The Owosso times., 1882-01-13

ediices, valued at $97, 1873, 1872, besides
47,637 Evangelical Sunday schools, and
several hundred colleges. universities.
theological scminaries and academies
founded and sustained by tho Churches.
and numerous other Institutions ana so
cie;ies incidentally connected with them. :"
To prepare this great work has severely
tested tho pecuniary resources. the benev-
oence and the zeal Of the American
Churches.
Consider the unparalleled increase OF
the population Of the United States.
In 1900 our population numbered five
and Third million, 1880 lite more than
80 600, 900 nine and third fold increase
in eighty years, probably greater than any
other country IN ancient or modern times.
The Compendium of the U. s census for
1880 contains table which shows the
growth of leading European nations In
population through a long term of years
Those increasing the least rapidly gained
at the rate Of about three fourhs Of one
per cent, annually, and that the nation
gaining most rapidly increased at the rate
of little more than two and half per cent
annually; but the United States from 1900
to 1850 gained eight and seventeen one
hundredths per cent annually
An increase of $4,000, 900 of people in
eighty years has devolved great response
bilities upon the American Churches.
Consider the character of the new pop
ulaton added to our original stock.
TO go no farther back than 1850, in the
last thirty years about 5000. 900 of foreign
ers have been added to our population.
Their immediate offspring are at least
1000, 900 more, making 10, 600. 900 Of per
sons foreign in character, ideas aud sym
pathies that have thus been incorporated
into our national life in these thirty years
During this period the total population o!
the United States increased about q, 000
900 Of which 1900. 900 were essentially
foreign; of these 10 900, 600 not less than
three-fifths were originally Roman Catho.
lies. Going back to the beginning of our
history. the editor Of the 'Irish World"
CJuly 20, 1879 calculated that the original
Catholic stock entering this country and
their deccndents, If all had remained true
TO Romanism would make I'm 1874 o
Roman Catholic population of about "a,
OOo.O 600; at the present time they would
number 10000, 600"
While large proportion Of Catholics in
our country are excellent citizens, yet they
areopposed TO Professionalism, and while hun.
dreds of thousands of foreigners have been
noble, jealous christian workers, adding
much to the moral christian forces of our
country, yet very large per cent, have
been of the opposite character, communist,
nihilsts. rationalists aud skeptics of vari.
Gus grades. convicts and paupcrs.
Large numbers have come from the
prisons and pauper houses Of Europe 10
| fill up the ranks of our social outcasts.
Frsm a late report of the Howard Society
of London it appears that seventy four PEI
| cent OF the Irish discharged convicts have
found their way to the United States.
This large influx Of foreign criminals
added to our own dangerous classes, I'M.
initiated severely against the public
veal.
These heterogeneous masses are largely
anti-Protestan!, antiSabbath, anti.B.bc
anti-temperance, and under the peculiar
genius of our government they hay,
brought heavy strain upon the younl
Republic itself as well as upon the Prot
cstant Churches OF America"
Under such disadvantages how have thu
Churches discharged their responsibilities
What progress have they mad-9 Thi.
question l will endeavor to answer il
outline next Sabbath.