METHODISM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 7

METHODISM.

& . . WESLEYAN MEMBERSHIP DECREASES. , STATISTICAL RETURNS. BY TELEGKArn—rHESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT London, April 20. The decrease in the number of Weslcyan ' Methodists,, as compared with the 'number last year, is tho largest for half a century —namely, full members, 4392; 'trial' mem-. hers, 1179; juniors, 2435. ■; ; . - . ' SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. The subject of . church membership occupied< the attention of the London Methodist Council in January last. Rev. EJ Theodore • Carrier presented some remarkable statistics, giving the percentages of increases for every ten years since'l7Bl.- Up to IS4I the increases , ranged from 5 in 1811 to 2} in IS4I. In 1851 there v,-as a decrease of 3 per cent., and since 'that gillie the highest percentage of increase , reached- was 1 .per -cent.The percentage of increase during tho nineteenth century ■ was ; shown to bo. only Ij. In -reviewing■ these figures Mr. Carrior pointed out that contrary .to expectation the years - immediately following' Wesley's death wore, marked by large increases, but the rise of Primitive Methodism steady drop extending oyer twenty years. In ISSI the - stress 'of the Keform Agitation was felt, and , large decrea'se was shown. But for that agitation Wesjoyan Methodism / would probably have had a quarter of a million - more mem-/ hers to-day. In 1811 one person in 70 was: a Wesleyan; in 1907 one in every 72; so. that'', relatively to the population-Ilieu--Church was less well,off than in 1811.* "Dr.' 11. T. Smith folLoivod, advocating the restoration of the leaders' meeting to its true position,. thecalling. of ,a roll, of members twice' a-year, and the establishment of a form, of service which would contain both the idea of fellowship* and of the sacrament. The Homo Mission' Fund Report of tho, Eng,lish- IVesleyan ' Methodist; Church, issued , at ' the close ■of last' yeir, stated that, though there liad been a decrease in members,' tlibre - was no need fpr panic. In ten years , the : Church had added 57,000 new members and ■ 27;000 juniors. . The finances,, as shown in tho, . report, revealed ,'an: income of j£39,-10-4, or £1(155 above the ' previous.'year,- reducing the debt to .£677. : . , 1 . ' The Ecv; J. : S s Simon, President of the ; British Wesleyan Conference, recently, made Y some; remarks . 0f..; interest .not. ionly to Wes- ;: leyan' Methodism, but to the Free Churches '5 generally, especially in view of the 'alleged"; defections from Nonconformity -to Episcopa-, liauism. It had been stated,'he said, that one never met. a with, a; Methodist of ; the third, generation; thatvwng'" not .true; he him-' selt'wqs, a,.. Methodist of" the fifth generation. '' He. had ; incontrovertible evidence thattheir I young, people did remain with them, and'wero alike staunch and enthusiastic. - But there was sido of the same question, which often caused him much anxiety,'for he won-' , dered whether the young people, understood / ; what : was - meant .-.by their being Methodists. • If they did they would see . that the future had greats possibilities for them. '