The New York herald., 1873-09-16
ADVANCE OF MElHODISM.

Or. Brown on the Relative Decline or
Growth Of Meth otiism in New York.
Figures that Show PrcSress---Au In
tcsesting Discussion TO Be Contin ued
Until the Subject il Exhausted.
Some weeks ago, before the summer vacation,
the Methodist ministers began discussion of the
comparative growth Of Methodism in New York
and bI2oklyn within period OF ten or fifteen
years. The question changed during the discus
sions that subsequently, took place, and its scope
was greatly enlarged. 1t became not a question
OF grow tn, but OF Decline and on the assumption
OF decline several tabes Of statistics have since
been published in the religious papers OF the city
to confirm the hypothesis. The scope of the dis.
cussion took IN only the statistics for ten or
fifteen years; but from the very organization Of
Methodism liz America, through the several de-
cades and sem!decades, rom 1868 to 1870, anu par
TALLY Gown to 1S73 the growth Tor declenson) OF
Methodism was shown by a comparison with the
growth OF other denominations, and its decline by
this standard seemed to te unmis akable. Its
ratio Of increase was then compared with the ratio
of increase in population, and it was shown to be
amentablY behind. But there were some who did
not believe In the decension of Methodism at all.
Others were ready to concede its decline in New
York and Brooklyn but they world account for it
BY the transfer OF city people to the towns and vii
These views led to an examination Of the statistics
within this circle and the results were very credit
able 10 Methodism, But the
OTHER DENOMINATIONS OBJECT
to these statistics, and in several instances they
have been corrected 1t fell to the lot of Or. s. d.
BrowD, Presiding Elder Of the New York District
OF the New York Conference, to make further cor
rections OF the statistical tables yesterday. His
figures did not, however, materially controvert
those already published, and the increase which
he claimed for Methodlsm in New York city, 10
which his statistics mainly applied, mas been made
cal tables printed closed. Still his ngures were OF
great value to the discussion.
The doctor showed that since 1888 nine new
Methodist Episcopal churches have been built on
the west side OF the city and five on the east side,
showing an increase OF twelve in the city. And
the churches are very much larger ana snow a
seating capacity OF double what the Ola ones nad;
churches In the city in 1885, as stated IN one OF the
published tables. There were or Methodist
churches in the city, IN io6 ~ IN lScS "a IN lsIo,
street church. purchased during the present year.
This shows an increase of 10 churches instead Oh
decline Twenty-siX Of these are In the New YORK
Conference, 10 In the New YORK last conference
and are German, Perry street. Thirty-hfth street,
near Tenth avenue, st. Marks, Ihirty-hlh street,
near Sixth avenue; 81. Lukes, Forty.first street,
near sixth avenue Grace i9tn ,h s5eSe aha mas
ence; and Cornell Memorial Seventy-sXth street,
sixty first street, 10th street and Eleventh street
churches in the New YORK last Conference nave
all been added since 1865. 1t Is true that some OF
CHURCHES ARE HEAVILY IN DEBT.
But they were equally 20 in 1885. st. Paurs mad
q debt of $75OOO the Central church had debt OF
100000 and Others were similarly placed. But
these debts have been removed, while by enlarge-
ments and ilupr0N eulents otaer debts may nave