Litchfield enquirer., 1866-01-25
HENRY MINORla , as;,...,
 P, s. BEEBE Committee. c. B.cMALTBIB %< .es a'a9
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M ct hodisua in America


 In the fall of the year i76s, Methodist To. cal preacher named Philip Embury, under the strong solicitation of Mrs. Barbara Heck, a pious woman, preached sermon at his house in New York, and enrolled five persons in a class This was the beginning of Nethedism in America. For a few years the devoted apos- ties of Wesley struggled against poverty, preju' dice and persecution, until at last, through theii iindefatigable and heroic efforts, the cause be gan to spread through New York, New Jersey Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Nortt Carolina, along what was then our frontier, and into the British Provinces. In 17s9, the pio- neer, Jesse Lee, formed the first @fclass' iir New England. From this small beginning, within a century, the NJ E Church has grown t include in its congregations more than one fifth of the whole population of our country.
 This centenary year of the denomination wit: nesses in the United States alone, an aggregate membership of 1,62S,sss, e,42l travelling and l3.205 local preachers, and calculating three
 al Ha=EH . a-E- . -- members of it's congregations to every commu nicant; Ia moderate calculation, when we con sider the stringent terms of membersbip,) about 100000 persons who attend its churches This in the Methodist Episcopal Church alone Adding the other branches of Metbodism there must be now in the United States, nearly 100000 members and F, ,0oO travelil preach ae CTS. The strength ofthe Methodist Episcopal Church in 1850, compared with that of the Baptist, Congregational, Episcopalian and Presbyterian combined. was in the Middle States, hres-quarters, in the Western States, just about equal, in the Southern States con siderably in excess; and even in New England it was gaining upon the established denomiua- tions.
 The educational interests of the Church are equally magnificent. There are seyenty-ssyen academies, with seventeen thousand seven hun dred and sixty one students, (ten thousand four hundred and sixty-two. of whom are females,) ard five hundred and afty7six instructors The Southern Church before the, war reported twelve colleges, vaeyenty-seven academies, and eight thousand students, making an aggregate for both bodies of one hundred and ninety-one institutions and thi.ty-one thousand one hun. dred and six students.s ... se n..n ,o
 It may not be generally known that the Sun day School originated in this church, A young Methodist named Hannah Bali, established a Sunday School,iu Wycsmbe. England, iul 7ss; and twelve years attesward another young NO, man of this sect suggested the idea to Robert kalkes' who is coasidesed the founder of this institution. This; church. has, now l3. 400 schools, nearly 9ls.00o acholars, ls,ooo .of whom are reported as converted within the last year, The sfbrarisslof these schoohp contain 2,s2s, 900 volumes. and lthes.are maiptained ., the expense of iS2ls, ,00es siaps. xsI asT las, Its Missionary Society disbursed slas. yea, nearly $5so.0oo in support ofs sl,o5s circuit. and stations. and l,l2s paid rlaborers for tbs benefit of $l05, ,sTS communieants. .ass ss qAsf'i
 IutS Y6tkC euo CuuLVu CctcUF6GeS US ce0CeubrV and it is expected that Ut least a million q q dollars. beside the usual contributions, win 'bt raised, to be devoted to educational, biblica and missionary purposes. ,..m s.. t....
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 Sa Rev, John Kesley of Waterbury, uhe is agent for the National Freedmen Relic Association, . branch of the American Freed nen's Aid Commission, is canvassing thi, County for contributions. He has prsseptei the cause already in . few churches with goo' success, and ws recommend him to spasrioti' people. The Association 'thatshs representa- ! worthy Fall confidence. aad the needs of th. freedmen just sow are pressing. Mir. Kerle! expects to attend some our churches in Litch neid next Sabbath, and. appeal to tha generosi ty of our citizenscr1 r1 SC srs ss3sss pH4 I 21oS 2es ..ss 2s2sa& AT
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