Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-01-04
RELIGIOUS SUMMARY.
From the Christian Watchmsn.
BAPTIST UNION.

BAPTIST UNION
We are indebted to the Rev. Joseph
Belcher, of London, one of the Secreta.
ries, for the Report of the Baptist Union,
held in London, June 20, FL, 22 and "a,
1886.
The objects of this association, which
was formed in 1912, are thus expressed
in their Constitution -
ITO extend brotherly love and union
among those Baptist ministers and church.
es who agree in the sentiments usually de.
nominated evangelical-to promote unity
of exertion in whatever may best serve the
cause of Christ in general, and the interest
of the Baptist denomination in particular
TO obtain accurate statistical informa.
ton relative to Baptist Churches, Socie-
ties, Institutions, Colleges, &C., through.
out the kingdom, and the world at large
Ito address to the United Churches an
annual letter, with report of the proceed
ings of the Union and the state of the de-
nomination."
The Report before us is document Of
great value. Though incomplete in its
statistical information, it gives US better
idea ofthe English Baptists-of their in
stitutions, their numbers and their re.
sources, than any thing which has before
fallen into our hands
1t has been ascertaned, that in the forty
counties in England, there are at least t.
1853 evangelical Baptist churches The
Baptlsts are numerous in Wales, but the
information which the committee had OBJ
tanned was so imperfect, that they deemed
It better to withhold for this wear, the
whole. relating to the Principally. In
Scotland, there are fifty churches, thirty Of
which report $3.50 members. 1t is be-
lIeved, also, that there are fifteen hundred
COMMITMENTS, not included in the fifty
churches enumerated. The number Of
churches in Ireland is twenty-five The
aggregate number of members in actual
Fellowship in the Baptist churches in Ire
land, is believed to be nine hundred and
twenty. Besides these, there are twenty
baptst churches in Ireland, which adort
me principle of mutual exhortation, and
three others which break bread every
Lords day. ~ ''''
In the Baptist Union, there are united
only 2s9 churches; 577 churches arc
united in local Associations. The mum.
Der OF Associations is Sc. Complete re.
tu1n' had been received from onnlv 66Q
churches. In these, there were $685.
COMMITMENTS; and in these churches
there had been baptized, during the past
year $3.50 persons; received by dismis
sion from other churches $50: restored
479; died 1871; dismissed 684: with.
drawn from the fellowship of the church.
es 1877; excluded S44: leavino q net in.
crease. in go churches of 2,548' which is
traction less than four and a half ner
cent. Three hundred and eipbtv'si1
churches report 58,788 children in con-
nectlon with their Sabbath Schools: and
one hundred and senenty-three churches
report that they supply $50 village or 9th.
er preaching stations
From these facts it would appear that
the whole number of Baptists in Great
Britain might exceed one hundred thou.
sand.
The comparative supply of pastors is
not definitely stated. The formation Of
twenty-one new churches had come totke
knowledge of the committee, since their
last annual meeting. They had also been
made acquainted with ffty-eight ordina'
lions or settlements since the last meeting
forty-two chapels had been enlarged, or
new ones built Seven of the individuals
settled, are reported as coming from the
various colleges.
The report mentions the death of ten
ministers. the average age Of nine Of
whom-the other not being given-is 81
years which is degree of longevity, tits
believed, quite beyond that of American
clergymen.
i The amount contributed for missionary
purposes is, s127,325 OS
For Education, 1886 %
For miscellaneous charities, 2O,5lO OF
4 49,. Total, S16299l 80
- The first Baptist church in England,
was formed in Salisbury, Wiltshire, iu
1000; the next at Eythorne, Kent, in
1904. The former has now 22O mem
bers, and the latter 256 members. The
first church formed in London was in
1888; it has now 243 members. Five
churches only had been formed previous
to 1880. In 1850, the Baptists had 81
churches; in England in l70o they had
Sc. They seem to have been dispersed
in almost every section of the country, as
one OF more of their churches, at the last
mentioned date, were found in all ths
counties except eleven.