Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-01-14
POOR YEAR FOR CHURCHES.
Religion Has Not Prospercd Financial
IY Like Ofiicr. interests.


With possibly one exception, the year
1901 has not witnessed great financial
strides within she churches. With money
making by the billions, and given away
by its makers by the millions. religion
has suffered acutely when compared eth
er with some previous years or with IN
terests without the churches.
The BaptiSts have spent the year dis
cussing administration of their benevo-
lences, and at the end of it have arrived
at no satisfactory conclusion. All of the
three larger Baptist benevolent societies
have suffered in finanrill incomes. Al
most the same history belongs to Congre-
gationalists. only that no exceptions can
be made of educational work among
them Episcopalians, of whom many eN-
pect much, have still a depleted mission
airy fund, with $4,000 wanted, and no
marked advance anywhere Lutherans,
in their many boards. have had TO draw
in rather than extend.
Methodists. who form the possible ex-
ception to the rather dismal reign OF
1901. end the year with S15,000,000 rails
ed in their special fund. but their mission
try society is crying out that it is hit IN
its contributions. Presbyterians, both
North and South, have special fund
schemes, but neither of them has succeed
ed sufficiently well to give them courage
TO proclaim their amounts. Roman
Catholics have kept up their rate of
church building. of school building. ard
the rest, and have made striking pro-
gress in their task of creating Washing
ton into the great center of Roman Cath
Ollie education in the world, Rome scarce
ly excepted
The feature of 1901, financially, is the
tremendous progress made by causes out
side the churches. Millions of dollars
have gone into secular clarifies roba-
bly, more than during any year the world
ever before lived through. Exclusive of
his gifts abroad Mr. Carnegie has so far
given $14,500,000 in round figures. Mrs.
Stanford's gifts reach $4,000 900, Mr..
Rockefeller gave during the year $2,7lo,-
600, Pierpont Morgan $l,S50,0O0. Mr..
Rockefeller has just made conditional
offer of 100000 to the Baptsts of New
York City. but aside from that he has
hardly listened to religious gift appeals
at all. Mr.. Carnegie declines to listen
to the entreates of even the liberal re-
ligious body to which he belongs, and Mr..
Morgan is known to be away behind in
benevolences to objects which have look
ed to him for many years.
In 1892 the benevolent gifts in the
United States, outside the churches, We're
$50, 100000. and they have been steadily
climbing, and il the present ratio keeps
up the amount reported next April will
beat all previous years by at least ST.
100000, and stand at $74,T5o,000.
The year 1901 being the opening of
new century several interdenominational
efforts were put forth for large acces-
sions to the churches. Great spiritual
revivals were planned Accessions to
church membership averaged we'll during
the year, but spiritual awakening Of The
sort sought there was none The raising
Of $15,000000 by the ðodists North
and 81 100000 by the MIethodists South
a total of $16500,000, is the most gigan-
tic thing of its kind any religious body,
Protestant or Catholic, ever achieved.
The ecclesiastical tendencies Of the
year now ending have been interesting.
Among all religious bodies th're is mark
ed effort to give greater dgnl,y to pub
lie worship Vested choirs have increas-
eu IdplulS III Huhlbtl ahloh- l-tNAhphA9So
and Lutherans Churches built new have
been far more ecclesiastical in architec-
ture without and within than formerly.
Much has been heard about a decline
of faith in the supernatural within the
churches. If there be such decline it is
not apparent during the year in attend
ance upon religious services. Figures
show that such attendance has been up to
the average, and that the proportion Of
men steadily increases. These two state
ments are contrary to popular opinion,
but they are readily demonstrable as true.