bishops, sixiy-oii. presbyters, and twenty deacons. Al- ready i he list bas swollen to more than one hundred, and i- increasing as rapidlj as places and means of support can be provided lor those receiver 1 or ordained; while the number of applicants tor orders and for admission from the ministry in other churches, against whom the door IS necessarily closed lor want of ability to sustain then). IS larger than ever before. The tabular report of the Committee on the State of the Church, cover- ing other items made at the last council, .May. 1*7*.
was very imperfect, as many of the parishes had failed to report. How far it understates the full strength of the Church it is impossible to determine. In it- state- ment of the number of communicants it is thought to be very much below tin; actual number. It is as follows:
Communicants (assumed)
Sunday scholars
Sunday-school teachers
Baptized, i. e. during the year preceding Confirmed in said year.
if the parishes for all objects
10,000
7,814
744
744
G15
Value of Church property at lime of council 000,031 Other property for educational purposes 200,000
Upon this table the committee remark: "This exhibit shows an increase of more than 8172,000 over the amount reported in 1*77. notwithstanding the perhaps unparalleled depression of the past year."
2. I. iii rary Institutions. — Of these the Reformed Epis- copal Church can, as yet, boast but one, and that only in the infancy of what it is hoped will, in due time of maturity, he a vigorous and influential life. The Uni- versity Of the West is al present Organized suh-tatl-
tiallyon the plan of the London University. Non-res- ident professors prepare questions on which students are required to stand rigid examinations by written an- swers. In this university scheme, only the Martin College of Theology is thus far in organized working order. This has taken precedence to meet the wants of the Church in the education of its ministry. The times demand a ministry not only of thorough scholastic attainments, but well taught in theology in connection with the peculiarities of the Church they are to labor in. The Church seeks to compass this end by subject- ing all students in theology to a uniform system of questions in all departments of theological learning. The present plan may be modified when a sufficient en- dowment fund shall have been secured to meet the re- quirements of a local institution. Through the munif- icent liberality of a gentleman of the State of New York. Edward Martin. Esq., the Church is in possession of landed estate in the suburbs of Chicago of large pres- ent and much larger prospective value. On this prop- erty the authorities of the university propose, eventual- ly, to erect suitable buildings for the several colleges as they shall, from time to time, take form. It is their purpose, as the ability of the Church increases, to spare no pains to make the institution worthy of the Church and of the country.
;;. Church TAterature. -The Reformed Episcopal Church supports two papers that set forth its principles and defend its interests. Tin J-'pixcopal L'tconli /: pub- lished in Philadelphia, is a weekly paper which has be- come historic. It was the oldest weekly issue in the Protestant Episcopal Church, in which, during more than a half of the century, it advocated those principles of ecclesiastical polity and Christian life and doctrine that are still emblazoned on its banner. Transferred to the Reformed branch of the Church, it but continues its old work in new relations, and proves a highly im- portant agent in the defence and extension of I he truth ill the newly organized communion. The Appeal is pub- lished in Chicago and Xew York, and issued bi-weekly. While aiming specially to meet the needs of the ( Lurch in tin' gnat Wcst.ii has extensive circulation in all parts of the land; and. though only about three years of age, displays much energy and ability. Its editor-in-chief is the present presiding bishop. Dr. Samuel fallows, and he is aided by an efficient staff of clergymen of large ability and culture. This paper exerts wide influence
in the Church. So early in its history, and with the lime ami energy of its clergy severely taxed by initial parochial work, this Church ha- not as yet produced literary or theological works of extensive and standard Character. Its ephemeral productions, however, from the nature of the case largely apologetic, are already numerous. Nearly all the prominent clergymen of this Church have been forced by attacks, often from the
REFORMED GERMAN CHURCH 1013 REFORMED PRESB. CHURCH
highest sources, to defend both their Church and their personal action in conforming to it. These writings constitute a body of argument, doctrinal and ecclesias- tical, to which the Church points all inquirers with en- tire confidence, and the more so since, so far as is known, there has been no attempt to confute any single one of the many publications in question.
Such, in brief, are the history and principles of the Reformed Episcopal Church — an organization called into existence, its advocates believe, by the providence and spirit of God, and destined to exert a very deep, ex- tensive, and lasting influence, not only in the country of its birth, but in the world. (J. H. S.)
Reformed German Church. See German Reformed Church.