Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-11-27
sIethodism in 1he. uni.ed stntes.

NAeAhOuLShm IN tucf 0AAAcO DAhlSbs
The centenary yorhundredth year jubilee
of MethodiSm in the United States is near
ly ended. The Methodist denomination
claims 10000 churches, and during the CEN
tenary festival it Is supposed that at least.
one meeting has beenheld in every church
edifice. In this city the pumber of centen
airy meetings has Been Very large, though
1t is not known what the aggregate eollec-
tiohs made during the time would amount
to. 1t isestimated, however, that fully five
millions of dollars have been raised for
educational and building purposes throughv
out the country, 'dn"7 10 sia lF So
Methodism was introduced into the
United States ten years before the Deolara-
ton of Independence, and it is claimed to
have had its. origin I'M England with the
"Holy Club," which fnetin Oxford for the
purpose of studying, the Greek Scriptures,
the classics and theology IN New York
city it originated with a class, of four per-
sons only, but Of the opposite attachments.
They were foufIPalatinesi from the North
Of Ireland, residing in basement in Bar
rack street, now City Hall place. Here
was he9iirst sermon pIeaehed and the,
society formed ina Ooteber, l7G6. Philip
Embury, Mrs BaTbaEy, Hesk and old Caps
tain Webb, an officer OF the British army,
soon managed 10 erettsa church ediHee in
John nstreet,. on thesife Of thepresent j ohm
street church., 1t then had chimney and
fireplace in il, SO as to evade the difficulties
of the law. Robert Williams, the first OF
WesIey's missionaries to this country, 1t is
said, only possessed means enough in Liv-
erpool to purchase bottle of milk. and, a
few crackers for the journey. Fortunately,
however, there was an old friend on board,
who took care of him during the voyage.
From this humble beginning the .deuomin-
alton has gone on step by tepuntilnowitiu-,
cludes millions. AT present there are eight
branches Of Methodists besides those of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. Allot these
left the parent body except the Pgimitiyes,
who descended from the Primilives, o
England, and the Evangelical MethodiSts,
who originated with Jacob Albright,
among the Germans In the West. naAllthese
branchesiap about equal in humber to the
parent body The latter in its ministry
numbers l6,17S and the former 1868, max :
ing the total number of MethodisthiiNlstGfsi
1884, according to- aTecently published
statement. The same authority, gives the
reported numbers Methodist members at
the ciose'of the frat century asl929 259,l bat
a more recent statement from the proof
sheets of the general minutes of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church places the total
number to date at l,032, 1884,. This isiof the
parent body The other eight, branches,
number inthe aggregate $50 G04, making a
total Of eyer tW!om1illi9ns Sf AL denomina- I
tions of Methodists. -"7 q % SsN -
The general minutes of the parent body,
as Just giVeniu utheproof-sheets,i also show
that therejare g. conferences of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church-an increase OF 4
over the previous year; and the bishops.
attheir recent session, made provision Tor
the organization of threesnewl ones. maxi
ing total for the, yearn 1857 of 67-ap In
crease over 1865 of T. In these the preach
ers are 1876, ana local preachers S,602. TRe'
total contributions for benevolent purposes
during the year were. $929, ,2M .S4--an i'm.
Churches III 462, valued Al SO, 594 4,OC4 :nunTEri
ber OF parsonages 81 8l4, valued lat R4e0ysI
058! and Sunday schools Tl4,0i5I with l6a,-n
1911 officers and teachers, and 9S0, ,622 sehol-i
ars--an increase of the latter Of .4S,S9S dur
iny the year. In the Baltimore Conference
there are l02 preachers, anu S2local preach /
ePs, with 14047 memberss-an increasen of
3l7; inu the East Baltimore Conlerenee,
pa preachers, $50 local preachers, with So
O02 members-an increase OF $3.50; In the
Washington Conference, 40 preachers, 81 4
local preachers, with s132l2 members-an
i1crease Off, ,7O4: ia the Delaware E6fiferl
ence, 36 preachers, 103 local preachers, with
B129 menfbers-an Increase Sf 1,298tt and
In the West Virginia o GonfereneeIo l02
preachers 40 local preachers, with 10, ,152
members ian increase Of 4099. Kentucky,
Missotrf and Arkansas are the only other
Southern States embraced in this Organiza-dl
ton (the Methodisbii Episcopal CHURCH,
South being separate -. though there is q
mission in both, Mississippi and Sonth !