The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-23
HOW METHODIST GROWS.
THE METHODIST CHURCH SOUTH
NEARLY DOUBLED IN a DECADE

NEARLY DOUBLED IN 4 DECADE
Its Total Membership, Including Tha'
of the Colored Church, Now Approx
mates 1900, ooo-One-third OF the
6enobership of the Methodist Churct
of the Entire World-The Results OF
ere Ecumenical Conference Far
reaching.
The accounts of the proceedings OF the
economical conference of the Methodist
church at Washington have been
watched very closely by the
Mathadist ministers and members of
the church generally in Savannah. They
are gratified with the strength of the church
and the increased growth shown by the
reports of the various branches Of the de-
nomination.
a MORNING NEWS reporter saw Rev. c.
r Bowman Yesterday in regard to the
showing made by the conference and the
work of the church generally, Mr.. bowman
hes KENT up with the proceedings OF the con-
ference
THE STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH.
He said the statement of the strength OF
4he church. as shown by the reports, Ia
about what ne had estimated 10 20 De- Inc
report showed total membership OF b. AVA
800. with AZ 695 ministers IN the whole
world OF this number by Tar the greater
mart. or Z. $50 494, are in the western section,
which includes North and South America,
of which almost the entire part are In the
limited States and Canada. About 4, 49,.
900 OF these are in the United States.
Mr.. Bowman compared these figures TO
the showing made at the last ecumenical
conference held ten years ago in London.
The total strength of the church was then
stated at 4,990, 541 members, including
80 652 preachers. This shows growth for
the whole church Of about 80 per cent. in
the last ten years.
THE CHURCH SOUTH.
The Methodist Episcopal church south
has perhaps grown more rapidly than any
other portion of the church except perhaps
the Methodist Episcopal church in the west
When the conference in 1881 was held in
London the strength OF the Methodist
Episcopal church south was $40 600 men,
bers. with 4,004 itinerant ministers. The
published reports OF the last conference do
not show the strength of the Methodist
Episcopal church south, but Mr.. bowman
said that it was generally estimated. and be
believed correctly, at 100000 members
This would give an increase Of between
40 and so per cent. in the last ten years.
In addition to this there are In the south
the various branches Of the colored Metho-
di5ts, the African Methodist Episcopal
church, the African Methodist Episcopal
Zion church and the Colored Methodist
bership in 1881 Of S27, 265, chiefly In the
south.
INCREASE OF CoLoRED METHoDIsTs.
Their increase has been very great, and
Mr.. bowman estimates that there are
nearly, if not fully, 100000 colored
Meuhodists in the south to-day.
This would make q total in round numbers
OF 10000 members Of the Methodist
church in the south to-day, more than one
third of the total membership of the church
in the world, aud nearly one-hRf Of the
total membership in the United States.
Mr.. Bowman estimated the growth OF the
Methodist Episcopal church south at 10000
TO $1,000 members a year. The MethOdists
have not increased as rapidly in England
and Ireland as il the United States, having
just about managed to hold their own.
THE MISSION FIELD.
MIR. bowman says the missionary work oil
the Methodist Episcopal church south wa
chiefly confined to the slaves and indians
before the war. About 1910 IL placed Inis
sioneries in Asia and Africa, but the wal
compelled cessation OF the mission work
and it was not until several years after tn,
Now the church has missionaries in al
parts of the world, chiefly in China
Japan, India and Africa.
Mr.. Bowman bar no doubt that thu
Methodist church will continue to grow
and Increase in the next decade as 1t has II
the past In this country he is satisfied il
will continue to increase with the growth o.
the country as it has in the past.
$4,000, 600 liETHoDISTs.
The total membership OF the church ii
the world as shown by the conference
statistics puts the number Of ministers q
a., sos, members 6, 4g4, 800 and adherent
25,37s. 104 The number OF members and
adherents Is not greater in any instance
and III some is less, than given in the censu
returns Of the various countries.
Eastern Section, Europe-Ministers, 4, 4St
members, 9l5,2S4: adherents, 4.209 COL
Asia-Ministers. 5S3; members, S4.3S4; ad
herents, li4,96a Africa-Min!sters, 294
members, II ,l47; adherents, 2S3 976. Aus
traiasia and Polynesia-M Ministers, TS6
members, 93, 40; adherents, ass. 1873. Total
for Eastern Ministers, GOA; men
bers, Liz, 905; sdherents, 900. 12S. West
ern Section-Ministers, 36.60l; memters
$3.50, 494; adherents. 20,2S1, $40. A gran'
total Of 81, 100000 Aethodists--or one-hal
as many as the entire population Of th
United States.