THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
made princes question whether it was to their interest to uphold pure doctrine with too great zeal, while new theories of the relation of Church and State prepared the way for the belief that the State should exercise only a general supervision over the Church and should treat different religious bodies alike. What had lain obscurely in the background of the Peace of Westphalia was now formulated and justified on grounds of natural law, although not immediately and everywhere put fully in practise. Theological toleration was first granted among the Protestants in the Netherlands, where the Remonstrants and other sectarian congregations were tolerated as early as the seventeenth century. Frederick the Great was the first prince in Germany to give freedom to the Mennonites, Unitarians, and others. At present all German states place the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches de facto on an equal footing, and the equality of individuals before the law is guaranteed by the Empire. A Protestant Diaspora (q.v.) has grown up in Roman Catholic territories and vice versa. It may be noted that the growth of Protestantism is relatively somewhat greater than that of Roman Catholicism. To the Lutheran and Reformed established churches the United has been added since 1817 (see Union, Ecclesiastical) and a number of " Free Churches " (see Lower Saxon Confederation-; Lutherans, II. Separate) have sprung up, so that Protestantism in Germany at the present time is highly complex. In almost all other Christian countries toleration was made a principle of the law of the land during the nineteenth century, at least with reference to Roman Catholics and Protestants, in most cases with reference to all sorts of sects, old and new. At the same time the principle of an Established Church has not been abandoned, though it has been restricted. There are still many established or rather privileged churches, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, in Europe. The United States of America and France are the only countries in which there is at present complete separation of Church and State. See the articles on the various countries; also Church and State; Collegialism; Liberty, Religious; Parity; etc.; for Germany, the articles on the states of the empire; Bonifatius-Verein; Gotteskasten, Lutherischer; Gustav Adolf Verein; etc.
A characteristic of later Protestantism is the very
general tenancy of groups to combine, though
often by the loos2st of bonds. [Gatherings like
then? of the Evangelical Alliance (q.v.)
3. Later may be mentioned as manifestations Protestant- of the tendency. Denominational lines ism. are bss closely drawn than of old, there is a disposition to set aside minor 'lifferences in the interest of Christian fellowship, and separate organizations have been united in England and America among the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches. Above all, there is an ever-increasing disposition to combine tor practical Christian work (see Church Federaiij.v).] A " German Evangelical Church Committee " was formed in 1903 as the result of the reci^nized need of a confederation of the national Churches and to work for their common interests.
The missionary activity of the nineteenth century both at home and abroad, and the manifold forms of benevolent and charitable work which are sometimes loosely comprehended under the term " home missions," are notable and vital characteristics of modern Protestantism (see Missions to the Heathen; Home Missions; Innere Mission); and articles on work for special classes — emigrants, Jews, seamen, workingmen, etc. [The Bible and Tract societies, societies like those for the Propagation of the Gospel and the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, and many others which will be found described in their appropriate places, may be mentioned as illustrating the great development and achievements of organized Christian work among modern Protestants.] In connection with home missions the work of the Salvation Army (q.v.) is notable, both for its results and because it well illustrates certain differences between German and Angle- Saxon Protestantism.
The following table presents an estimate of the total Protestant population of the world (i.e., the aggregate number of communicants 4. Num- and those who may be classed as adbers and herents) based upon the best and la- Distribu- test data obtainable. It attests one of tion. the most striking facts in the history of Protestantism in the last century — its great expansion in North America. The United States has now the largest Protestant population of any land— from 65,000,000 to 66,000,000 (out of a total population of 79,000,000) according to the estimate of H. K. Carroll (in the Christian Advocate, reproduced in Christendom Anno Domini 1901, ed. W D. Grant, New Y»rk, 1902, i. 530-531), which is based upon the census of 1900. Great Britain probably comes next with 38,000,000 Protestants (total population 42,500,000) and Germany third with somewhat more than 35,000,000 (total population 56,000,000). [See Note on page 293.]
Reformed Protestantism : Great Britain Germany
Switzerland
Holland
Hungary
France ......
United States
Canada.
Australia and New Zealand India. .............
South Africa
Elsewhere ... . .
20,500,000 3,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 500,000
65,000,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 2,000,000
Total Reformed ... 104,500.000 Lutheran:
Germany . 32,000,000
Norway and Sweden 7,500,000
Denmark 2,500,000
Finland and the Baltic Provinces 6,000,000
Hungary .. ... 1,250,000
United States 6,000,000
Elsewhere 750,000
Total Lutheran .
Anglican:
England 16,750,000
Scotland and Ireland 750,000
The Colonies 4,000,000
United States 2,500,000
56,000,000
Total Anglican ... Protestant missions
Total
24,000.000 5.500.000
182.000.000
With these figures may be compared the following by recent authorities: