REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CHURCH WORK.
Your Committee on that part of the General Survey referring to Church work, report that they consider it most encouraging and inspiring. Seventy-eight churches formed; 5,472 members admitted; 8,130 scholars in Sabbath-schools! But the great question is, have we a spirit of power and development in all these organizations? for if they are dead they are worthless. Significant facts give us the answer. Five churches were added the past year; five hundred and eleven members were added to the churches; one thousand eight hundred scholars to the Sabbath-school; seven church buildings erected, or in the process of erection—one the gift of Mr. Gregory (upon whom be peace)—two parsonages and two President’s houses. One-third of these churches have had revivals indicating future enlargement. There are seven State Conferences; Woman’s Home Missionary Societies in active work; Sabbath-school Conventions; female missionaries sent forth into the houses of the poor, eleven commissioned the past year, and a revolutionized public sentiment set in so that Southern governors, generals, editors, have generously recognized the value of the work.
Now it has sometimes been questioned whether a Congregational organization, working on thoroughly Congregational principles, could so well plant the Christian church among an ignorant, degraded people, needing guidance, oversight, care, government. But how did the primitive churches in apostolic days succeed? They were all Congregational, and for the most part composed of ignorant people. Did they have apostles to guide them? So have we. Dr. Strieby and his associates and helpers are successors to the apostles in this work. They have the oversight, and the churches have freedom of expansion and growth.
What is the path, let us inquire, through which a feeble church or churches may safely become strong? It is, it must be, through self-government, self-development and self-support. As to the first, churches composed of illiterate Freedmen are, doubtless, unfit to govern themselves. But how shall they ever become fit? How shall they learn, except by trial, failure and correction under kind but faithful leadership? We have given our colored citizens the largest civil and political freedom, with no guidance but that of unscrupulous politicians. Shall we now say that they cannot be trusted in the church?—that they can be free citizens in the republic, with all the duties, trusts and responsibilities of citizenship, but that they cannot be Freedmen in the republic of God? Our church organization is in perfect harmony with the genius of our Government, and is the best possible school of good citizenship. It teaches liberty, regulated by law and love.
But the second essential principle of Congregationalism, self-development, is no less eminent. This necessitates organization and co-operation. Each church cultivates its own field, but its field expands into all the world. It looks over into the Dark Continent, and sends forth some of its young men and women to win, perchance, the martyr’s crown. Every such effort is development, strength. It brings in health and power. The working church alone grows and thrives. This is the nature of the Congregational church. Without this element of self-development into active Christian graces, the church, of whatever material formed, will remain in the weak and callow state of permanent and persistent chickenhood, and in cold nights it must be wrapped in cotton wool to keep it from dying. Now these churches of our Association have gone vigorously to work. They have done well. The facts enumerated in the Report, and to which we have briefly referred, prove this. Let us cheer them and urge them on to greater effort. The whole race will rise just so far as it shall put forth what strength it has.
The third great requisite of the Congregational church is self-support. From the way in which missionary churches come into existence, this is apt to be the most difficult principle to apply. They are weak at the beginning and must be aided. Their real wants are pressing—a pastor, church building, school-house, school. But all these are so precious to them, to their children and their posterity, that great exertion and self-denial on their part should be called forth. No one should be admitted to church membership who will not do something for these great objects. It is safe to follow the teachings of Paul to the poor Corinthians.
Let it be well understood that church membership in a Congregational church means the true Christian manhood of self-support. Let them be taught systematic giving. This will consecrate all duties and all true enterprise. This will bind the church and the pastor together, and will help them to have the spirit of Him who pronounced it more blessed to give than to receive. This will purify the church. Give alms of such things as ye have, and behold all things shall be clean unto you. As in the foreign field, so in the home, with all due safeguards, let us raise the banner, self-government, self-development, self-support. This is true Congregationalism and true Christianity.—Cyrus Hamlin, Chairman.