COK^O 225 dOKaftfiddfifi
Congo, Uppsb, Vicabiatb Apostolic of (Congi own churches. Already in 1915, during the General
SuFERiORis), erected 10 December, 1895 (see C. E., Council of the Congregational Churches held in
XVI-^). This vicariate, entrusted to the White New Haven, a number of the pulpits of the Prot-
Fathers, is under the direction of its first vicar estant Episcopal Church in that city were, with
apostolic, Rt. Rev. Victor Roelens, titular Bishop the express approval of the bishop of the diocese,
cd Girba, api)ointed 30 March, 1895. He resides open to members of the Congregational Council,
at Beaudoinville and is assisted by an aiudliary. In Massachusetts at a meeting of the Massachu-
Rt. Rev. Auguste-Leopold Hu3rs, titular Bishop of setts General Convention of Congregational minis-
Rusicade, appointed 24 March, 1909. By the 1918 ters a Unitarian minister &ged that the
census the total population of this territory was Congregational and Unitarian churdies be reunited,
900,000, of whom 16,012 were Catholic and 5,410 the name Unitarian to be dropped and the Congre-
catechumens. The vicariate comprises (1920), 11 gationalists to relinquish their doctrinal and creedal
principal stations, 27 chapel-schools, 52 missionaries, statements. The proposal was welcomed by the
1 upper seminaiy with 2 students, 1 lower seminary Rev. Samuel BuahneU on the part of the Congre-
witn 12 students, 8 Brothers, 10 White Sisters of gationalists, but it led to no actual results.
Our Lady of Africa, 161 native catechists who are The Congregational Church also co-operated in
charged with 79 schools with a total attendance of the Pan-Prot^ant Panama conference of 1916,
8,211 bo3r8 and 5,826 girls, thus carrying on the and is a member of the Federal Council of Churches
work of evangalizing.300 pagan villages; 14 orphan- of Christ in America, and after the Episcopalians,
ages with 540 children, 7 hospitals, 22 dispensaries, has been especially prominent in the preparation
and 1 refuge for widows. In 1918 there were 2,590 for the World Coi^erence on Faith and Onier.
baptisms of adults in this vicariate besides 3,514 There were about 2,000,000 Congr^;ationalist8 in
at the hour of death. the world in 1922. In the United States tiiere
were 6,019 churches, 5,772 ministers, and 819,225
Congz«gatioiialiam (cf.C.E., IV-239c).--Amove- members. In 1920 there were in Great Britain
ment toward organic union amons the congrega- 492,968 members, 13,000 in Canada, 18,000 in Japan,
tions, and toward union with other churches; a 21,000 in Australia, and 20,000 in South Africa,
loss, of members in various localities, of ministers The number of ministers in the United States has
Suite generally, and an intensive attempt to stay decreased considerably since 1907 and in the Gen- be adverse tide mark this sect during recent years, eral Council in 1917 the president of the Chicago The triennial national council of 1913 (the last of seminary characterized the situation as the most the triennial cotmcils, the body now meeting bien- critical since the Civil War. There was also a nially) marked the definite recognition of the Con- falling in membership in Great Britain. In Mace- gresational Churches as an organized religious body donia, in January, 1922, according to press de»- witjp specific pmposes which are set forth in what patches, the Congregational Church lost control of may be called a Congregational platform, including the twenty-five Protestant missionary chmrches a preamble, and statements of faith, probity and which it had founded and maintained there. This wider fellowship. loss is due to alleged leanings toward Unitarianism, Along the line of union or co-operation with and according to reports the Methodists have taken other sects the Congregationalists have been promi- charge of these churches.
nent workers. In April, 1911, as a result of pre- To rouse greater interest in Congregationalism
liminaiy work in preparation for the World Con- and its works the tercentenary plan" (Pl3rmouth,
ference on Faith and Order, an agreement was 1620-1920) was devised, the aim being to seek new
entered into with the Church of the Disciples members, to add to the ministerial force, and espe-
whereby consolidation of local churches of the two cially to raise a fund of tOOJOOOfiOO principally fer
sects is allowed where deemed advisable. Several missions. Late reports indicate satisfactory progress
instances have been reported where such consolida- in raising this fund.
tion has taken place. The widespread movement of Congregationalism
In Canada a movement has for some ten or toward internal organic imion, and toward union
fifteen years been under way having for its object or at least co-operation with other sects, would
the imion of the Congregationalists, Methodists, seem to lead to the logical conclusion that in
and Pre8b3rterians. In 1916 progress was reported, the future this sect should gradually lose its cor-
but final negotiations were deferred imtil the end porate identity and merge with some other sect,
of the war and since then complete arrangements for hitherto its distinctive tenet (and theoretically
have not been made. The Baptists were to have it still retains it) has been that each congregation
been included in the union but finally withdrew ig a complete organization, independent of all
from the movement. As the Northern Baptist Con- others; by practically abandoning this tenet the
vention of the United States in 1919 said, "There aect seems to lose its raison d'etre.
is no centralized body which could deliver the Bap- Keeles, The Reunion oi Christendom, in America, XXIV
^ ^mches to any merger. If Baptist churches i^^k^ij^^ij^ ,ilS%^ZS!io^ ft^^ll^- k"^
do not have Umty among themselves they obviously of the Churches (New York, annual);
cannot have organic unity with other denomina- N. A. Wbber.
tions."
There has been also a movement toward imion Congresses, Catholic (cf. C. E., IV-242a).-^The or rapprochement with the Protestant Episcopal first International Eucharistic Congress held since Churcn. In .1918 the latter church reported un- the beginning of the World War, and the twenty- favorably on a T)roposal by the Congregational and seventh of the series, opened in Rome on Ascension various other churches, suggesting joint ordination, Thursday, 25 May, 1922, and continued in session as a war measure, of chaplains for the army and until 29 May, when the Holy Father, Pius XI, navy. In October, 1919, the General dJonvention carried the Blessed Sacrament in solemn proces- of the Protestant Episcopal Church drew up a sion from the Sistine Chapel to the Vatican tentative concordant with the Coni^gational Basilica. The Pope presided at the general open- Church whereby ministers of the latter might imder ing meeting on 24 May, and responded to the certain conditions, receive ordination in the Epis- addresses of Cardinal Vincenzo Vannutelli, honorary copal Church and yet continue to minister in their president of the (Congress. The general theme
