The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-12-23
NOT DECLINING.
New England Protestantism-Care
Inquiry Into It's Status.

New England Protestantism-Care
Inquiry Into It's Status.
During the past few years articles
have been published in some of the sec
ular papers, written by summer resi-
dents, tourists and newspaper cores
pondents from the New England states
which have given the impression that
Professionalism in New England was los
ing it's influence, says the New York
Observer, that churches We're going to
decay, and that in many country re-
gions. This impression was reinforced
by statement from Governor Rollins
of New Hampshire not long since. In
view of such statements, it may be of
interest to give the results, in brief, of
a thorough inquiry, which has occupied
two months of the past summer, into
the actual religious state of the Frotes-
tant churches in the country districts of
the five largest New England states
Careful investigation by competent per-
sons shows that in these regions the
Protestant churches have not lost, and
are not losing their excellent spiritual
influence upon the Protestant popula-
ton; and that the pastors and superin-
tendents of state home missions are
alive to the dangers and opportunities
which arise from the incoming Of a
large n-Protestant population.
A number of instances can be cited
where irreligious communities have
been recovered to religious habits, by
the divine blessing upon the labors of
educated, consecrated, sensible and de-
voted ministers; and there are few, If
any, town centers where gross irrelj-
gion prevails Throughout these states
there is at the present time a general
desire for revival, and for united eff
forts to cultivate comfy in religion,
rather than contention. Cooperative
Christianity has many beautiful Illus
trations, especially in Maine, in New
Hampshire, and in Vermont; and if suf-
ficient funds were provided, all the
country regions, the hill towns, and the
spaces between villages could be sue
cessfully ministered to by pastors and
missionaries.
The general and clear conclusion of
the Investigations which have been
made is, that 1.-THE existing condition is
encouraging and healthful; the tenden-
cy Is not downward, but upward; and
that the good which now prevails should
be considered vantage ground for fur
Their Christian successes
1t is to be remembered that we are
speaking the Protestant, and not of I'M
iversal conditions. There are in New
England an average of four hundred
thousand French Canadians, who live
permanently or transiently there
They are distributed as follows: Maine,
fifty thousand; New Hampshire, fifty
thousand; Vermont, twenty-five thou
sand; Massachusetts,, two hundred
Rhode Island, twenty-five
thousand; Connecticut, fifty thousand
The change in population through en-
gration is something of which Protes-
tantism is not accountable, and Protes-
-antism has only an indirect RESPONSE
bility for the Roman Catholic popula-
lion of any state or town. Bearing
these things in mind, the state of Maine
shows some townships which have al
ways been destitute of churches and re-
igious privileges, but they are also des-
.itute of permanent inhabitants, being
and bunting regions in the
northern half of the state. Attention is
being called to these places and mis-
sionaries are sent to logging camps in
he season. In the old towns there is
In town after town there |
las been revival.
One such town on the northern Dor |
Ter Of the lower half of the state is CIV !
n as sample. A home missionary en-
cred the town in 1892. AT the time re- /
igious services We're intermittent and |
ice was common. Now there are two
elf-supportinG> churches, and the gos-