2. The Dedication of Children.— When .John jMurray began to preach in America, he was frequently impor- tuned by parents to baptize their children; but, believ- ing that adults were the only proper subjects for Chris- tian baptism, he refused. As, however, he regarded children as the gift of (iod and members of the body of Clirist, he felt that some ceremonial recognition of this fact would be appropriate and salutary, and originated a rite which he called the " dedication of children." Either in the church or elsewhere, as was most con- venient, parents brought their children to him, who, if infants, he took in his arms ; if older children, they stood by his side, and he, placing his hand on the child's head and pronouncing its name, declared it gratefully re- ceived as (Jod's gift, and solemnly dedicated to his loving service, pronouncing on it the blessing which Moses was directed to command Aaron to pronounce on the chiliiren of Israel: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." This service is now verv generally observed among Universalists, the sec- ond Sunday in .Iinie being set apart for it, and desig- nated "Children's Sunday." It is customary on this occasion to decorate tne churches with flowers; and as no verv general olyection to infant baptism now exists among Universalists, baptism is in most cases a part of the ceremonial.
3. Christmas, Easter, and ifenwrirt/.— Christmas has always been a day of special notice with Universal- ists, and of late Easter is appropriately celebrated. A Sunday in October is set apart in most Universalist churches as Memorial Sunday, the services being made
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appropriate to a loviiis^ remembrance of the members of the Cliurch and congregation who have di«d during the year. On this day the cliurches are decorated witli fall Howers and leaves.
4. Public Warship. — The public worship of God is conducted by IJniversalisis in much the same manner as by Protestants generally. It consists of reading of the Scriptures, prayers, singing, and sermon. A few churches make use of a liturgy, of which several liave been prepared, but most congregations have an extem- pore service. Baptism and the Lord's supper are ob- served in all LTniversalist cliurches. The mode of the former is left to the choice of tlw candidate. The in- vitation to the latter is extended to all who may feel it to be either a duty or a privilege thus to remember the Lord Jesus Christ. Sunday-schools and conference and ]iraj-er meetings are regularly held iu most of the churches.
V. Statistics. — The Universalists have one General Convention and twenty-four subordinate conventions, the latter being located in Alabama, Connecticut, (ieorgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, Cana- da, and Scotland. Parish organizations exist in Cali- fornia, Colorado, Dakota, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The total number of parishes is 959, with wiiich J:"2,o00 families are connected; 733 churches, with a membership of 37,825; Sunday-schools, (j99; teachers and pupils, 59.633 ; church edifices, 784 ; total value of parish property above indebtedness. $6,417,757; ministers, 724; licensed lay preachers, 9.
The General Convention is incorporated and empow- ered to " hold real and personal estate tt) the value of $500,000, to be devoted exclusively to the diffusion of Christian knowledge by means of missionaries, publica- tions, and other agencies." The "Murray Centenary Fund," raised in 1870, and named in honor of Rev. John Murray, the centennial anniversary of whose coming to America was then observed, atnounted. at the session of the convention in 1879, to $121,794.54. A "Minis- terial Relief Fund," founded by the becpiest of the late •John G. Gunn, amounted at tlie same time to $8077.94. The "Theological Scholarship Fund," consisting of re- turned scholarship loans, amounted to $5439.32. The treasurer's receipts from all sources, in 1879, were $19,540.74. The income of the Murray Centenary Fund is designed to aid in the education of the clergy, the circulation of denominational literature, and in church extension. About forty theological scholar- ships are continued in force each year, aggregating nearly $6000. These are expected to be repaid, with- out interest, at the earliest convenience of the benefici- aries after graduation and settlement, and the amounts thus returned are invested, the income to be appro- ))riated to future loans.
Several of the state conventions are incorporated. and iu a few of them permanent funds are established, luther as held l)y the c<inventious directly, or by or- ganizations existing in their jurisdiction, the aggregate amount of such funds, the incomes of which are devoted to missionary work, Sundav-school aid, and ministerial relief, is $89,578.65.
The "Woman's Centenary Association," now incor- porated, was organized in 1869 to assist in raising the Murray Centenary Fund, to which it contributed $35,000. In addition to this, it has raised about $120,000, with which it has helped colleges and schools, given relief to aged and inlirm ministers and ministers' widows, started a Memorial ('haiiel at Good Luck, N..L, where JIurray preached his first sermon in America, and supixirted a inissionary in Scotland. It has also put in circulation 3,000,000 pages of tracts, besi<les a large number of denominational books and papers.