Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-01-04

start OF this sect in a company OF card play
ers, with its fist little congregation, and
its worship in rigging loft on Horse and
| Cart lane. Nothing can he more marvel
Gus than the growth Of this Church. The
children poor preachers and poor hearers
by tact and enterprise have become the
wealthy men and women Of the land. Many
heard the Gospel from faithful lips when
in sin, or were counted among the lowly
ones Of earth. They found religion no less
an aid to their temporal than their spiritual
interest. There are many OF them in com.
manding positions They have not forgot.
ten the church Of their fathers, and have
resolved to make II great power in the
land. Churches of white marble and brown
stone. with elegnnt adornments; with fresco
paintings and sculpture; with costly organs,
and all the elegant appliances Of modern
worship as well as humber churches, suit.
ed to varied locations, stand in the city. -
Leading men in all professions and callings
are members of this body. Bankers, mil
lonaires, merchant princes, as well as pro-
fessional men, adorn its ranks Its property
in America, in churches and parsonages,
! amounts to nearly $50, 900, 600. Its pro-
perty IN colleges and schools amounts to over
$3,000,000. It's Sunday Schools Union
comprisesl3 400 schools, more than 10000
teachers, nearly 9lS 900 pupils. more than
100000. library books, nearly $50 publica-
tions with a circulation Of nearly 300 900
monthly. II has over 928, 800 commuui-
cants; nearly 1000 itinerant ministers; over
5000 thousand local ministers, and over TO-
600 churches. Its missionary society has
l,059 circuits and stations, l., 12S paid labor
ers, l05,675 communicates, and expended
the last year over 5000, 000-and will spend
81 100000 '
THE BOOK CONCERN
This great Concern is one of the best
managed establishments in the land. 1t is
not. only the duty of every Methodist to
trade with the Concern and to aid the de-
nomination, to whom all its profits are de-
voted, but it is made the interest of all to
do so. 1t is no uncommon thing for other
denominations to buy whole edition of the
Methoaist-House and have their own i'm
print put on the le.page The Presbyte-
rams and the Congregationalists have a
publishing house of their own, bur they get
better books and cheaper in Mulberry-st.,
and both of these denominations, and 9th.
ers, often have their supply from this Con-
cern, the title bearing the name of the
Church to whom the sale is made
The Book Connorn was started in 1889,
under the agency of a preacher stationed in
Philadelphia, and on borrowed capital of
5000 1t changed its headquarters from
Philadelphia to New-Nork. and from one
street to another, until 1888, when it reach
ed its present location 1t has now capi-
tai of SS37,000. Its total profits since 1886
amounted in 1860 to the full sum of$l, lii
5S4 CO. All these profits have been divided
among the church interests. The Bishops
salaries apd expenses have also been paid,
amounting to over $3.50, 900.
Probably no Sunday, School books in the
world equal those published by the Book
Concern, A good hook we'll written. i,
libera'lv pail for. The question asked is
not "Who are you, and to what sect dc
vnu belong; but is your book good one u
Such liberal spirit commands the best
talent in the land. The business of this
concern is over 81, 600 600 year.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CENTENARY.
Religious services and liberal contributions
ara to mark the year 1866, from the first
Sunday in January to the last Sunday in
October. Liberal contributions are TO be
made for confessional" purposes and for
local societies. Over 81 00O 900 of money
are required, and will be paid in. The first
donation has already been made. 1t is i'm
perlal in its character. 1t has given the
keynote to the denomination. Daniel
Drew. of this city, has subscribed the sum
OF $3.50 900, besi les which he proposes to
erect, on bis snlendid estate on the Hudson
River, a magnificent Theological Seminary,
which shall cost not less thsn halfa mil
lion. A million nf money, in addition, is to
he raised Tor the missionary cause this year.
| Sunday Sche-l cole tons are to he taken
| nh, l,.at Il nn. Il
lects five will he entitled to a medal prepar
ed for the occasion.
WHAT Is To BE DONE WITH THE MONEY.
Church dohts are to be paid and mcmori
Al churches reared The Universities and
colleges oftho church are to be freed from
embarrassment, enlarged and endowed -
! The Theologicnl School at Concord is go ba
brought TO the vicinity of Boston and com
! nodinus buildings erected worthy of he
cause and denomination. Ii is proposed tt
| fund n portioRpf Ihe Ceatenial collection. =
| To this strong 7ob biections are made by many
Of the leading men Of thu church. Fund,
are considered dangerous inheritance tC
coming generations. IA far as history
teaches they are bsne and not a blessing
| All the Presbyterian churches that existed
i'll England, in the time Of Cromwell, are IL
the hands of SooiDians who live on the
I funds. n The Puritsas made liberal prosis
ions for the church They founded Har
] card College, established Theologica
School, and left Che Parishes rich in.sund.
i'll which we're taken from these chilirei
and used to sustain the faith that the Puri
tsns believed to be not Of God Anothe
iplan-in-tead of investing the money il
fnnds-is to rear large denominations
fhuiiding in the City of New York. Th
Book Concern have not room to do thei
work. It can Sustain itself and make larG
donations to benevolent sncisties of tn
clutch. but it cannet build house. Ii i
the only financial institution belonging t
The Conference. Such building would no
j only be sufficient for the use of the Boo
Concern, and answer the want ofis immens
business, but would bring all 1.-The benevolen
societies of the church undep one roof, on,
be grand and perpetual memorial of tn
Centenary Of American Methedism.
FINALE. a..
9 yh The Centenary of this Church will mar
the year 1866. With undimmsd power
, with numbers almost untold, and wit
resources that the wealthiest churche
among us might envy, it enters on its se'
DAD century. 1t still illustrates the mott
: ofits founder. "Al ut it, and always 9
D it," 1t has given thAworld the creates
II pulpit orator in Whiteksld-the greatest {
! religions legislators in John Wesley, and