The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-01-26
The Religious World in 1877.

no reunions of separated churches, no
divisions of existing denominations,
and but little controversy or agitation.
1t has nevertheless been prosperous
year to American churches, some of
the leading denominations having had
larger accessions of new members than
in many previous years, when there
was more of revival excitement. The
Methodist Episcopal Church, for exam
pie, reports net gain of about $1,000
members, against SO, 600 in 1876, and the
Protestant Episcopal Church has like
wise increased its list of members by
about 1880. The same is true of
other churches, so obscure sect as the
Dunkers announcing that more new
members We're received the past year
than in any previous year of their his
tory. Another fact denoting that the
churches are endued with vigorous
life may be noticed. While the totals
or contributions for benevolent pur-
poses have, on account of the stringency
of the financial affairs of the country,
been smaller than usual, the amounts
raised for foreign missions have not
fallen off to the extent that other col
lections have. Indeed, in at least two
cases, they have been increased by a
hundred thousand dollars. There has
also been manifested disposition 20
| clear off membranes on church prop
erty which have been standing num-
Der of years, and pressing heavily upon
the churches. There has been much
less of reckless expenditure on new
churches, and it is now becoming fash
ionable to have the debts provided for
before new edifices are consecrated. In
other ways, also, the churches are imi-
tating the example of good business
men, and becoming more economical.
There have been no religious conven-
tons in this country during the year of
special importance. The two that have
attracted the most attention were the
Episcopal General Convention, which
met at Boston, and the National Con-
gregational Council, which assembled
at Detroit. Both met in October, and
both were triennial sessions. The Bos-
ton Convention was much more quiet
one than that held in New York in 1874.
The most interesting fact about the
session was not that much and impor-
tant business was transacted, but that
nothing of the excitement and conflict
of the two parties in 1874 was visible,
but Evangelicals, High Churchmen and
Ritualists deliberated together in un-
broken harmony. This fact and the
union of the two missionary societies
have led prominent Ritualist to claim
that the Evangelical party has disap-
peared as school of thought, and that
the present and future of the church
are in the hands of High Churchmer
and Ritualists. The CongregationalistS
did nothing at Detroit except to read
essays and hear and consider reports
from the benevolent societies of the de,
nomination.
Nearly all the Presbyterian churches
in this country and Canada sent repre-
sentatives to the first Pan-Presbyteriar
Council, held in Edinburgh, Scotland
in July. 1t was a great gathering
da1opntns' l>e;nee present from all part
OF the world, and representing q Pres
byteriaD population of, perhaps, 80
100000 The council, besides promot
ing a larger acquaintance among, anC
more perfect agreement between, the
various Presbyterian and Reformed
bodies, took steps to have a report pre-
pared on the harmony of the Reformed
Confessions, for its next meeting, il
Philadelphia, in 1880 Scotland ha,
been agitated during the year by severa
heresy cases, in the Free and United
Presbyterian Churches, growing out Of
the liberal views of some of their mos
prominent divines respecting the in.
spiration of the Scriptures and the re.
vision of the Westminster Confession
More recently, the Liberal leader in
Parliament, the Marquis of Harrington
III speech in Scotland, has declared
that his party is almost ready to pro-
pose the question of diseStablishmen
OF the kirk, an announcement which
has caused not little agitation.
The question of disestablishment in
England has been brought prominent
ly to the front through the prosecution
and imprisonment of Rev. Arthur
Tooth, of Hatcham, under the Public
Worship Regulation act, for ritualistic
practices. Mr.. Tooth refused to obey
the monition of the Court of Arches tC
cease the practices declared to be il.
legal, on the ground that a new and
purely secular jurisdiction had been
set up, to which the church had not
given its assent by synod or convoca-
ton. He was therefore, committed ia
prison, from which he was shortly after
released by the Queen. This prosecu-
ton, regarded as persecution by the
ritualists, had the effect of arraving
many of them on the side of the liberia
tionists, who demand a separation of
Church and State. 1t has recently
been decided by the Queens Bench that
the prosecution of Mr.. Tooth was H.
legal.
In Continental Europe the affairs of
the Roman Catholic Church stand in
much the same position as they did at
the close of 1876. The Roman Curia
has yielded nothing to Germany, where
the church is in a very disorganized
state, with but few of the sees with anv
diocesan head. The Pope has on every
oppOrtune occasion launched anathe-
mas on the sacrilegious heads of the
Italian State for its encroachments upon
the Papal province and the liberties of
the church. In May he celebrated
with great pomp the jubilee of his epis-
| copal conservation, receiving immense