History of the First Congregational Church, East Hampton, Conn. A Sermon preached by Rev. Joel S. Ives, Pastor of the Church, July 9, 1876. Printed by Request. Middletown, Conn.: Pelton & King. 1876. 8vo. pp. 18. God's Providence for Forty Years: Three Discourses at the Fortieth Anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay, Wisconsin. By Rev. William Crawford, Pastor. Green Bay, Wis.: Root & Kimball. 1876. 12mo. PP. 37. The Religious and Ecclesiastical Contrast within the Bounds of Suffolk West Conference, between the Years 1776 and 1876. An Address read before the Suffolk West Conference at its Meeting in Auburndale, Oct. 11, 1876. By Rev. Increase N. Tarbox, D. D. Boston. 1876. 8vo. pp. 23. Report of the Chaplain of the State Prison in Charlestown, Mass., Rev. S. Lewis B. Speare. 1876. 8vo. pp. 14. Protestant Episcopal Church. Third Church Congress in the United States. 1876. Boston: Riverside Press. 8vo. pp. 14. A Thanksgiving Sermon, by Rev. J. S. Hoyt, D. D. Cambridgeport, Mass., Nov. 30, 1876. "Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress." pp. 15. Minutes of the Seventh Triennial Convention held at Chicago, May 10, 1876, in Connection with the Chicago Theological Seminary. Chicago, 175 Monroe Street. 8vo. pp. 42. Wide Awake: An Illustrated Magazine for Young People. Boston: D. Lothrop & Co. 20 cents a number; $2.00 a year. Schermerhorn's Monthly: A Magazine for Parents and Teachers. August, 1876. 8vo. pp. 384. $2 per annum. Single No. 20 cents. 90th Edition. Revised An Illustrated Descriptive Manual of School Material. and Enlarged. J. W. Schermerhorn. 8vo. pp. 224. 25 cents. Catalogue of the Loan Collection of Revolutionary Relics exhibited at the Old South Church, November, 1876, for the Benefit of the Old South Purchase Fund. Seventh Edition. 1876. Press of George H. Ellis. 8vo. PP. 44. 50 cents. History of the Old South Church. Published for the Benefit of the Old South Fund. 1876. 8vo. pp. 73. 50 cents. The Development Hypothesis: Is it sufficient? By James McCosh, D. D., LL. D., President of Princeton College. 1876. 16mo. pp. 104. The Relation of the Bible to Science: Three Discourses delivered at the Salem Street Church, Worcester, February, 1868, by Merrill Richardson, Pastor of the Church. Published by Request. For sale by Grout & Bigelow. Worcester. 8vo. pp. 38. Divinity of the Ballot: A Sermon preached in the First Congregational Church, Washington, D. C., on Thanksgiving Day. By. J. E. Rankin, D. D. 8vo. pp. 7. EDITOR'S TABLE. The Present Number. The first number of the year is delayed as usual. We did not receive the minutes of New York until the 17th of January. Although proof-sheets of a portion of the Missouri minutes came earlier, we did not receive a full copy of the minutes of that State until the 24th of January. The record of the churches of Colorado has not reached us even now, and we are compelled to use such fragmentary statistics of the Colorado churches as have been furnished us by the American Home Missionary Society. Still, with much labor and heavy expense, we have endeavored to bring down the column of pastoral supply, the ordination of ministers, and their post-office addresses, to the time of our going to press. Hence the value of the number is not diminished by the delay. We would express our obligations to the secretaries of the various State organizations who have kindly furnished us with copies of their minutes, and who have bestowed an incalculable amount of labor in preparing their statistical tables. We have some occasion to appreciate that kind of labor, and we cheerfully offer our tribute to the patient service of these State officials. The Date of the Statistical Year. - We have endeavored to induce all the State Associations to adopt Jan 1, preceding their annual meetings, as the date of their annual statistics, thus making their statistical year correspond with the civil year, and securing uniformity in all the States. As it now is, we have not less than seventeen different dates to the statistics, and cannot give a general summary of the number of churches or members, in the whole country, at any given time. The demand in the different State Associations is for the latest possible statistics. That this is not the most reasonable demand is seen in the fact that it results in securing only imperfect returns and that it renders it impossible to have uniformity in all the States. It takes no little time to secure full and accurate returns. It is utterly impracticable, unless it be in a State where there are only a few churches, to secure recent statistics and have them full and reliable. In statistics accuracy is more important than the recentness of the date. One object sought by the State Associations is to give fresh interest to their annual meetings; but this interest depends upon the report of the state of religion, which should be brought down to the latest possible date. As to statistical tables, the true interest is in their accuracy, not in whether the date is a few months earlier or later. It is sometimes said that the great ingathering into our churches is ordinarily in the spring of the year, so that in adopting Jan. 1 as the date of our statistics, we render it impossible to include this ingathering. In reply, we need only state that with Jan. I as the date, we include the ingathering of the previous year; hence we have an annual ingathering included as truly as we should have by the adoption of any other date. By the adoption of Jan. I as the date of the statistical year, most of the States can have their statistical tables prepared for their annual meetings; some States can have them in print if this be desirable; and all can be ready to print their minutes soon after the close of their meeting. In New York, for instance, what difference does it make as to the recentness of their statistics whether they gather their facts for Jan. 1, report them in full at their meeting in October, and go to press with them at once, or whether they attempt to get statistics as late as Aug. 31, find that they can give only a partial report at their meeting, and are not able to issue the minutes until January of the following year? The value of the statistics is essentially impaired by having blanks, with no report, or by making use of the reports of a previous year, or by giving a conjectural number, as is sometimes done. The only possible way of securing fulness and accuracy is the adoption of a date which will allow adequate time for collecting the facts, and the only possible way to secure uniformity in all the States is to adopt a date as early as Jan. 1, preceding all the annual meetings. We commend this subject anew to the consideration of the several State bodies. The Presbyterian Ministry. — In recording the names of "ministers received from other denominations," we do not include in the list the names of Presbyterian ministers, because this denomination and ours are so near together, and crossing the line between us is so frequent. Indeed, so mingled are the two denominations that it is often difficult to determine to which party some men belong. There were four ministers among the deceased last year who were reported by both denominations, and many more among the living. We have a suggestion to make which may well receive, as it seems to us, the attention of our Presbyterian friends. According to their theory, a man, when he becomes a minister, loses his relation to a local church and enters a peerage in which he is responsible directly only to his ministerial brethren. Such an idea as this, we need hardly say, is foreign from Congregationalism, which holds as sacred and permanent the relation of every professed disciple of Christ to the local church. When a Presbyterian minister becomes the pastor of a Congregational church, he receives, if he asks for it, a dismission from the Presbytery and a recommendation to a Congregational Association of Ministers. But what becomes of his church relation? As a Congregationalist he must be a member of some local church, but the Presbyterians give him no appropriate credentials which he can use in joining a church. Is it said that he can use his certificate of dismission from the Presbytery? To this there are three objections. 1. It has reference, in form, to ministerial standing, and not, except by implication, to church standing. 2. It is addressed to a ministerial association and not to a church. 3. It cannot be retained by the church as a credential, because it is needed by the bearer in joining the association to which it is addressed. If our Presbyterian friends, as good neighbors, when one of their number leaves them to become a Congregationalist, are disposed to facilitate the change, we think that they will furnish him with such credentials as he needs. This can be done in either of two ways. 1. The Presbyterian church of which he was a member when he joined the Presbytery can give him a letter of church standing addressed to the Congregational church which he wishes to join. Some Presbyterian churches will give such a letter, but others refuse, on the ground that the relation of the individual to them ceased when he joined the Presbytery, and they cannot go back of that fact and resume any responsibility respecting him. 2. The Presbytery can give him two certifi cates, one of church standing which he may use in joining a Congregational church, and another of ministerial standing which he can use in joining a Congregational association. A pastor of one of the churches in Boston, having tried repeatedly in vain to procure a letter of church membership from the Presbyterian church to which he belonged before joining the Presbytery, was finally voted into the church of which he is pastor without having any credentials; and another Boston pastor, coming still more recently from the Presbyterians, having no credentials as to church standing, joined the church of which he is pastor by making a new profession of his faith. Does not comity between denominations require our Presbyterian friends to provide some way in which to relieve their brethren who cross the line from such inconvenience and embarrassment? QUARTERLY RECORD. 1876. CHURCHES FORMED. BENSON, Minn., Oct. 19, 10 members. CAHOKA (near), Mo., 11 members. CLEVELAND, O., Franklin St., Nov. 22, 31 members, EAST TAWAS, Mich., Oct. 29, 24 members. EDGEWOOD, Ill., June 25. FLORENCE, Ala., Nov. 19, 21 members. KEOKUK, Io., Oct. 20, Luther's Congrega- SUISUN, Cal., Dec. 6, 16 members. MINISTERS ORDAINED. BANGS, FREDERICK E., over the Ch. in Ministry in Kirwin, Kan., Sept. 21. BLAKE, HENRY A., over the Ch. in Athol, Mass., Sept. 13. Sermon by Rev. BRAINERD, CHARLES N., over the Ch. in South Dennis, Mass.. Dec. 22. Sermon by Rev. Calvin B. Hulbert, D. D., of Middlebury College, Vt. Ordaining prayer by Rev. John W. Dodge, of Yar. mouth. BROWN, ISRAEL, to the work of the Ministry, in Olney, Ill., Nov. 21. Sermon by Rev. Henry B. Dean, of Chicago. BUGBEE, ROLLA G., over the Ch. in West Hartland, Ct., Nov. 8. Sermon by Rev. George B. Hubbard, of Pecatonica, Ill. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Freder ick H. Adams, of New Hartford. BULLOCK, MOTIER A., to the work of the Ministry, in Oakwood, Mich., Oct. 19. Sermon and Ordaining prayer by Rev. W. T. Sproule, D. D., of Detroit. CARTER, HOMER W., to the work of the Ministry, in Tallmadge, O., Sept. 15. CHASE, AUSTIN S., to the work of the Ministry, in Quechee, Vt., Dec. 14. Sermon by Rev. Perrin B. Fisk, of Springfield. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Jonathan Clement, D. D., of Norwich. CHASE, EZRA B., to the work of the Ministry, in Cortland, O., June 20. Sermon by Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., of Cleveland. CHENEY, RUSSELL L., to the work of the Ministry, in Bloomington, Wis., Oct. 24. Sermon by Rev. Edward D. Eaton. Or. daining prayer by Rev. Samuel W. Eaton, of Lancaster. CLARK, FRANK E., over the Williston Ch. in Portland, Me., Oct. 19. Sermon by Rev. Asa D. Smith, D. D.. of Dartmouth College, N. H. Ordaining prayer by Rev. William H. Fenn, of Portland. CLARK, ORVILLE C., to the work of the Ministry, in Vermillion, O., Dec. 26. CROSS, ROWLAND S., to the work of the Ministry, in St. Johnsbury Centre, Vt., Oct. 18. Sermon by Rev. James Mc. Lean, of West Boxford, Mass. Ordaining prayer by Rev. John P. Humphrey, of East St. Johnsbury. DICKINSON, GEORGE L., to the work of the Ministry, in Chepachet, R. I., Sept. 20. Sermon by Rev. John L. Taylor, D. D., of Andover Seminary. EATON, EDWARD D., over the Ch. in Ministry, in Stillman Valley, Ill., Sept. 7. Sermon by Rev. James T. Hyde, D. D., of Chicago Seminary. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Frank P. Woodbury, of Rockford. GRANNIS, GEORGE H., over the Ch. in St. Clair, Mich., Nov. 1. Sermon by Rev. Philo R. Hurd, D. D., of Detroit. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Ward I. Hunt, of Columbus. HAMLIN, CHARLES H., to the work of the Ministry, in Chester, Mass., Sept. 19. Sermon by Rev. Washington Gladden, of Springfield. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Henry Hopkins, of Westfield. HARRINGTON, JAMES L.. over the Ch. in Orange, Vt., Oct. 25. Sermon by Rev. Isaac Jennings, of Bennington Centre. Ordaining prayer by Rev. William S. Hazen, of Northfield. HARRIS, D. FISK, over the Columbia Ch. in Cincinnati, O., Dec. Sermon by Rev. Robert G. Hutchins, of Columbus. HERBERT, JOHN, over the Ch. in Stoughton, Mass., Dec. 21. Sermon by Rev. Reuen Thomas, of Brookline. Or daining prayer by Rev. John C. Labaree, of Randolph. HILL, EBEN L., to the work of the Ministry, in Armada, Mich., Oct. 11. Sermon by Rev. Zachary Eddy, D. D., of Detroit. Installing prayer by Rev. Minor W. Fairfield, of Romeo. HINCKLEY, WILLIAM H., to the work of the Ministry, in Wauwatosa, Wis., Dec. 20. Sermon by Rev. Henry C. Hitchcock, of Kenosha. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Thomas Gillespie, of Bristol. HORNER, JOHN W., over the Ch. in Bloomfield, Io., Oct. 9. Sermon by Rev. Joseph W. Pickett, of Des Moines. HUTCHINS, WILLIAM T., over the Ch. in Westchester, Ct., Dec. 20. Sermon by Rev. Samuel G. Willard, of Colchester. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Aaron C. Beach, of Millington. JONES, AMOS, to the work of the Ministry, in Colesburg, Io., Nov. 15. Sermon by Rev. Joel S. Bingham, D.D., of Dubuque. JOSÉ, EMANUEL, to the work of the Ministry, in Crete, Neb., Oct. 18. Sermon by Rev. Henry H. Sallenbach, of Lincoln. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Hiram N. Gates, of Omaha. LANPHEAR, NATHANIEL D., to the work of the Ministry, in Augusta, Mich., Nov. 14. Sermon by Rev. J. L. Daniels, of Olivet College. LYMAN, W. A., over the Chs. in Windsor and Leeds, Wis., Oct. 18. Sermon by MALLARY, R. DEWITT, over the Ch. in the Ministry, in Nunica, Mich., Oct. 4. Sermon by Rev. E. C. Crispnell, D. D. PADDOCK, EDWARD A., over the Ch. in South Haven, Mich., Nov. 20. Sermon by Rev. Horatio N. Burton, D. D., of Kalamazoo. PIPES, ABNER M., over the Chs. in Unionville and North Madison, O., Oct. 10. Sermon by Rev. Stephen D. Peet, of Ashtabula. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Sereno W. Streeter, of Saybrook. PULLAN, FRED B., over the Pilgrim Ch. in Vineland, N. J., Sept. 6. Sermon by Rev. Lyman Whiting, D. D., of Philadelphia, Pa. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Henry Pullan, of Winneconne, Wis. READ, EUGENE B., over the Little Mus kingum Ch. in Cornerville, O., Oct. 27. Sermon by Rev. Josiah H. Jenkins, of Harmar. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Levi L. Fay, of Moss Kun. STEELE, CHARLES E., over the Ch. in Winooski, Vt., Dec. 19. Sermon by Rev. Lewis O. Brastow, of Burlington. SÜSS, WILLIAM, to the work of the Ministry, in Crete, Neb., Oct. 18. Sermon by Rev. Henry H. Sallenbach, of Lincoln. Orda ning prayer by Rev. Hiram N. Gates, of Omaha. WALES, FREDERICK H., to the work of George Bushnell, of Beloit, Wis. Ordaining prayer by Rev. Edward N. Packard, of Evanston. WILKINSON, THOMAS R., to the work of the Ministry, in Union Grove, Minn., Nov. 10. WILLIS, JOSIAH G., over the Ch. in BARNES, Rev. HENRY E., over the Cen. tre Ch. in Haverhill, Mass., Nov. 12. Sermon by Rev. John L. Withrow, D. D., of Boston. Installing prayer by Rev. John D. Kingsbury, of Bradford. BELL, Rev. JAMES M., over the Ch. in West Medway, Mass., Sept. 26. Sermon by Rev. Edwin B. Webb, D. D., of Boston. Installing prayer by Rev. Jacob Ide, Jr., of Mansfield. BONNEY, Rev. NATHANIEL G., over the Ch. in East Hartland, Ct., Nov. 28. Sermon by Rev. Leavitt H. Hallock, of West Winsted. CARY, Rev. WILLIAM B., over the Ch. in Old Lyme, Ct., Nov. 22. Sermon by Rev. Öliver E. Daggett, D. D., of New London. Installing prayer by Rev. William H. Knouse, of Deep River. CHALMERS, Rev. JOHN R., over the Ch. in Fairhaven, Vt., Dec. 19. Sermon by Rev. Calvin B. Hulbert, D. D., of Middlebury College. Installing prayer by Rev. James G. Johnson, of Rutland, CLARK, Rev. GEORGE L., over the Ch. in Shelburne, Mass., Dec. 22. Sermon by Rev. James Dingwell, of Ashfield. COLTON, Rev. ERASTUS, over the Ch. in Willington, Ct., Oct. 10. Sermon by Rev. Charles C. Painter, of Safford Springs. Installing prayer by Rev. Elijah B. Huntington, of South Coventry. CONANT, Rev. CHARLES A., over the Chs. in Duluth and Brainerd, Minn., Nov. 21. Sermon by Rev. L. Henry Cobb, of Minneapolis. Installing prayer by Rev. Prescott Fay, of Audubon. CROSS, Rev. WELLINGTON R., over the Elm St. Ch. in Camden, Me., Nov. 15. Sermon by Rev. John A. Ross, of Belfast. Installing prayer by Rev. Javan K. Mason, D. D., of Thomaston. |