The Osceola times., 1876-01-15
ECCLESIASTICAL.

Baptists in Georgia. The Ebenezeer as
ISOLATION has over IL 900 members, the
Southwestern over 10000.
Mr.. Charles &. Yates, of Greens
boro, n. g., recently presented the Pres
byterian church in that city with fine
bell weighing 200 pounds.
The Presbyterians have among the
Germans in America ninety-five churches
one hundred ministers, and seven thou
sand i've hundred members.
Rev. A. G. Haygood, late secretary
Of the Sunday-schcol department of the
Methodist Episcopal church south, ha.
been elected to the presidency of Emory
college, Georgia.
| The census returns show not quite
100000 Christians in India, or less than
one in two hundred of the population
and even of these 100000 appear to be
Europeans, or to have European blood in
their veins.
1t is expected that the 100000 ne
cessary to the removal of the Southern
Theological seminary (BaptisD from
Greenville, :. c., to Louisville, KY,
will be raised. A further sum of $780,
600 will be asked of the southern states
for an endowment furd.
The southern Methodists are carry
ing on an important mission work among
the Mexicans on the border of Texas.
| One missionary and five native preachers
are engaged in the enterprise. Two new
missions have been established, and the
baptisms reported at l0S, and the num-
Der of members at 1866.
The census of 1870 show. that the
| total church property of the land is
! about 1854, ,4S3.5sl. Of this amount the
Methodists own S69,s54,12l; Catholics,
$50, ,9S5, $50 Presbyterians, $50, 300, 600 {;
Baptists, s4l 500, 600; Episcopalians,
S36, ,549; CongregatioDalists, S25,-
| 0G9, sos, and 50 on--Protestants owning
| iive-sixth of the whole.
DIR. Alexander Ecker publishes a
few very interesting remarks con a
Fluctuating Character in the Human
Hand" This character is the COM
paratye lengths of the index and ring
fingers. The index may be either U)
shorter than the ring finger, (2) Of equal
length, or (3) longer than the ring
finger. The last mentioned proportion
appears to be the proper one, and the
sign o. intellectual superiority.
Rev. A. I. Greybill, under the au-
spices of the southern Presbyterian
church, Is carrying on an important mis-
sion in Matamoras, Mexico. As the re-
suit of nineteen months labor, church
has been constituted with forty-one mem
bers, schools for male and female are es-
tablished, one convert is preaching as an
evangelist, and two Others are studying
as candidates for the ministry, Rev.
samuel Psrdie, supported by the Society
of Friends, has mission in the same city
with thirty-twO members.
The statistical tables of the synod oi
the Reformed church in the United States
furnish the following summary result
Glasses, 8; ministers, 1888; congregations
4l9; members, $3.50, uncontirmed
members, 35,lSl; baptisms, 5,467; con
frmations, 1874 received on certificate,
9i6; communed during the year, 1882;
excommunicated, %; dismissed, SIS;
deaths, 2,072 Sunday schools, 4S4; sun
| day-school scholars, 29,S76 benevolent
contributions, S36, ,774.10; local objects,
s2l6, ,473.l0; students for the ministry,
90.
DR. J. II. Vincent proposes Sunday
school congress, to meet in March next
year. Its object is TO thoroughly con
slider three fundamental topics, namely: |,
Our international lesson system This is
TO I've considered with reference TO the mis-
sionary efforts, relormatory movements
catechetical instruction, church year.
and all such special features, which some
workers deem inseperable from their own
work The aim is to perfect the lesson
system in itself and its application tc
our respective lines of toll. ,. Normal
work in all its ranges will be considered
with view to securing more of it and &c
making all of it more effective. 3. The
duties of supeTintendents, as the leading
school officer, will be fully considered.
At the church door we should bio
farewell TO all suhlunary concerns and re
member that we are in the Sacred pres
ence With this view, therefore, th,
opening prelude should be reyerential il
style, sober, suggestive, skillful, equal,
removed from fiippancy and dullness, A
broad, massive manner of harmony IN &C
Compapying is warm stimulus TO con
gregational singing; it inspirits th'
timid to sing out, not peep or mutter,
and a goodly volume of sound rown
false notes 1t is hint worth taking
too. that beautiful strain of music dur
ing the oflertory (not a jig from one O
the vile operas in vogue, which isa burn
ing infamy for even nominal Christian
to witness has not seldom melted
frosty heart and unclasped a tightl
closed purse. Dodwcll, learned oil
Oxford doctor, said of the organ, that it
notes had "a power to counteract the in
hueuce Of devils ON the spinal marrow Q
human beings. ~ Y D6serUer.
The statistical returnsof the variou
Methodist branches in this country show
the following results in membership;
Methodist Episcopal .... - ~
AG'hgdi;t tpi;c2psl south''-''.''~-. 'lo,,S ia,,a
African y Ziou. u.......................... 225.es
Evangelical Association tl..'
lntted hret hien - - -
Methodist ~ u.
Methodist aisl.
American Wesley aii,,a. -,.s
ire Meth9dis s..-- .'''''''''''''''"'''"'' s&., 49,
congregational Method. ts...-.........-.... 9,S'
Total ma. .72s
The grand total of Methodists through
out the world is 1, l49, l05 members.
The bureau of education at Wash
/ ington makes the following report OF the
| theological schools of the country