Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-08-30
THE PROGRESS OF PROTEST
ANE7SH


the times is the willingness of Protes-
tant editors to foster the sentiment that
Professionalism is losing ground in the
United States. We took OCCASION a few
weeks ago to enter protest against the
animus of paper in Serf5ner's MoathLy,
which we regarded eminently unjust
and unintelligent. More offensive still
haye been the recent utterances Of the
New York Daily Times, which appears
to have fallen into the embraces of some
one with an enormous genius for not
seeing what he ought to see and for be-
lieving without evidence. Happily for
the many readers of that generally we'll
Informed Journal, one of its own cores
pondents comes to the editors relief. by
furnishing an array of facts and figures
which put to flight the editors idea that
Protestantism is on the decline. The
Rev. Lewis r. Dunn has made a compi-
lation of statistics which are useful not
only to meet the loose and ignorant re-
flections of the enemies of the truth, but
to strengthen the faith of those who
may have supposed that Romanism was
indeed gaining upon Professionalism in
this country. Mr.. Dunn says:
s'In 1860 the population of the United
States was 81 ,443, ,321. At that period
the Protestant churches, including all
denominations, numbered 81, 900, and
furnished accommodations for 19,127,-
| 751 persons, and the total valuation of
| church property was $17l 1897 1882. This
| was all actual increase for the past de-
e-1S5O-1S60-of II, ,948 churches, of
accommodation for 1888, ,926 persons,
and of valuation to the amount of $50
969, ,13l. Is there any evidence of de-
cline up to 1860?
! elbow is it then during the ktst de-
4 cade, 1860 and 1870? If there has been
decline, it has taken place during tla;
period. Upon examination we shall
find the facts and figures equally Ell
couraging. In 1870 there were y. As
church Organizations, 63,OS2 church ed.
ifices, with accommodations for 81 &c.,
O62 persons, and Il total valuation OF
church property amounting to 1854 ,4S3, !
i 5SI. Thus we see, that while the popu
lation increased during the last decade
1 to 80, ,55S, 81, the churches increased il
number to 63, ,Os2, and furnished accom-
modations for q ,6G5, ,062.or for nearly
ltwo-thirds of the entire population; witt
their valuation increased to the large
sum of three hundred and fifty-four anl
a half million dollars. The deca(lal in.
crease was in churches, 9.0S2, or abou
three for every working day of the pc
riod. The increase in accommodation
Twas ,537 ,311, while the valuation of th.
church property was increased $1S3, ,085,
$40. So far, then, as material prosper
lty is concerned, instead of there beins
any decline in Professionalism, there is
steady, healthy, and vigorous growth.
'.How is it then with the membership
of the Protestant churches? Is there
. any decline in their numbers? !? In 1856
1.-THE communicates in the different Prot
llestant churches numbered about $3.50,
1000. In 1870 the numbered 6,240 900
an increase of 500, 900 in round nun
ibers, or 150, 900 communicates for eacl
Iiyear. If we reckon, as is usual, thre
persons for each communicate, as at
tached in some form to our churches
} there arc about 20,O0O,00O Of nomina
J, Protestants in this country.
II "And this increase, too, was durin;
! che period in which our fearful civi
war was raging, and our Protestan
churches sent forth hundreds of thou
sands ofatheir young men to battle fo
1.-THE rights and institutions of our coun
ltrv.e AT n low estimate, we think tn
Protestant churches lost a hundred thou
, sand men in that struggle. Thus we Sc
! that. instead of any decline i'll the las
tdeeade, the increase in every interest il
c 1.-THE church-in material wealth, il
! churches, in accommodations, and il
| numhers-has been most gratifying.
''.To this must be added the fact that
during the period now under consider
: ton, more money has been contribute
: by Protestants for educational purposes
! building. endowments, etc., than dul
/ ing any other decade in their history
In fact, if all the figures were at han(
81 we think we should be safe in sayin
that more has been done in that tim
: than in the fifty years preceding. A
S the same time the contributions fo
1 Foreign and Home Missions, for th
American Bible Society, and other il
: stitutions, have advanced in the aggrt
gate full thirty per cent. During I'll
: past year alone, five denominations col
: tributed $2S,911 ,34l, which was an a'
e erage of S14 per member. Doubtle
the other churches. could we avail oul
:; selves of their benevolent statistic
l would show an equally gratifying T.
sult,i which would swell the sum tot;
of contributions for current and bene,
/ olent purposes to more than $50, 600
e O0O.''
These are few of the figures fu
e nished by Mr.. Dunn to the Times, al
r it will puzzle wise man to tell why q
5 intelligent writer knowing the fac
7 should contend that Professionalism is q
eli ming, OF being honest and ignorant
e the facts should speak confidently {
( the sub ject.
In Savannah, Ga, women are en-
: ployed as horse-car conductors, ar