The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-01-09
RELIGION IN 1901

the year just closing, The three large
Baptist benevolent societies report a
decline in contributions, The Congre-
gationalists have held their own. but
can report no great forward movement.
The Episcopal missionary board faces
a deficit Of $4,000, all the more en-
barrassing because It is expanding its
missionary effort, The Me,hodists have
done well in raising Sl5,0Ooco0 rs
twentieth century fund, bu, there are
indications that IL has been done at
the expense Of some other interests
The Presbyteriaus and Roman Catho-
lies appear TO have done we'll In all
these bodies there has been growth
in membership. but the denomina,ional
organs seem TO think that 1t ought 20
have been greater. Evangelism has
made an unsatisfactory showing. vari-
Gus twentieth century revival move
ments were started at the beginning
Of the year. but NOT one of them ful-
filed expectations Even church mem
bers appear to be out Of sympathy
with the purely emotional appeals to
sinners that were once so potent.
one OF the most important events
Of the year affecting religion. was the
passage OF the associations law by
France and the resulting expulsion Of
about eleven thousand members of re-
ligious orders. a few Of whom came
to this country. The Presbyterian
church decided to put forth a state
ment explaining bur not superseding
its crede The Baptist societies held
meetings largely devoted TO the dis
cussion OF ways and means. The Epis-
copal General Convention appointed
bishops for Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, but otherwise took no action on
burning questions submitted to ii. The
Methodist conferences appear to have
acted fayorably on the proposition to
admit women as delegates TO the gen.
eral conference and the question will
now go to that body The Roman
Catholics have effected a federation Of
their lay societies; but the year has
witnessed a notable increase Of Prot
estant missionary activity in Cuba.
Porto Rico and the Philippines at the
expense Of that body All the larger
Protestant bodies report the erection
Of churches and schoolhouses and
many accessions to their membership
The fact has just been announced that
the Roman church in this country is
alive to the need Of holding it's 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 all the sects Of the
Quakers met and declared for arbi-
tration instead Of war. The tendency
toward liturgical worship and cere-
monial has been developed in the nom
liturgical churches. Lent and Holy
Week are looming up larger than the
Week Of Prayer, and vested choIrs
have increased among the Methodists.
on the other hand. extreme ritualism
in the American and Episcopal church.
es has received a distinct setback, and
IT is believed that it will soon cease
TO be a vital issue in these churches.
While there have been no large bene-
factions to religion during the year,
many millions Of dollars have been
given to secular objects, in some cases
by church members who declined 10
give anything to meet the urgent needs
Of their denomination. The chief bene-
dciary probably has been educated
in one form or another-a fact which
led Mr. Minton a well-known Presby-
terian clergyman Of Philadelphia, TO
declare recently that The country
is university mad Hardly less mark
ed than the interest in education 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. testlfylng to the
sense Of sympathy and brotherhood.
Whether or not this impulse Of broth
erhoOd was originally inspired by re-
ligion, it is no longer coterminous with
religion. Many men and women not