The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-15
STATISTICS OF METHODISM.
Figures Which Afford Great Satisfaction
to the Centennial Conference.
MOre than so, 900 Preachers and Nearly A.
1000 Communicates in the United
States-Kindly COurteSies.
spsot.l to the indianapolis Journal.

Bpecial to the indianapolis Journal.
BALTIMORE, Nd, Dec. 13.-Figures are pro-
verbally supposed to be o dry subject of con-
temptation but this Centennial Methodist Con
ference rolls them over its tongue as though
they were the sweetest morsels which this great
assembly, with hundred years behind it, could
offer to an admiring world. They are dished up
at every session, and the meals usually consist
of many courses. How you Methodists do like
to talk about your four million of communi-
cants' remarked member of another denomi
nation to one of the delegates yesterday; and
your correspondent, who overheard, could not
help thinking that, though there might have
been little envy in the remark, there
was, also, considerable common sense,
and not undeserved rebuke in it like
wise. There are, however, some things to
be said in mitigation of this fault if fault
it be- In the first place, the habit of number
ing its people is not purely Methodistic 1t isan
American habit; more than that, it is a frailty of
human nature. Perhaps too, one reason why
Methodists talk more of their statistics than
other sects is because they have more Of them to
talk about
DIR. Rochester of the M e. Church, in his
able and exhaustive paper on the subject de-
ciared the present strength of this church in the
United States to be as follows: Travelling
preachers, &c, 932; local preachers, 1888; mem
bers in full 3,724, AS; probationers, III, 236;
total communicates, 3. 951, 026. For the whole
world, the figures he gave Travelling
preachers, "a, 989; local preachers, n 053; com
municants, $4,000.
ha d,1co al nd Huanoio1 c+otic+icc
presented by DR., James FL. Carlisle, of the
Church South, who said that within the confer
ences represented in that centennial gathering
there we're 20 universities and colleges, with
perhaps as many classical seminares about 100
female colleges, and 10 theological schools
Methodism had now 80, 900 Sunday-schools with
more than 800, 900 teachers and 1000, 900 pupils
Her churches numbered 30 600 and were increas-
ing at the rate of FIVE for every working day in
tho year These houses OF worship would ac-
commodate, he said, about 10 000 900 attendants
and their money value was about $50, 600. 600
the parsonages of Methodism being estimated ut
$20OOO,O00. In all its bounds the church paid
yearly about $12 600, O00 for salaries and kindred
claims The aggregate amount raised last year
for all purposes by the NJ. E. Church alone was
stated by the speaker to be not less than ST.
100000, which he said, was probably more than
half the aggregate sum raised in that year by
the Methodist Church at large,
At the session which brought forth the above
papers the chair was occupied for the first time
by colored man, in the person of Bishop Camp
bell, of the African NJ. e. Church, and by one of
those condolences, the why's and wherefores of
which no fellow can find out, it so happened that
IL
to che platform, the irrepressble colored ques-
ton came to the front on the floor. DR.. j. E.
Edwards. of the NJ. E. Church South pastor
of fifty years experience, who cherishes pleas
ant recellections Of the times when coored peo-
pie formed large portion of his congregation
wanted to know how his dark-skinned brethren
had been getting along since altered crcum-
stances had set them off by themselves, and he
was surprised that the able statisticans had
thrown no light upon this subject. Could not
some one, he asked. still give them the desired
information Well, several thought they could
indeed, many thought so-and the anxiety
Immediately betrayed by almost every colored
man present to pour illumination upon the
conference, with reference to this subject was
no less a source of amusement to the audience
than it was a cause of embarrassment to the
dark-faced and white-haired gentleman in the
chair
The scene was quite exharating, and nobody
was sorry that the figures given Substantially
those contained in my preliminary letter), were
spiced with little darby humor. DR.. Price,
one of the blacklist of the black brethren, had
not expected, he said, to give any color to the
proceedings beyond that which he must neces
sarily impart as a silent spectator, but he could
not resist the temptation now presented, and
following this sally. DR. C. S. Smith, bright,
sharpfeatured n:uatto, added fuel to the fire of
merriment by observing that he thought he
might reasonably'hope to throw light upon both
sides of this color question.
Others spoke, and the discussion was carried
into the next session. when, unfortunately the
Play, which had opened with light comedy as
sumed an aspect which threatened to create feel
ing and reopen old strifes The fear was that
something might be said which should
convey an implied reflection upon
the treatment of the colored people
by their white coreligionsts in the South
This fee- found expression from the colored sec,
rotary. DIR. B. T Tanner, who deprecated the
course which had been taken in making spe-
cialty of the statistics of the African portion of
the conference They were there he said. not
as negroes, but as Methodists. In heart and
soul they were true to the cause of Methodism
and he felt that the less said with reference to
the color line, 1.-The soonest mended" Bishop
Campbell. however who was now on the floor
again. thought differently, and this experienced
darby diplomatic, in continuing the debate, re-
heved the anxiety which had arisen, by declar-
ing unctuously that Methodsm had done more
for the coored race East. West. North and
South, (the South being especially einphasized)
than all other religious denominations combined
Excluding the representatives of the colored
churches the conference is virtually composed