The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1882-01-20


II the growth OF population In the
United States has been. during the present
century. unparalleled among the nations
the Of earth. the growth of Christianity in
the United States in the same time has
been still greater. Keeping in mind the
adverse influences which IL had TO meet
and overcome, some of which / stated
last Sunday, let us to-day note some of the
facts of its progress. We will frs, look at
the figures of those branches of the church
comh.only called the evangelical de-
nominations. In the year 17,5, according
Rev. Robert Baird ID. d., there were 1918
church organizations of This class. In the
year 1900. from which year we will to-
day take our reckonings principally, this
class OF church organizations numbered
5000. Fifty years later in 1850 they
numbered 43.O72. a gain in 80 years of
4O.Oi2 or an average gain of over 800 for
every one of the 80 years. In 1870 the
number Of church organizations was TO-.
l48. gain In 90 years of 27,O76, or an
average annual gain during these years of
1858 and fraction. In 1880 the number
was $1,000, gain in those 10 years of co.
042. or an annual gain during those years
of little more than 1904. These figures
reveal q thirty two fold rate Of increase
for the last eighty years.
| The rate of increase Of church edifices
in that time has been about the same
rs that for the societies; so also is that for
the increase of ministers. The number
of ordained ministers of evangelical
churches in the United States in ITS was
1.435: in 1880, 2,651; in 1850, 25, 555; in
1850, 47.609; in 1880, 69.870. In addition
to these there are now from $4,000 to 49,.
900 local preachers, licentiates, etc. An
increase of 22,261 ordained evangelical
ministers in the last ten years indicates a
vast augmentation of the moral forces of
the country.
One of the most potent religious
agencies in the hands Of the evangelical
churches is the Sunday School. AS this is
comparatively a modern organization
there were but few schools prior to the
present century. so that in this country 1t
may be said to be the work of the past
eighty years. The statistics of evangeli-
cal Sunday Schools for the United States
in 1880 rs prepared by Mr.. f.. Payson
Porter, statistical secretary of the Inter
national S. S. Convention of the United
L nd Dr,t; eli, A
are as follows Sunday Schools, so 1851
teachers, $685. scholars. 6.823. 1874
total, 1909, 452. THIS more than one
half of the enrolled evangelical Sunday
School scholars on this globe are in the
churches of this young Republic of the
United States, and the increase of scholars
in the past fifty years has been more than
e.000,0 900. Fifty years ago there was one
Sunday School scholar for every 22 in.
habitants to-day there is one for every
IA three fold increase relatively.
These figures give no idea of the
! :m0unt Of christian labor bestowed in
these schools, nor of the expenditures Of
money in their support, nor OF the vast
amount of religious reading matter whicll
has been given to the world Though their
agency. Take the Sunday School depart.
ment Of only one denomination to Illus.
trate. The number Of pages of religious
literature in the form of hooks and papers
which it issued in the year 1880 was 157,
1903. 600. To count these pages it would
take 20 persons one entire year, counting
80 pages to the minute and six hours u
day. Multiply the above number OF
pages by the other denominations and
that by the years and the work Of the
American church in that one item alone
becomes overwhelming for the mind to
contemplate.
1t is simply impossible for figures to
represent the benevolent contributions OF
American christianity In this country
The entire system of christianity with all
its agencies is supported voluntarily, 50
the real strength of its faith has tests
which do not exist in countries where
church and state are united.
In addition TO the regular support Of It's
ministry, the erection of its churches,
schools, chapels, parsonages. etc, vast
number of charitable and benevolent In,
situations have been created and sustained
in the" United States during the present
century; sucii as Hospitals. Homes Beth.
els. Ragged Schools. Asylums, Missions.
Bible Societies, Educational Institutions,
etc. etc. We can simply say that the
contributions to these numerous benevolent
organizations indicate as yet no decline
Of faith"
Take to illustrate, three only Of these
benevolent organizations: The Foreign
Mission Boards, the Home Mission Boards
and the Religious Publishing Homes of
the Evangelical Denominations of the
United States. The receipts of these three
agencies Of the Evangelical Churches were
from 1900 to 1860 $76.s7G 1913, from 1860
to 1880 1852. 512 ,S4; more than twice AS
much in the last 90 years as in the 60
years bcfor that, and total in the so
years of 1889, $3.50. 1S2. For most of the
above statistics am indebted TO Problem
of Religious Progress" Next Sabbath |
will give the figures of the different Evan.
gelical Denominations in the United States.
|
SOUTH VERNON.
JAN. 18Th, 1882.