The Press., 1897-01-28
Continued from last weekly HISTORY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF STAF- FORD SPRINGS.
BY REV. J. I. BARTHOLOMEW.

It is to be grealy regretted that the records of the early church membership have not been preserved. The oldest com plete record which we have been able to obtain was made in about 1865. It con- tains names of all the members at that time, including some of the original mem- bers. Of those who had ceased to be members before that date we have no record. There were then 14O members Since then 610 persons have united with this church, making a total roll of 750. Doubtless, if we had the record of the preceding B years, the total enrolment would be at least one thousand, Of the 750 persons whose names are on the record 430 have been received on profession of faith, after the proper period of probation, 303 have been received by church letters, and the records in the other cases are un- certain. Concerning the manner in which persons have ceased to be members, the records are very unsatisfactory There are recorded during the past thirty-two years 95 deaths, 130 removals by letter, 40 removals without letter, and 15 withdraw als, making total of 2SO. That number should be about 4SO. So that 200 have ceased to be reckoned as members bv | methods which do not appear on the records. This has been due largely to the laxness of the pastors who kept the records of membership.
 Figures can not accurately measure the influence of church in any community In nearly all revivals there are many con- verts who do not unite with the church | which enjoyed the revival, and, unfortu- | nately, some who do not unite with any | church, In addition to this, the influence of the church in uplifting the moral tone of community, if the church be true to her mission, is always marked. Such, doubtless, has been the case here. The reputation of the place certainly has great | ly improved, since, in 1880, Rev Paul Townsend felt exceedingly vexed" be- cause he was expected to try to hold re- | ligious services in such place
 | That the Methodist church has been a potent factor in this improvement no can did observer can doubt. Her early record on the slavery question has been given
 It was to be expected, therefore, that when the slavery agitation eliminated in the | civil war this church would stand by the
 union. The pastor of the church. writing
 in 1866, said "The church and congre- gation were almost unanimous in their
 support of the government Many of our young men went into the army. We have | heard of their bravery and wounds on the field of battle; of their sufferings, starva-
 tion and death while prisoners of war l;
 but we have never heard of any who cow
 ardly failed to do his duty as soldier" {" One of these young men, Geo. O. Champ lin, kept a diary, copious extracts from
 which have recently been published in The
 Press. About 25 young men from the
 families of the church were in the army
 Of the present membership 10 are veterans
 of the civil war, and about an equal num-
 Der of veterans, not church members,
 make this their church home.
 For more than 150 years the Methodist
 rule against drunkenness, buying or sell ing spirituous liquors, or drinking them,
 unless in cases of extreme necessity" has
 made the entire church vigorous tenn perance society. The local church has
 been true to the general doctrine of the
 church in this line, and has been aggress-
 lively identified with all temperance work From "A to '76 there was a great temper : ance revival in the place, led by Rev. J. H James of the Methodist church, and Rev C.C. Painter of the Congregational church Drunkards were reclaimed; some of then became Chri 5tians, and many others be came total abstainers. At present tht value of the churches of Stafford to th' temperance cause is universally conceded and certainly no church in town is mor' active in the promotion of the principlea of total abstinence and no-license than tn Methodist church in the Springs.
 (Cont1nued.)