The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-10-27
From tne chn.ran Advocate and Journal.
PROGRESS Of HEcth0d:gm.


( Wesleyan Mcthodism is one Of the grand
est developments of Christianity during the
last century-Rev Dir. CASDLIsH, Edinburg.
The secular newspapers have had
piece going its rounds, stating, " the Meth
odists have been in existence in this coun-
try eighty-four years, and have built
nearly a church for each week.
/ At first it appeared to be large num-
ber-one for every week; but, by exam
lining the abstract of the seventh sensus
l found, instead Of there being but nearly
one, there have been nearly three for each
week OF the eighty-four years that pro-
ceeded the taking of the last ccnsus.--
Methodism was introduced in this coun.
try in 1866, and as eighty-tour years have
/ but f0llr thousand three hltqdred and SIuy
cigLt weeks, and the Methodist churches
reported in the last census are tEcire
H0usqHd j0lr hu1drcJ aud Stty-Scrcn,
consequently there have been erected
nearly thrce for each week; and by the
same report these churches are capable Of
seating four millions two hundred and
nine thousand three hundred and thirty
three persons, and were finished at a cost
of fourteen millions six hundred and thir-
ty-six thousand six hundred and seventy
one dollars. So much for churches, and
their cost
Now, as regards the membership, let
us see whether, in the conversion Of sin
ners, their zeal will bear DR.. Candlish out
or whether the membership has kept pace
with the building OF churches.
! From 177G. when Methodism was first
introduced, to 1850, we will divide into
three parts, of twenty-eight years each,
being almost generation. This Will
bring us for the first division to the year
1894; and by referring to the Minutes for
that year, we find there were sixty seven
thousand six hundred and forty-three
members; and at the end of the next twen-
ty-eight years, which brings us tol 822, We
find two hundred and eighty-onc thousand
one hundred and forty-siX members; and
in 1850 we had one million two hundred
and sevcnty-fYc thousand four hundred
| and thirty three members making to-
! tai, by adding the three periods together
: of one million six hundred and twenty
, four thousand two hundred and twenty
, two members. But it may be alleged
that many who were Methodists in 1894
; and 1922 are yet alive, and by this mode
. of enumerating they are counted twice;
: but the deaths for the eighty-four years
5 will far exceed in number those who may
: yet live Of the first two periods; for, under
5 the most favorable bills of mortality,
[ twenty-five thousands die annually out Of
one million; and for the last eight years,
t think our number has been on an aver
2 age one million; and this number multi
| piled by eight gives the deaths Of Mctho-
p dists, for the last eight years alone, two
' hundred thousand, being more than halt
2 Of the first two periods united. We think
f then, we are below the number of con-
. verts. since Methodism was first intro
a duced, by stating the whole number at
t enc and three-quartor millions-being
= more than one convert for every half hour
f the half-hours in eighty-four years be-
$ inc less than one and half million.
| From the above facts we can form some
| estimate whether "Wesleyan Methodism
2 has been one of the grandest develop
= ments of Christianity during the last cen
f tury.' But this is not all; that mighty
lever, the printing-prcss, has been issued
C to such an extent by the Nethodists, that
"the wilderness and solitary places have
been made glad" by their weekly visits,
t or by the sweet songs of prayer and
n praise. And could the number Of books
; tracts, Magazines, and Advocates, issued
from the Methodist printing-prcss in the
J, North, East, South, and West, be enumer-
a ated for the last sixty years, since the
h Rev. John Dickens first established The
Book Concern in Philadelphia in 1880
: to 1850, we hazard little In saying that
n they would count one for every minute
T there being less than tbirty-tTo millions
i Of minutes in sizty-one years.