The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-01-30
FROM THE NORTHERN STATES.

IL
Coming Bacl. "A correspondent of the 81.
Louis and LOUISVILLE AdUOcdte writing from
Kentucky, says: ''Our colored members have
for more than year been in very unsettled
condition. There are three distinct parties in
the field who wish to proselyte them, and II
not to ''glory in their flesh, at least TO glory
in the number Of their names. Their. old
friends, the Baptists, still invite them down
into the water The Zion and Bethel Black
Methodist Churches each claim, and the great
Methodist Episcopal Church of the North is
making mighty efforts to obtain permission to
count their names Several congregations
have changed their Church relations two or
three times, and are back again under the care
of their best frIends-the ministry and men,
bership of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South If we properly carry into execution
our Confederate resolutions believe large
majority of our colored members will finally
settle down in the happy enjoyment OF their
privileges and rights as members OF our
Church.
Presbyterian Unioa.-A convention met in
Pittsburg on the 18th instant, to consider the
subject of the union of the Presbyterian
churches of this country. 1t was assembled
upon tho invitation Of an influential Pres
bytery Of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.
quarter from which such move would have
been least expected, and where the tenacious,
nAexibe spirit Of the old Covenanters might
rather be looked for The Convention was
not largely attended, and chiefly by those
close around Pittsburg Among the persons
present from the Old School Presbyterian
Church, were Drs. Beatty, Howard, A. A.
Hodge, Marshall, Jacobus; United IpesJyte-
riian Church, Drs. Easton and Gracey; Re
formed Presbyterian Church, Drs. Douglass
and Scott, with a number of ruling elders.
DR.. Beatty presided.
The Presbyterian gives substance of what
was done thus:
"The only business transacted was the re-
affirmation OF the principles contained in the
call issued for the meeting of the convention
by the Reformed Presbytery of Pittsburg.
This was as far as the meeting could go, and
quite as far as it was desirable that it should
90. The discussions did not partake Of the
character eff debates, for all seemed TO be Of
one mind, but they very clearly revealed tie
views Of all parties, which were that an organic
union of the divided sections of Presbyterian
ism was possible, and should be steadily aimed
at until it was accomplished Provision was
made for another meeting of the convention at
an early date, and the good work so happily
commenced is to be carried on, we. hope with
out abatement of interest, to a point where
the long -divided churches of the Presbyterian
faith and order in this land will be found one
so thoroughly one, that they shall not again be
separated" -
Unirersalsm IN BoSton-For many years,
indeed since Universalism had a name, Boston
has been its headquarters and the seat Of its
strength Here Ballou, Deane. and Streeter,
as well as Murray, the founder of the order,
hourished. 1t had its day, and then began a
decline that has affected all the societies of its
name in all New England. The society of fifty
years standing in Portland has disbanded and
no organization arises to take its place. In
Boston the old Murray society, the mother of
them all, has gone down, and the house is &C
cupied for Baptist Bethel The church of
Mr. Deane, who was Mr.. Murray's colleague,
has passed into other hands, and the society
has ceased to exist And below Dover street,
which embraces all of Boston proper, as it ex-
of this Sect though at one time it numbered
five. = alu
! CONGREGATIONAL Statistics. The whole num-
Der of Congregational churches within the
bounds Of the United States, as this year re-
Canada and the Provinces there arc 100
churches There is therefore total on this
Western Continent of 1000 churches
OF these churches 343 are in Maine, 1873 in
New Hampshire, 19l in Vermont, 403 in Mas
tsachrssttx % in Rhode Island, 2S6 in Con
necticut, 222 in New York, los in Ohio, "a in
Indiana, 222 in Illinois, $50 in Michigan 1853
in Wisconsin, l66 in Iowa, Coin Pennsylvania,
90 in Canada, and the rest are scattered in
smaller numbers through various States, Ter
ritories and British Provinces Missouri has
90 of these afle
4 The total number of Congregational minis
tiers in the United States is given this year as
29l9, against 2, 76l last year. In Canada and
the Provinces there are 90 this year. and Sc
last year, so that the whole number is 3,0O9
the present year, and 2,SSS last year. Ofthese
only S62 are reported as settled pastors, while
9l2 are acting pastors or stated supplies, and
236 are either pastors or stated supplies OF
the rest s79 are not engaged in the pastoral
work. Very many of these are professors in
colleges and theological schools, or teachers in
| academies and private schools.
The total membership in the churches with
in the bounds of the United States is 267, asa
against 263, 296 last year. Adding the men,
bership in Canada and the Provinces and it
stands 272, 975 this, and PCS, 062 last year.
i In the matter of benevolent contributions
the whole sum returned is Sl,024, 720 Sc. OF
this sum Massachusetts gave 1922 90;
Connecticut, $257,164 co; New York, $685.
100; Maine, $4,000; New Hampshire, A.
COS; Ohio, Sal, 1896; Vermont, S3S. 5S3 62,
and from other States smaller sums varying
from s25, 900 downward. The whole sum Civ
en- in charity in all the States and Territories
would not probably fall far short of 81 $780,
f000. 12h4ifiH o fl1tt4a l3
/ Unita rian Bishops "a Committee on
Christian Unions, consisting of James Free
man Clarke, Hon. John G.. Palfrey, and Rev
Eli Fay, in report to the American Unitarian
Methodist Circuit system. The Committee
says: Our plan contemplates briefly this
change. Instead of having minister in every
church, as now, let us have minister presid-
ing over several churches In other words, let
us return to the origin of the cpiscopate, in
from among themselves, who were not clergy
men but laymen; and one presiding oyerseer,
who had the charge Of several churches"
On the Lcrease.-Rev. Theron Baldwin,
Secretary of the Western College Association,
recently reported that within the last FIVE years
the requests and donations to American instr
buttons of learning have amounted to the large
sum of Sece, millions Of dollars, and that the
sum contributed last year was t,oo millions of
dollars-being considerably more than ever
before.F oi afT.t
The Pacific says that Rev. Dr. Wadsworth
has finally decided to remain in San Francisco,
notwithstanding the urgent call he has had to
go East. g.
Recantation Mr.. Reidel publishes
letter in the Christian Mtelligeacer, New
York. from which it appearst that he abandoned
the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of
America for the purpose of Joining the Roman