New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-18
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH NOT DECAYING.
HER GROWTH MORE RAPID THAN THAT or TIE
POPULATION.
TO the Edftor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The Rev. DR.. II. NJ. Thompson, rector
OF Chist Church. has recently made statement which
has been published. that tho growth Of tic Episcopal
Church during periods OF its career in this country
has fallen behind the growth OF the population. These
TWO periods it would SEEM are, 1rst the time OF the
Tractarian excitement, and secondly, the ten years
now closed in which the Catholic movement has boon IN
progress It would by necessarily follow that
the case be depl0red even did the facts stand as
my reverend brother states. For there may DO a
healthy, and there might possibly be an unhealthy and
very undesirable growth. Should the Church, Tor
Instance, open shcr doors to let IN nun
dreds aud thousands who, though very excellent
peoplc and having perfect right their opinions out
side the Church. would after all remain flndamentlIV
Presbyteridns or COngre gdtOnasts VINO would make
light Of her ministry her sacrhncntS, ana PORTIONS u
her faith; who would be disincined 10 lie is,iHc ed III
her ways ana who would stand within her as perpetual
rebels; who In short would merely serve 10 swell tue
numbers in her confirmation classes; think M rev
crend brother would himself be inclined TO ADMIT that
m increase made up of such material would be very
undesirable growth. and t1at decline in the raO OF
growth might be healthy indication that her pastors
had determined present one for confirmation VINO
did not accept in intention II not IN .act anu was no
wiling TO hold implicitly and. az sooa "a informed e1
mildly also, the sturdy and uncompromisiDg
urpeples of the Church and Der doc
trines as set down il the prayer-book
But however this may be- the question whether TIC
Episcopal Church is from any cause, decaJnS or lag
ptnC behind the increase of the population, lies 100
closely TO every churchman's heart 20 warrant our
ta.ing our reverend friends statement for g.Antrd
without Investigation have been 1t some pains dur
ing the past week ~ getting together tle iacs; ana
ask from YOU the privilege Uf laying Tue results ne orc
e pylic since these result, II my hSuIts fr cffeci'
Will ho found very materially 10 traverse DE- ThOmP
sons statement do not know upon what statistics ne
based conclusions; but IL Is due tue reader tldt
shoull OF the figures ret down below.
In order the numbrr ~ our COMMITMENTS
IRON year, have cOllatcd the INFORM tuoI gYcn
I'm Diocesan Conventions reports Oi the
General Convention, tue Churchm ms Cieniir. the
Churchman'S Yearbook and tue Chnrch AiDlni sc; sup
plylay defclcnries each from t1c otaerS, anI Wrn
corrections we've needed, carefully IldA"& tHcn
according to what appeared 10 De me "tlght OF
authority In ORDER, the other hand, To ~ erain rs
nearly as possible tue population 81 the cG"HirI from
year 10 yenI, know of OHtr WAY Than 10 uuY hc
ratio OF Increase from decade to cide COMPARING the
rcs ant estimates with those ~ toe Bureau OF ats
Tics IL Will mat the ratio OF luci sc IN pOua
ton from 1860 to 80 anOut $50 pr cat 1cr II
we carry the population along iu IL wears 1T tls rate.
from 1850 the al Vrif j. " reaches
olr actual pOpua. 1879. ANA certainly Il 10 not
unreasonable suppose that the ldiIo d" luCaS5 dur
inc the last Our years been about tne same. VIII
tbs reader then eye down tue following table Of
resultsf