1 This is but about half the number which I made out by actual survey in 1812. But many churches, and some quite large, which for different reasons formerly stood off from all associated confederacies, have since fallen into them and become active members. So many are the opportunities for baptists of all creeds and opinions to find companies and homes congenial to their minds, so much is it a matter of course for churches soon after they are formed, to apply for admission into some bodies near them, that the proportion of those who stand alone is few compared with former years. As some small Assos. of recent date may not have come under review, to cover the whole, I have made the moderate estimate above. If all these thousands and hundreds of thousands of baptist professors were engaged, heart and hand, in their Master's cause, what mighty deeds could they perform in the spread of the gospel in our destitute regions, and among the heather nations abroad? 2 I have had a free correspondence with Rev. J. B. Weston, of Newburyport, on the numerical strength of this community. He, and Elders Shaw and Pike, all connected with the Ch. Herald, assume responsibility for the correctness of this augmented statement over all former returns, on Remarks on benevolent operations. As my object in these notes has been to exhibit the annual contributions of the Assos. for benevolent objects, in all cases where it could be done, I have left out the sums paid for minutes and other current expenses, also funds on hand, old balances, &c. Many of the accounts are very vague and indefinite, and as I have often suggested, many of the strongest bodies do not report on their Minutes the doings of their churches in the cause of benevolence. The practice of reporting is a good one, and is becoming much more common than formerly, as is the fact of their having something to report. All sorts of ways prevail in making up the treasurers' reports; and I have met with a few instances at the South, of churches making returns of what they pay their minister as among the charitable donations. These sums, of course, I have always omitted, as I have those reported in favor of houses of worship for themselves and others. One main object in these notes has been to make our people in remote parts of the country acquainted with the liberal efforts of their brethren beyond their acquaintance for the spread of the gospel at home and abroad. The amounts, to be sure, are often small, but it ought to be borne in mind, that with young and feeble bodies the business of doing anything for themselves and others with any system and efficiency is wholly new, and furthermore that their early efforts often have to be made in the midst of much indifference or downright unfriendliness. As I have reported no sums under $100, of course a large number of incipient movements have been wholly omitted. N. B. I would here suggest to all clerks of Assos, the propriety of giving the totals of their churches and contributions, so far as it can be ascertained, for mission, bible, tract, and other causes of a kindred character by themselves; then the compiler will have an easy task if their documents can be obtained. Remarks on Licentiates. It will be seen that I omit the distinctions which are usually made by our statistical compilers, between ordained and licensed preachers or probationers. According to the rules of our denomination, the latter class differ in nothing from the former except that they are not qualified to administer the ordinances of the gospel, assist at ordinations, and perform the marriage ceremony; in all other respects they are ministers de facto, and officiate the same as their ordained brethren in all clerical functions. In many of the associational fraternities at the south and west they are not reported on the Minutes, and of course the number is not small who are not recognized in my statistical tables; the number, however, on the whole, is much less than formerly, especially of those who are merely exhorters, and are making no preparations for assuming pastoral stations. Do. on Corresponding Secretaries of Associations. i have already stated, that whereas the ustom of appointing these officers in addition to the clerks is of recent origin, of partial prevalence, and of doubtful continuance, I have not named them in my list of official appoint ments. Do. on Statistical Returns. I see that all who have taken it in hand to collect and arrange statistical information, whether for their own States or for the whole country, complain of neglect on the part of many to whom they apply for the Minutes of Associations, and from my own experience I know how to sympathize with them in this business. Such backwardness and inattention often surprised me, especially from those who profess to be the friends of evangelical efforts. On the part of the opponents of these efforts, I was prepared to expect neglect; but many of them have paid more attention to my requests than not a few of those who are classed among the missionary baptists.3 But, after all, in one way or another, sometimes by going back to older documents, I have made my tables on my plan much more complete than I expected. In comparatively but few cases have I been obliged to resort to estimates in my tabular accounts. The Minutes for 1847 are daily coming to hand. Unfortunately for us as a community, however, they for the most part exhibit but a small increase, often a loss in numbers: but as my accounts must now be closed, it is altogether probable that many of these documents will arrive after the stereotypers have made all fast; and should any of our brethren not see the latest returns of these bodies, they will know how to explain the cause. the ground that no full account of their numbers has been heretofore published. They say that many of their strongest churches, not being connected with these conferences, have not been counted in the statistical tables of the Ch. Register and Almanac. While the above was in preparation, the Minutes of the Free Christian Connection, of Nova Scotia, came to hand. Their number is between 11 and 1200. From this document I learn that there is a similar body in New Brunswick. 3 A few of the people referred to above have taken pains to supply me with the statistics of all communities within their reach. Under this head I ought in justice to name elders Beebe, of N. Y, Cox, of Tenn., and Long, of Ill. STATISTICS OF FOREIGN BAPTISTS, 961 SECTION II. STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF FOREIGN BAPTISTS. ASSOCIATIONS IN ENGLAND, WALES, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND. Berks and West Middlesex, Bristol, Bucks, Cambridgeshire, Carmarthen and Cardigan, E. and N. Ridings, East Kent, Essex, Glamorganshire, Gloucestershire, Herts and South Beds, Lancashire, Leicestershire, London, Midland, Monmouthshire, Norfolk and Norwich, Northamptonshire, Northern, North Wales, Notts and Derby, Old South Wales, Oxfordshire, Pembrokeshire, Shropshire, Southern, South-western, S. W. Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, Suffolk and Norfolk New, Western, West Kent and Sussex, West Riding, Worcestershire. Baptist Union of Scotland, Irish Southern Association. This account is taken in substance from the E. Baptist Manual for 1847 and the A. B. Almanac and Register. 4 A small association has lately been formed in this kingdom. 5 This account is taken from Rippon, Ward and Chase. 6 The account of the Liberia Association was made out in 1843. Since then revivals of religion have caused additions to most of the churches. 7 Although these churches are on the American coast, yet they are so completely under the management of the English Baptists that I have placed them under this head. INDEX TO FOREIGN BAPTISTS, BAPTIST AUTHORS, AND THE BAPTISMAL CONTROVERSY. Albigenses, their terrible persecutions...28, 29 them.... 68 Allix, Dr., on the Waldenses.. .52 Baptisteries, by Turnbull..... .289-91 Chace's, Dr., account of the Mennonites, 130-1 Cobham, Lord, some account of him...308-9 64 48 324 334 Confessions of faith, by E. General Baptists, Cornelius, the monk and inquisitor, some ac- 108 D. .304-18 Baptizing naked, history of the custom.299-301 D'Anvers, on the Waldenses; an ill told story Bartholemew act... Berengarius, some account of him. .106 tists.. the Waldenses.. De Roore, Jacob, a martyr, his long discourse Divisions among the General Baptists...334 land. ...55 .349 Edwards, President, his remarks on the Wal- 63 .363 ..35 .92-93 .350 282-83 288 Infant baptism, when it was introduced, 293; Ellis, Sir Henry, and Fabian. F. ...55 Fabian, the history of his work, 347-50; faith of infants, 282. Fathers, early, on infant baptism.. Foreign Baptists Infant communion, still practised in the Greek .333 .351-53 54 Ivimey, J., History of English Baptists...340 J. Foster, Dr., a General Baptist. Fox, the martyrologist..... France, some account of it... .54 Gale, Dr., a General Baptist.... |