The Newtown bee., 1899-12-08

sessions OF all deliberative bodies and
most conventions with prayer; the pre-
paratory words of wills, sin the name
OF God, Amen;" the laws respecting the
observance OF the Sabbath, with q gen.
aral cessation OF all secular business and
the closing OF courts, legislatures, ano
other similar public assemblies on that
day; the churches and church orssnizs-
sions which abound in every city, town
and hamlet; the multitude OF charitable
organizatio existing everywhere unde,
Christian auspices; the gigantic mission
aHy associations, with general suupor
ana aiming TO establish Christian mis-.
sions IN every quarter Of the globe
These and many other matters which
might be noticed add volume OF unoff1
cial declarations to the mass OF organic
utseFances that this ia q Christian ma
sion."s MrJamss Bryce In tis American
Commonwealth raises the question.
what would bafall this huge yet deli
cate fabric Of laws, commerce and com.
mercs and social institutions vera the
foundations is has hitherto reated on
THE Christian re lgionl to crumble awsv
aud the people ceased to believe tina,
there was any power above them and
any future. before them, anything f.
heaven or earth but what their gensas
told them Of and the Christian faith
should give p ace to the feeling that this
deeting life 10 rounded by q perpetual
sleep2 Would the moral code stand nm.
shaken and with it the reverence for law.
the sense OF duty toward the community
and the generations yet to comep' These
are the queries OF an intelligent foreigner
According TO the census of 1890 there
are In the United States 165, 297 religion,
organizations or church societies or con-
gregations; 142 $3.50 church ediflces or
buildings erected FOR divine worship.
And their seating capacity liz 10, 500, s7s.
or more than two-thirds OF the entire
population. And ss infants, aged per.
soma, invaltdsa and those other wise dis
qualified for attending public worship
probably comprise a.thtrd; of the populs-
zion, eees aeassng capaetegeT the churches
May be supposed to be equal Co the needs
OF the entire population. The census
soon TO be taken will show ~ increase
OF population and probably 40 sequsl i'm
crease OF church accommodations. The
value OF the church edificas, BY the GEN.
sus OF $780, not including pagsonagss.
cemeteries and Institutions OF learning
and making no deductions for debt, was
1919 ,694, 43s; or. including parsonagss,
the value Of which probably exceeds the
debts Tor charch buildings, mot less than
S7oo, 600. coo. And all this vast veal III l.
shs free will offering of the American
people 60 the purposes Of Christianity
and the worship OF Him whose presence,
like tbs oyararching say, encompasses
every place where his children. dwell.
The communicates of the churches In
1850 were 90 .61s ,3O7, or nearly 80 per
cent OF the population.
But ! In estimating the numerical
strength OF Christianity within oar ter
ritorial limits we must sake account, not
only Of the actual eoramunieansa, bat
also Of attendants, adherenes and friends
who, though mot members, are henefsci-
aries and supporters Of the churches.
DrsCarroll says: SIN refund numbers we
may take Il, $50 900 40 representing the
Protestant communicating. Multiplying
this number by three and ons-halfa we
have 40 $50, 600, which represents the az
grsgate Of Protestant commandments and
adherants, or Protestant population.
Add 90 tnis 7,3ea. 600 Cor the Catholic
population and we have for the Christiara
population Of tine United States SIS ,98a ].
900, ont OF . total OF 81 622 ,250.s s4-gts.sl
BY this showing the mountain or the
house oS jehovah, OF the Christian sane
tusry, 10 already established In the top of
the mountains and exalted above khe
hills, throughout soar own borders. III
has also . similar prominence Id the
provinces north OF ~ and In the ooun-
tries south Of rs and throughout South,
America, Australia and numerous islands
Christian powers are exploring, opening
and partitioning Africa. The British
crown has some 25o, o0o, 900 Asiatic abb
jecta. Our own territory il attn expand
ings both toward the east and the west.
In our times many pagan nations have
embraced Christianity and almost All the
rest including Japsn and the vast empire
of China. are In effect saying, .sCome and
lot - H. ~ 30 The house of the God Of
jacob and 10 viii ssaen ID Of Els ways /.