Newspaper Page Text
190
METHODIST ADVOCATE.
ATLANTA, GA., DECEMBER 2, 1874.
E. a- FULLER, D.D., Editor.
Corresponding Editors:
Rev. J. Braden, Tennessee Conference.
Rev. W. C. Graves, Holston Conference.
Rev. James Mitchell, Virginia Conference.
Rev. T. B. F. James, North Carolina Conference.
Rev. A. Webster, South Carolina Conference.
Rev. S. B. Darnell, Florida Conference.
Rev. C. 0. Fisher, Georgia Conference.
Rev. Wm. P. Miller, Alabama Conference.
Publishers’ Department.
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school Catalogue of the Methodist Hook Concern, will be
promptly filled. Any book wilt bo sent, prepaid, on receipt
of the published price. Order any book you wish. Our ar
rangements enable us to furnish the books of all the b'St
publishers at the lowest market price. Every order will lie
promptly filled, if the book ordered is on sale in Atlanta.
Our people can thus supply themselves with books on favor
able terms through the Book Concern, and the Agents are
anxious to accommodate them. Cash must be sent with or
ders for books which we keep on sale or have to buy in this
city, as we have to pay cash for them.
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riodicals, should be addressed to
HITCHCOCK & WALDEN,
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All correspondents should give the name of their State, as
well as of their post-office. An omission here often causes
mistake, and always necessitates delay.
#S-P1 ease do us the favor to note the above.
HITCHCOCK & WALDEN.
A CARD.
We hope the presiding elders of the Alabama and
Georgia Conferences (Methodist Episcopal Church)
who have not made a report to the American Bible
Society, New York city, as to the disposal of the Bi
bles and Testaments sent them (thirty each) by us,
will do so without delay. The Society is waiting for
a report from each elder in said Conferences who re
ceived the books. Some have failed to send us a re
ceipt as required. If the Conferences expect help
from the American Biblo Society, they must attend
to the requirements, or they neod not expect favors
in the future. A report should be forwarded imme
diately stating how many sold, how many donated,
how many on hand, how much cash on hand, after
deducting necessary expenses.
48 —2t Hitchcock & AValden.
The publishers get letters from subscribers and
preachers frequently saying they sent money in let
ters (not registered) which they never have lieard
from (nor ever received by the publishers.) If our
friends will persist in sending money in letters which
are stolen in the mail, they must stand the loss, as
they do it at their own risk. If such persons will
read the Methodist Advocate weekly, they will see
that Hitchcock & AValden publish how to send money
to them, and that they will not ho responsible for
money sent in letters not registered. We trust a
word to the wiso is sufficient.
Letters have been received lately from soino of the
preachers, in which they say they havo not received
an Advocate since Conference. AVhy do they not
write to the publishers to have their paper changed?
AVe do not know every time a preacher moves, with
out lie writes us to that effect. Please he more care
ful, brethren, and you will get your paper regularly.
Yon can only blame yourselves.
All advertising business for the Methodist Ad
vocate should be addressed to the publishers,
Hitchcock & Walden. Marriage notices must be
sent to them, with the cash, fifty cents. See ad
vertising rates, published weekly.
We shall charge all the preachers fifteen cents
extra for each Methodist Advocate they may or
der for 1875, when the cash is not sent with the
names. We will send the paper to all new sub
scribers from the time names are received to close
of 1874 free.
The Agents ask for “One Thousand More.”
Brethren, will you work for your own paper, and
help make it self-supporting ? Can you afford to
let the membership of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the South remain in ignorance of what
Is b?ing doneTln THei?~OWIV 'Ch U tfiVoDgliOti t'
the South and the world ? At great expense, the
Methodist Advocate is published for your ben
efit. Swell the lists. Let us have 5,000 as soon
as possible. Please send on the names.
All the preachers (our agents) who are mem
bers or supplies of Conferences, Methodist Epis
copal Church, will be charged fifteen cents extra
for postage on the Methodist Advocate. We fur
nish the paper so sow to them that they will
have to pay us the postage, as we have to prepay
all postage for 1875. 47 —ts
Hitchcock & Walden, Publishers.
Questions. —To our agents (the preachers) and
subscribers generally we propound a question or
two of considerable importance to us all, viz.:
Can we have Five Thousand (5,000) subscribers
registered by the first day of January, 1875?
Will you all resolve to get all the cash subscrib
ers you possibly can for the Methodist Advocate,
your weekly friend, that comes to hand, rain or
shine, for your perusal? All cash subscribers
get the Advocate at $2, and do not have to pay
postage for 1875. The postage will he an extra
expense to the publishers (for 1875) and not the
subscribers. Now do not delay a moment, but
go heartily to work and get the Five Thousand.
First, send at least one new subscriber, in addi
tion to your own subscription, every one of yon,
with the money, and write your name, post-office,
county, and State in a large, plain hand, like this:
George Washington,
Atlanta ,
Fulton eo .,
{P. 0. Order inclosed.) Georgia.
Will you do it, friends?
Hitchcock & Walden.
Subscriptions for 1875.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
The Methodist Advocate will be sent to
new subscribers from the date of receiving
their names at our office till January 1,1876,
for the price of one year’s subscription, cash
in advance, which will give those who sub
scribe now nearly two months of the present
year free. The price of the paper will con
tinue the same as last year—s 2.
Hitherto tbe postage has been twenty eents
a year, payable in advance quarterly by the
subscriber at the post-office where he received
his paper. Under the new postal law, the
amount for postage will be about the same,
but must be paid weekly by the publishers.
We will send the Methodist Advocate, post
paid, through 1875, to subscribers who pay $2
in advance. This will furnish subscribers,
who pay in advance, with the paper at twenty
cents less than it cost them last year, includ
ing what they paid for postage. This propo
sition also embraces the free papers, offered
above, to new subscriber.
When the cash does not accompany the
order, the subscriber must pay to the pastor
who takes the subscription, the price both of
the paper and postage, for the year, which
will be $2.15.
Pastors, in taking subscribtions and send
ing orders, will please bear this in mind.
Unless the cash accompauy the order, fifteen
cents will invariably be added to the price of
the paper to cover the postage.
Cash Payments , by enabling us to purchase
materials at the lowest rates, and obviating
losses inseparable from a credit system, make
it possible for us to offer the above sub
stantial reduction in price, to cash subscrib
ers. We give this timely notice, that all
may avail themselves of the reduction. Our
aim is to secure, to those who pay in advance
the advantages of a cash system, and to let
those who ask credit share with us the dis
advantages of a credit system.
Agents will be allowed the usual commis
sions on all renewals, as well as for new sub
scriptions.
There are hundreds of Methodist homes
within the conferences which patronize the
Advocate, not visited by any of the periodi
cals of our Church. A favorable time is at
hand to reach these homes by canvassing for
new subscribers.
We request the pastors throughout the
patronizing territory of the Advocate, to
present its claims to all their congregations,
and urge its circulation, because of its value
as a medium of religious thought and! news,
and because it is the paper published es
pecially for them under the direction of the
Church.
The Cause of Missions.
Thid is the cause of Christ. It has for
its object the conversion of the world
from ignorance and sin to righteousness.
In accomplishing this end, its agency
is the Church, its ministers and members
and the children of the Sunday-school.
Its mode of operation is to gather money
from all of the Churches and friends,
and with it send out ministers, teachers
and Bibles to all lands. Every one may
be a helper in this work. But few, in
deed, are prepared to leave their homes
and devote their lives to toil as mission
aries, but all can give something toward
meeting the expense of those who do
thus labor. Every member of the Church
and every friend of his race, every one
who desires to see mankind made better
and happier can do something in the mis
sionary cause. Gifts may be small, but
put together Avith others the aggregate
will be large and the good done immense.
God does not measure the value of con
tributions for benevolent purposes wholly
by their financial worth. He considers
the ability of the giver and the effort and
sacrifice made in the case. Jesus said
of the widow who gave “two mites, which
make a farthing,” less than half of a
copper cent, that she had cast more into
the treasury than all of the rich Avho had
given of their abundance, because, out of
her poA'erty, she had done Avhat she
could. She had made a real and a
great sacrifice, in giving all, even all of
her living, evidently having fasted for
the day, so as to be able to cast the
value of her support for that day into
the treasury of the Lord. If all of the
members of the Church Avould do this—
give all they could, and fast in order to
save for the purpose of giving to support
the Gospel, this treasury would be full.
Every member of the Church is under
solemn obligation to do something for
Christ. Has he not done much for us?
Efforts to save others through spreading
the knowledge of God are accepted by
him as expressions of gratitude for his
mercy and saving grace; and as the
liberal heart deviseth liberal things, these
efforts are fair indications of the meas
ure of our love to the Savior and his
cause.
I
The General Missionary Committee,
together with the Bishops and Missionary
Board of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, have just held their annual ses
sion in New York, and revicAved the
past, studied the present and forecast for
the future of this branch of the Church.
Fears had been entertained of a serious
falling off in the contributions to the
Society, OAving to the stringency in money
matters during the past year. The col
lections from the Churches were found
to be not so., large as during the year
"preceding,Tiut this decrease “was nearly
made up by bequests to the Society from
persons of Avealth, so that the receipts
of the Missionary Society of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church (erroneously
called by some the “Northern” Church)
Avere $675,080.32, six hundred and
seventy five thousand, eighty dollars and
thirty-two cents in cash, actually paid
in to the treasury from November Ist,
1873, to November Ist, 1874. This
was only $5,756.32, five thousand, seven
hundred and fifty-six dollars and thirty
two cents, less than the sum received
during the previous year. The groAvth
of the work, both in home and foreign
fields, has been very encouraging, arid
Dr. Curry, in the New York Advocate,
closes a review of the discussions and
action of the committee Avitli these en
couraging words, viz: “But after all of
the drawbacks, it seemed to us that the
outlook Avas more cheerful than it Avas, even
a year ago.” NotA\ T ithstanding the multi
plied predictions of our enemies, that the
missionary treasury Avould fail and our
AYork in the South would soon be aban
doned, we stand to-day stronger, with
more assurance for the future, than ever
before.
It must be understood, however, that
the collections for missions have not kept
up with the wants or expectations of the
Church. There has been a great desire
to advance more rapidly than the funds
of the Society have allowed, and the
efforts in that direction have called for
more money than has been received. For
two years the expenditures of the Society
have been more than the income. So
that now there is a debt of one hundred
and fifteen thousand dollars against the
Society. This does not embarrass the
operations of the Society, so far as the
support of the missions of the Church
are concerned, or endanger the payment
of the missionary drafts as fast as they
become due. The Society has always
been able to meet all of its engagements
at maturity. Not a draft has ever been
delayed a day in payment after it was
due. All over the country these drafts
are worth their full face and are taken at
par like “greenbacks” at any of the
banks of the country. Still this indebt
edness prevents the Church from doing
what it otherwise would in support of
missions, and especially in opening new
fields. The debt must be paid, and must
be paid during this year, so as to open
the way for other movements. Already
a gentleman of wealth in New York pro
poses to be one of a hundred to pay the
entire sum. We trust that the other
ninety-nine will be found. Who among
us in the South will give a thousand dol
lars to pay this debt? There ought to
be more than one among us to respond.
But if a thousand dollars is too much for
any one to give, there are many who can
METHODIST ADVOCATE: DECEMBER 2, 1874.
contribute a hundred,dollars each for this
purpose, and large numbers who ought
to give their tens to meet this demand.
The debt must be paid, and AVe of the
South must help to do it. Year after
year the Church has been helping us to
get on to our feet so as to stand alone, and
now that we are becoming strong, it is a
duty to pay back liberally in this emer
gency.
We must also increase our collections
from the Churches. Hundreds and thou
sands of members have been in the
Church five or six years who have not
given a cent to help the Missionary
Society to send the Gospel to themselves,
to say nothing of others still more desti
tute. Reform is needed in this partic
ular. We must insist upon having col
lections taken in every class and upon
every member giving something, though
it be only a dime. The preachers must
wake up to a sense of duty toward our
Missionary Society. Some are ready
enough to take from the treasury, and
sometimes seem to be disappointed be
cause their appropriations are not larger;
but how surprisingly indifferent not a
few of them are to the matter of helping
put money into the treasury so that they
can obtain help from it! Others go on
year after year working hard for the
Church and living poor without any mis
sionary aid, and always taking collections
for the Society. Such is the difference
among men. Every preacher should be
made to take a collection for the Mis
sionary Society, or at least give the peo
ple-a chance to contribute to this greatest
of causes. This Society has literally fed
and clothed us since we begun our work
in the South, and it is a shame not to
show any gratitude for its help. Many
speak their thanks in their contributions.
This year let us all do so.
The Third Term.
Much has been said by the press and
otherwise during the past few months
about the election of President Grant to
the high office which he now holds for a
third term. The third-term idea is not
anew question in American politics, but
rather one of the oldest in relation to
the affairs of our Government. The
framers of the Constitution took widely
different views upon the matter—some of
the most wise men of the times favoring
a term for life or during good behavior.
Since then the question has repeatedly
reappeared for discussion. Washington
Avould undoubtedly have been elected for
a third term but for his advanced years
and great desire to return to private life,
after having given not only eight years
to the Chief Magistracy and seven to the
war of the Revolution, but, in fact, his
Avhole life to public duties. The wisest
and-hest of- the-Amurlean- people atthat
time released him from official cares
with great reluctance, his devotion to the
Republic and to the liberties and inter
ests of the people giving them the best
possible assurance of the wisdom of re-
taining him in the executive chair as long
as was compatible with his declining
strength. Jefferson, Madison, Monroe
and Jackson were all talked of for a
third term, but all of them were far ad
vanced in years when elected to the
Presidency. An article in the Galaxy
for December, by James Q. Howard,
though not intended, perhaps, as a par
tisan paper, yet serving the purpose as
such against the re-election of President
Grant, contains some historic notes
worthy of consideration. We quote the
following:
“How shall the executive of a republic be
constituted? What shall be the powers, the
duties, the tenure of office, and manner of
choosing the Chief Magistrate? These were
questions that embarrassed the Constitution
framers of 1787. The light of experience
was not illuminating. In fallen republics,
the executive machinery was weakest aud
had broken down first. The failure of the
old confederation had proved that a govern
ment without any executive was several de
grees worse than a government that was all
executive, like the Russian. Save examples
to be shunned, the executive departments of
the original States were all that those who
gave form to our supreme law had to study.
“Prior to the Convention, John Jay, in re
ply to Washington’s inquiries, expressed him
self in favor of an executive limited in his
prerogatives and duration. General Knox
declared himself for a Presidential term of
seven years’ duration. In the Convention
the diversity of opinion on this question was
almost irreconcilable. The extremes of opin
ion as to duration of service ranged from a
tenure for three years to a tenure for life.
James Wilson, lloger Sherman and Gunning
Bedford advocated a term of three years,
Mr. Bedford desiring a provision against re
eligibility after niue years. James M’Clurg,
Gouverneur Morris, Jacob Broome and Al
exander Hamilton expressed in words and
votes a preference for an executive during
good behavior. On the Ist day of June, six
days after the Convention organized, it voted
to fill the blank in the Randolph resolutions
with the word seven, ineligibility being a part
of the resolutions. On the following day
eight of the ten States then represented voted
to elect the Chief Magistrate by the national
legislature for the term of seveu years. On
agreeing to the ineligibility clause, Pennsyl
vania was divided and Connecticut alone
voted no. After one successful, six unsuc
cessful efforts to change the tenure, the Con
vention, on the 26th of July, reaffirmed their
first decision in favor of a President chosen
by the national legislature, to be ineligible
after seveu years’ service. It was not until
September 6th, eleven days before adjourn
ment, that the existing system was adopted,
in accordance with the recommendation of
the report of the committee of eleven, of
which David Brearly was chairman. The
four years’ term, with silence as to ineligi
bility, was a compromise to reconcile aud
unite extremes.”
There is no legal barrier to the elec
tion of a President for a third term.
Quite a number of our influential states
men have at various times favored the
limitation of the tenure of office of Chief
Magistrate to a single term of four years
it is true, but the majority have always
decided adversely to such a restriction.
The most notable case of this kind was
in the late canvass of Horace Greeley,
whose weakness and total unfitness for
this exalted place showed itself in noth
ing more clearly than in his position and
personal interest in the question. It may
appear to some a little singular that
many if not most of the leading states
men whose names are arrayed against
the third-term idea were themselves
favorable candidates at least for nomina
tion to the office of President. This fact
militates seriously against the weight of
their opinions touching this question.
The principal argument of the Galaxy
against this idea is that occupants of the
Presidential chair would give more time
and thought to secure a re-election than
to the interests of the States. If any
should do this, the people would not be
slow in discovering the fact and reject
him at the baliot-box. Presidents who
have pursued such a course have hereto
fore been honorably relieved from further
service at the end of four years. Those
who have been elected the second time
Avere such as proved themselves wise,
patriotic, unselfish and able. The Amer
ican people have an easy and decidedly
summary way of dismissing demagogues
from public service when convinced of
the nature of the case. This objection
has as little bearing upon the question of
the re-election of President Grant as in
any instance since the foundation of the
Government. A writer styling himself
“Ex-Rebel,” and whom we have found
to be one who lost heavily in slave prop
erty during the Avar, and who is thor
oughly “reconstructed,” and in favor of
the advanced views of national unity,
liberty and education for all, gave an ex
cellent letter in the Atlanta Daily Con
stitution, from which we take the folloAV
ing paragi’aphs, and which form a com
plete answer to the points made in the
Galaxy:
“General Grant has never, privately or
publicly, directly or indirectly, indicated the
slightest desire to be elected President of the
United States a third time; all statements of
the press and of loud talkers to the contrary
notwithstanding. His single ambition has
been to serve the whole country, without the
slightest regard to sections, and in this he
has achieved wonderful success, in spite of
the violent abuse expended upon him by dis
organizing political croakers, at home and
abroad.
“General Grant is a democrat in the highest
and purest meaning of the term, but not in a
party sense, for he is too good a friend to the
South, the North, East and West ever to
sympathize with what is now known as the
Democratic party, manipulated, as it is, to a
fearful degree by such persons as John Mor
rissey, Fernando Wood, and others in the
North and West, who would sell out the
sacred interests of our magnificent Union in
order to gratify their own selfish ends; men
who pushed the South on during the late
lamentable struggle, but took good care not
to contribute one cent for their benefit after
secession had been proclaimed, and when
war became a dreadful reality to our people,
owing to the mad measures and intrigues of
rotten politicians. The South—that is her
people—in fact never seceded from the Union.
I emphatically repeat, secession was the work
of trading, intriguing and unprincipled poli
ticians; fellows who speculated, and, in many
localities, grew fat on the necessities of wid
ows and orphans, while our noble and daring
jboys starving-to death in the trenches
around Vicksburg, Atlanta, Dalton, Rich
mond and Petersburg. So much for that.
“Whilst President Grant has no ambition
whatever for a third term, patriotic, union
loving, thinking people devoutly desire his
re-election to the Presidency. The public
'feeling in this direction is as profound as it
is silent and.unostentatious.
“The old Andrew Jackson union Demo
crats, as well as thousands upon thousands
of old union Whigs, from Maine to the gold
capped hills of California, are in perfect ac
cord and sympathy with a third term for
President Grant, as the surest and best means
for preserving and increasing the common
prosperity of the country and people, regard
less of color, sect, or previous condition.
“The statements that the recent elections
will shelve President Grant for all time to
come are simply erroneous, and as foolish
and unstatesmanlike as was the idea that
Greeley and Brown could defeat the union
Republican party in 1872.
“That great Commoner and incorruptible
patriot, Alexander H. Stephens, has disposed
of the Louisiana question by placing the re
sponsibility exactly where it belongs. The
hands of the President are as clean on that
question as they are upon all other grave
questions of State, for no man has adminis
tered the Government more ably and impar
tially than he, of whom General Lee, to the
last moment of his life, entertained the most
exalted respect.
“General Grant never was and never will
voluntarily be a candidate for the Presidency.
In 1872 he told me, with his own mouth, in
the executive mansion in Washington, that
he did not desire a second nomination. The
National Republican Convention, however,
in Philadelphia, renominated him by accla
mation, and he was forced to accept; and I
now predict that the American people, who
love the Union, will cause him to again ac
cept the laborious duties of the Presidential
office, as a means of elevating the banner of
the Union still higher in the van of nations,
and to establish, for all time to come, the im
perishable principles of universal liberty.”
It has seemed to us that most of the
opposition to the re-election of President
Grant has originated with the party not
in power, for the purpose of breaking
down the strongest man in the nation,
with the hope of electing one of their
choice. Their cry against “Imperialism,”
“Cassarism,” etc., has been the merest
claptrap, and that, indeed, too thin to
pass for a good article of that commodity.
It has answered, however, to frighten
the timid to some extent. There have
also been a considerable number who
have asked for offices, which they have
not received at the hands of the Presi
dent, who have opposed his re-nomina
tion, and have been fully convinced that
he has made serious mistakes in his ap
pointments, possibly because their merits
were overlooked. We have failed to ob
serve any arguments against a third
term, which would not lie equally against
a second. The question for the people
to decide is: Has President Grant so
administered the laws of the Republic as
to make his election desirable? If so,
why not exercise that most precious but
somewhat rare quality, common sense,
and elect him for four years more?
With one so thoroughly Democratic in
the true sense of that word, as he, the
pretended fear of “Imperalism” is simply
puerile. lie has stood between the
Union people of the South, both white
and colored, and destruction, and had he
been permitted to enforce the laws and
command the peace according to his
sense of justice, it would have been much
better for the country. He has favored
the protection of all of the people in the
enjoyment of their rights, universal ed
ucation, civil service reform, a return to
specie payments, and internal improve
ments, so as to cheapen transportation and
develop the industrial interests of
the country. No one, in fact, has been
more sound, clear, or pronounced in be
half of all of the important measures,
looking to the improvement of our coun
try and the advancement of our people
in civilization, than President Grant,
while his treatment, of the Indians has
been the most wise, humane and Chris
tian known in our history. Practical,
unostentatious and devoted to the people
he comes as near the ideal of an Ameri
can President as any of his most illustri
ous predecessors. We see no serious
objection to his continuance in the office
of Chief Magistrate for another term, if
the people desire it. We do not, how
ever, advocate his cause personally, nor
the principles which he represents for
party ends. What we wish to do is to im
press our readers, and so far as we can, the
public mind, with the fact that we be
lieve the interests of the people, as a
whole, and especially in the South, are
involved in the faithful support of the
general course pursued by the present
administration. But in taking this posi
tion, we do not endorse all, or indeed,
any of the appointments which the Presi
dent has made, nor the specific course
he may have pursued in particular cases.
These matters we leave others to dis
cuss, but believe that we speak for the
lives and liberties of our people, when
we thus early, and at the risk of being
stigmatized as “religio-political,” here
publicly claim, that the principles of this
administration must be maintained in the
interest of peace and union. If those en
trusted with the responsibilities in the
case can accomplish the same results
through other individual agencies, we
have no objection to their course. It is
the interest of the people which we
wish to guard.
On the other hand, we can find what
we think to be weighty reasons for his
re-election, or the appointment of an
other of like opinions and capabilities in
his stead, the principal of which, as it
appears to us, and to multitudes of the
people in the South, irrespective of
party politics, is the preservation of the
country from misrule and anarchy.
There is a strong element here as rest
less and reckless, as rebellious in prin
ciple and feeling, as in the years of the
war, and as fully bent on mischief as in
1861, and we doubt whether any other
person would do better under the circum
stances than our honored President in
maintaining the ..peace and protecting
the people. Still we say again that it is
not the man, nor any candidate, for
whom we write, but the principles which
he represents. We write not as a politi
cian, but as an American citizen and
Christian minister, desiring to promote
the good of all, so far as is in our power,
and must be allowed to say that, in our
opinion, any change of the executive of
the nation at this time would appear to
us less wise and safe than a continuance
of the present administration. The
rebel denunciations of it show the
animus of those who make them and in
dicate their disposition to disturb the
country, and also a purpose to do so but
for its considerate but inflexible course.
The opinions of such men as Gouverneur
Morris and Alexander Hamilton have
great weight with us on the general
question. During the war we had many
generals, but only one Grant. We might
have a similar experience in the selection
of future Presidents.
The statistics found in another column
show that the increase in the membership
of the Methodist Episcopal Church (i . e.,
that which some call the “Northern”
Church) during the last year was 99,494,
and the increase in preachers was 716.
Total increase, 100,210 —one hundred
thousand two hundred and ten. The
total membership of the Church is 1,563,-
521; preachers, 23,551. Total, 1,587,-
072. We have twice as many white mem
bers as the M. E. Church South, includ
ing white, colored, Indians and missions,,
and more colored members than either
the African Methodist Episcopal or Zion
Methodist Episcopal Church, and four
times as many as the Colored Methodist
Episcopal Church of America. Last year
the Methodist Episcopal Church gave for
benevolent purposes $17,548,934 —sev-
enteen millions five hundred and forty
eight thousand nine hundred and thirty
four dollars. Study the tables taken
from the Methodist Almanac.
Several colored men have called at this of
fice who said that they intended to advise the
colored people to leave the Southern States
and remove to Kansas. Many are not hiring
out or renting land for next year, but are
holding conventions to determine what to do.
They fear additional oppression. Will the
people allow them either to stay or leave in
peace, or are we to witness the Ku-kluxing of
colored people for not leaving, and also the
Ku-kluxing of them for proposing to leave?
All they ask is fair wages for work, honest
settlements with employers, and the peaceful
enjoyment of the rights of American citizens.
They do not seek a better country than Geor
gia, but some place where they can live in
peace and make a comfortable living. They
are now free to go where they get the best
treatment.
We have received the Bishops’ Pastoral
Address, and shall give it to our readers in
our next issue.
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Missionary Appropriations for 1875.
I. FOREIGN MIBSIONS.
1. Africa $9,000 00
2. South America 9,000 00
3. China 49,854 00
4. Germany and Switzerland 29,280 00
5. Scandinavia 61,200 00
6. India 76,819 20
7. Bulgaria 9,600 00
8. Italy 15,600 00
9. Mexico , 22,200 00
10. Japan 21,3C0 00
Total for Foreign Missions.. $303,853 20
n. MISSIONS IN TERRITORIES OF THE
UNITED STATES TO BE ADMINIS
TERED AS FOREIGN MISSIONS.
1. Arizona $3,000
2. New Mexico 8,000
Total SII,OOO 00
111. DOMESTIC MISSIONS.
1. Welch Missions $l5O 00
2. Scandinavian Missions 16,200 00
3. German Missions 42,125 00
4. Chinese Missions, (Califor. Con.) 7,500 00
Total for Foreign Populations $65,975 00
5. Indian 3,500 00
6. American Conferences—
Alabama $8,500 00
Arkansas 5,500 00
For transfers and new
work at disposal of
Bishop 1,500 00
Baltimore 5,000 00
California! 6,000 00
Central Illinois 600 00
Central New York 800 00
Central Ohio 1,200 00
Central Pennsylvania 1,100 00
Cincinnati 1,200 00
Colorado 6,500 00
Delaware 1,500 00
Des Moines 1,000 00
Detroit 2,250 00
East Maine 2,125 00
East Oregon & Wash
ington 3,000 00
Erie 1,200 00
Florida 4,000 00
Georgia 8,500 00
Holston 7,500 00
Illinois 600 00
v Indiana 600 00
lowa 600 00
Kansas 4,000 00
Kentucky 7,000 00
Lexington 2,500 00
Louisiana 8,000 00
Maine 1,500 00
Michigan 2,250 00
Minnesota 9,000 00
Mississippi 8,000 00
Missouri 4,000 00
Nebraska 8,000 00
Nevada * 3,000 00
Newark 1,200 00
New England 2,100 00
New Hampshire 1,500 00
New Jersey 1,200 00
New York 2,500 00
New York East 2,500 00
North Carolina 7,500 00
Northern New York... 800 00
North Indiana 600 00
North Ohio 900 00
North-west Indiana... 600 00
North-west lowa 6,000 00
Ohio 1,200 00
Oregon 3,000 00
Philadelphia 4,000 00
Pittsburg 1,500 00
Providence 1,500 00
Bock River 1,350 00
Rocky Mountain 10,000 00
St. Louis 5,250 00
South Carolina 8,000 00
South-eastern Indiana 600 00
Southern Illinois 800 00
Southern Kansas 5,000 00
Tennessee 8,000 00
Texas 6,000 00
Troy 1,800 00
Upper lowa 1,200 00
Vermont 1,500 00
Virginia 9,000 00
Washington 3,500 00
Western New York.... 800 00
West Texas 6,000 00
v West Virginia 4,500 00
West Wisconsin 3,000 00
Wilmington 3,000 00
Wisconsin 2,800 00
Wyoming 800 00
Total for American
Domestic Missions...., $249,525 00
IV. MISCELLANEOUS.
1. Contingent Fund $25,000 00
2. Incidental Expenses 16,000 00
3. Office Expenses 20,000 00
4. For Disseminating Mis
sionary Information... 12,000 00
Total $73,000 00
Liquidation of Debt 115,000 00
Grand Total $821,853 20
Read Hitchcock & Walden’s column about
the Methodist Advocate.
Statistical Summaries of the Methodist
Episcopal Church for 1874.
From the Methodist Almanac for 1875.
GENERAL SUMMARIES.
For 1874. Increase.
Bishops 12
Annual Conferences 80 4
Itinerant Preachers 10,845 274
Local Preachers 12,706 445
Total Preachers 23,551 719
Lay Members 1,345,089 56,385
Members on Probation. 218,432 43,109
Total Lay Members 1,563,521 99,494
Deaths 18,105 and. 795
Baptisms of Children 58,018 4,731
Baptisms of Adults 71,918 15,755
Total Baptisms 129.9:16 20,486
Church Edifices 14,989 460
Value of Church Edifices 869,049,623 82,716,943
Parsonages 4,989 311
Value of Parsonages 89,467,170 8924,616
Total Value of Churches and Par
sonages 878,516,693 83,641,559
Sunday-schools 18,958 927
Sunday-school Officers and Teachers 203,409 16,229
Sunday-school Scholars 1,383,227 64,624
Total Teachers and Scholars 1,586,636 74,853
Conference Collections.
1874. Increase.
For Conference Claimants 8159,876 85 83,604 69
Parent Missionary Society 611,954 64 and. 64,512 86
Woman’s Foreign Miss. Society.. 55,406 08 817 89
Board of Church Extension 83,327 83 and. 376 62
Tract Society 19,840 33 and. 1,419 62
Sunday-school Union 20,196 22 and. 1,856 17
Freedmen’s Aid Society 87,028 29 7,811 11
Board of Education 23,744 60 and. 21,550 31
Ainer. Bible Soo’y., (estimated)... 81,290 00
Total 81,099,673 74 and. 857,285 67
These collections do not include those for
Bishops, nor for any local missionary socie
ties. Nor do they include the receipts from
legacies or personal donations outside of the
Church collections. Os the above collections
for missions the Sunday-schools gave $186,-
449.54, a decrease of $5,838.40: and the con
gregations gave $425,505, a decrease of $58,-
674.46.
Contributions and Expenses of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church.
After examining the official returns for the
summaries of the various Conference collec
tions, and carefully estimating for other
items, basing such estimates upon exact re
ports from a large number of Churches, and
from reports in the local minutes of annual
conferences, the following list is presented as
an approximation of the amounts contributed
by the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
year 1874:
Conference collections 81,092 673
Miscellaneous collections 170 000
Expenses for Sunday-schools 466,087
Do. for new churches and chnrcli improvements... 3,641,559
Expenses for local mission work 217,790
Expenses for salaries of ministers 9,760,420
Local Church Expenses 2,290,105
Total 817,548,934
Summary of Methodists in the
United States.
Itinerant TjOcal lay
I. Episcopal Mkthodist— Ministers,Preachers. Members.
Methodist Episcopal 10,845 12,706 1,563,521
M. E. Church South 3,371 5,344 667,885
Colored M. Ii 635 683 67,888
African M. E 600 1,300 200,000
Al'ricau M. E. Zion 694 1,416 164,000
Evungelieal Association 737 476 1*0,240
United Brethren 967 742 120,445
Total 17,740 22,667 2,878,988
11. Non-Episcopai. Mkthodist—
Methodist Church 624 305 65,000
Methodist Protestant 423 250 65,000
American Wesleyan 250 190 20,000
Free Methodist 90 80 6,000
Primitive Methodist 20 25 2,000
Total 1,407 1,845 158,000
Grand Total 19,156 24,512 8,031,988
Summary of Methodist Churches
Throughout the World.
Itinerant Local Lay
Ministers. Preachers. Members.
Methodists in the United 5tate5...19,156 24,512 3,031,988
Wesleyans in Great Britain 1,715 13,720 370,439
Irish Wesleyan Churches 152 760 20,710
French Wesleyan Churches 23 96 2,(M2
Australian Wesleyan Churches... 348 1,433 60,686
Primitive Methodist Church....... 1,020 14,838 164,660
New Connection Church 240 1,270 33,563
United Methodist Free Church... 358 3,361 66,909
Bible Christian Churches 244 1,747 26,878
British Wesleyan Reform Union.. 365 148 8,109
Church of Canada 1,004 1,027 102,887
Episcopal Church in Canada 236 214 22,641
Grand Total 24,866 63.131 3,923,5(2
Plan of Episcopal Visitation.
JANUARY TO JUNE, 1875.
[chronological.]
Conference. Time. Place. Bishop.
Louisiana .Jan. 6...New Orleans Foster.
Texas “ 6...Brenham Harris.
North Carolina..;... “ 6... Greensboro Wiley.
India “ 6...Shahiehanpore
South Carolina “ 14...Caniaen Wiley.
Sout’n German “ 20...N. Braunfels, Tex Harris.
Mississippi “ 20... Meridian Foster.
Florida “ 28...Moutieelio Wiley.
Liberia “ 28„.Greenville Roberts.
West Texas Feb. 4... Columbus Harris.
Arkansas “ 17...Russellville Harris.
Virginia “ 17... Portsmouth ....Peck.
Washington “ 24... Alexandria, Va Peck.
West Virginia M’ch 3...Point Pleasant Bowman.
South Kansas “ 3...lndependence Merrill.
Baltimore “ 3...Winchester, Va Peck.
New Jersoy “ 10...New Brunswick Simpson.
Lexington “ 10... Louisville Foster.
Kansas “ 10... Manhattan Merrill.
Wilmington “ 17... Smyrna, Del Janes.
Central Penn “ 17...Huntingdon Ames.
Pittsburg “ 17... Alliance, O Bowman.
Kentucky “ 17... Louisville Foster.
Philadelphia “ 17... Norristown Andrews.
St. Louis “ 17... Carthage, Mo Merrill.
East German “ 24... Newark, N. J .Simpson.
Newark “ 31... Jersey City Bowman.
Missouri “ 31...5t. Joseph Merrill.
New York Ap’l 7... Poughkeepsie Ames.
New York East.... “ 7...Meriden, Conn Andrews.
New England “ 7... Springfield, Mass Haven.
Providence “ 14...New Bedford, Mass Janes.
Wyoming “ 14,..Oneonta Scott.
North Indiana “ 14... Elkhart Bowman.
Troy “ 21... Glen’s Falls Ames.
New Hampshire... “ 21:..Haverhill, Mass ....Haven.
Northern N. Y.... “ 28... Mexico Scott.
Maine “ 28...8ath Andrews.
Vermont “ 28...8e110ws Falls Haven.
East Maine May 12... Calais Haven.
A note received last week by Rev. J. W.
Lee, from brother Dorman, who has been very
ill, says: “I am still very feeble. If I live to
get able, I purpose to go to my work as soon as
I can.”
The Georgia Conference Board of Church
Extension will meet in Loyd-street Church,
Atlanta, on Wednesday, the 6th of January,
at 9 o’clock, a.m.
The presiding elders of the Conference will
meet at the same time and place for important
business.
Thanksgiving services were held on Thurs
day last in Loyd-street Church, and also in
St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church, in this city,
excellent sermons being preached by the re
spective pastors of each. These were the
only places where public worship was ob
served among the white people of Atlanta.
At Clark Chapel and some of the other col
ored churches suitable services were held.
The Savannah News very pertinently says:
“Let the colored men who voted the Demo
cratic ticket, and can produce proof of it, form
a club, and publish their names and trades,
that they may be known and receive what
patronage the white people have in their re
spective lines.”
The above is quoted with approbation by
several Georgia papers. They evidently con
sider it a strong “argument.”
Rev. A. Middleton writes, Nov. 26th:
Please say to the preachers of the Port
Royal District, South Carolina Conference,
that it is not the fault of the presiding elder
that the programme of the District Conference
did not reach the editor in time, for it was
sent a month ago. Our District Conference
is a failure in consequence of the non-appear
ance of the notice.
We regret, this disappointment as much as brother Middle
ton can. Wo ask our brethren to send such notices to us
two or three months in advance, so that the preachers may
have time to prepare their essays and sermons for the Con
ference.
An Armistice.— Some M. E. Church South
genius proposes to suspend building Southern
churches in the Northern States, if the Church
Extension Society and the Methodist Epis
copal Church will “just quit” church building
in the Southern States. The brilliance of this
idea will appear when it is remembered that
we have in the South oue-half as many mem
bers as the Southern Church, with millions of
church property built by our people since the
war, and the Church South has a few weak
societies in Illinois and Indiana struggling
for a precarious existence.
The appropriations of the Missionary Board
are $821,853.20 —eight hundred and twenty
one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three
dollars and twenty cents. The receipts last
year were $675,080.32. This year $146,772.88
more have been appropriated than was raised
last. The Board depends upon the Church
to raise this much more than last year. Shall
the faith of the Board in the Church be jus -
tified by the results of our efforts? Every
Conference in the South should do its best.
Most of them can double the amount of the
collections by beginning in time and follow
ing the Disciplinary plan.
Payment for Slaves.— This is a very
important question and seriously entertained
by large numbers of Southern people. The
Western Christian Advocate says:
“A gentleman of high standing, who has
spent much time in Florida for the past two
years, and is well acquainted there, brought
information to Washington City, last week,
that gentlemen in that State are now engaged
in buying up claims for slaves, and actually
paying for this class of claims; in some in
stances one hundred dollars each having been
paid. Among others engaged in the business
is ex-Senator Yulee.”
In this State, advertisements have appeared
in secular papers of claim agents for this
branch of business, and previously the slave
holders have been advised in the public
prints to preserve carefully attested records
of slaves, for the purpose of presenting
claims for payment for them when the Gov
ernment shall again fall into the hands of
the old ruling element.
Which Market.—
The North-western contains a very remark
able article from a Southern minister, under
the signature of “Amicus,” upon the attitude
of the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church
toward the colored men. It declares that
the colored membership is really the one only
serious obstacle in the way of a union of the
two great Methodist bodies. The writer,
then, with remarkable frankness and calm
ness, calls the attention of his Southern
brethreu in the ministry and laity to the ac
tual and far from fraternal or Christian treat
ment which the colored Methodists, Bishops,
ministers and laymen have received at the
hands of the Southern Church. He tells the
truth. A few such calm, sensible and Chris
tian papers as this, published, not in North
ern hut Southern papers, would go far to
bring into fraternal, if not organic relations,
the two Methodist Episcopal Churches, and
secure for the freedmen the Christian sym
pathy and countenance of their white breth
ren. — Zion's Herald.
Such calm, sensible, Christian papers are
just exactly the ones not published in their
own. Southern journals. That is the kind of
“cotton” used to fill the eyes, ears, nose and
mouth of Northern brethren. They know
what market they write for.
A Card. —The undersigned has been de
nied a reply through the Holston Methodist
to the assaults made upon him and Hiwassee
College, in the same paper, by Dr. Wiley, of
Emory and Henry College.
The editors of the Holston Methodist are
alumni of the latter college.
J. H. Brunner.