The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-09
CENSUS OFCHURCHES.
Origin and Government of the
Christian Convention.
THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.
The SEVENTH Day Adventists Have Aboat
600 Members In Warrington, More
Than One-fourth In King County.
From a Census Bulletin.

Siinpiy as the CnrlStldn connection. out
owns only the simple designation 1.-THE
Christians" had its beginning in the
early part of the present century in the
union Of three distinct movements-one in
which Rev. James O'Kelley, of Virginia,
a Methodist, was prominent; another
in which Abner Jones. NJ. D., of
Vermont, a Baptist, was first, and
other Presbyterian ministers in Kentucky
and Ohio co-operated. These three move
ments, each independent and unknown to
the leaders of the others until 1905, were
alike in taking the Bible as the only rule
of faith and in rejecting Calvin
ism. Mr.. Stone and many minis
tiers and congregations subsequently
with which this denomination is
often confounded. They are much alike
in many respects; they have no creeds,
taking the Bible simply as their rule of
faith and practice; they emphasize the
importance of the union Of all believers in
Christ: they believe that immersion is the
only true form of baptism Ia few ministers
among h Christians also believe that
sprinkling is baptisml, and that believers
only are its proper subjects, rejecting in
FAINT baptism.
The Christian Connection makes differ
ence of theological views no bar to men,
bership. Holding to the inspiration and
divine authority OF the Bible, it allows
every one to interpret it for himself. 1t
believes in the divinity of Christ and in
his pre-existence, and that he made tone
ment for the sins of all men. 1t admits to
the communion table believers of other
denominations, and also receives into
membership persons who do not believe in
immersion.
Connection Is congregational. 1t has,
however, annual conferences, composed Of
ministers and lay delegates from the
churches. These conferences receive and
ordain pastors, but they can pass no regu-
lations binding on the churches. There is
a general convention which meets once
every four years, called the American
Christian convention. which cares for the
missionary, educational n other general
interests of the church.
At the general convention held in Gin
cinnati in 1854, in consequence of the
adoption of resolutions declaring against
slavery, representatives of the Southern
churches withdrew. the result of which
was the organization of the Christian
Church. South. The two bodies have
agreed upon a form of union by which
each retains its general conference.
There are seventy-five annual confer
ences, covering in whole or in part twen-
ty-four states. The strongholds of the
denomination are in Ohio, where it has
AcdIiy [O,VUU tuetIiUeTo, d1O lnuidnd,
where it has somewhat less than 20.O00.
In all there are 90, Ills members, divided
among 1.281 organizations or congrega-
tions. These organizations have o62 Sc
church edifices, which are worth 81, 637 ,202.
The average value is 81, 200, and the av-
erage seating capacity is 3l3. This church
has no organization in Washington.
born in 1853. was the founder of the Evan
geiical Association. Near the close Of the
last century he became an earnest revival
preacher. He labored among the German.
speaking population, and in 1900 formed a
society OF converts in Pennsylvania for
social prayer and devotional exer-
cises" every Sunday n every Wednesday
night. This was the rise of the movement
which resulted in the Evangelical Asso-
citation. The first conference was held in
1907. This conference elected Jacob AL
bright a bishop. Two years later a church
discipline very similar to that of the Meth
odist Episcopal church was published.
Some years after the death of Bishop AL
bright (lS0S) the name Evangelical Asso-
citation Of North America was adopted.
Previously to this his followers had been
known as "The Albright People," or "The
Albrights."
In doctrine and polity the Evangelical
Association is Methodist. It has annual
conferences, q q~uadrennial general con-
CUT III ID tAtC SubICkAC lCSl9ldtkNo
and judicial body, quarterly conferences,
presiding elders, al itinerant and a local
ministry, exhorters, class leaders. etc. 1t
also has bishops, who, however. are not
elected for life. but for a term of four wears.
It's articles of faith. twenty-Cne in number,
are the same in substance and almost the
same in language as the twenty-five ar
ticles of the Methodist churches. with q
few omissions.
Formerly the constituency of the church
was almost entirely German; now it is
largely English.
The Evangelical Association has twenty
six annual conferences. Four of the con-
ferences are in other lands; n in Canada.
one in Germany, one in Switzerland and
one in Japan.
The church il in a divided state. In
October, 1881, two bodies, each claiming to
be the legal general conference, were held,
one in Indianapolis, the other in Philadel-
phia, and each elected a different set of
bishops and general church officers. The
differences are of long standing. They
were augmented in the application in
1890 and 1891 OF the disciplinary pro-
cesses to the three bishops of the associa-
ton, all of whom were tried and sus-
pended and afterward restored by the
respective general conferences. The secular
ourts have been appealed to IN various
cases growing out of these troubles.
The church is strongest in Pennsylvania,
where 1t has &, 379 communicates. There
are III all 2,3i0 organizations, with 1,So3iz
church edihceS, with an average seating
capacity of 252 and an average value of
$500. There Is no organization in Wash
ington.
The Primitive Methodist church is not a
branch of American Methodism, but it
came from England. being introduced first
into Canada IN 1913 and then into the
United States, In England the Primitive
Methodist church anne into existence in
1872. 1t was organized by ministers and
members of the Wesleyan Methodist
church. who believed IN camp meetings
and persisted in holding them. The Wes-
leyan conference declared lamp meetings
highly improper and likely 10 be pro-
ductive of considerable mischief"
Primitive Methodism differs from Wes-
Ieyan Methodism chiefly in the larger use
II makes of the lay element.
For many years'there were in the United
States two annual conferences, the Eastern
and the Western. These were separate
until lsSo, when they united in forming a
general conference. There are now three
annual conferences. the Eastern, the Penn
sylvania and the Western. Each confer
ernce is subdivided into districts. as Is the
custom in other branches of Methodism.
They also have itinerant and local minis
tiers, class leaders, etc.
The Primitive AiethodiSts are repre-
scented only in eight states, nearly one
half of the total of COMMITMENTS. 4, 764,
being found in Pennsylvania. They have
e~ighty-tour organizations, with seventy
eight editices, valued at $29t.9 93. The