The Washington herald., 1914-01-11
A Review Of the Principal
Changes and Future Pros
poets Of Leading Church
Bodies and Their Allied
Organizations.
BY REV. w. H. GARDNER.

BY REV. w. H. GARDNER.
] gious thought and activity must be at the
/ best inadequate. II statistics alone were
considered they would present only the
net increase In the membership of this
denomination. or OF that The real story
would remain to be told. The actual
achievements Of the church cannot be
put in statistics. Numbers are quite
worthless In expressing moral and spirit
ual power. The greatest numbers DO not
necessarily mean great spiritual power
Yet the success of religious bodies de-
pends ON the degree in which they dem
onstrate their moral and spiritual power
In their respective communities Tne
past year has revealed more than ever
an earnestness on the part OF religious
bodies to give proof Of their ministry. ,
Especially social interest has continued
to be marked in the thought and activity
Of churches On the part Of most leaders
there has been manifested a conservative
attitude and a hesitancy TO advance De-
yond the ground that has been measured
while in every large denomination is an
increasing group, impatient with slow
progress, and ready to push on along
radical lines. This condition Of thought
and effort was strikingly revealed In con-
nection with the General Convention OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church. neid
recently in New York. 1t has appeared
also in the conventions Of other denomi-
nations held during the year. Next 10
social interest missions have received at
tention, the Protestant bodies having
conducted second mission campaisn: ::
terminating in a "home mission week.
and have already begun united mis-
sionary campaign which includes foreign
as well as home interests.
UnitinE Missionary Agencies.
The Roman Catholic Church held an
other missionary congress and devei-
oped plans for uniting all missionary
agencies in America The Holy Name
societies were reported as increasing
largely in numbers. and as in other
years had big parades in the large CEN
ters Special activity has been OBJ
served in opposition to socialism and In
positive educational work. The visit to
this country of Abbot Dom Gasquet.
president of the English Benedictines.
and of the commission charged with
the Revision of the text Of the Vuigate
version of the Bible by st. Jerome, has
been a matter OF much interest The
great event, besides the Eucharistic
Congress at Malta, in the Catholic
Church year. was the celebration Of the
Peace of Constantine in memory OF the
victory of Constantine at Rome, In sls,
and the edict Of Milan Several car
dinals died, among them oregiio. the
Camerlengo, and Rampolla, notable
church statesman
The Protestant Episcopal Church COM
mission on world conference on taith
and order.' in the interest Of Christian
unity. has pushed vigorously its Efforts
In this direction and reported additional
cooperating commissions by other de-
nominations. The movement. however,
has been brought into question In the
thought Of other denominations by the
action of the Houss Of Bishops at the
recent general convention Of this churcn
in declining to approve OF a propositon
OF the House of Deputies to Join ON
cially the Federal Council Of the Church
es of Christ in America and to cooper
ate also with the Home Missions Coun-
Gil. A provincial form Of organization
was effected and a strong resolution on
the social order was passed plea Tor
the pensioning OF clergymen was de-
veloped. Proposed measures which had
been subjects OF prolonged and sharp
debate, such as a change OF name, a
presiding bishop and final court OF ap-
peals. failed of passage
The Presbyterian Church reported
large gains for the year in membership.
ir money income, in baptisms and IN
Sunday school increases. This denomina-
ton has forged ahe:-d in social service
ministry. The Congregational churches
have made a new advance In the adop-
ton of a new constitution and new
creed, and in further development Of the
centralizing tendency by electing a gen.
eral secretary who will guide the affairs
of the denomination at large Prepara-
tions are under way for the celebration
in 1870 of the three-hundredth anniver-
sary of the landing of the Plymouth P1l-
grims. The Disciples of Christ for the
first time held an international conven-
ton in Canada during the year. The
Methodist Episcopal Church had a ma
tionaI convention of 5000 men, represent
ing the laymen's organizations, at which
new plans were formed for education,
missions and church extension. Metho-
dists have also been celebrating the
Jubilee Of their Freedmen's Aid Society
and began the raising of a half-million-
dollar jubilee fund.
Full Year for Baptists.
It has been a full year for the Baptist
denomination. The leading event has
he.,, the celebration of a hundred years
of foreign IT ssions. This was known as
the "Judson Centenary" because cen
turv ago Rev. Adoniram Judson arrived
in Rurnah as the first American Baptist
foreign missionary. There have been
simultaneous meetings both In Burmah
and in this country, new plans have been
formed and a forward movement under
taken. J. feature OF the Judson celeora-
ton was the gift of a mission memorial
by DR.. ]. Ackerman Coles, formerly OF
Newark, to be erected as a tower OF
peace" at Rangoon, Burmah. At the be-
ginning of the year the home mission
board appointed labor evangelist to
york In Industrial centers in preference
10 a secretarial department Of church
and labor.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion at its international convention con-
sidered again its basis of membership
which had been frequently challenged.
and after serious debate reafhrmed Its
evangelical tes. Of membership. recurring
no creedal test. but asking only that a
prospective member be also member
Of an evangelical church. The convention
declined to accept the list OF churches
uniting in the federal council as an au-
thoritative list. Steps were taken to
secure a fund for the retirement OF aging
officers. The association has entered on
a health crusade and has begun a move