THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIAN

CHURCHES.

In view of the frequent intimations by infidel or pseudo-scientific writers that Christianity is losing its hold upon the world, the following statistics of the progress of our American churches, collated by the Independent, are well worth preserving for refer

ence:

Four years ago we presented statistics showing that our churches, not including several denominational fragments, independent congregations, the Jews or the Mormons, had 115,610 churches, 81,717 ministers and 17,267,178 members. The totals for the same bodies are now 132,435 churches, 91,911 ministers and 19,018,977 members. No deduction has been made for members in mission fields abroad; but, on the other hand, the Methodist statistics of members do not include the ministers, and the Congregational statistics do not include the missionary membership of the American Board. If the exact figures could be known, it is quite as likely that they would be larger as that they would be smaller than those we have given.

The gains of the four years are magnificent. The net increase of members is 1,631,799. That is, the churches have in this period not only received enough new members to make good their losses by death, discipline and otherwise, but to increase the number of professing members by over sixteen hundred thousand. This allows, as will be noticed, only a comparatively slight gain to the Roman Catholic Church. Sixteen hundred thousand increase in four years is at the rate of 407,949 a year, or 1117 every day in the year, or 46 every hour in the day. Is not this a grand demonstration of the propagating power of Christianity?

The increase in churches has been 15,325. This means a gain of 3831 every year, and more than ten every day. And every new society means a new building, a new building means an investment of money, and such investments mean faith in the present and future of Christianity. The increase of ministers is 9694, which is about 12 per cent., and is at the rate of 6 day, or 2423 a year. This, too, is an indication that the alleged decay of faith is

purely imaginary. The churches must have some vitality if they can go on adding 2400 ministers every year to the great army already in commission, and furnish means for their support.

It will be noticed that increase is the rule and decrease the exception. There are only two cases of decrease in the column of churches, three in that of ministers, and only one in that of communicants. The Universalists, the Swedenborgians and the Moravians have lost slightly-the Moravians, 1 church and 6 ministers; the Swedenborgians, 4 ministers; and the Universalists, 24 churches, 40 ministers and 688 members. Is not this general fact one of great significance?

The table of net gains shows that the Methodist family is at the head of the list, with the Baptists second, the Lutherans third, the Presbyterians fourth, the Episcopalians fifth, and the Congregationalists sixth. The order is a little different if the various families be arranged according to present strength in numbers. The Methodists are first, the Roman Catholics second, the Baptists third, the Presbyterians fourth, the Lutherans fifth, the Congregationalists sixth, and the Episcopalians seventh.

More than 132,000 churches, almost 92,000 ministers, and over 19,000,000 members in a population of less than sixty millions. What a mighty force in the education, civilization and elevation of our country!

the Wilson Memorial Fund. We would rejoice if it were five hundred dollars instead of as many cents, but it is all we can give. Mr.

- is not able to labor, and we have to husband our resources to keep off the Board of Relief. But we have known dear Dr. Wilson since 1836 intimately, and knew personally of his devotion to and labors for church erection, nobly giving the Board favor in all the churches. May God abundantly bless all your efforts to fill his place.

Respectfully yours in Christ,

MRS.

"MOTHER OF MANY CHURCHES."

The historic church of Setauket, Long Island, although nearly two hundred and fifty years old, is, as the following excerpt indicates, still full of youthful vigor. The Board of Church Erection in this case has no pecuniary interest in the good work, but none the less extends to the Rev. Mr. Littell and his people its affectionate congratulations.

Rev. William H. Littell, a commissioner to the last General Assembly, is happy over the dedication of a chapel at Stony Brook, Long Island, within the borders of his parish. He is the ninth pastor of the Presbyterian church at Setauket, Long Island, whose corporate name, "The First Presbyterian Church of Brookhaven," indicates that it is the first church organized in that town, thirteen miles square, extending across the island. The organization is lost in obscurity, but dates back prior to 1665. She is the mother of many churches, but still has under her care the services at Stony Brook, four miles distant, that have been held alternate Sabbaths for many years. These have resulted in efforts to secure a place of meeting, and these efforts have been crowned with success. A beautiful chapel opens its doors week by week to grateful worshippers. The cheerful interior of yellow pine is lighted by windows of rolled cathedral glass, and the opinion of Rev. John Irwin, of the Board of Church Erection, who preached the dedication sermon, is that more satisfactory results for the money expended cannot be found anywhere. The dedication occurred July 31 at 3.30 P.M. The pastor was assisted in the services by Mr. Irwin and neighboring minis

ters.

FROM THE FIELD.

LITCHFIELD, NEB., August 16, 1887. DEAR BROTHER:-Your letter of August 3 is at hand, check and insurance receipt received in good order, for which we are very thankful. Nothing preventing, we shall dedicate our church August 28 free of debt. It will cost us about fifteen hundred dollars. It is a nice building, and we all send thanks to the Board of Church Erection, for without its help we could not have built. So God bless all of you, and God bless those who gave that the Board might give. Yours with good wishes,

DEAR BROTHER:-Yesterday, just before preaching in Medford, I received your draft for $500 from the Board of Erection Fund, to help us pay for our new church edifice in Medford. Mrs. W. and I were on our way to the church and Sabbath-school, and our hearts fairly danced with joy when we read your letter. Thank God and your noble Board! As we met one member of our church after another I shook your letter at them and said, $500 to pay for our church! and so the news spread like wildfire and there was general rejoicing. This puts the church squarely on her feet, with no debt. We will now prepare to dedicate soon as we can make further arrangements, such as a couple of chairs for the pulpit, a table for the Bible, carpet for the pulpit and the aisles, lamps, etc. The ladies wish at least to try and get the pulpit in some sort of shipshape.

Well! Again receive our thanks for giving "that sponge" so good a squeeze. More anon. Most truly yours, with delight,

M. A. WILLIAMS.

COLLEGE OF EMPORIA,

EMPORIA, KAN., August 15, 1887.

DEAR BROTHER:-Enclosed please find receipt from the trustees of the Cottonwood Falls church. All is prosperous with them and the outlook could not well be more favorable. On their behalf, I tender to you and the Board of Church Erection our heartfelt thanks. This gift will be fruitful in strengthening the Redeemer's cause in this promising field.

Fraternally yours,

JOHN F. HENDY.

THE VETERANS.

A letter received at the office by yesterday's mail announces the death of one of the venerable servants of the church, who was in his eighty-ninth year, and who for several years received aid from the Board of Relief.

As may naturally be supposed, from the extreme old age of so many upon our roll and the broken health of others, such announcements are not infrequent. Our report to the last Assembly shows that during the year ending with its meeting the names of 28 persons (heads of families) were withdrawn from our roll by death.

Among the many touching and affecting letters that reach the office are those making these announcements. It is not only the children that write, with filial tributes to the beloved parent and with grateful mention of the loving and thoughtful care of the church which cheered his old age. Frequently we are told that the remittances from the Board, bringing as they did many comforts that would have been sadly missed in these humble homes, were even more prized by the aged veteran and his children as showing God's people were not unmindful of his services to the generation which had passed away, and that the church of Christ would not permit its faithful ministers to fall out of its sight and care when, beneath the burden of years, they fall out of the ranks of the on-moving host. But in addition to these appreciative and grateful letters, there are those from old friends and parishioners to whom the death of the patriarch brings back the memories of longgone years, when the faithful minister wrought with them in his sacred work. It often happens, too, that others of a more recent generation send tributes to one whom they have known only in his old age, but whom they have learned to love and revere. Our records are full of such tributes, and, could they be laid before God's people,

would show the privilege, as well as the sacred duty, of the church to care for these blessed men, who, "having served their generation by the will of God," are laid aside, in their old age and often in extreme want, from the work they love so well.

The beloved and honored father who has

just been called to his reward, at the age of nearly ninety, was one of these men. The paper which announces his departure says that during the many years of his life, spent in the community where he ended his days,

He drew to himself the close friendship of all those with whom he came in contact. Every one who knew him was his friend; and when the news came to our people that his life had reached its end, they all united in the expression that a noble, exemplary life was closed-a life devoted to labor for the good of others: self-sacrificing endeavors to contribute to the happiness, temporal and eternal, of those around him. The earthly career of this veteran of the cross was finished full of years, not only counting by the passage of time, but by that sure accounting of the work done, the good deeds accomplished and the brightness cast upon the lives of others.

The aged saint had requested that the funeral services should be quiet and unostentatious, but a great throng of those to whom he had long been known showed their love and respect by attending the last rites, which, the editor says, were impressively solemn and beautiful, well befitting the pure and noble life just closed." A paper, in memoriam, was read by the pastor of the church, containing a brief review of this long and useful life, largely passed in missionary work, and upon this "laying the foundations for future church prosperity" the pastor of the Methodist church, who followed with an address, dwelt with special emphasis. Let me quote a few paragraphs from this paper:

-There was a large family of brothers and sisters, and each one was expected to do his and her part in providing for the care and increasing

wants of the family. Work on the farm and in the saw-mill, and rafting lumber down the Susquehanna river, making the return trip on foot, filled the time until his majority. About this time he made a profession of religion, uniting with the Presbyterian church, and he felt that he was called to prepare himself for the ministry.

His advantages for schooling had been limited; but with his Bible, two or three schoolbooks and his scanty wardrobe, all wrapped in a bundle that he carried in his hand, he started on foot to the nearest available school, a distance of fifty miles from home, to prepare for his chosen profession. By teaching school in winters at first, and afterwards preaching during vacations and other available times, he worked his way through college and the theological seminary, and the same earnest, indomitable spirit has characterized his labors as a minister.

He was the associate and co-laborer of the Rev. Dr. Charles Finney, of Ohio, in his wonderful revival work, and with him and in his own special work he conducted over one hundred revivals of religion.

He never labored for popular applause, nor sought for easy places of work. Possessed of wonderful vitality and a constitution seldom equalled, he was to a certain extent reckless of his strength and health in carrying out what he thought to be his duty, until as years advanced he found that he had overtaxed his nervous vitality, and for a number of years he has been unable to attend to the active duties of his profession. But he never ceased his study of its inexhaustible fields of thought; and those of his ministerial brethren and Christian friends who have enjoyed conversation with him on the chosen themes of his study, even within the last few months, have remarked upon the depth of thought and wonderful clearness of comprehension of those themes that seemed to fill his soul.

understand with what pinching economy this devoted man and his "true and faithful counsellor and assistant" must have lived and brought up their children on those mission fields where they were "laying the foundations of future church prosperity." There was little, if any, chance of laying by anything for their support in old age; yet it was not until the missionary was in his seventy-ninth year that any aid was sent from the Board to this aged couple. Then, as our records show, this devoted and selfdenying servant of the church, nearly blind and after more than a half century of mission work, was "recommended" by his presbytery for an annual appropriation of $300, and this sum was accordingly sent to him. Last year, in the letter to which I refer, he wrote me that his son, who had reduced this appropriation to $200, was now in a condition to claim the privilege of taking the entire care of his aged parents; and with many expressions of gratitude for what the Board had done for him and with pardonable parental pride in this act of filial devotion, he says, "My son will now take your place, and the Board need not make me any further appropriation."

Thrice happy indeed is the minister's son, or any son, who is thus privileged to assume the whole care of his aged parents. It may involve great self-denial and close economy in his own personal and family expenses, but is there not a blessing in it?

But when the aged father (to whom the semi-annual appropriation of $100 had already been sent) wrote to me, "I do not feel at liberty to receive it because my son now makes me that," I could not help thinking that the church, no less than the son, has its high privilege and sacred duty in such a case, and that for the church, too, there is a blessing in the discharge of this filial duty. Why should not this aged missionary, then in his eighty-eighth year, continue to receive. from the church he has so long and so faithfully served this modest sum of $200 during the few remaining years of his life?

In the letter from which I have quoted he says (referring to this $100 sent to him from the Board), "I can use every penny of it

in defraying necessary expenses, as I have been under the doctor's care all the season up to this month, and my wife has been during the most of this month, and will be I know not how long." A grateful church, out of its abundant wealth, ought to be glad to send its aged servant this modest help, not merely because it was really needed "in defraying necessary expenses," but because it was fairly earned-" every penny of it "during the long years the missionary had served the church upon a stipend barely sufficient for his annual support. The annuity should go to such men not as charity or as alms given to the worthy and deserving poor, but as the payment (in part) of what the church owes them. Just debts should be paid whether the creditor be poor

or not.

It was under the profound conviction that some such "annuities" should be provided for the Veterans worn out in the pastorate of our church or in its missionary work, that I wrote the ministerial relief pages of this magazine for May and June. I will not repeat what I have there said; but will you not turn to your file of THE CHURCH, and read pages 437-440 and 533-536 in this connection? or, if you have sent your copies away, will you not allow me to send you

others?

And will you not thoughtfully and seriously consider your own responsibility in this matter-especially in this centennial year?

APPROPRIATIONS DECLINED.

The delicacy which led this aged missionary to decline receiving the hundred dollars even after it was placed in his hands by the recommendation of his presbytery is not unusual among those upon our roll. It may be, in some cases, that long wrestling with hard and bitter poverty has somewhat blunted the delicate sensibilities which, as a rule, exist among cultured, educated Christian people. Such persons, through years of painful want, may come at last, asking no

questions and making no explanations, to get what they can from any source and hold on to what they can get. Can you really blame them? They would not do a conscious wrong, but the instinct of self-preservation may lead the best of people, after long and weary years of sickness and poverty, to do what they themselves, in more favored circumstances, would have regarded as wanting at least in delicacy. But our records show many instances, like the above, of sensitive and delicate honor. The February number of THE CHURCH (page 153) gives one of these. An aged minister, who has an invalid wife and daughter depending upon him and no possessions except a little home mortgaged to its full value, returns to the Board $100 of the $150 sent as his semiannual appropriation. During these six months he had found temporary employment, and this seemed to him to render unnecessary the full appropriation recommended by the presbytery and voted by the Board! Many such instances might be given.

The following letter, which tells its own story, was received since this article was commenced. The one who "is in doubt" is a minister's widow in her eighty-third year, who, by the recommendation of presbytery, has been receiving from the Board an annual appropriation of $150!

Mrs. is in doubt whether she ought to keep the check or not, as she has rented her house, the tenants to take possession the 1st of September, and if she should have no sickness or extra expenses, and if the tenants pay the rent as agreed, she thinks she could manage to live upon the rent. She was eighty-two years old yesterday. She says if there are others suffering for aid and needing it more than she, she will willingly return it; so she will not sign the receipt until she hears from you.

Are there not many persons in the circumstances of this aged widow who would so emphasize the ifs in the above letter as to have no "doubt" whether this money, which is legally hers and is already in her hands, should be retained?