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._
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