A New Guide For Emigrants To The West Part 26

The _Methodist Episcopal Church_, in addition to their regular system of circuits, are extending the influence of their denomination on the frontiers, by missionary operations, and their labors are prospered.

The _Baptist denomination_ have made some important movements in the Western Valley within the last three years. Their Home Mission Society has nearly 100 missionaries in the West. In November, 1833, the "_General Convention of Western Baptists_," was organized by more than 100 ministers and brethren, a.s.sembled from various parts of the West. It is not an ecclesiastical body, claiming jurisdiction either over churches or ministers, nor is it strictly a missionary body. Its business, according to the const.i.tution, is "to promote by all lawful means, the following objects, to wit:--Missions both foreign and domestic;--ministerial education, for such as may have first been licensed by the churches; Sunday schools, including Bible cla.s.ses; religious periodicals; tract and temperance societies, as well as all others warranted by Christ in the gospel."

At its second session, in 1834, the "_Western Baptist Education Society_" was formed. Its object is "the education of those who give evidence to the churches of which they are members, that G.o.d designs them for the ministry." The executive committee are charged temporarily, with establis.h.i.+ng the Central Theological Seminary, already mentioned, at Covington, Ky.

Many other interesting a.s.sociations for humane, philanthropic, and religious purposes exist in the Valley, which are necessarily omitted.

VII. THE PERIODICAL PRESS.

The number of different periodicals published in the Valley of the Mississippi, must exceed 400, of which 12 or 15 are daily papers. There are 25 weekly periodicals in Mississippi, 116 in Ohio, 38 in Indiana, 19 in Illinois, 17 in Missouri, 3 and probably more, in Arkansas, 2 at least in Wisconsin Territory. The _Western Monthly Magazine_, edited by James Hall, Esq., and published at Cincinnati is well known. The _Western Journal of the Medical and Physical Sciences_, edited by Daniel Drake, M. D., Professor of Theory and Practice of Medicine in the Cincinnati College, is published quarterly, in Cincinnati. There are a number of religious weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly periodicals, devoted to the interests of the princ.i.p.al denominations through the Valley. There are known to be at least one in Western Virginia, 2 in Western Pennsylvania, 7 in Ohio, 4 in Kentucky, 4 in Tennessee, 2 in Illinois, 2 in Missouri, and one in New Orleans. Supposing the average number of copies of Western periodicals equalled 750, this, estimating the different periodicals at 400, would give 300,000. We see no marked and essential difference in the talent, with which the editorial press is conducted, betwixt the Eastern and Western States. The limits of this work will not allow me to add further evidence that our Western population is not all "illiterate," and that "not more than one person in ten can read," than the following epitome of the issues, of one of the publis.h.i.+ng houses in Cincinnati, as exhibited in the Cincinnati Journal:

"_Western Enterprise._--The enterprise of the West is not generally appreciated. As a specimen, we have procured from Messrs. Corey & Webster the following LIST OF BOOKS published by them within the last three years. These books, with the exception of the Life of Black-Hawk, are of sterling value.

The Western Primer, 60,000; Webster's Spelling Book, 600,000; the Primary Reader, 7,500; the Elementary Reader, 37,000; Western Reader, 16,000; Webster's History of the United States, 4000; Miss Beecher's Geography, 15,000; Pocket Testament, 6,500; Watts' and Select Hymns, 8000; Dr. Beecher's Lectures on Scepticism, three editions, 1000 each; Prof. Stowe's Introduction to the Study of the Bible, 1500; the Christian Lyre, 2000; Mitch.e.l.l's Chemistry, 1000; Eberle on the Diseases of Children, 2000; Ditto Notes of Practice, 1500; Young Lady's a.s.sistant in Drawing, 1000;, Munsell's Map, 3,500; Chase's Statutes of Ohio, three volumes, 1000; Hammond's Reports, 6th vol. 500; total, _seven hundred and seventy eight thousand two hundred and fifty!!!_ Probably some of the many other publishers in the city have got out nearly or quite as many books. Truly, we are a book-making and book-reading nation."

VIII. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

In exhibiting the following statistics, entire correctness is not attempted. In some of the States, the latest reports have been had,--in others, the author has taken data of two or three years date. Of the numbers of some of the numerous sects existing, the opinions of individuals have been the chief data he could obtain.

1. _Baptists._

----------------------+-----------+------------+--------------- Churches. Ministers. Communicants.

----------------------+-----------+------------+--------------- Western Pennsylvania, 50 30 2,569 Western Virginia, 89 48 3,306 Ohio, 332 175 13,926 Michigan, 60 30 1,700 Indiana, 320 175 15,000 Illinois, 240 163 6,741 Missouri, 180 115 6,990 Arkansas, 25 18 700 Louisiana, 20 12 1,000 Mississippi, 100 46 4,000 North Alabama, 125 53 5,700 Tennessee, 348 292 22,868 Kentucky, 558 296 38,817

Total, 2447 churches, 1353 ministers, and 123,317 communicants.

_Periodicals._--The _Cross and Journal_, weekly, and _Baptist Advocate_, monthly, at Cincinnati;--the _Baptist Banner_, weekly, at Shelbyville, Ky.;--the _Baptist_, a large monthly quarto, at Nashville, Ten.;--the _Pioneer_, semi-monthly, at Rock Spring, but shortly to be enlarged, removed to Upper Alton, and published weekly;--and the _Witness_, a small quarto, published weekly at Pittsburg.

2. _Methodists_, (_Episcopal._) This denomination is divided into Conferences, which are not arranged exactly with the boundaries of the States. A large book and printing-office is established at Cincinnati, where all the society's publications are kept for sale. Another depository is kept at Nashville.

-----------------------+---------+--------+--------+--------+------------ Circuit White Colored. Indians. Total number Conferences. Preachers members. of members.

&c. -----------------------+---------+--------+--------+--------+------------ Mississippi, 55 6,358 2,622 727 9,707 Alabama, (one District, in the Valley,) 16 3,051 492 3,543 Pittsburg, 156 40,155 296 40,451 Ohio, 204 62,686 544 217 63,447 Missouri, (including Arkansas,) 57 7,948 1,061 889 9,898 Kentucky, 100 25,777 5,592 31,369 Illinois, 61 15,038 59 15,097 Indiana, 70 24,984 229 25,213 Holston, 62 21,559 2,478 24,031 Tennessee, 120 29,794 5,043 508 35,345 +---------+--------+--------+--------+------------ Total, 901 237,350 18,416 2,341 258,101

Allowing two _local_ to one _circuit_ preacher, which is rather under than over the proportion, would make 1802, which, added to the number of those whose names are on the Minutes of the Conferences, would make 2703 Methodist Episcopal ministers of the gospel in the Valley of the Mississippi. The Pittsburg Conference Journal, Western Christian Advocate, and Western Methodist, are their periodicals.

3. _Methodist Protestants._--There are two conferences of this denomination in the West,--the Pittsburg, and Ohio conferences, and their circuits, preaching stations and members extend through the States north of the Ohio river, with a few stations and churches south.

_Pittsburg Conference_ has 28 circuits, and 85 local preachers and licentiates, 25 circuits, 4 stations, and 2 mission circuits, with 6,902 members in society.

_Ohio Conference_, has 28 circuit, 90 local preachers, 22 circuits, 3 stations, 3 missionary circuits, and 3667 members. The Methodist Correspondent, a neat semi-monthly quarto periodical, published at Zanesville, Ohio, is devoted to their interests.

4. _Presbyterians._--The following table (with the exception of Illinois) is constructed from the returns to the General a.s.sembly in 1834,--the Minutes of 1835, we understand, have not been printed.

------------------+-----------+------------+--------------- States and parts. Churches. Ministers. Communicants.

------------------+-----------+------------+--------------- W. Pennsylvania and W. Va. 212 135 22,687 Michigan, 32 20 1,397 Ohio, 400 255 27,821 Indiana, 99 55 4,339 Illinois, 71 50 2,000 Missouri, 33 29 1,549 Arkansas, 12 9 390 Kentucky, 120 83 8,378 Tennessee, 121 90 9,926 North Alabama, 15 12 725 Mississippi, 33 24 761

Total, 56 Presbyteries, 1,148 churches, 753 ministers, and 79,973 communicants.

_Periodicals._--The _Cincinnati Journal and Western Luminary_, published at Cincinnati;--_Christian Herald_, at Pittsburg;--_Ohio Observer_, at Hudson, Ohio;--_Western Presbyterian Herald_, at Louisville, Ky.;--_New Orleans Observer_, at New Orleans;--and _St. Louis Observer_, at St.

Louis, Mo.,--all weekly;--and the _Missionary Herald_, republished at Cincinnati, monthly.

5. _c.u.mberland Presbyterians._--This sect originated from the Presbyterian church in 1804, in Kentucky, but did not increase much till 1810, or 12. They are spread through most of the Western States, and have 34 Presbyteries, 7 Synods, and one General a.s.sembly. The Minutes of their General a.s.sembly, now before me, are not sufficiently definite to give the number of congregations. These probably exceed 300. An intelligent member of that denomination states the number of ordained preachers to be 300, licentiates, 100, candidates for the ministry, 150, and communicants, 50,000.

_Periodicals._--The _c.u.mberland Presbyterian_ is a weekly paper, published at Nashville, Tenn. Another has been recently started at Pittsburg.

6. _Congregationalists._--In Ohio, especially in the northern part, are a number of Congregational churches and some ministers, as there are in Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. There are 2 or 3 ministers, 12 or 15 congregations, and about 500 communicants in Illinois, who are organized into an a.s.sociation in Illinois.

7. _Protestant Episcopal Church._--This denomination has 7 Diocesses in the Western or south-western States, exclusive of Western Pennsylvania, and Western Virginia, which belong to the Diocesses of those States. They are, Ohio,--Michigan,--Illinois,--Kentucky,--Tennessee,--Mississippi, and Indiana, and Missouri. There are about 75 or 80 ministers, and twice as many churches in the West. Provision has been made in part, for the endowment of the theological seminary at Gambier, O., in England, and Bishop McIlvaine has obtained about $12,600, to be appropriated in the erection of a gothic edifice to be called "Bexley Hall," with three stories, and accommodations for fifty students. A weekly periodical is issued at the same place to support the interests of the denomination.

8. _German Lutherans._--We have no data to give the statistics of this denomination. There is a Synod in Ohio, another in Western Pennsylvania, and perhaps others. There are probably 50 or 60 ministers in the West, and 150 congregations.

9. _German Reformed Church._--There are 80 congregations in Ohio, 20 in Indiana, and probably 50 others in the West, with 40 or 50 ministers.

10. The _Tunkers_, or _Dunkards_, have 40 or 50 churches, and about half as many ministers in the Western States.

11. The _Shakers_ have villages in several places in Ohio, and Kentucky, but are losing ground.

12. The _Mormons_ have a large community at Kirkland, Ohio, where, under the direction of their prophet, Joseph Smith, they are building a vast temple. They have probably 200 preachers, and as many congregations in the West, and still make proselytes.

13. _Christian Sect_, or _Newlights_, have become to a considerable extent amalgamated with the "_Reformers_," or "_Campbellites_." I have not data on which to construct a tabular view of this sect,--but from general information, estimate the number of their "bishops," and "proclaimers," at 300, and their communicants at 10,000 or 12,000. They have three or four monthly periodicals.

Alexander Campbell, who may be justly considered the leader of this sect, (though they disclaim the term _sect_,) is a learned, talented, and voluminous writer. He conducts their leading periodical, the _Millennial Harbinger_.

14. The "_United Brethren in Christ_," are a pious, moral and exemplary sect, chiefly in Ohio, but scattered somewhat in other Western States.

They are mostly of German descent, and in their doctrinal principles and usages, very much resemble the Methodists. They have about 300 ministers in the West, and publish the _Religious Telescope_, a large weekly paper, of evangelical principles, and well conducted. It is printed at Circleville, Ohio.

15. _Reformed Presbyterians_, or _Covenanters_, have 20 or 30 churches, and as many ministers, but are much dispersed through the Northern Valley.

16. The _a.s.sociate Church_, or _Seceders_, are more numerous than the Covenanters.

17. The _a.s.sociate Reformed Church_. The Western Synod of this body still exists as a separate denomination. Their theological school, at Pittsburg, has already been noticed. I know not their numbers, but suppose they exceed considerably the _a.s.sociate Church_.

18. The _Friends_ or _Quakers_, have a number of societies in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, &c.

19. The _Unitarians_ have societies and ministers at Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, and probably in other places.

There are many other sects and fragments in the West. The Valley of the Mississippi, like all new countries, is a wide and fertile field for the propagation of error, as it is for the display of truth.

IX. ROMAN CATHOLICS.

The number of Papal Diocesses in the Valley, including the one at Mobile, is _seven_, of each of which a very brief sketch will be given, commencing with,

1. _Detroit_, including Michigan and the North-Western Territory,--1 bishop, with sub-officers, 18 priests, and as many chapels. At Detroit and vicinity, for 2 or 3 miles, including the French, Irish and Germans, Roman Catholic families make up one third of the population; probably 3,500, of all ages. At Ann Arbor, and in the towns of Webster, Scio, Northfield, Lima and Dexter are many. At and near Bert rand on the St. Joseph's river, adjoining Indiana, they have a school established and an Indian mission. Including the fur traders, and Indians, they may be estimated at 10,000 in this Diocess.[12]

2. _Cincinnati._--A large cathedral has been built in this place, and 15 or 520 chapels in the Diocess. Ten years ago, the late bishop Fenwick could not count up 500. The emigration of foreigners, and the laborers on the Ohio ca.n.a.ls, and not a little success in proselyting, account for the increase. There are 25 congregations, and 18 priests. A literary inst.i.tution, called the _Athenaeum_, is established at Cincinnati, where the students are required to attend the forms of wors.h.i.+p, and the Superior inspects all their letters. St. Peter's Orphan Asylum is under charge of 4 "Sisters of Charity." The number of Catholics in Cincinnati is variously estimated, the medium of which is 6000, and as many more dispersed through the State.