The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-03-29
Decrease in Church Membership.
DR.. j. L. Hewitt

| nation, then, either the people called
Methodists have spiritually degener-
ated or the masses are not inclined to
be touched with the 9gis of Wesley as
once they were. The Bishops have so
much taken to heart the point of these
recent statistics that they have APP
pointed week of prayer, and during
the coming few days every good
ciaurchman will be on his knees.
But what is the cause of the decline?
Perhaps there has been an unusual
wedding out of absent members. Per
haps many good brother and sister
have gone in the way of Cain and find
in the pastures of the world sweeter
fodder than in that of the Kingdom.
1t may be ''the Higher criticism is
respor sib1e. Yet it would hardly seem
so. What can questions of the origin,
date, composition, authorship and lit
erary style of certain books and manu-
scripts and writer's do with the essen
tial life of Christianity? Higher criti-
cism helps the church rather than hurts
it. ''The New Theology" which in
most respects stands in direct antago-
nism to the honored and age-1ong
principles that have been handed
down through all the centuries to the
present, may be effecting Methodisn1
unfavorab1y, but this is Improbable,
| for Methodists do not change their
opinions every time the wind blows
evangelical doctrines in the hearts of
men who love God, Jesus Christ, the
church and the world are rocks that do
not readily pu1verize in the atmos-
phere of theo1ogic storm. Is the
Methodist church on the verge of de-
cay because some other religion than
Christianity is antagonizing it? Then
where is that other religion? What is
it? No religious teacher ever said less
against other religions than Jesus
Christ, no Christian people were less
inclined than Methodists to go in pur-
suit of men Of theo1ogic straw. No
new religion is not apt to be found in
Methodist pew, or press, or pulpit.
The way it appears to this writer is
about as follows: There has been no
great falling away from Christianity,
perhaps none whatever, it may be that
careful consideration Of statistics will
show a large general gain. Some
changes may have taken place as be-
tween the denominations The Meth
odist Episcopal church has lost some
of it's finest timber, not because men
have fallen out with it's doctrines or
it's religion, these are very exceptional,
but because they sense growing dis
cordance with it's policy. If there has
been falling out or rather failure to
fall into the honored ranks of Method
| ism, let the church confess that she
| has helped to strike the blow. The
Methodist church has for hundred
years been the church of the common
people. In love with the people she
sought their edifcation; her reviva1s
reviva1s are less numerous, less real,
less extensive, and have less demon
stration of power from on high, it is
because the great church does not love
the people with the frankness and
ardor of The old time. Any church will
decay that does not love the common
people more than it's own existence.
But it is not so bad as put by the
Bishops. To speak in regard to gen
era1 facts. Out of membership of
%, 900, 900 which is the total following
Of all denominations in the United
States, the present increase is not as
large as usua1-1899 was marked by
slight falling off among some of the
churches, but taking decade as a
base of comparison the per cent. of in
crease has been very large, and par
ticu1ar1y in the Methodist Episcopal
church It may lose a few members
in occa siona1 years, but on the whole
it goes toward, and each decade adds
world In fact, there never was a
time when so many be1ieved5Iin and
loved Jesus Christ as now, and 'infidel-
itY never had so weak a hold on the
reading millions as now. Finally, the
Methodist church that 50 feels and
bewai1s its ineficiency was probably
never so strong, and the final tri-
umphs we're never so sure. That great
denomination is coming to the front
with splendid century gift oftwenty-
nine million five hundred thousand
dollars. Six million Methcdists will
raise this large amount.
It is most significant: it means the
church is not on the brink of religious
ruin, it means a better opportunity for
general culture in the world, it means
magnificent endeavor in behalf of
the CHARACTERIZATION of unevangelized