Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

2. CHRISTIAN NATION. Volume 18.Ci3^y'^At6:6-irt1\(fworl4,a.r\^ pr^GvcKtK^ ^osp^f to'^s7e.ry cr^^vtHr^?:"Please urge and urge and urge the peopleto give us a new church here.We have no accommodationsfor our congregaiions.Wehave to pack eighty or ninety persons on Sabbath,into one room only large enough to accommodatefif I y comfortably. Tell the churchthat though they have put thousands of dollarsinio bwildings in Latakia and Cyprus and theSouthern Mission and the Indian Mission,they have not put one dollar into buildingsAfter explaining the aim of three years agoand the method of securing the statistics, hesaid :" The firstimpression conveyed by the longhere, where the work has been carried on list of separate denominations is that we havelonger than in some of the others, and the field a variety in our religion. Our citizens are freeis wider than most of the others."—R. J,Dodds, Tarsus Mission.A Conference of the Mission Boarda of thevarious denominations was held in Lenox Hall,53 Fifth Ave., New York, the llth and 12thof Jar uary. There were present, also, manymissionaries. The Conference may be spokenof as one for the purpose of comparing expertopinion. It was highly entertaining and instructive.The methods of work on the variousfieldswere discussed. Sometimes therewould be diiference of opinion, freely expressed; some would make missions morethoroughly evangelistic, the educational workmade subordinate to the preaching of the Gospel.Mibsionaries from distant fieldsgave themethod of work which they had found,bestsuited to their locality, but all were of the opinionthat too much prominence could not begiven lo tbe preachiog of the Gospel; that educationaland medical features should/oZZot« asa means of preparing converts for work. Thesuccesses in various fieldswere spoken of, andthe encouraging features set forth. On thewhole, the outlook is full of promise. It canbe justly gaid, also, tbat no fieldof missionaryoperation is more difficult than tbat occupiedby the Reformed Presbyterian church. Turkeyappears to be the very centre of Satan'skingdom. Nations wholly given to idoiatryyield moie readily than those which have rejectedthe light which they once had, and haveaccepted Islamism, or a thoroughly corruptform of Christianity.The Conference closed with an "Inter-DenominationalMissionary Rally "in the FifthAve. Presbyterian Ohurch, at which meetingDr. Paton, among others, spoke. On the wholethe Conference was highly beuefioial, andothers in the fnture are probable.At a recent meeting of the PresbyterianOnion, New Tork, the Rev. H. K. Cairroll, recognizedas an expert in such matters, read apaper on ' 'The Religious Aspect of the LastCensus."Dr. Carroll is one ot the editors ofthe New York Independent. As his paper isespecially valuable, we make large extract of themore important parts, and would suggest that itbe laid away for future reference.to choose a residence in any one of the fiftyStates and Territories, and to move from omto another as often as they have a mind to.There is even a wider range for choice andchange in religion. One may be a Pagan, aJew or a Christian, or each in turn. If he is aPagan he may worship in the numerous templesdevoted to Buddha ; if a Jew, he may beof the orthodox or reformed variety ; if aChristian, he may select any one of 125 or 130different kinds or join every one of them inturn. He may be six kinds cf au Adventist,seven kinds of a Catholic, twelve kinds of aMennonite or Presbyterian, thirteen kinds of aBaptist, sixteen kinda of a Lutheran, or seventeenkinds of a Methodist. He may be a memberof any one of 148 denominations, or of alliu succession. If none of these suit him hestill has a choice among 150 separate aad independentcongregations, which bave no df -nominational name, creed or connection. Auvresident of the United Slates is perfectly freeto make himself at home vith auy of these religiouscompanies, and to stay with eacb asloug or aa short a time as be will. We sometimesspeak as though there were not stiflioientfiet-domof thought. Here are many phasr-s ofthought, acd any man may pass without hindrancethrough them all.A closer scrutiny of the list, however, showsthat many of these 143 denoninations diffieronly in name. Without a single change iudoctrine or polity, the seventeen Methodistbodies could be reduced to three or four ; thetwelve Presbyterian to three, the twelve Mennoniteto two, and so on. The difference inmany cases are only sectional cr historical.The slavery question was the cause of not afew divisions, and matters of discipline wereresponsible for a large number. A further examinationof the denominational list revealsthe significant fact that of the 143 denominationsseventy-five or more than half, are verysmall, no one of them having more than 10,000members. Thirty-two of the seventy-five haveless than a thousand each. The denominationshaving as many as 25,000 and upward, are fortyin number.These forty denominations representmore than ninety-six per cent of the ag.gregate of members.Among the denominations, the Roman Catholicstands first,ag to comma nicants, having6,228,354; the Methodist Episcopal] second,with 2,240,425 ; the regular Baptist (coiored)third, with 1,314,420; the regular Baptist(South) fourth, with 1,271,002 ; and the MethodistEpiscopal (South) fifth,with 1,209,976.The grand total for all denominations is asfollows : Organizations, 163,787 ; church edifices,139,832, with a seating capacity of 42,-682,049 ; halls, schoolhouses and private housesoccupied as places of worship, 23,453 ; value ofchurch property (including only church edificesand their sites and furniture), $680,758,-756 ; communicants or members, 20,488,797,Of the total of communicants considerablemore than one-third are found in the fiveStatesof New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois andMassachusetfs, in the order named.Comparing the census returns of 1890 withsuch statistics as can be got from denominationalsources, I find tbat in the decade theProtestant Episcopal Church has a net gain of165,000 members, or 48 per cent; the Congregationalof 128,000, or 33 percent; the regularBaptists, North, South and colored, of 868,000,or 37 per cent; the Lutherans, all branches,of 487,000, or 68 per cent; the Presbyterians,all branches, of 365,000, or 39 per cent; theMethodist Episcopal, of 522,000, or 30 per cent;the Methodist. Episcopal South, of 488,000 or57 per cent- These denominations representedin 1890 an aggregate of 10,216,000 communicants,against 7,202,000 in 1880, showing a netgain in tbe ten years of 3,014,000, or nearly42 per cent. As the growth of the populationof the country in the same period was less than25 per cent, these churches have gained 17 percent in excess of the increase of the population."But few would realize that the above resultshsve been reached after well nigh three yearslabor and with a force of from eight to twelveclerks. It; has been done by the government,and at; no small e^pen.se. It is probable, whencomplete, the work will be in pamphlet or bookform, .'ind should have a place in all libraries.Daring the trial of Dr. Briggs, the Rev. Dr.Young, Moderator of the General Assemblv,was present at one of the sessions. The Moderatorof Presbyery took Dr. Young to theplatform to open tho Presbytery with prayer.Ue introduced him, and said Dr. Young wouldead in prayer ; and added, " Wiajthe Presby.i^ery please rise, outof respect tc/the Assem-'blys Moderator.""The "King eternal, immortal, invisible, theonly wise God," was present at each session.We leave the reader to his owu suggestionsiii.jthe matter.