Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-15
CHURCH MATTERS.
LEADING ECCLESIASTICAL OPINION
ON TOPICS OF THE HOUR.
The Surrender OF Emin Bcy's Province. tho
Decline OF Church -sioing, and the Pro-
posed Presbyterian Change OF
Creed Discussed.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispstch.I

Nrw YoRK. December IA. 1889.
Three topics are claiming the attention
Of churchmen at tho present timc--viz. :
The surrender of tho African province Of
Emin Pasha 90 slavery and barbarism after
eight wears of Christian civilizations; the
problem of declining church attendance
and how 20 prevent II. and the BreSby-
teriau agitation for n change in the Calvin
is:ic creed so long held by that denomina-
ton in its integrity.
Apropos OF the widespread discussion
aroused by Daniel Dougberty's recent
speech at the Baltimore Catholic Con-
gress, Is is important 70 note the Stats
ties of the present and past strength Of
THE VARIOUS CHRISTIAN BODIES.
Tho Advcntists, who include the Origi-
nal Evangelical Adveutists, the Advent
Christians. the Sevonth-Day Adven,ists,
the Life and Advent Union, the Agc-to-
Come AdyentIsis, the Barbourltcs. and
the Christadelphians. had at the close OF
1886, 9.492 churches 1921 ministers,
and 1887 communicates. At the
same date the regular Baptists-North,
South. and cOlorcd- had 80 .522 churches,
1887 ministers, and 2,7S2. $40 commune
cants. The Frec-Will Baptists, Cumber-
land Free Bapiists, other Free Baptist ass0-
citations. General BaptiSts. Seveuth-Day
Baptists, Seventh-Day German Baptists,
Anti-Mission Bap,ists, Separate Baptists,
United Baptists and the lx-Principle Bap-
lists. along with the Disciples, Drinkers.
Winnchrcnnari0ns or Church of God"
and Mcnnonites, raised the total Baptist
strength 10 42.SS9 churches. S,0O3 minis
tiers, and 3,729.745 communicates.
ADDITIONAL BODIES.
The Christians Northern and Southern
Convention had ,75j churches. 1.3ii minis
ters and l42 600 COMMITMENTS The Chris
-. lDrvglac huH q rlrr hos
200 ministers. and $4,000 commandments.
The CongregatiOnalsts had ,217 churches.
f.O9O ministers. and 436.319 communicates.
The FplsCopalians, including the Re
formed Episcopal. had 1896 churches,
B.915 ministts. and 42}.G05 cOmmuni-
csnts The Friends or Quakers had coo
churcbes. 700 ministers, and 81 600 men,
bors. The German Evangelical Church
Union had b5S churches, go ministers. and
5000 communicates. The Iutherans, ~
Guiding the General synod. United Synod,
South General Council. Synod cal Confer
ence, and Independent Synods, had lob
churches. 1890 ministers, and $685. COM
muulcants.
THr METUoDIsTs.
Including the Methodist Episcopal. North
and South, African, ZION Colored and
African Union. with the Protestant, Con-
ErcgatI0ual, and Independent Methodist
bodice. the rec McihOdists. tho Wesley
ans. tho Primitive and Reformed Netho-
disfs. with the kindred bodies Of the United
Brethren. the Evangelical Association,
the Moravians. aud the Bible Chris
tians had 32.O1 churches, 25,d2 NM
listers. and 4.C0l. 40 commandments. The
prcslvteIians, including the General As
sembhes. North and South, aud the
United Pres bvtcriIn Church of North
America. Cumberland PRESBYTERIAN, Cum
beTland Presbyterian. co.ored Reformed
Presbyterian. General Synod of Reformed,
Associate Reformed Synod Of South.
Welsh Presbyterian, with other snail
bodies. and the kindred bodies OF the
Reformed date DUtchD Church, the
True Reformed Dutch Church, and the
Reformed Gate German church had
1902 churches. 11.2il ministers, and l,43l.-
g49 COMMITMENTS. The SchWckenicldeIs
had Is churches, 10 ministers, and $50 COM
municants Other small hOdlcs-such as
The Bible Union. Riyor Brethren. Colorcd
Methodist Protcstant-, NC, had a total of
5000 members. This gives q combined
Protestant strength at the close Of 1856 Of
Ii2.14i churches 50, $40 ministers, aud T.
1926 members.
GEoW1H CO CHUBCHIs
The following table is interesting as q
comparison Of the gTOWths OF the various
churches
Commu-
Year Churchea Minister'S. nican's.
tO1.......... $50 2,Nil o,ts'2
1sO.-........ i3.072 2,if5 S,529lSS
ls-0.......... fOlis 4SUl t,b,3.99G
1ssO. ...... 5000 bsAsO lpN6''tJ
Iss5. ........ll2,1H e3.sd l9,l32G5l
or, taking the figures in another way, rs
follows to show the increase of comnu-
nicants 10y periods:
COmmuni- Average
Period. Years. cants- Yearly.
lhuJ-iH.J. --..-s'-'F o'tc'.IIn ~
)s5J-ls,0 ...........l a.li3, OS 1a.,l'O
sSiN lN,0 ..lV os3i-,t't .i.'-no
lS-i-lsto. ...... -,11o'0'o ot4,4aJ
On the basis Of 1892, 900 population for
1856, as estimated by Government Actuary
Elliott, aud the population for previous
periods. as given III the United States CEN
ens VIC have IN
1893 one commitment "a lf5 Inhabitants.
1850 one comm unicant tu 60 Inhabitants.
$50 one communicate ia % inhabitants.
1tS0ono communican, IA 30 inhabitants.
1856 one cOmmunicaut IN As Inhabitants.
There is now ono Evangelical Protestant
church in 5lS Inhabitants, and ore minis
Ger in Coz inhabitants. From 1850 To 1856
the population increased 1J2 per cent, and
the COMMITMENTS 2l3 per cent.
The growth Of the various churches COM
pared with the increase or population viii
appear in the following table: