The age-herald., 1901-07-22
GREAT PROGRESS
 OF CHRISTIANITY Rev. E. H. Hawkins Breaches Eloquent Sermon atEastLake A REMARKABLE GROWTH In Telling of the World Growing Bet ter the Able Divine Gives Some
 Very Interesting statlstIes.--
 Ultimate Triumph Certain
A REMARKABLE GROWTH

With the progress of Christianity for theme the Rev. E. H. Hawkins preached an eloquent and powerful sermon in the East Lake Methodist church yesterday morning. His text was from Matt. 13: 31-31, and was as follows:
 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying the Kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed. which a man took and sowed in his field; which indeed IS the least of all seeds; but when 1t is grown. 1t Is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Matt 13:31-31
 A few of the parables of our Lord are quite difficult of interpretation; not so with the parable of the mustard seed. The meaning Is obvious. It Is designed to teach the growth of Christianity from very small beginnings to vast dimensions at last. It is at once tho prophecy and the assurance that the Christian religion shall ultimately triumph over all the world. Aside from the faith that we have in the word and power of Jesus Christ, we are persuaded that the growth of Christianity through the past centur- ies affords us reasonable ground to be- lieve that the Kingdom of heaven shall surely come in this world. For the en- couragement of our faith let us consider together some facts relative to the pro- gress of Christianity in the world
 Christian Populatio
 The centuries show a remarkable in- crease in Christian population. At the end of the first century there were half million Christians in the world: at the end of the second, two millions; at the end of the fifth. fifteen millions; at the end of the tenth. fifty millions; at the end of the fifteenth. one hundred mill lions; at the end of the seventeenth, one hundred and fifty-five millions; ot the end of the eighteeth. two hundred mill lions; at the end of the thirteenth, about five hundred millions.
 In our day the gain in numbers Is six times as rapid as during the last century and sixty-six times as rapid as 1t was in the first century. The government of the world is rapidly passing under Christian control. In 17S6 the Christian races governed 35 per cent of the population of the globe; in 1886 they ruled 55 per cent The Christian nations rule $50 million more subjects today than they did one hundred years ago. If you add the 13O millions of Africans which are practically under Christian control, 1t appears that during the last century the Christian governments have subjugated 6S0 millions of people Nominal Christians constitute less than one-third of the inhabitants of the globe, yet they govern more than two-thirds. The time Is rapidly approach ing when all the nations of the earth will be under Christian control
 There Is like increase in the control of geographical areas. In 1900 the Christian nations controlled about per cent of the surface of the globe; today they control & per cent. Of the nearly 50,oo0, 900 square miles under the control of earth's sover- eigns, the Christian rulers exercise au- thority over ,40, ,000, 600. aa4
 By similar array of statistics 1t can be demonstrated that the dominant type of Christianity is Protestant, and neither Greek nor Roman Catholic. Let us note briefly the growth of Christianity in the United States.
 In the beginning of the last century the Protestant church members numbered only per cent of the population of the country; in the middle of the century they numbered 15 per cent. and at the close of the century they numbered over 22 per cent.
 During the century the population in- creased twelve times, while Protestant church members increased thirty-nine times. The figures show that while the population of the country Is increasing with wonderful rapidity, the membership of the Protestant Church Is increasing three times as fast. There are some who may think that this increase in church members is confined to the more ignorant and illiterate part of the people. The facts go to show that Just the opposite to this is true. In the last sixty years the actual population increased four times. while tlie school population increased more than seven times.
 Today there are more than twice as many children in school as there were in 184O, and consequently there Is a rapid increase in the general intelligence of the people. The gain in Protestant church members has been most notable among the more intelligent classes. particularly among college professors and college stu dents. Great significance attaches to this fact when we consider that the colleges and universities are the pivotal points in the worlds civilization and must ulti- mately govern the thought and conduct of the world.
 9ome interesting Figures.
 As go the colleges, so will go the world. Taking the United States a wh0le only five young men out of a hundred are church members, while among cellege students fifty-four out of every hundred are church members Statistics prove conclusively that 1t Is the more ignorant and iliiterate who are most irreligious.
 In1nk OI the tune WHen dfnOH8 the students of Yale there were only three professors in religion and among the stu dents of Princeton only one.
 Compare this with the conditions today, in which fifty-four out of every hundred students in our American colleges are members of the Church of Christ.
 In recent canvass of the 140O graduates of Harvard University only two recorded themselves as unbeiievers. Ignorance is not the mother of devotion. These statis- tics apply not only to colleges and uni versailles under the direct control of the church, but also to the state universities and those established upon private foun- datfons.
 A hundred years ago many of the lead CTS of the worlds thought spoke of re- ligion with indifference or contempt. and as being adapted to women and children and weak-minded men. This kind of speech is rarely heard any longer.
 Mir. Gladstone testified that during his n 4. t. a.x f-~ .t-Ax nf kIxa A3< <eSf