USA > Ohio > A century of Congregationalism in Ohio, 1796-1896 > Part 8
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WHAT OF THE SECOND CENTURY?
In a desultory and fragmentary way we have traced the beginnings of Congregationalism in Ohio, and its unfolding through the first hundred years; making mention also of
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Congregationalism in Ohio.
some of the strange experiences through which it has passed. Some of the achievements made have been mentioned, as well as some of the short-comings and derelictions of our career as a denomination. Over many passages of the his- tory we may most fittingly rejoice and be glad. Even a hum- ble pride and godly boasting are by no means out of order. All along a guarding, guiding providence may easily be dis- covered, while every now and then, here and there, peculiar tokens of divine favor have been bestowed. On the whole, for at least a generation, the lines have fallen to us in pleas- ant places. And, verily, our ecclesiastical heritage is a good- ly one. Therefore with hearty thanksgiving for the past let us glance once more at the present with especial reference to its bearing upon our opportunities and responsibilities in years to come.
We form a body of almost 40,000 disciples of Christ, congregated and organized in more than 250 churches. On- ly four states in the Union contain more Congregationalists than ours ; Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Illi- nois. But what a little company after all compared with the total of church members to be found in this commonwealth, who according to the last census numbered in the aggregate 1,215,000; or omitting the Roman Catholics (336,000), 879,000. We stand no higher than eighth among the Pro- testant bodies. The Methodists come first with 240,000; and next follow the Presbyterians, 164,000 (Presbyterian, North, 82,000) ; Lutherans of all kinds, 90,000 ; Baptists, 69,000 ; Christians (Disciples), 54,000; United Brethren, 53,000 ; German Reformed, 36,000 ; Congregationalists (in 1890), 32,281 ; Evangelical Synod, 31,617; Christian Con- nection 26,000 ; and so on through about 100 sects, some of them able to muster only a few scores. We represent, perhaps, 200,000 in a population of 3,672,000. If num- bers were all in all, then we might well sit down in humilia- tion, with slight enthusiasm or courage. But, another glance
85
What of the Second Century ?
at our geographical limitations will afford a further some- what discouraging aspect of the situation. In Oberlin we are triumphant (though by no means rampant). No other polity can there even compete with ours. About this com- munity as a center a parallelogram 30 by 50 miles may be constructed 'containing only a single Presbyterian church, and United Presbyterian at that. New England can scarce- ly name a territory to match. In Cleveland also we hold an honorable place, and whether as to numerical strength or rate of growth ; while on the Reserve as a whole, especially if Mahoning and Trumbull counties lying upon the Pennsyl- vania line be excepted, our case in many respects is a com- fortable one to contemplate.
But, alas, those twelve counties constitute but one- seventh of the area of the state, and within their bounda- ries are located five-eighths of our churches. Of our 38,- 328 church members, 25,045 dwell upon the Reserve, and 13,283 in the vast howling wilderness (in partibus infidel- ium) outside. Journey westward and southward and south- westward from our stronghold, and you may traverse many miles and light upon no church of our order. Take the Big Four, for instance, and from Greenwich to Columbus, 83 miles, it is to us ecclesiastically a desert. Go 60 miles furth- er to Dayton, and only one oasis, Springfield, will be passed. Again, from Dayton east it is 80 miles of a dry and thirsty land to Chillicothe; and turning southward from thence, travel about the same distance to Ironton, and you catch but a single glimpse of verdure, at Portsmouth, where within a twelvemonth the waters have begun to flow. Blocks of counties can be found on the map whose benighted inhabi- tants have not so much as heard of the Congregational name. Such as these three, Defiance, Paulding and Van Wert; these four, Logan, Hardin, Wyandot and Marion ; this sec- ond quartet, Pickaway, Hocking, Fairfield and Vinton ; and this section of nine adjacent counties which, if Congrega-
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Congregationalism in Ohio.
tionalism is essential to the highest well-being of humani- ty, evidently constitutes Darkest Ohio: Adams, Brown, Clermont, Highland, Fayette, Madison, Greene, Clinton and Warren. The contrast may be made in this way : On the Reserve are Huron county with 10 of our churches, Lorain with 16, Medina with 8, and Portage with 12 ; 46 in all. Ad- joining them on the south, but off the Reserve, are Craw- ford with o; Richland with 5; Wayne with I ; and Stark also with I; a total of 7. Thus it is that while at the northeast we approach sometimes dangerously near to a con- gested condition, are inconveniently near ; elsewhere we are so few and far apart as to be weak, and lonesome, and in peril from ecclesiastical beasts of prey. Of course, in the cities like Columbus, Toledo and Cincinnati we make a much better showing. Nevertheless, in 38 counties out of our 88 no Congregational churches exist, while in 19 more only one in each is to be found. Moreover, a certain Ohio city of 26,000 is utterly destitute of our kind of preaching and praying and thinking and living. Two others of 11,000 for a like reason are to be commiserated, and two of 10,000. It is much to be feared that the millennium is yet far in the future; and the task on hand for the Ohio Home Mis- sionary Society is nothing less than herculean.
And what should our churches do to mend matters? To answer this weighty question, and beginning first of all in a realm quite local and personal : If in any particular we have failed hitherto, we ought to make haste to master, in order that we may fully appreciate the excellence of our fundamental principles, our leading ideas, our characteristic ways of doing. We bring no railing accusation against oth- er denominations, who prize highly much which Congrega- tionalists to the manner born always and everywhere eschew. There are, for example, those who dote on statutes which are man-made, and judicatories, and machinery, and forms, and such like. So be it, if they find them scriptural and
87
What of the Second Century ?
profitable, "For 'tis their nature to." But we hold ours, which is world-wide away from theirs, to be a far more ex- cellent way. Saul's armor is well enough for Saul, but let little David going out against Goliath stick to his simple sling. We have churches composed wholly of "non-Congre- gational" material, whose members were born and reared in communions which at various points differ widely from ours. Well, they have much to learn, and ought to enter school at once. They need our denominational literature, even to our Congregationalist and Advance. Only after these let the Outlook and Independent enter. It behooves them also to seek closest fellowship with their neighbors through coun- cils, conferences, and the like. But even more, an obliga- tion rests upon the ministry to be intelligent and apprecia- tive as touching our distinctive features. In heart and life continually, and often with lip, they ought to exalt our spirit and methods. It is often our joy and sometimes our sorrow, our privilege and also our pain, that ministers in such num- bers are flocking to us from other folds. For many of these we are grateful, and of some we are proud. It is compli- mentary both to them and to us that they were inclined to cast in their lot with us, to join the glorious company of those who love the freedom and simplicity of the Gospel, who cherish a noble confidence in human nature redeemed and divinely led. But with too many we are simply weight- ed. They are mere emigrants, transferred and not trans- formed. That is, they failed to bring their hearts. They have no enthusiasm for our best things, and this, perhaps, from lack of accurate and thorough knowledge." From this source real perils come to our ecclesiastical affairs, just as
*In one of our large cities out of nearly a half score of pastors only a single one is a Congregationalist by birth and education. Ministers can be named who continue to take the denominational papers of the church they left, but have not begun to take the papers of the one to which they have come. Not long since when an offering was to be made for Congregational home missions, the " stewards " were called on to receive the same.
88
Congregationalism in Ohio.
they do to our civil institutions from an influx of those whose opinions and habits and tastes were fashioned in the Old World. It may be that in sheer self-defence our conferences and councils will feel obliged to set up án immigration bu- reau, an examining board, and a system of probation, and only through them admit to citizenship with Congregational saints. At any rate, all who successfully seek admission ought to consider it their bounden duty at the very soonest to master our history, become acquainted with our watch- words and our great names, find out exactly for what sacred convictions our polity stands. It might not be an ignoble ambition even to treasure up in the memory the exact name of each one of our seven benevolent societies-a height of excellence to which few attain who enter our fellowship after the age of thirty.
It is something to be well informed, it is much more to practice the good things we know. We ought to have faith in our principles, and to them always be loyal. They have been sufficiently tested, and have been found profitable ev- erywhere and for all. They fit exactly the land and the times. Christ is our only master. Under Him, inspired and impelled by His Spirit, we are free from all men. But, never- theless, we are bound to look also on the things of others, our neighbors, bound to be social and fraternal, to come to- gether in league and cooperation. It is by no means enough, in order to become a good Congregationalist, to be selfish, and resolutely determined at any cost to have one's way. Congregation, conference, and association, these are Con- gregational words which hold a world of meaning. Confer- ence is talking together, and a conference is for local fellow- ship. The Association is for state fellowship. Through the National Councils our entire Israel holds sweetest and most profitable communion from sea to sea. All hail the day when, through pan-Congregational Councils, Christians of our name round the whole earth shall assemble often to
What of the Second Century ? 89
pray and plan for the conquest of humanity for the Lord Jesus ! Through, our noble denominational benevolent so- cieties we have a potent means of fellowship and coopera- tion. We unite thus to carry the kingdom to the ends of the state, the nation, the world. And thus it is that our sympathies are enlarged and our desires are intensified. Even the best of our churches have much to learn with re- gard to the blessedness, and the absolute need, of continual communication like this, while too many churches have scarcely taken the first lesson. No body of disciples can prosper spiritually in the best sense without a rational sys- tem of beneficent giving for the diffusion of the Gospel at home and abroad, a system, too, which is conscientiously adopted and adhered to, and is pushed with business-like vigor. It must center in the Lord's day and the sanctuary, and be mingled with exhortation, and prayer, and song. It must come near to the front among duties and privileges, must be planned for and prepared for like any other matter of great moment. The giving, to be worth the most to the giver and to the Kingdom, must be regular, must be fre- quent, and consist of a multitude of sums of which each one is relatively small. It will not answer to fall short of Paul's scheme as laid down in VIII and IX of Second Corinthians, nor in spirit or letter would it be possible to go beyond it. When everybody gives, rich and poor, old and young, gives often of the pennies and the nickels and the dimes, and the sums thus secured are divided among the various objects by a fair percentage,-the American Board, the Congregational Home Missionary Society, the American Missionary Asso- ciation, the Congregational Church Building Society, the Congregational Education Society, the Congregational Sun- day-school and Publishing Society, and Ministerial Relief,- then will all the denominational treasuries overflow, and all our denominational enterprises be greatly enlarged, and strengthened, and made mighty for the diffusion of Chris-
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Congregationalism in Ohio.
tianity as it is loved and lived among us. In particular, if such a celestial spirit should enter our churches to abide and take possession, our Home Missionary Society would know no lack of funds for the carrying on of its much needed ag- gressive work in all parts of the state.
HOW MAKE THE CENTENARY NOTABLE.
A knowledge of history is good in great part because of the help it gives to right living, and it always behooves us to make a practical application to character and conduct of the facts we gather. It is therefore by no means the part of wisdom to suffer these days of peculiar privilege and oppor- tunity to come and go with mere talk and jubilation, mere reminiscence and kindling of emotion. Surely this centen- nial celebration should bear fruit in toil for the Master of far better quality, and in much greater abundance.
THE HOME MISSIONARY SITUATION.
To be more pointed and specific, let us glance again at the task providentially laid upon our denomination as re- lated to the spiritual well-being of this magnificent common- wealth. And as setting forth our weakest point, our most serious as well as most unaccountable dereliction, let us give good heed to the words of one who from almost a decade of constant observation and study can speak with an authority which is imperative. Who that knows Dr. J. G. Fraser, since '87 the gifted and tireless secretary of our Ohio Home Missionary Society, his singular aptness and industry, his unbounded enthusiasm and consecration, can afford to pass by the paragraphs from his pen which follow without giv- ing them due consideration ?
Two years ago the special committee said that " Ohio can never heartily respect herself until she makes and maintains a record of $10,000 a year from
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How Make the Centenary Notable.
ordinary sources, with normal increase from year to year." One year ago it was said, " the gifts here reported from the living are nearly $1,000 behind the figures which caused and seemed to justify such words." And now, in this Centennial year, the gifts of the living have fallen off $500 more, and stand at $7,803.81, the lowest point reached in ten years. And to this it must be added that of this amount $200 represents two shares in the Gen. Howard Fund, and over $300 is from Mrs. Caswell's Dime Banks, distributed a year ago, leaving less than $7,300 from sources to be relied upon from year to year. Four legacies, aggregating $4,011, make the total $11,814.81.
This completes one hundred years of Congregational life and history in Ohio, and July Ist, 1896, the Ohio Home Missionary Society will enter upon its 25th year. The situation which confronts the Home Missionary Society, which means the denomination, is as grave as any it ever encountered. The work was never more urgent, nor insistent, nor hopeful. The ebbing tide of population still weakens the country churches ; the throbbing life of the city offers opportunities and obligations which must be met at once or sacrificed forever. Our pathway is unreturning: "Ye shall henceforth return no more that way." The foreigner in Ohio never needed the gospel more, nor showed more evidence of willingness to receive it. It is already intimated that we must soon add the Germans to those to whom we must give the gospel in their own tongue. Down-town problems and institutional work link them- selves with Home Missions in Ohio. And yet, to speak in round numbers, of $12,000, received last year,* more than one-third represented legacies, and definitely less than two-thirds gifts of the living from ordinary sources. Under the law of probabilities, legacies will be few and small for a year or two to come, and under the amended compact with the National Society which reads: "Provided that in no case shall any Auxiliary receive more money than has been raised within its bounds for Home Missions during the
* Elsewhere Dr. F. adds under the head of "City Missions": An item- imized account is herewith submitted of distinctive Home Missionary work done as shown by expenditures in the various cities of the State where Home Missionary work is done direct, either in whole or in part. It is meant to cover aid given by churches toward the support of other churches or missions, but not toward lots or church buildings.
Akron, First Church for Arlington Street . $ 305 05
Cincinnati, Congregational Missionary Society . 316 66
Cleveland, City Missionary Society . $1,131 60
Euclid Ave. Church for Lakeview Church. 401 50 1,533 IO
Columbus, First Church 1,415 70
Mansfield, First Church for Mayflower 137 50
Toledo, First Church Sunday School for Plymouth $400 00
66 for Birmingham. 100 00
Central Church for Birmingham. 100 00 6co 00
total o
$4,308 0I
Which should be added to the figures already given, to fairly represent our whole Home Missionary work in the State, and making an aggregate of $16,122.82.
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Congregationalism in Ohio.
year, and including legacies to the National Society contained in wills dated subsequently to the organization of the respective State Societies," it is doubtful whether Ohio will be allowed to use them if they come. Is Ohio 1 ready to plan its work on a basis of $7,500?
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
First. Let us find out what is the matter. Is it the general financial paralysis, or something peculiar to us? Would it be better if our work were more thoroughly united, by the bringing of the city work, at least where city missionary societies do not exist, under the direct care of the State Society?
Second. Let us adopt a present policy:
I. At least one contribution every year from every church for Home Missions.
2. A wise, deliberate, patient, persistent, enthusiastic use of this cen- tennial year, to quicken our "Congregational Self-Consciousness," and carry our gifts over the bar on which they have been stuck so long, into the deep channel.
3. A larger and fuller and abiding sense of our responsibility, our obli- gation, our opportunity, our privilege, for the commonwealth, the nation and the Kingdom of God.
Well, why not make the year memorable by raising for home missions at least $20,000 before April 1, 1897? It can easily be done if every member of every church shall make but an extremely moderate gift. Why are not extra and special thank-offerings wholly in order; preceded by such an enthusiastic and inspiring presentation of, A Hun- dred Years of Congregationalism in Ohio as every pastor should be able and inclined to prepare for his people? Let us see: We are an army some 40,000 in the state. Or, subtracting for absentees, call it 35,000. A dime from each one of these (a sum how ridiculously and almost contempti- bly small, the cost of a "good" cigar, a glass of soda with a friend, or a round-trip ticket on a street car line) would bring $3,500 into the treasury of the Lord, and which added to the largest sum named above would reach the near neighbor- hood of $20,000. If need be, let a conscientious and thor- ough canvass be made from house to house throughout all the congregations, by a committee going out two by two, with hearts courageous and faces all beaming with smiles, with
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How Make the Centenary Notable.
twenty-five cents from each as the ideal. The astounding outcome would be no less than $8,750. And what substan- tial enlargement to Zion would presently ensue. Meantime let some real, rational, Christian system of beneficent giving be introduced and worked up into efficiency, to keep the high- water mark gained by the centennial enthusiasm, and Ohio's chronic, perplexing, and provoking home missionary problem would be finally solved. Forever after we should be found paying our own bills, and besides, according to our ability, also helping to evangelize the needy regions beyond.
OUR FOUR-FOLD WORK.
Having made such ample provision of the sinews of war, pastors and churches may well consider carefully the religious needs of the state, or the various kinds of home missionary work which need to be undertaken and continually carried on. The briefest statement of these must here suffice. Four paragraphs will cover them fairly well. They are not by any means entirely distinct, are found rather in close con- junction and strangely interblended.
I. Work in the cities and larger towns. In these cen- ters occurs the principal growth of population. New churches must be formed, and in almost every case for a few years must be nourished from the outside. Then they will become strong and able to return what they have received, and much more.
2. Work in the rural districts, where the population is diminishing, the best days are in the past, and the future is dark. For various reasons some of these country churches must be ministered to year by year. It would be unchris- tian, and inhuman, to suffer them to die without sympathy and help. Nor is it easy to decide just what proportion of the funds at command should here be expended.
3. Work for the foreign-born. In God's providence they are here, and for us to Americanize and Christianize.
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Congregationalism in Ohio.
As Congregationalists we hold in trust a priceless boon. We must give them a pure, simple, nineteenth-century Gos- pel, and help them to use democracy as not abusing it. They are our brothers, for whom Christ died as well as for us. Our polity is profitable for them as for us.
4. From our stronghold upon the Western Reserve, and in the large cities, we must not fail to watch continually for providential openings for the introduction of such work as we can undertake. Ohio, central, and southern, and western, is territory for us to occupy at the soonest in the Master's name; though, thank God, we have no call in the least to propagandize and proselyte.
So keeping the feast, so using the centennial year as to give a new impulse to our denominational development, then he who an hundred years hence is called to write the story of the second century of Congregationalism in Ohio will have opportunity to make mention of works of divine grace and mercy yet more marvelous, and sublime.
95
Statistical Table.
A TABLE
SHOWING THE GROWTH OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES IN OHIO FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.
YEAR.
Members.
Scholars.
Missions.
Contributions.
Expenses.
1870
16,930
19,786
4,611
48,125
169,432
1871.
16,862
19, 196
7,924
64,104
226,346
1872.
17,281
19,994
5,772
51,144
165,820
1873
17,234
19,457
5,230
47,114
221,907
1874
18,214
20,242
6,312
50,664
212,983
1875
18,688
20,437
5,777
50,065
197,466
1876
21,715
23,910
5,534
36,678
291,147
1877
22,719
25,447
3,869
37,449
195,730
1878.
23,057
27,319
3,88 1
36,435
217,833
1879
23,392
26,690
4,264
41,726
213,914
1880.
23,367
27, 109
4,483
36,387
213,206
1881
23,868
27,381
5,396
63.548
230,543
1882.
24,859
28,640
6,743
64,821
225,827
1883.
25,735
29, 166
8,818
58,162
270,482
1884.
26,105
29,531
11,095
56,870
255,548
1885.
27,178
30,558
9,148
44,148
223,393
1886.
27,652
30,160
9,089
49,305
222,822
1887
28,361
30,025
12,252
50,766
316,272
1888.
30, 116
33,380
17,624
59,295
258,688
1889.
31,212
35,166
21,407
67,260
249,299
1890
32,297
36,036
12,943
64,414
284,345
1891
34,633
37,014
15,302
70,245
341,092
1892.
35,625
36,61 I
15,464
79,883
358,560
1893.
36,380
36,803
15,160
62,102
367,621
1894.
37,958
37,849
17,540
63,739
326,974
1895.
.....
38,328
36,292
16,123
65,397
382,406
Church
Sunday
School
Home
Total
Church
..
INDEX.
A.
Adventism, Injury from, 58. Albany Convention, 65, 68. Anti-Slavery, 46; in Oberlin, 53. Association, Muskingum, 25; Lorain County. 49, 68 ; Ohio State, 69; of the Western Reserve, 49, 66; dis- banding of, 67.
Austinburg church, organization of, Errata, VI ; 26, 30.
B.
Badger, Rev. Joseph, 30, 41. Baptism, Oberlin's, was it valid? 52. Barr, Rev. Thomas, 42. Black Swamp, The, 33, 63.
C.
Chicago, Strength of Congregational- ism in, IV, 29. Chidlaw, Rev. B. W., 76.
Cincinnati, Founding of, 25; churches in, 27. Cleveland, Founding of, 21; strength of Congregationalism in, 85.
Congregationalism, Principles of, I; for what it stands, 3; origin and history of, 5; evolution of princi- ples of, 7; growth of, 11; compar- ison of with other denominations, 84; statistical table, 95.
Consociation, The Marietta, 49; of Portage and Summit, 49, 68.
Connecticut Missionary Society, 30, 36, 38, 80.
Consociated Presbytery of New Con- necticut, 43.
Convention, Albany, 65, 68; Ecclesi- astical, of New Connecticut, 49.
Counties of Ohio without Congrega- tional church, 85. Cowles, Prof. Henry, V, 42, 54, 69.
F.
Fairchild, President J. H., license refused to, 51.
G.
Granville church, 27. Growth of Congregationalism in Ohio in twenty-five years, 95.
I.
Indians, war with, 18; departure of, 33.
L.
Lane Seminary, Exodus of students from, 51; attitude of toward Plan of Union, 53. Land Company, The Ohio, 20; The Scioto, 27.
M.
McConnellsville church, 24. Marietta, Founding of, 20, 23. Michigan City, Convention of, 46, 53. Moravians in Ohio, 15.
N.
"New Connecticut," 21; Consoci- ated Presbytery of, 43. Non-Congregational area in Ohio, 85.
0.
Oberlin, Founding of, 51; opposition to, 51; work of for Congregation- alism in Ohio, 53-5; National
98
Index.
Council at, 65; strength of Con- gregationalism in, 85.
Ohio Home Missionary Society, Or- ganization of, 81, 90-4.
P.
Paddy's Run church, 26, 76, 78. " Perfectionism," Oberlin, 51, 53, 69. Pioneering for Congregationalism, in south-east Ohio, 23; in the south- west and central portions, 27; on the Western Reserve, 29; in the north. west, 32.
Plan of Union, 36; how it came to be, 37; effects of, on the churches, 41, 44; on the ministers, 42; abroga- tion of, 65.
Presbytery, of Redstone, 41; of Ohio, 41; of Erie, 41; of Hartford, 41; of Grand River, 43; of Portage, 43.
R.
Religious life, Early, 56; effect of Presbyterianism on, 59.
Robbins, Rev. S. P., 24, 25. Rules of Practice, 58, 59.
S.
Schism of 1837, 48, 49. Spiritualism, Damage from, 57. Statistical Table, 95. Story, Rev. Daniel, 23. Synod of Western Reserve, 43.
T.
Table, Statistical, 95. Temperance, Action of the churches upon, 62. Toledo, Founding of, 33, 34.
W.
Welsh Churches, in Gomer; in Pal- myra, 76; decay of, 77.
Western Reserve, First settlement of, 21; strength of Congregationalism on, 29, 86.
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