Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-02-12
SOME. OF OUR $50 RELIGIONS.
Varieties of Christian Worships In
America

lieve in plural marriages, to the Shak-
ers. who do not believe in marriage at
all: from the Episcopalians with their
vested choirs. to the Primitive Bap-
fists, who will not use an organ or 9TH
er instrument in their services; from
the elaborate masses of the Catholics
to the silent meetings of the Quakers;
from the high salaried ministers of the
Unitarians to the workers in the Sal
vation Army. who serve for a pittance.
The Presbyterians have had long and
honorable association with America.
The historian Bancroft says: "The first
voice publicly raised in America to dis
solve all connection with England came
not from the Puritans Of New Eng
land, nor from the Dutch Of New York,
nor the Planters Of Virginia, but from
the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians."
The only clergyman in the Conti-
mental congress was the Rev. John
Witherspoon, q Presbyterian minister
and signer Of the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. The battle of Kings Noun
Colonel Campbell
At present there are more than o.
900 Presbyterian churches in the
United States, with nearly 100000
communicates. The denomination has
1876 mission stations and 900 mission
aries in the field. 1t is operating more
than thousand mission schools, with
hospitals dispensaries and training
schools in foreign lands.
There have been more presidents Of
this faith than Of any other. Andrew
Jackson was received into the church
when an old man. William Henry
Harrison, Franklin Pierce, Jas. Buch-
anan, Abraham Lincoln. Andrew john
son, Grover Cleveland and Benjamin
Harrison were all Presbyterians. while
President Roosevelt is member Of
its branch. the Dutch Reformed
church.
The Christian Science church is re-
markable in more ways than one, Its
founder, Mary Baker g. Eddy, was al
ready an old woman when she gather
ed around her O. few followers In a lit
tie room in New England.
At first the adherents Of the new
faith pledged $40 q week for the sup
port of their leader. Without consid-
ering the merits Of Christian Science,
1t must be said that the sect has had a
phenomenal growth. More than 400,-
900 copies Of Mrs. Eddy's text book are
in circulation. According to the last
estimate there are about 1000 different
organizations in the country, with a
total membership Of about 100000.
Christian Science literature is being
sent into seventy-five countries. Mrs.
Eddy has become the richest religious
leader in America from the royalties on
the sale OF her books, and the sect she
has founded controls large sums Of
money. 1t has more than $4,000,000
worth Of property in Boston and New
York alone.
Chicago contains the greatest num-
Der of Scientists, New York next and
Boston third. The new Christian
Science church in Boston cost $1,000
900.
The Congregational church was born
in England in 1906. when a handful Of
people met at the home Of one Will
liam Brewster to discuss freedom Of
thought. They agreed to leave England
and came to America In 1920. These
people were the famous Pilgrims of
American history.
The first foreign missionary society
in this country was founded by Con-
gregational minister, and by 1647 they
had a school in every township in Mas
sachusetts that had az many az fifty
families. And they have kept the lead
in educational matters in the United
States from that time to this Thsre
are now at least forty-six colleges and
universities under the patronage and
control Of this church. They boast
they were instrumental in or directly
for the founding of Har-
ward, Yale, Dartmouth, Williams, Bow
doin. Middleburg. Amherst, Oberlin,
Howard, Fiske. Hampton, Mount Hol-
yoke, Smith and Wellesley. Harriet
Beecher Stowe and her famous brother,
Henry Ward Beecher. were members Of
this church.
Unharianism was brought to Ameri-
ca by the Pilgrims and the Puritans.
The great leader Of this faith in Amer
lea was Charming, and Edward Ever
ett Hale, chaplain Of the senate. Is
doubtless the most prominent present
day adherent.
Unitarians are somewhat Indifferent
to numerical strength and have never
taken a census Of their followers. 1t
may be said in general that there are
about 500 churches in affiliation with
the national Unitarian conference, and
about 10000 people more or less ac-
lively connected with the faith in this
country.
The majority Of their churches are
in large cities, and they are said to pay
higher salaries for ministerial talent
than any other denomination In Amer
lea, unless 1t be the Reformed Jews.
Members Of this faith say they believe
the Unitarians are gathering adherents
more rapidly than any other sect In
the United States, excepting possibly
the Christian Scientists.
The Moravian church was founded
in this country by David Nitschmann,
who at slxty-four crossed the Atlantic
to Bethlehem, Pa, and felled with his
own hands the first tree that was used
in the building Of the colony. A some
what Spartan custom introduced by
the church of the United Brethren as
the Moravians are called, was that OF
taking all babies from their mothers
when they were eighteen months old
and placing them in the care Of the
church. where the widows and unmar-
ried women looked after them.
A beautiful custom among the Mo-
ravians at Bethlehem is the sunrise
service on Easter morning. A process
oion of musicians march through the