Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-06
MpTRoDIs1i on uRoH woRK,
The Denomination Gaining Powe

The Denomination Calming Power
description OF the Machinery sOr
Conducting ITS LhbOrs.
new YorK Tmsr.
The Msthodiss Episcopal Church,
which, with all it's branches end kipdssd
organizations ranks first in size among
the Protestant churches Of the United
States of America, having 80, OH ohuroh
edifioes, ~ 542 ministers, 81 $40 local
preachers, and 4,60l, 4l6 commandments,
does not maintain the Same relative posi-
tion in this city. With ite 70 ehufchas
and Ia 556 communicates, it ia third in
its number Of churches ana fourth In its
number of commandments. But what 1t
Looks In these respects ii makes mp in
energy, wealth, and auxiliary institutions.
There are several good explanations fol-
this apparent discrepancy, which prove
the Jact to be rather creditahle than
otherwise to the ehuEchmen of the great
denomination. In the hrst place, Method
lam gains little or nothing in either mem.
hership or financial support from inmi-
grafton; but Rs 1t is popular church,
with protested simplicity of ritual and
comprehensiveness Of human elements, 1t
fsnds in this tide Of immigration its great
est burden. There are difficulties OF Ian
guage, of habit, Of education, and Of sym.
pathy to overcome in this fold such AZ
hardly any other denomination enoonn-
ters, except spefhaps tho Baptists, ard
their progress in this direction has con-
sequently been slow. But in the 40 years
from 1865 to 1885 its growth was much
larger in the number of. its churches ard
missions and in larger proportion in com
municants than any other Protestant
church except The Protestant Episcopal,
which gained over 1850 per cent in the
period mentioned, chiefly by immIgra-
ti0n. In 1865 the Methodist and kindred
churches and missions in this city num-
bered Al and the communicates 8 1872. In
1885 they had IL ohutches and missions
and IL ,55S commandments. They are OK.
decided by the Protestant Episcopal
church with 81 churches and missions
and ~, 4s3 commandments; by the Presby-
terians with SO churches and missions
and 20,3OS communicates, and in the
number of communicates by the Bap-
fists, who number IL, $3.50, while they are
behind the Metho5ists in the number Of
church edihces and missions, having
only 4S.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is the
oungest among the larger denominations,
not only in this country, but in the en-
tire world Originating with John and
Charlee Wesley in England 149 years ego,
II did not reach America until Philip EN-
bury came to New York from Ireland and
began to preach the new doctrine In 1865
In that year he organized the society
which afterward became the John-Street
Church Society, and built the hrst
Methodist Episcopal church in America
on the site Of the present John street
Church, which is the third structure to
occupy the site. The first conferences was
held in Philadelphia in June, 1873, and
OF that time there were but 10 preachers
and l, 160 members in America. The
church suffered greatly from religious in
tolerance previous to the Revolution and
from political disturbances during its
continuance, but ives erected 90 40 indie
pendent organization in America in 1884,
Or. Thomas Coke coming from England
to New York with Episcopal authority
from John Wesley in that year, John
Wesley died March I'd, 1891. Ills BROTHER
Charles preceded him jgst three years,
and although the date has gone nine
months by, 1t is proposed to celebrate the
hundredth anniversary Of Charles
WpoA1y . hCnli Dh ILLS bbEOnl 6u1u3Y In
Dc eui1et Nv singing IN sii lhs ptIuiuiarn
GONE q his best kaowu songs. Thase
5ongs have found places ia the deroAai.
national hsInu DvOAs vi every CHRISTIAN
sect in the country, and il is believed that
the anniversary services proposed will be
almost universally observed.
After its start in this country, directly
after the revolution, Philadelphia rather
than New York was chosen as the centre
Of Methodist Episcopal activity and as
the base Of It's operations; but, as the sta
tistics testify, the church has neglected
no promising field in any part Of the
world, and New York has NOT escaped its
attention. The sentiments Of its leading
and Influential men ia this locality have
inclined very warmly toward church
union, and the hrOedest iibersiity ia
shown, therefore, in their cornmunion
and occasional co operation with other
denominations. Ministers of the Presby-
terian, Congregational, Baptist and other
denominations are frequently seep in
their puipits, and vice versa. In Coia-
mon with nearly all the other Genomiua.
: tons, the Methodists gave great deal Of
assistance and support to the non.dsnon,-
national missions aud professional evan
HSAsobo ANFA tlH lFIlp4l NllElE HBEgEt4-
ance-say from 1879 to Is85-and still
continue to do so, hut 10 q carefully
limited extent; for 1t has, in common
with the rest, about arrived ut the cor
ciusion that better and much more enlur
ing results are to be accomplished by do.
nominationRl, concentrated and properly
orgenized work in the mission and church
extension folds Of operations than ia the
ayInnnRf nf
Methods also have changed considerably
with this church.
As one of iss ministers recently said %
1tn'es reporter: I'VE have found ihW
the Salvation Army style Of mission and
eVahgel work does NOT pay. Ia some
places u does far more harm than good.
~ wss given d fair trisl,fin Difference 30
the opinions OF some Of the nier7y and In
some few localities it seemed TO- tins
70 De producing very coed results. Bat
atter time the novelty of tins thing wore
on and 1t generally lett the backsiidinp
convert with less reverence for God ard
religion than he had previously possessed.
We tound that other methods Rh:eh sas
tanned the dignity Of religion, wltiie not
SO demonstrstiya, were more eouvinaine
and accomplished far more enduring rts
.so. Ac = h'Itn4lbhtluA, tDefetGfe
the greater amount Of effort in he mis-.
sion and chuzcn extension hslda ~ iaS5r
VIII hereafter as at present h. conducted
on dsnominationsi lines. Tie church
hes strong Church Extension and Mis-
sionary Society tnat row has q ehure.lss
and chspels under its change, WITH "a
pastors and assistants, ard over 3 900
members of churches. 10 this COM d.
tioa T. RAISED and expended during 1887
900 2I6.33. During this year i mss en-
tered upon new dtpar.ure, pursuing in
she mission field rasthod that has come
10 be considered essential by all the De
nominations for the purpose Of bringing