Moscow Gazette” on the state of the Greek Church in Japan. The writer says that there are now 260 congregations, one more than last year; 41 clergymen, including 1 bishop, 2 Russian clergymen (who have now left Japan—Translator), 30 Japanese clergymen, 1 Russian deacon, 7 Japanese deacons: altogether three more persons than last year; Christians 27,245 (935 more than last year); Catechists 1,214 (643 adults, 571 minors, altogether 305 more than last year); deaths 279 (18 less than last year); marriages 29 (9 more than last year); churches or preachers’ houses 174. The sum of the offerings made by the Christians in support of their church totalled 11,870 _yen_ 41.8 _sen_, 4,505 _yen_ 72.5 _sen_ more than last year. The number of pupils in Mission schools totalled 152, 12 less than last year. * * * * *