Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26
BISHOP FAvORS REUNION
RESTORATION OF THE METHODIST
CHURCH TO ORIGINAL FORM.
DIR. McCabe's Views Growth of the
-Statistfcal Showing.

While in Washington recently Bishop Nc
| Cabe of the M. E. Church expressed him.
| self being strongly in favor of the prac-
teal reunion of the church he represents
and the Methodist Episcopal Church South,
| which have been separated since 1874. Inc
progress Of American Methodsm is regard
| ed by many as the most marvellous in the
history of religious bodies of the nineteenth
century. Beginning in the most humble
| way, 1t has become, with one exception. the
| largest body of Christians in America, and
| Is most distfnctively American in charac-
| ter. 1t is believed by some of its acher-
ents that its power for good will be large
| ly increased by it's restoration to its origi-
nal form.
The first Methodist society in America
| was organized in October 1866, in rigging
! loft in New York city, by Philip Embury
local preacher. and consisted of only five
members. Two years later, October 30, 176S,
| Mr. Embury dedicated the first Methodist
church edifice in America-John Street
| Church. then called Wesley Chapel. The
next year, 1863. Mr.. Wesley-the founder of
Methodism-appointed Richard Boardman
and Joseph Pilmoor the first itinerant Meth
odist preachers in America. The first an
| nual conference of preachers was held in
| Philadelphia in 1773 At that time there
were only ten Methodist preachers in Amer
| lea and all were present. The whole num-
| Der of lay members was only 1,160
The Methodist Episcopal Church was
| formally organized at the Christmas con-
| ference of Methodist minister's which sat
! in Baltimore, December "a, 1854. 1t was
| called by Thomas Coke, who had been sent
by Mr.. Wesley for the purpose of effecting
such organization. That conference elect.
| ed DR.. Coke and Francis Asbury general
superintendent or bishops. The church at
| that time numbered eightythree travelling
| ministers and 14.9sS members. During the
| next three years the number increased to
| 1873 ministers and 25.S42 members, of which
| number 1893 were colored. During the
| year 1887 revivals broke out in many places
and the membership increased by 14,3G9,
| the increase alone being nearly equal to the
total membership at the time the church
| was organized few years before. The
| church continued to increase in member
| ship, and at the close of 1893 1t was re-
ported as 67,643.
At the general conference in 1892 Rev.
James O'Kelly, one of the first members,
| introduced resolution requiring the bishop
| to report the appointment of preachers to
| the conference and to make changes in
| them as the conference might suggest.
| The resolution was rejected by large ma
| jority, and Mr.. O'kelly, taking offcnse,
| withdrew from the body. He was followed
| by some members of the church and,
| result of this agitation, there was a de-
crease in the membership during the next
three years.
Present Strength of Church.
| The latest statistical reports for the var
&c, 424 ministers, 53,O33 churches, and al
most 100000 members.
American Methodism entered the nine
teenth century without a single educational
institution bearing it's name. Cokesbury
College was begun in 1855 and completed in
1877, at an expense of about $4,000. 1t was
destroyed by fire in 1897. In 1917 an acad-
envy was established al Newmarket N. H,
under the patronage of the New England
conference. This was the beginning of the
revival Of learning in American Methodism.
which was followed by the action of the
general conference Of 1920, which recon-
mended to all the annual conferences to
establish as soon as practicable literary
institutions under their own control, in such
way and manner as they might think
proper.
No other religious denomination has done
more. If any other so much. for higher
education. The Methodist Episcopal Church
alone now controls 251 schools of various
grades, as follows: Theological institutions,
26; colleges and universities. SO: classical
seminaries 81 institutions exclusively for
women. 8: foreign mission schools 80: mis-
| sionary institutions and Bible training
! schools, f. These institutions have an en-
dowment Of 4,543,4s9, and debts aggre
| eating 81, 1856 1888
Foreign missions Of the Methodist Epis-
| copal Church were commenced in the fol-
lowing order: Africa 1885, South America,
| 1853; Sweden, 1854; Switzerland, 1856; India
1856: Denmark and Bulgaria, 1857; Italy,
1871; Japan 1872: Mexico, 1873; Finland,
1884: Malaysia and Corea. 1885. They are
| In Protestant, Roman Catholic, Greek
Church and non-Chrstian countries. The
| missions in Protestant lands are those in
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland Ger
| many and Switzerland.
| The Methodist Episcopal Church assists
the Methodist churches that have there
| been organized. and these report 36O native
preachers. 45,67s members and s,491 proba-
| TONERS.
|
The missions in Roman Catholic lands
| are those in South America Italy and
Mexico. In these countries the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church has 1O2 foreign
| missionaries, 173 native preachers, 6,696
| members and 1913 probationers. The
missions in Greek Church lands are in
| Bulgaria and a small mission in ST. Peters,
burg. Russia. In Bulgaria fourteen ma
tive preachers, 211 members and twenty-six
| proDationers. In St. Petersburg are thir-
| teen members and four probationers. The
missions in non-Christian lands are those
| In Africa, China, Japan, Corea, India and
Malaysia. In these countries the Methodist
Episcopal Church has 535 foreign missiona-
ries, 1,256 native preachers, 81, OO4 members
| and 46, 626 probationers
| Hospitals have been established by the
| Methodist Episcopal Church in Chicago,
III: Brooklyn. N. Y: Cincinnati. Ohio;
fersonville, Ind: Spokane, Wash; Frank
fort-on- the Main. Germany: st. Joseph.
Mo-; Louisville. Ky: Hamburg, Germany;
Philadelphia, Pa: Great Falls. Mont: Bos-
| ton, Mass; Omaha. Neb. Washington, D.
| C.. Methodist Episcopal homes for the aged
have been established at Brooklyn, N. Y;
Baltimore, Md; New York city. Philadel-
phia, Chicago. Yellow Springs, Ohio, and
Quincy. Ill. They have also orphanages
and homes for children at Warrenton,
Mo-; Harvey. ILL.,: Chicago, New York city,
Dimond, Cal; Berea, Ohio; Baltimore. Nd:
Lake Bluff. Ill; Ingleside, N Y: San
Francisco, CAL. T1voli, N. Y, and Yer
| bank, N. Y.