, 1881-09-04
CHURCH GROWTH.

6ershadowed, sheltered. saved by Thee
CHURCH GROWTH.
MATERIAL. PROSPERITY AND LOVE OF
MONEY ITS GREAT OPPONENTS |
A letter from the pen Of the Rev. T. IL.
Stanton, u. D., appears III the current nun,
her of the interior, i'll which is considered
the gradual decreased growth during the |
mast seven wears Of tile Presbyterian Church |
nj the United States, and inferentially that |
of other denominations. lie asks, What Is |
Cnr Condition as 4 Church ~ and says:
Take. first, tile recently published COM
narrative summary Of the Stated Clerk OF the
General Assembly. Ills figures are official
and trustworthy. Passing by all other items, |
notice the additions OIL examination TO the
Church throughout the United States ehuing
in Nav last They amount to l.491 less tftafi
the number adtied the year previous. Inc
summary covers q period OF seven years,
from 1915 to 1851; and, beginning with lstti,
the comparison shows 4 regular fallin@-ott'
each wear, il, the number added OH exatllina-
We're ad,itd in 1876; in 1s5s, 1921
les less tdh th1n N ISL i in ISL is; +, ts: s thai % N
1879: in ISL. 1,4s4 less than i'll lsso; That
..tirures do moi iie,'' is Il proverb; bur they
cal, be used TO bring out true or ialse c9lle!l
sions'' These figures will probaoly DC 30
used by various persons according to their
moods, judging frcm the many and some
Wlat ingenious methods employed last year,
by many writers, running through many
months. to explain away tls uhpalalapie
fac,s which the Stated Clerk S comparative
summary then Drought forth.
4 good tvS1 by which to determine Wnetner
the Church is fulfilling her ntsslon--ltonsh
not the only D,le--ls seen lit tile nt1hl1els
gathered from the world and adled ~ ler
,,,tjn f1ntp is.
the progress vi tile Presbyterian Chnrci. Tor
The inst several years, has not been 11stier'nG
The results shown above are all ule
more remarkable Wien we hote oslrsl
The increase lit the number OF ministers
las been constant, IRON year to year, during
The whole period vi the seven years covered
yz 1eseti'e(y from 4e1fo1 is. 70 Afi tie abor:
ers in the vineyard have been constantly H.
creasing each year oyer the previous one rs
shown by these figures, the fruits OF their
labor, so far as additions to tlle churches on
examination are concerned. have been corfe-
spondIncly less and less, with some tll1ctha-
tons. This simple truth should awaken
serious reflection.
Mypbject is not to give all exhaustive VIE"
of this comparative summary. but to no1lce
a few of its salient r,l1lts. Det:mii1g, ulefe-
fore. conversions to Christ and the conse-
uue1lt growth Of the Church thereby a very
important test as to whether the church Is
properly n.,g ~. ,r,n.. ,rhnn + ,.,mhrrcs
eoou test ~ . raarsNtha natural t,,.;-
ton arises, Why is the Church accomplishing
50 little: Why are there 50 few atditlons.
WY LII. ILL.,. leSu VII, = The nrcacIinr al the
seven 1ea.o ...;,I, en ii,1ie ,,n,yeT. willie
the number who preach It is constantly H. u.
creasiugs ''Watcllman. what OF the night ::
Here again, moods might influence the
answer My mood takes Oh this hue: that
our material prosperity, more than any other
one .ntnf, ;,,.f3,cnncv i. e of the churc Take a
splriss i.e,elfIs w, ,yhoa cn,,ntrv and # is
t,nt 5nt ~ .,,ci, mntrril 11s,,eriIy was
plalt LIN ,,,,,,, w -; NATHAN ~, 81 Grand y
tsei oeaoI s.H a,uhracinp nj tie elements Of u
sE.l.c. sE;'a> "Ha n;,;i;ynfiun since fi,ne began.
E ri Ills need not be related
Inc ,,ii ~ :" al,,jt nf IT, nor is # nccrs
space e, VIZ 41,a,, ' ,rn tnn,yr and read ri iii
men; ~ nS ,n,9t. crazy by it. Tic haste to be
1.i'; 9s,, = ' ta,mnraton before everybody. Null
!..,s. IIsa - i .;a1 ~ + MANY are successful,
Iluues 1'e.u ,rl,i1 t,,e shirt Of rain peryadt.s
me Mno,n ,nu , It's tide many Of its members
carrs mp"n ~ - 3l,eir tjet.i, s,iritual injury,
o,,; .nonsn ~ +te7r r,,n. Wl,ie this absorbing
laAns 1;,i1a,' - love of fiia world prevails
pshIa spafahuI't1h thot ti,n two should live in llar.
possaae Vtta' ,annot snrvn Ind nm' man,
1nom1; inom,; ~ e+to'' '''' wy ~
MSn ". Inv, +,,is matoria, n1ospcrity acts upon
,entha ~ ton, chatnwni forth in the Stated
aoel usr tIc shows almost 4 regu.
Glelh su!il'ii't ia -; n,1I.r ~ ,,n,;1<Ttes fn,
lar decrease ~ 1i ,nr 1ha nern1 m mertio,eI
hne lhlIlls.ls ~ aon ,;i"e mast has often
lhss oec!ease- .oi +s'n S"T raar;ons ,rnss Oni
eeei. mo..c ~ he Roar,l If Ed,ication In.
- +pa c,;,;nct nj an nnnoai 10 tf,f
L1aue ~ @Ne II Ia1,,1,na+in,,S hnyf f,1f snrf
cAufches; ~ \ ueiu1.s's Vh. ID t;sn r1nr .-,une
y pressed py H. "ms -, - +na ,:,rtex @ ~ cnn,
men are sMa!aoM.u n.ra,'.ni "a i nxanna arr
nerce and trade: lareiiM ;n eSanlpe, t',a thn
often parental coset; Eve sn;ritu,i, ~.
bent me Slluic, hs.s 'iot H. FIJI, =, IT,.
enough 10 enlp1ce nc! ZIP ~ ,.'a,.o - iahnr
prayer thai the 34olu WouI seHu i.l.ls if i'ot y,
ers into the harvest eng Is. leisf'i, @ ~
largely carried away ~ !Mss l''atea .l p'gs -