Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-01-25
show what may be said to be un-
expected vigor, with growth Of

show what may be said to be un-
expected vigor, with a growth of
3 per cent among the twelve
varieties of "r4gulars" and of Ia
among the thr 'e varieties vt those
known ss Reformed; Presbyter-
ians One of tilA ol,litias vt this
growth aspect nf thp cas !. found
lii the Mennoni.ies, who are cred
tied with sustaining twelve de-
ferent va.,;sties or su,liyitim.s
and with growth within the
year of 3 per Arnt, aud yet have
III t''air whn'e twelve varieties on.
;ly 57.94S m m'. rs To fnd this
many s,n's divided into a dozen
snhj gives one a. rsther he
wi'dsring notion "f what a little
it takes to constitute church in
modern tunes.
Probably the most ourious side
OF these STATISTICS ls found in the
differing proportions Of ministers
and members and churches. A.
remarked before, IL takes $4,000
ministers to take care Of $4,000
Christian Scientists, hut their
sect ia young and green. And yet
Presbyterians support 1890
ministers, or one to every l3l
members, the Baptists 33,OS8, or
one to l34 members, aud the
Methodists 36.424, or one to every
l59 members. Even the Epieco-
pslians sustain one minister to
every l42 members, while among
the Congregationalists the pro-
portion is as close as one to Ill.
From this latter it wi,lens to one
to l76, among the Disciples Of
Christ, where the Protestant body
Of considerable proportions.
Each one of these denominations
supports alsoa number of churches
strangely larger than tl,at of
min'stets. The Baptists have
1921 churches, the Methodists
So, ,O23, th" Prasbyterians 1921
and so nn through the list, even
the before named Disciples hav-
ing l0,29S.
On the other hand, the Cath
olics, with nearly $500, 600 mem
bers. support 1854 churches and
lila ministers ms the tables
e.ll them every one Of them
looking after 758 souls aud doing
it quite as thoroughly as the
conyregatiopalist looks after his
ILL. Even the much abused Jews,
whose religious discipline has
been the marvel of at least 5000
years, with membership of ,O43,-
800, sustain only $40 churches
and 3l0 minister's! Yet did sny.
body ever hear that the religions
interests IF the Catholics or of the
Jews were suffering for want oi
laborers? Is itany wonder ths'
when they need money fnr re-.
ligious end they can Get it? Gould
there be stronger illustration
of the value Of wellrounded
symmetrical organization?
Setting aside fads and vagaries
the noticeable growth seems to h,
among those denominations more
or less nominated by broadening
liberalizing tendencies, the Dis.
ciples and Baptists, for ersmples
Yet the Unitarians and Uniyer.
sallists, who represent logical re.
snlts Of this fiberatizing tendency
show. the former no gain, and I'll.
latter an actual fossof 81 per cent
| This may seem odd, but is not i
characteristic of humanity 10 be
quite ready to entertain Univer
salist views long before they are
willing to 'sume the nnme? Mean
time the older, i,rclatical organ.
izatious rs they wera once called
forge steadily forward. Can then
younger brethern catch no hints
from these tigures?--C Chicag,
Chronicle.
The Chicago & Northwestern
it is reported, has ordered 3O,OOl