The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-06-08
Power Of Six Million Kt,hOdists.

To the secular world, which has no de-
nominational aililiatIon but which re-
CARDS Christianity as great humanlZing
ana ciyiliZing force, the important state
ments relating TO the growth OF the
Methodist Episcopal church made IN the
quaurenniai address OF the bishops will
have greater interest than any of the
discussions pertaining t. doctrine or dis
eipline. Indeed, II Is not too much to
say that the commandments themselves
will be more Interested in learning what
the church has done than in knowing
what it believes. The Methods Episco-
pal church, like every other ethical edu-
cational and religious organization, must
be judged according To what 1t has &C
coupiished for the Deterrent OF man
kind. Has this great ecclesiastical or
ganiZation extended and broadened the
influence OF the gospe? Has it AIDE
quately met the supreme test of Chris
tianity by securi ( a wider applica ton
of the teachings OF Lne lowly Nazarehe
In the laws, poiticaI institutions, bust
ness conduct and social relatl MS of
men? In this day of advanced liberali-
Zation OF Thought, wnen the tendency of
the dominant religious forces of the
country is toward ii slmpllticatlon vi
ereed-away from man made theology
toward the immortal Sermon on the
Mount-the people are not greatly con-
eerned about the vast eccleslastlcal ma
Oh merry of the Methodist Episcopal
ehur, h. We love and ye0erate the tine
old patriarchal bishops OF the church.
The sturdy zeal, devotion and plety Oh
the Methodist preachers, many "a whom
were pioL GERS III the opening OF the great
west, command our admiration anu re-
spect. We are also constrained to adj
mre the superb working machinery OF
this vast organization. But the question
the world viii ask about the Methodist
church is, has the church touched the
hives of men? Is it losing or gaining
ground as an agency for the moral ele
walton of mankind? Measured by this
standard the showing made for the
church in the quadrennial address Of
the bishops is highly gratifying to the
millions of believers in the Christian
gospel in all lands. Tracing the develop
ment of Nett odism in the United States
the address shows that during the last
century while the population OF the coun-
try has increased fourteen TO d, the com
municants of the various Methodist
churches have increased ninety sevtr
fold. While pointing out that the Meth
odist church had received an increase Of
only 100000 members or about four pei
cent. since the last general conference
the bishops declare that this should moi
be the occasion for dependency Oh
gloomy forebodings. Many causes oper
ated to bring about cecline in the rate
of increa se, among them being civil dis
fractions, such as the war with Spain anC
the financial depression with which the
guadrennium opened. The Methods
Episcopal church in the United States
his increased from 81, 900 in 1900 to near
ly 6 100000 in 1899. But numbers alone
will not be regarded as the criterion Of
the church progress. he address reveals
remarkable growth in behevolences, doc
trinal fidelity, education, missions anc
the Christian life. This mighty army o
6,000,00U0 devoted adherenCs If Meth
odism repres- hts civilizing, uplift
ing force, the possibilities of which
guided by wise and tolerant counsei
are beyond all human calculation-St
Louis Republic.