REPORT ON CHURCH WORK.
Your Committee finds in the report of the Executive Committee for the past year, proof of healthy and steady growth in the work of planting churches. The report records the organization of six new churches, viz., McLeansville, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Birmingham, Ala.; Jackson, Miss.; Fayetteville, Ark.; and Belle Place, La., and one new State Association of six churches in Miss.; making the whole number of churches eighty-nine, and of State Associations eight. The additions to these churches during the past year have been six hundred and sixty-seven; the number of scholars gathered in the church and Mission Sunday-schools has been nine thousand four hundred and four; the contributions for church work $12,027.21 and for benevolent purposes $1,049.35.
We are glad to find it to be the distinct aim of the Society to press its work of evangelization to its consummation in Christian churches, and that while its educational and industrial work must from the nature of the case be general in its character, the obligation is recognized to gather up the result, so far and as fast as opportunity affords, in a more specific and permanent form. An intelligent Christianity, such as is fostered in the academies, seminaries and colleges maintained by the Society, demands a church-polity that gives scope to the developed manhood and retains it in a process of growth. Our work would be but half done did we leave those brought under its influence to fall back into old methods and be lost in the mass of ignorance and superstition.
The Association was debarred from this distinctive work at first, but when soon after the war, others, who had contributed to the funds of this Society, seeing the magnitude of the undertaking, wisely began efforts of their own, the Association was left to the support of the Congregational churches, it directed its labors to this end. This distinctive church-planting work began in 1867. In that year the Society organized three churches. The statistics of its growth in this direction are summarized thus: In 1867 there were three churches; in 1870 there were twenty-three; in 1875, fifty-six; in 1880, seventy-three; in 1883, eighty-nine. The membership now numbers five thousand nine hundred and seventy-four, an average of sixty-seven to each church. Every church but two has a pastor, and eighty of the eighty-nine have their own houses of worship. These churches give promise of permanency. They have not sprung from a division or denominational spirit, and are not the representations of restlessness or the mere desire to try some new thing. Their roots are laid deep in the Christian education of the schools, and their organization expresses the need of the growing intelligence of those who compose them. Churches made of such material, formed upon the New Testament plan, have thus far been stable; those first formed are among the strongest.
Nor are these churches isolated and independent. They have recognized the principle of the fellowship of the churches and have grouped themselves into eight State Conferences, thus giving to our polity an example and an acknowledged position in that great section of our land. It is gratifying to find from the reports that the methods of this church-government are readily apprehended by the members of these churches, and that in the order and discipline of the individual churches and in the management of their councils and conferences, they are showing capacity for self-control.
This body of churches, so well organized and underlaid by Christian schools, presents a record of sixteen years’ effort that does no discredit to the Congregational name.
While anxious for a more rapid growth in the future, and wishing to extend the good influences which we believe will be felt by the establishment of such churches, we would commend the wisdom and prudence that have seized upon strong centers and have avoided the hasty multiplication of churches for the sake of members. While urging for the future the utmost watchfulness for opportunity and the pushing of this branch of the work of the Association, we express the hope that what is done be well done, that no discredit may come to the cause of Christ, as represented by the churches of our polity. It is not number but might that tells in the formation processes of a people. A single church of genuine substance, rightly constituted and ordered and working outward, is a germ around which a whole community will take form. More than numbers, the inherent vitality of this molds and fashions after the ideas and principles with which it is charged. It has vitalizing and organic power in it, and kindling the intelligence and awakening the responsibility of its own members, it leads and sways the people around it. It may work dimly for a time amid the surrounding chaos, but presently as the social fabric thus woven is brought to light, the figure appears and it commends itself as a true church of Christ.
But the work so well begun ought soon to be greatly enlarged. The rapid growth of the colored population gives emphasis to this—a growth that so far outstrips the means of education and spiritual improvement as to leave a constantly increasing number of illiterate voters and of degraded people. The benevolent societies of the North, of every name and order, ought to multiply their efforts for training the needed teachers—the business and professional men, the mechanics and the educated and consecrated ministers. Meantime, as the higher education of some advances, there will be more and more demand for churches of our order. We say this not from denominational feeling. We hold no invasive attitude. We stir no controversy. We aim not at division, but believing that the apostolic method of gathering churches is the true one, that in its fluent and free adaptation, its simplicity of form and order, in its investing Christ as the immediate Head of each local church, in its putting the individual members upon responsibility, and thus setting them to the study of God’s Word for authority and the dependence upon the Divine Spirit for guidance—that in this free and fraternal way of ordering the churches there is a molding power for good beyond others, and remembering its working and product elsewhere, we desire such fruit of it all abroad.
That Providence which always surpasses our thought in preparing its agencies has given us for this work this Association with its schools and machinery, its knowledge of the needs of the section where its greatest efforts have been put forth. Started with no expectation of founding churches, it yet has nothing in its constitution limiting it to one kind of effort nor to any one class or race. Its schools are open to all. Its churches are simply Christian churches. It goes to teach and preach and to elevate the masses. That is what is needed—no distinction of caste or class, and in the organization of churches the recognition of a regenerate membership on the principle that mankind are of one blood and on the fellowship of all Christians.
While practically its work has been mainly among the freedmen, and while it may continue for some time to find itself limited to them, theoretically its work is for all, and it should hold fast to that principle. It should never form some churches for black men and other churches for white men; but always Christian churches for Christian men and women. We should deprecate any line drawn in the Christian church based on difference in wealth, in social position, in education, in color, in sex, in previous condition. The only line to be drawn there is between those who give good evidence of renewed hearts and those who do not. We recognize this as the principle governing this Association, and therefore commend it as the adequate agency for the evangelizing work of our churches in the South. May it be abundantly sustained by the prayers and sympathies and means of our churches at the North, and may it soon find an open door through the ignorance and the prejudice by which it is surrounded and be free to work among all classes at the South.
And looking at the work already commenced among the freedmen, what a goodly field is opened before us! What a beneficent influence we can exert, not only on the seven millions in our own land, who are part of our body politic, but upon a whole race counted by its many millions in different parts of the world! What stores of prophetic power are lodged in every true church we establish! We have but the merest hint and initial sign in the little bands now gathered of the possibilities lying before us!
We commend this work to the churches at the North, and plead that these older churches cherish a lively and effective interest in all this outgrowth of themselves. There is danger that there may be abatement of interest in this direction, and that the fostering hand and special sympathy these weak churches, now that they are churches, need in their struggles, be withheld. That distinctive feature of Congregationalism which marks it off from sheer independency needs to be emphasized. There are claims of community in faith and order that should be gladly owned, and perfect understanding and interchange should be cherished between all parts of this fellowship of saints, mutual confidence and the gracious tenderness of a love deeper than any kinship of race should cement us in one.
By our liberal things we shall stand. We have sent men and women and means with large generosity, that inquired not whether they served our own denomination or another, if only Christ’s cause be promoted. The work already done is a fair movement to self-forgetful charity. We should now make our beneficence more and more the channel of grace and fellowship to brethren whom we have made brethren. If we do indeed hold this church polity on such terms of intelligence as to make it fit to hold it at all, if it be no fault of the awakened ones at the South that they hold it, then what has been so good and fruitful here we should make strong and fruitful there. And if this Association has come in its legitimate growth to the establishment of self-governed churches, accept them as our own. Our seal is on them from the first. The time is ripe for larger advance, and for more confidence in our own work.
It is with gratitude we acknowledge the liberal plan with which this Association is now supplementing its evangelizing and teaching work with the timely and necessary work of church erection. It is part of the same work. Nearly fourscore neat and serviceable church edifices have already arisen under its auspices. No better work and none looking more to permanent results has been done. Many a missionary and pastor has found his work at once enlarged and all his means of good multiplied, when the house of God has been given him by its aid. And every such edifice stands forth as an eloquent witness of your loving care for the people of the South, and serves as a bond of union between the distant parts of our land.
The same divine ordinance that opened this field to us, prescribes our work in it. Now that our mission reveals itself, shall we not accept it thankfully, impress ourselves purposely on this vast field, and let the poor of all classes feel the strength of Christian community and fellowship—for we are one?
Lewellyn Pratt, Chairman.