Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/339

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CONGREGATIONALISM. 287 CONGREGATIO NALISM. tiau work— its most successful recent oontribu- tiou being tile "Voung People's Society of C'liris- lian Kudeavor,' founded by Kev. Francis E. Clark in 1S81. Its spirit is warmly missionary, and it desires to cooperate broadly with all wlio are trying to advance the Redeemer's Kingdom. English Congregationalism during the last century has been marked by much the same traits; but its existence in the face of an eccle- siastical establishment has led it to emphasize the characleristic principle of independence more proportionately than American Congrega- tionalism. Its struggle has been largely one for equalit}' of privilege in education and exemption from disabilities. Its most important recent educational foundation is Mansfield College, Ox- ford, of which Rev. Dr. A. M. Fairbairn has been principal since its opening in 1880. The same tendencies to express denominational unity in organizations for mutual helijfulness have been manifest in England as in America, though in less marked degree. Their illustration in county associations and in larger unions has already been mentioned. Statistics. — The total number of Congrega- tional churches in America in 1645 appears to have been 53. About 120 English Congregational cluirches were represented in the Savoy Conven- tion of 1658. In 1760 Rev. Dr. Ezra Stiles cniunerated the churches of this order in New England, to which region they were then almost exclusively confined, as 530. By 1816 American Congregationalism numbered about 1020 churches and not far from 100,000 communicants. The most recent statistics available (1901, in the year Book of 1902) give the churches of the United States as 5753, their ministers as 5717, their members as 645,994, and their Sunday- school enrollment as 6.58.405. Their benevo- lent contributions were $2,233,722, and their home expenditures $7,580,655. The seven Con- GONGREGATIONALISM IN 1901-02. fBABEH ON STATISTICS IN THE "Year Book"' of 1902.) COUNTRIES Churches, Chapels. Stations Members Number enrolled in Sunda.T- Bchools EiifflaiKl and Wales ■ 4,873 J 308 59 33 CO 26 18 61 72 43 54 86 20 22 52 5,7.53 624 403.352 30.270 2.298 359 11.343 4.882 954 6,859 2,084 222 3.502 3.383 1.189 3.101 3,401 593 1,683 829 645,994 55.646 652.377 28.-.73 Iiplaiid 3.*25 472 Sou til .Africa 6 783 Nova Scotia and New 955 Ontario 4 293 (i^lHl:l^■c Newfoundland 1..374 346 1 298 Npw South Wales 7 096 4 03-' S'uitli Australia 6.770 7 0^12 1.103 2 216 I'liitvd States 658 405 Ain. Board Foreij^n Mis- sions, on mission fields. 62.188 Total 12,064 1,180,943 1,454.2.36 liregational seminaries in the United States re- ported an attendance in 1901-02 of 379 theolog- ical etudents. The churches and preaching sta- tions of Great Britain numbered 4873, their ministers 3121, and their church members 436,- 279. Canada and Newfoundland reported 137 eliurehes and preaching stations, with 9119 members. Congregationalism in Australia and New Zealand counts 349 churches and preach- ing stations, with 14,176 members. The foreign missionary activities of the Cniled States and Canada in 1901-02 were represented by 556 missionaries, assisted by 3559 native laborers, carrying on missions in 102 foreign sta- tions, with 525 churches organized, and an enrollment of 55,694 communicants, of whom 5623 had been added during the jfrevious year. Statistics for the London Missionary Society, through which the outreaehing work of the English Congregational churches is maintained, show that during 190001 it employed 438 mis- sionaries, assisted by 5811 native laborers, in 97 stations, and ministering to 56,059 communi- cants, of whom about 7000 were received dur- ing tlie year then closing. BiDLiOGEAriiY. The student who wishes to investigate the .history of Congregationalism thoroughly will look for guidance to the bibli- ography of 7250 titles of publications i-elating to Congregationalism issued between 1546 and 1879, which was given by Rev. Dr. H. JI. Dexter as an appendix to his Congregationalism of the Last Three Hundred Years (New Yoi'k, 1880). So closely is Congregationalism interwoven with the origins of New England that an}' good his- tory of New England gives mucli regarding its spread and workings. General sketches of Ameri- can Congregationalism are those of Rev. Dr. A. E. Dunning, Congregationalints in America (New York, 1894) ; and Prof. Williston Walker, A History of the Congregational Churches in the United States (New York, 1894). The charac- teristics of Congregational religious life are treated by Rev. Dr. George Leon Walker. Some Aspects of the Religious Life of Neip England (Boston. 1897). The reader specially interested in the beginnings of Congregationalism will be aided by the work of Rev. Dr. Dexter, above cited; also, John A. Goodwin, The Pilgrim Re- public (Boston, 1888); Rev. Dr. John Brown, The PiUirim Fathers of 'New England (London and New York, 1895) ; Prof. Edward Arber, The Story of the Pilqrim Fathers (London, 1897) : Rev. Dr. Fred. J. Powicke, Henrg Har- roic. Separatist (London, 1900). The doctrinal peculiarities of American Congregationalism have been compactly sketched by Prof. George N. Boardman, A History of Heie England The- ology (New York, 1899). No adequate brief history of English Congre- gationalism has been written, but the five vol- umes of Rev. Dr. John Waddington, Congrega-' tional History (London, 1869-78. new ed., 1880), treat the story at much length to the date last mentioned. Contemporary English Congregation- alism is well discussed by Rev. Dr. A. H. Brad- ford, The Pilgrim in Old England (New Y'ork, 1893). The story of Scotch Congregationalism is well and briefly told by Rev. James Ross, ,-1 History of Congregational Independency in Scot- land (Glasgow, 1900). The main documents relating to the polity and beliefs of Congregationalism are collected by Prof. Williston Walker, The Creeds and Plat- forms of Congregationalism (New York, 1893). Brief mantials of its usages are those of Rev. Dr. H. M. Dexter, .1 Handbook of Congrega- tionalisM (Boston, 1880); and oi a Committee