Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-14
Tho Baptists In America.

,..,,rs from the most recent authori-
N"Et IN 1851 the Baptists OF the United
te'' .'a h.J II 600 churches, al minister's.
STATE, 'amt;ates, and 923, 1913 church mem
W. s. ubnm G3. SOC were added by bap-
IeT'' , o. the year. Including those Of
t'Dl uu .;.h provinces and West Indies, the
INC 81 membership was 'so,o4o. BESIDES
~" are nine minor sects, who agree Win
the' u'n,ists in practicing the immersion OF
iTi nr only, hut differ more or less on
ts'e's ,a;nrs If these be added with the
''D'' ir'.reas. for the last two years, the to-
dsHA' 49,, ~ more than l, 100000, or million
tal ,aT The Chris Watchman, from
apG , > we take the above, adds:
"hc" ,oI population attached to Baptist
II" ..timated at from six to seven mil,
H'S' By the United States census in 1850
Hons, nssr: that they then had 1871 church
aFt valued at SIC. 93l .SS2, and contain
t""'s r,y one fourth of the church accOmoda.
"o ,I., United States. Since then, 1897
~: Ia have been greatly multiplied and I'M
''y Tts number of Baptists in this country,
-" recent writer, with their relative pro,
, 's.. and rapidly growing power, is one OF
-, remarkable facts OF the age. As
"'' - " !, may we'll challenge the attention OF
-, ""h;l,,orhical historian and statesman,
"' r.. Than that OF the thoughtful Christian
!. = M, explained by ordinary causes. Nc
Il ~, hndy owes 81 little Of its increase to
@ ,'',,s,inn from Europe. No one of the orr
.;"si rolonie, was planted by them.
la Ysn in Rhode Island, Roger Williams
IA DR. John Clarke were not Baptists AT
49,. 49,. Nor was their introduction OF suhse,
"'L IAN, .rread the result of any energetic but
i-, missionary system, like that Of the
W,,boJi,ts Neither is it the fruit OF any
i,sgojjpg bond of future membership, like in
,y h,rtism, ON which most of the other sects
r , Cor the perpetuation and spread of the
,.nliar views OF their religion, rs well AZ oi
,rsion itself Nor is it, on the other hand,
,br Consequence of lowering the claims OF
Tbrjstianity, the qualifications for church
membership. or the vigor of discipline; for nc
denomination. in those respects, holds up
. higher standard. And it is but Just
:, say that no booy Of Christians in this
c,nntry has done, or is now doing more,
n ext nd vital evangelical piety at home
or aboard. None is more free, yet uni,
,ad. none more conservative, yet pro,
,r.,siye none, though subscribing com.
mon creed, more unanimous IN faith ana
practice. or more closely knit together in
w. Those who imagine the contrary, do
NOT know them. The ministry of the Bap,
,j,t. SAWS DR.. Baird, "comprehends body
# men in point of talents. learning. and elo,
oaence, as well as devoted piety, who have
no supsriors in the country"
The Baptists have never made classical
scholarship prerequisite to the ministry OF
the gospel lest they should seem to be wiser
than God but it is Il mistake tn suppose they
have ever despsed education or knowledge,
except when substituted for holier gifts. AS
early as l764. when numbering in all Amerl-
ca only sixty churches, and about o,ooo
members, they founded their first collese
in Rhode Island Long before they had foster
ed Harvard and helped Franklin to lay the
foundations of the University OF Pennsyi'
vania. They have now thirty-three colleges
and universities OF their own, over one
hundred academies and female seminarles OF
high grade and eleven theological schools.
They have publication societies at Philadel'
phia, Charleston and Nashville, besides ma
ny furnishing private houses in our large
cities They maintain forty-twO periodical
organs. two Of which are quarterly reviews.
If We add those If the British Provinces, The
total is thirteen theological schools. thirty
five colleges and forty-eight periodical organs
of the Baptist denomination, in North
America. Can all these fail of clevating IN
tellectually and religiously. not only the do
nomination but the country itselt?-R'eh
IL