Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-04
REPLY TO Or Ecos.
Statement by the Congregational Home Mi
sionary Society.

New York, Oct. Sowing to criti-
clsms originated by the Rev. James II.
Ecob' d. D., of Denver, Col. alleging
undue multiplication of missionary and
dependent churches, and consequent ex-
pensiveness, the Congregational Home
Missionary Society issued SATURDAY.,
statement to it's constituency relative
to it's responsibility for the multiplied
ton of churches on missionary ground
This statements affirms that superin-
tendents are instructed to guard care
fully the relation of the society to
other societies doing missionary WORT,
on the same field. and that the claims
of comfy and Christian couresty are
always respected. 1t is the invariabls
rule not to plant a Congregational
church mission on ground which. in the
proper sense of the word, is cared fer
other evangelical denominations.
AS far back as 1892 efforts We're made
to secure a conference of the represen-
tatives of the Home Missionary organ
izations of the Methodist, Baptist.
Episcopalian. Reformed, Presbyterian
and Congregational churches, with "A
view to adopting such methods of CON-
u.
Representatives We're present from the
Presbyterian, the Reformed and the
Congregational Home Missionary bod
les. the others declining. A report
adopted contained the statement Of
principles of each of the three demon
nations represented. together with the
procedure to be followed in exceptional
cases which might arise on the fiel J.
in these exceptional cases a committ,c
of conference on the field were to con-
slider the matter, and, if possible, set
tie the point. If such committee failed
of reaching a conclusion, the matter
was to be referred to the secretaries cf
the missionary societies in New York
In 1892, of the whole number of fields
occupied by the Congregational Home
Missionary Society, IS per cent were
those in which the Congregational
church was alone, SO far as the Metho-
dist. Baptist, Presbyterian and Episcc-
pal churches were concerned OF the
remaining 20 per cent, one-fifth We're
in populations of 5000 or more, and q
large proportion of the remainder were
in fields which were first occupied by
Congregationalists. During the inter
vening five years since these facts were
first investigated. constant watch has
been kept by the executive committee
and the officers of the society TO guard
in fields that were already provided
with Christian privileges.
In the spring of 1897, six months be-
fore DR.. Ecob's criticisms were pub
lished, Investigations covering the past
five years were made. 1t was ascer-
tanned that in this half decade, thirty
one churches were organized in Flor
ida, all directly or indirectly under the
Congrega tional Home Missionary So
ciety. OF these thirty-one churches
twenty-six were organized in towns or
fields where there was no Methodist
fields where there was no Methodist,
Baptist, Episcopal or Presbyterian en-
terprise at the time they were organ
lied. Sixteen churches were organized
in Kansas under the Congregational
Home Missionary Society, and thirteen
of these new churches were organized
at points where, at the time of organ
ization, there was no Methodist, Bap-
fist, Episcopal, or Presbyterian enter
prise.
Twenty churches were organized In
South Dakota. Only one of these was or
ganiZed where there was at the time q
Methodist. Baptist. Presbyterian. or Epis- |
copal church. In Colorado seventeen |
churches were organized, sixteen of them
in places where there were, at the time /
no other Protestant services of any kind |
not even a Sunday-schOol. In Southern |
California twenty-five churches were or |
ganized. Fifteen of these were in towns
where there was no Methodist Baptist, |
Episcopal, or Presbyterian enterprise at |
the time they were organized. or the re- |
seven, five were in towns or fields |
of two thousand or more inhabitants. The |
other two were in fields of about one |
inhabitants each. In one of |
these there was an Episcopal. in the other |
a Methodist church at the time. In both |
these places the Congregational church |
is the larger and more influential Over
ninety churches were organized in Okla
homa, and in not more than ten places
was there any other organization, and
these were invariably in towns and cities
where there was room for Congregations
alists. Thirty-One churches were organ
lied in Nebraska. Two of these were
German and one Scandinavian. OF these
q were in communities where there is no
other Protestant English-speaking church.
Four more were in communities where
there was only a Methodist church. and
in three of these the Methodist church
was well-nigh extinct. In north Wiscon-
sin q churches were organized In as many
|
was no other church whatever. The three
others were in spirit the same. that is.
hey We're Scandinavian churches. organ
zed where there were no other churches
Of the denomination named reaching that
There has not been in this
district single exception to
he principle on which the Congregational
Society locates churches. In Indiana IA
were organized. Two were the
first and only churches in isolated vii
lagos; six were in isolated sections OF
stiles otherwise unsupplied: two were in
villages where the only other church was
two were in places less than
600 population, where there were already
and Baptist churches, but no
Episcopal or Presbyterian; two were In
titles Of more than 10000 inhabitants. In
he state of Washington 20 churches were
organized and Of these &c were In clear
felds," those in which there was no other
Superintendent Grassie of
lorthern Wisconsin, characterizes sectae
ian rivalry as a crime, the scandal OF
Christendom, waster of funds. and the
destroyer of the best effect of Protestant
MISSIONS
In the fields above named in the past
i've years 262 Congregational churches
~.1n nj oScicfQd nv the