blessed element, God permits us to rejoice this year, as 4,450 precious souls have been admitted to our churches on confession of their faith. This is only a slight increase-213-over the number of last year. But in the characteristics of the work of grace this year, in the 18 churches which gathered more than one fourth of the whole number in their folds, we have God-given lessons, that if heeded, will more than double next year the figures of the present report. The work in most of these churches has been quiet and continuous, beginning and going on, not in an endeavor to make God willing, but with a yielding to and swallowing up in God's will, and a desire to have Him glorify Himself. And it may comfort discouraged brethren and churches to learn that the most marked and wonderful revival of the whole, was in a church hitherto not very prosperous, under a Pastor who had recently been in a position of very great discouragement. As a special work of grace has been manifested in such a marvelous way in Europe under the labors of our American evangelists, and as we find that a similar work has begun and continued so notably in some parts of our own Zion, under our own Ministers, your Committee feel that we ought to be encouraged to expect a great and glorious ingathering of souls into our communion during the coming year. Our net gain in communicants during the year just closing, has been 2,249, which is 223 more than last year. The number of families out of which these communicants have been gathered, has been sifted so thoroughly in half of the Classes, that a mistake in the footings of last year's report which your Committee cannot reach, makes an apparent reduction in the number of families. But there has been an actual increase of 695 families, after the elimination of 1,863 by 18 Classes. The mistake in the footings of the statistical tables which occur this year also, ought to be carefully guarded against by those Stated Clerks of Classes and Particular Synods who are in fault. And while this sitting of the lists of families is praiseworthy, when it serves to correct extravagant statements, your Committee would suggest the inquiry, whether their is not danger, that the forming of lists of families simply to regulate the schedules of classical and synodical finances, may divorce the churches from those outlying families, among which they need to carry on their aggressive work for Christ. In regard to the number of our Churches, there is a point which your Committee believe to deserve careful, prayerful, and practical attention. In the Compendium of the United States Census for 1870, it is stated that the average number of communicants to a church in the Reformed Church in America, which was 132, was the highest average in any denomination. In 1874 this average had grown to 141, while the average for the same year of the Reunion Presbyterian Church was 100, and of the Presbyterian Church, South, 60. According to our present report, the average in our Church is now 146. Your Committee think that this fact of the unusual average size of our Churches, makes it the duty of the General Synod to press the inquiry, whether it is not incumbent on some or many of the larger churches which cause this unusual average, to give of their members, their means, and their wisdom, towards the formation of new churches. It is pleasant to leave these large churches as they are, but it may be more profitable to them and to the body of Christ, to deplete them by colonizing. We are glad to state that the Second Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has let the contract for two new church buildings in distant parts of the city, which are to be hives for the gathering of honey for the Master's use; that the Church of Orange City, Iowa, whose first report in 1872 gave 38 members, which had grown to 328 in 1874, is establishing another church within its bounds; that the German Evangelical Mission Church of New York city has established two Missions, one of which is self-sustaining, and that according to the report of the Board of Domestic Missions, a similar operation has resulted in establishing a Mission of great promise at Ridgewood, N. J. Another department of our vital statistics, that of Sunday schools, reports a pleasant advance of 4,703 scholars. The Church' cannot give too much of her concentrated piety, talent, force, and proper pecuniary support for the training of the children God has placed under her care. In reference to the care of the Church for her baptized children, of whom 4,291 are on the lists of the year just closed, it may be important to some to learn, that great interest and profit have followed the practice in one of our large churches, of having special services each year for the baptized youth of ten years before-as in 1875 for those baptized in 1865--in which their obligations are forcibly set forth, and at the close of which a Bible containing a suitable inscription by the Pastor, is presented to each of them. Other modes will suggest themselves, to those who are in earnest in their endeavors to have the Church of Christ fulfil her obligations to her baptized children. As our supplies for the Ministry must mainly come from the baptized children of our families, and from those gathered in our Sabbath schools, parents and churches should not only plead with the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest, but should also plead with the youth under their care, to consecrate themselves to this work for the Lord. The contributions for Benevolence and for Congregational expenses, have been slightly increased over those of the previous year, which is cause for thankfulness, when we consider the continued stringency in monetary matters. Your Committee feel that the footings of the roll-call of heaven in our churches during the year, which tells us that 1,088 of our members and 5 of our Ministers have exchanged the labors, pains and sins of the church militant, for the rest, the joys, and the holiness of the church triumphant, speak to us in tones of admonition to work while we may on earth, and of encouragement to work with all our might, for the reward may be given us very soon. Two of our deceased Ministers, Rev. Joshua Boyd of the Classis of Orange, and Rev. Elbert Slingerland of the Classis of Schenectady, came to their graves in a ripe old age; and a third, Rev. A. K. Kasse, of the Classis of Paramus, died full of years. Rev. P. Stryker Talmage, of the Classis of Philadelphia, was called to his rest ere the evening time had come; and the Rev. Josph Kimball, of the South Classis of Long Island, passed away in the fulness of his powers amid the tears of a loving and admiring people. Your Committee would offer the following resolutions for your adoption: 1. That the Churches be again admonished of the care due to those of their baptized children, who have come to years of accountability. 2. That the attention of our larger churches, and of Classical Committees on Church Extension, be seriously called to the matter of church colonization, and the formation and sustentation of new church organizations in proper localities. 3. That the second Sabbath in October be set apart in all our churches for preaching and united prayer in behalf of the rich outpouring of the Holy Spirit on every one of our churches and missions, East, West, South, and in Foreign lands. 4. That this report be read from each of the pulpits of our denomination, on its reception in the printed Minutes of Synod, for the information of the people. All which is respectfully submitted. N. D. WILLIAMSON, Chairman. |