The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-29
RElGloUs REVIEWS OF THE PAST YEAR.


Most Of our religious contemporaries this week
have timely reviews OF religious progress during
the past year, with their own peculiar reflections
The Euangelist (Presbyterian), after recording
the reaching Of another milestone" marking the
distance which lies between life and the grave,
observes:
Amid I'll that Is dark and dscousging In tho moral
aspect Of our couny and OF the world hare are many
sgns of progress One great token OF good do we lind
IN the growing tendency to union In the Church The
past year has movement in tho Presbyterian
Church such expected 70 witness. and the
year % como tat union completed, IL will be the
sost memorabs year in the history Of tho Presby-
sseian Church In America These things comfort our
hsars - We look forward to another year, and think
that many of who Sc It's beginning Will nos live 70
go ~ end
The Independent (Congregationalist) asks -
What has be ths years bis;orys IL can never be
written nation's annals OF thousand years arc COM
passed with thousand pages. How little Is told by
Historians; how mach remains untold Hero and there
great battle here and there new born State; hero
quenched ike ruis " the substance OF that dig
ained literature ~hch most men call history, but which
hscauiay, the greatest Of historians called - nurses
tAis."
The Congregational gives the following com.
prchensive retrospect of the past year:
Tnc year now ng q close leaves interesting
religious record. In country the additions
she churches have Dcen larger than in any since
u6eo In the Congres OF
bhe increase double she average; and tine
appears to have been the in the West and
The Pacific The Methodists have developed an unex-
snplsd energy 10 great centenary conr button,
which has reached 81 WITH twenty -four Confer
lsrisns : new zeal as beon kindled in the cause Of
Missions and fifteen young have gone 10 preach the
Gospel TO Tho heather. Presbytery Of nearly thirty
churches and two thousand has also been
established Among the freedmen. the movement for
Me reunion Of the Od and New school Assemblies.
which had seemed VI doubtful Issue. has suddeny
taken . new form, promising 10 result 10 fusion Of
aeariy Ill the dsnomusston having the Presbyterian
pohty. The Bap,iss have been enlarging their home
average rate Of over $4,000 year They have sus-
s.sa nssriy nv preachers Of foreign birth ~ sais
Tsshisrion. they Is,sss,n siiy MINISTERS among the
Ave founded ,Ssoias,ca ssminary near Hsrvsrd Un.
vsrsty. Twenty-cisht bishops have published pro-
nakinz strenuous efforts among the blacks At the
seuths devo.ing hundreds Of thousands Of dollars TO
oiled the superintendent Of The congregational Sunday
chooi recently established ct Salt Lake City, and
aiicua governments ss delays 10 make u safe for the
astor Of The church The I" Free Regionissr
acid meeting 10 Boston last May, and organized them
ssvss into anti-Chrstian sec under the Presidency
no. h. Frothngham, Of New York fhe Ameri-
Homo Missionary society appropriated $4,000
moro than tho preceding year: aided twenty-eght
h oonseaons and 800 10 ts noss Of sunday school
children; zed eght churches and brought i've to
scendluon Of se.I.suppore TIC American Missionary
the people. Probably no benevolent society has over
sxpsrsnced rapid an enlargement Of ~ resources
n ne last year app orriaed 43s2, 100, and
lanod 5e5 missionaries and teachers. OF whom 52s
iabosed among the freedmen Three companies o. mis-
scenarios o. the American Board sailed In August for
India and Cnna aud fourth In October. The Board ~
entering with noble zea upon greatly enlarged enter
Prs for the srsion Of tho vast populations OF tho
Cbnsse empire Bnt among AL the Efforts Of the
churches during tho past year acme s more Ggnih.
caat or fundamental than that FOR homo evangelza-
uon, IN organized and deliberate endeayor 70 develop
che wb0ie force Of the churches IN Systematic and COM
bnsd Iabors In behalf Of al sous. In massachu-
sefts this work steadily and soidiy advancing
In Ccnnocticut, Stale conference has just been
organized, aud viii greatly further the effort now
spirit OF activity has shown ssl In Young Mems Chris
tian Associations IN cities and largo Early In tho
year than fIy Christian conventions Of the lead
ing evangelical Determinations held In Massachu-
sslsa Outdoor preaching has been prActiced with
csxs In Lowell, Brooklyn and other places On the
whole, In religious mattsrB, this has been good year
for America. Turning 70 look abroad matters Of varied
Interest moet eye Prussia has been rapidly organ
king and securing the fruits OF her great victory winch
had 20 unexpectedly shattered the last Of
the Papa throne. The gathering ~ Rome undoubtedly
brought together great pames and bad sccompanments
of rsre csrcmony but u more rs-N Siscsuco than
reality England, too has had her little sall the
word'f In conclave, and gathered her "Pnn AnGosn."
afser true Romsb style, within barred doors The re-
sut--words Oxford sang 'song Of degrees" TO the
sr1 bshope from the sen, preached
go disssrs sasn bat great questions wore stunned