The Washington herald., 1908-06-14
INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP.
3.O36,OOO Methodist EpiscopaIians in
This Country

The Episcopal address recently read be-
fore the General Conference Of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church AT Baltimore pre-
sented some interesting facts TO that body
concerning the wonderful growth Of that
denomination in this country during the
past quadrennium. During that time an
increase in membership OF 27S257 has been
reported which brings the total member
ship up TO 3O3sco0. and the value Of
church property has been increased TO the
extent Of S32.6 4s5.
While the Methodist Church has been
making such great strides in this country.
in England. where Methodism first came
into existence. the church papers IRE
greatly dep-oring the shrlnkage in mem
bership which has occurred there during
the last f years.
Since the early part Of the eighteenth
century, when the Wesleys stirred Eng
land throughout its extent with their doc
trines, the AIethOdists. as they were called.
/ have grown in strength and power. until
to-day OF Protestant bodies It stands next
TO the Established Church In point Of
numbers. with a membership O. over
100000 Yet by the annual census OF
British Methodism 1t is ascertained that
there has been IN the last year a connec-
tonal decrease Of 4.S02. the largest for
ffty-four years. This decrease is found
in each grade Of membership.
This decrease does not occur however.
throughout the whole country In fact, in
( two sections Increases are noted. The
Methodist Church IN the southeastern part
/ OF Great Britain. including Middlesex. Es-
T sex. Kent, Surrey, Sussex. and Hamp-
/ shire counties, has more than held it's
own. for there has been an increase OF lib
+ per cent. In the northern area, adjoining
/ the Carlisle and Scotland districts. there
/ has been a percentage Of increase Of les
Z per cent
But, according 10 one Of the religious
/ papers of England all else is gloom"
/ Through the agricultural districts Of Dew
\ on, Oxford. East Anglia Lincoln. and
} York, among the potters and ironworkers
\ Of StaffOrdshire, in the shiPyards Of the
/ Wear and Tyne. in the great woOlen
towns Of the West Riding. among the cot
+ tonworkers Of Lancashire. and the miners
/ Of NOrthumbria the story Of decreased
membership is told.
! Various reasons are given for this de-
crease by the church leaders in the vari-
l JUS N--A4t4 HAbllCdlOllS- ] ne majority al
/ tribute il 20 the strict revision Of the
membership Of the church according 10
/ the membership Of the class, an institu-
\ ton peculiar 70 Methodism. It has been
recently ruled that only regular members
and attendants Of the class meetings can
| be members Of the church. and this has
forced a number of people off the church
| rolls.
| Much opposition 10 this method has been
voiced by prominent people Of the church.
some declaring that il is not a Satisfac-
/ tory way TO ascertain the actual prosper
/ ity of the body: that the class meeting
/ has become increasingly unpopular with
/ the laity, and that the relaxation Of this
rule and the assimilation Of the member
\ ship conditions to those Of the other de-
nominations would produce an immediate
and very considerable increase on the
other hand. it is claimed that the loss in
membership resulting from this rule is not
/ 70 be deplored, in that the remainder
shows more nearly the strength Of the
| church, at least spiritually. That the
class meeting should be upheld as an in
valuable institution is agreed 10 by all