The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-12-07
HISTORY OF THE NJ. 4 CHURCH.

HISTORY OF THE NJ. Il CHURCH.
Philip Embury formed the first Me-
thodist Society. in America, in 1766;
his first congregation consisted Of
four persons besides himself, and
were gathered in bis own house
by Mrs. Barbara Hick, san elect" Nc.
thodist "lady" from Ireland. Preach
ers were sent over by Wesley, and the
denomination poon extended to Phila-
deIphla, to Baltimore, TO Norfolk. 1t
held its first Conference in ITS, and
its first General Conference (organiz-
ing it as "the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States of Ame-
RIGA, y in 1874. What have been the
results ,..--. -.s. -t.E --...-..
, Embury,s little congregation of five
persons has multiplied to thousands of
Societies from the northernmost settle
ments of Canada TO the Gulf of Mexi-
CO. from Nova Scotia to California;
The first small conference of 1878, with
its 10 preachers andits 1,160 reported.
members. has multiplied 10 GO con-
ferences, G,S21 itinerant, 8,205 local
preachers, 92S.S20 members in the
Methodist Episcopal Church alone, ex
elusive of the Southern, the Canadian
and minor branches, all tho offspring
Of the Church founded in 17G6, and
cpiscopaIIy organized in 1884.
1t has property in churches and par
sonages amounting to about S27,00O,-
00O. 4s -.7. g,
1t has 25 colleges and theological
schools, with property amounting to
SS,O55 600; 15S instructors, and 5,S45
students: and II academies, with $50
instructors and Il ,76l students; max
ing Il body of TIA instructors, and an
army Of 23,l06 students. ,..s
lis church property, Churches, par
sonag.s, and colleges. aside from its n
academies and Book Concern, )amonnts
to $50. .054000, l-ats.. e.. i
Its Book Concern las capital of
S837, 600; 500 publishing agents, edi-
tors. clerks, and opcrativesi with
some thirty cylinder power presses in
constant operation, about 1000 differ
ent. books on its catalogue. besides
ira ,ts,> etc; IA official perlodicals;with
an aggregate circulation Of more than
1000, 600 copies per month. VI
It's Sunday School Union comprises
13,4 400 schools, more than 10000 in-
structors, nearly 91S,OOO pupils, and
moro than 10000 library books. 1t
issues nearly $500 publications, be.
sides monthly circulation Of nearly
100000 numbers Of its periodicals.
lis Missionary Society has l, ,O59
circuits and stations, LIS paid labor
crs. and 105, 5,675 COMMUNICATES,
The Methodist Episcopal Church
has published DO statistics
since the rebellion broke out; it has
doubtless suffered much by the war;
but, it reported, the last year before
the reDelllOn, nearly lVuVVV cnurcn
members, nearly $500 itinerant and
5 600 local members 1t had II perio-
dical publications, II colleges and ~
academies, with 5000 students. Its
Society sustained, at homo
and abroad, about $50 missionaries,
and s manual labor schools, with near
ly 500 pupils.
According to these figures the two
great Episcopal divisions Of this de-
nomination have had, at their latest
reports, I,62S, $50 members; 9421 ira
Yelling and 13, ,205 local preachers with
19l colleges and academies and 81, JOG
students. rs .,. ,..., ..,.g
Aggregately there are now in the
United States and Canada, as the re-
suits of the Methodism Of 1865, 1922
no church members, 1880 travelling
preachers. 10, 900 local preachers, near
iy 200 colleges and acadmies, and moro
than so periodical publications 1885,
42O COMMITMENTS, including preach
ers, and nearly s,OOO,OCO people,