New-York tribune., 1901-12-31
RELIGION ~ 1901.
station.

The old saying that prosperity is bad for
religion seems to he borne out in the year Just
closing. The three larger Baptist benevolent
societies report n decline in contributions. The
Congregationalists have held their own. hut can
report no great forward movement. The Episco-
pal Missionary Board faces n deficit OF $4,000.
all the more embarrassing because il Is expand
ing its missionary effort. The Methodists have
done we'll in raising S15OO0OOO n twentieth
century fund, but there are indications that ii
has been done at the expense OF some other
interests. The Presbyterians and Roman Catho-
lies appear 10 have done well. In all these
bodies there has been a growth in member
ship. but the denominational organs seem to
think that it ought to have been greater. Evan
geism has made an unsatisfactory showing
Various twentieth century revival movements
We're started at the beginning OF the year, but
not one of them fulfilled expectations. Even
church members appear TO be out OF sympathy
with the purely emotional appeals 10 sinners
that were once so potent
One of the most important events OF the year
affecting religion was the passage of the Asso-
Citations law by France and the resulting expul-
sion of about eleven thousand members of
religious orders. few of whom came to this
country. The Presbyterian Church decided to
put forth statement explaining but not super
seding its creed. The Baptist societies held
meetings largely devoted to the discussion of
ways and means. The Episcopal General Con
vention appointed bishops for Porto Rico and
the Philippines, but otherwise took no action
on burning questions submitted to IT, The
Methodist conferences appear to have acted
| favorably on the proposition to admit women
as delegates to the General Conference, and the
! question will now go 10 that body The Roman
Catholics have effected federation of their
| lay societies; but the year has witnessed a
notable increase of Protestant missionary activ-
| ity in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines at
| thcexpense Of that body All the larger Protes-
tant bodies report the erection of churches and
| schoolhouses and many accessions TO their men,
! bership. The fact has Just been announced
| that the Roman Church in this country Is
| alive to the need of holding its own in these new
| possessions. and with that end in view will
| train American priests TO take the place of
| native priests. AT a recent conference ALI tho
sects OF the Quakers met and declared for arbi-
| tration instead Of war The tendency toward
| liturgical worship and ceremonial has been
| developed in the non-liturgcal churches. Lent
and Holy Week looming up larger than the
! Week OF Prayer. and vested choirs have in
creased among the Methodists. On the other
| hand, extreme ritualisn in the Anglican and
Episcopal churches has received distinct set
back. and 1t is believed that 1t will soon cease
| to be vital issue in these churches
While there have been no large benefac-
tions to religion during the year. many millions
of dollars have been given to secular objects IN
| some cases by church members who declined to
| give anything to meet the urgent needs of their
| denomination. The chief beneficiary, probab ably
| has been education in one form or another-a
fact which led DR. Minton. a well known Pres
| byterian clergyman OF Philadelphia. to declare
on Sunday that the country is university mad
Hardly less marked than the interest in educa
ton has been the quickening of the church's
| interest in social betterment. which manifests
itself sometimes In the broadening of parochial
activities, but quite as often In the creation Of
purely secular agencies testifying to the sense
OF sympathy and brotherhood Whether or not
| this impulse of brotherhood was originally in
| spired by religion, II is no longer coterminous