The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1882-01-27

The following is a summary of Rev.
Mr. Reeds sermon delivered last Sunday
morning:
DR.. Dorchester has collected, with sur
prising care and labor, the statistics Of
each Evangelical Denomination in ths
United States with their various branches
great and small. for the periods 1900, 1850
1870. and 1880. / should be glad to give
the figures of each to-day. but for want OF
time will give emily the aggregate of com
municants in each denomination including
its branches for the year 1880 AS tho
United States census does not give the
communicates in the churches they are
gathered from the published Year Books.
Minutes, etc., of the different bodies.
Baptsts. of all kinds, EASE 1873; Ortho
dox Congregationalisis. 1884, 1882; Disciples,
SOL 1871; Dunkers. 10000; Protestant
Episcopal, 1888 1888; Reformed Episcopal,
9,44S: Evangelical Association, 1l2, 1877
Evangelical Friends, estimated, GO. 600
Lutherans. of all kinds. 950.S6s; Meho
dists. of all kinds. S,574, 1856; Mennonite,
estimated. $4,000; Moravion. 9.491; Pres.
byterians, of all kinds. 937. GAO; Dutch
Reformed. 80.209; German Reformed,
1866, 1877: Second Advent, 70. 000 Seventh
Day, 1850; United Brethren. 49, 1886
Church of God. 10000; Bible Christians,
estimated, $4,000. Total communicates
in 1880, 10.065. 982.
This shows gain Of communicates
since 1900 Of 9.70l ,091. These are re-
markable gains; larger than have hcen
known in any part OF the world in any
part of its history. The gain for the ten
years from 1870 to 1880 was little great
er than that for the twenty years next
preceding that time and greater than in
the fifty years preceding that. But the
most remarkable feature of this subject is
the relative increase OF church communi
cants TO the whole population of our
country. For while the actual gain Of
church membership was known to b.
great yet very general opinion has pre-
vailed that it was falling behind in pro
portion to the rapidly increasing popula
ton. But the reverse is shown to be true.
Thus in 1900 the proportion of communi
cants TO the inhabiIanis in the United
States was one 10 fourteen and flfiy.onc
hundreths in 1850 there was one to six
and fifty-seven hundreds; in 1870 there
was one to five ard seventy eight hun
dreths; and in 1880 there Was one Evan.
gelical commitment to every five inhab'
tants While the population since 1900
has increased nine and foriy-six hun
dreths told, the communicates Of these
churches have increased 81 and fifty eight
hundreths fold.
The period since 1850 has been one Of
severe strain upon American Prote,tantsm
yet during this period while the popua-
ton has increased 116 per cent, the
Christian churches have increased 1876 per
cent. During the last ten years while the
population has increased 30 per cent the
churches have increased so per cent.
This gain of Christian communicates in
this country which is SO remarkable has
not been secured by any abandonment of
The doctrines of the Bible us held for
merly. nor Of any essential changes of
the terms Of church membership The
leading denomination hold The doctrines
of The Gospel as firmly as ever, and they
were never defended more ably than now.
But new methods of Christian work have
been adopted, and new agencies for the
circulation of The Gospel among the
masses of the people.
l will next Sabbath give the numbers of
the so'called Liberal Churches