The New York herald., 1871-02-12
Anniversary Outlook.

Wlthln very few weeks hence anniversary
time will be upon us, when all those religious
and benevolent associations and clerical
bodies will gather in our city to discuss the
interests of the Church of Christ in their
respective spheres. This ancient and honor
able custom has of late fallen greatly into dis
favor among the Oldest associations, since the
occasion has been availed of by the gathering
together of other bodies of well-meaning but
mistaken people to discuss impracticable pro-
positions and schemes only remotely con-
nected, if at all, with Christianity. Graver
questions than ever before presented them
selves to any considerable body of American
Christians will come up before the mission,
Bible and tract societies of the different
churches and denominations. The very favor
able condition Of the world at present, as 1t
appears to the American Church, and the
high and respected position which this Church
and nation maintain toward all other nations,
Christian and heather, call for greater mis-
sionary efforts than have ever been put forth.
The events which have transpired in Europe
during the past and present years are deemed
by most of the Protestant denominations in
this city and country to be Divine calls to duty
and diligence. Already the Methodist Church
has enlarged its mission field for 1871, and
has taken in Italy, Spain, Mexico and >por-
tions of South America, besides attend
ing to its home missions and foreign
stations in India, China, Africa and
Central and Southeastern Europe. The
''Chinese question" has taken very practical
shape for this denomination. It has built a
Chinese mission house in San Francisco,
aided largely by Chinese residents there; and
recently the Foo Chow Methodist Conference
sent native missionary, with his wife, over to
California to help his American brethren there
to convert the ''heathen Chinee." His arrivalin
San Francisco has been announced in the rcli-
gious press of that city.
The Presbyterians have not fully realized
the marriage consummated between the Old
and New School bodies last year, and their five
million fund for educational, church extension
and home mission purposes has not yet been
subscribed. The interest in it, too, seems to
flag, and now, within three months Of the time
limited for the ingathering of the whole
amount, there are two millions lacking This
is not the best that might and ought to be
done by the denomination, which, now
united, numbers 446, SCI members, and 4, ,238
ministers, connected with 259 presbyteries.
The average tax per member is but a fraction
over eleven dollars to realize the whole
the May anniversaries. Until it is assured
the denomination cannot extend its mission
work as it would like, and as its members and
prominence seem to indicate 1t should 1t,
however, did nobly last year in giving $695, l21
to its foreign and domestic mission work.
The Baptists feel the missionary spirit upon
them also, and their ecclesiastical bodies will
be called upon to devise means whereby they
may Ego up and possess the lands" The de-
nomination in this city is perhaps at present
more largely interested in Church extension
than in any other Christian work. Owing to
the congregational independence of each indi-
vidual church and their responsibility to
any other, there is lack of unity OF
purpose and Of effort in all their UNDER
takings. This defect is sought to be removed
by union not only of the Baptist churches
in this city, but in the State and the New
England States, SO that they can render
common aid to each other and work the better
together for the common end Similar unions
will doubtless be formed also in the Middle,
Western and Northwestern States. The Bap-
fists maintain missions in heather lands as
well as at home. The denomination, of every
shade Of opinion and form, numbers in the
United States 1,563, $50 members, over whom
are stationed 1853 ministers, connected with
783 associations.
The Protestant Episcopal Church regards
home missions with much more favor than
foreign, though it also maintains some of the
former. 1t has in this country thirty-nin
dioceses and fifty-one bishops, 2,512 parishes
and 2,762 clergymen, and 100000 communi-
cants. The Reformed Dutch and the Protestant
Episcopal are the only evangelical Protestant
denominations in the United States who
have more ministers than churches. The
Methodists have but 8, 1872 ordained preachers
for 1888 churches; the Presbyterians, 4,238
ministers for 4, ,526 churches, and the Baptists,
9,553 ministers to 1S,605 churches. 1t will be
seen that the Baptists build churches twice as
fast as they can supply the pulpits, and in this
respect they are ahead of every other denomi-
nation in the United States These figures,
however, embrace all of every name in this
country who call themselves Baptists, whereas
the Presbyterian and Methodist figures do not
embrace the several branches of those denomi-
nations.
The Ep;scopalians have already held their
Diocesan Convention here, but in the spring
their missionary and other societies will meet.
The Trennial Convention will assemble in
Baltimore in May. The Baptist Home Mis-
aionaru Snciatx will also assemble hnra and