plans of the company will make 100,000 horse power available at once, with more at hand whenever it is desired. Numerous manufacturing concerns are already negotiating for the use of this power in establishing their plants in Duluth. SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. Along with this enterprising development of the city's industrial and commercial interests there have been many laudable efforts to put the city's life upon as high and pure a spiritual foundation as possible. The puplic school system is second to that of no other city in the country. The high school boasts the finest building for its purpose in the country, while the grades are supplied with buildings and equipments that would adorn any city in the land. The State has located one of its normal schools at this point, and there are several private schools that provide courses from the kindergarten to full preparatory work for the best eastern colleges. The Y. M. C. A. is exceptionally strong and vigorous in its allaround effort to administer to the social, physical, intellectual and religious needs of the very large population of young men in whom the city feels a just pride. Through the munificence of Mr. Carnegie a thoroughly equipped building is being erected to house the library of forty or fifty thousand volumes which has been built up out of public funds to minister to the intellectual demands of the community. But space fails to tell of the numerous forms, literary, artistic, and social, that the spiritual life of the city has assumed. THE CHURCHES. There are many churches of a variety of languages. Some of the church buildings are models of architectural beauty and of utility, while in other cases the congregations are struggling in their primitive frame structures to establish themselves on a firm basis of spiritual and material life in order to do the permanent work for which they feel the Lord has brought them into being. The Roman Catholics report six congregations, aggregating over 5,000 members; the Lutherans fifteen congregations with 3,500 members; the Methodists eleven congregations with 1,854 members; the Episcopalians six congregations with about 1,500 members (650 actual communicants); the Presbyterians six congregations with 1,200 members; the Baptists six congregations with 908 members; the Congregationalists three congregations with 490 members; while there are other small religious bodies having from 250 members each down to a dozen or twenty. plans for a new building. The money is subscribed with which to construct it, and work will be started at once. The West Duluth Baptist Church is occupying rented quarters, but ought to have new and well-equipped quarters of its own before long. The First Baptist Church is in very great need of a new building. In fact, the work of that church is suffering all the time for lack of a comfortable and adequate edifice. During the past winter the services had to be omitted a number of times because the building was not habitable. A building site has been purchased. but nothing more is being done in that direetion. The three Swedish churches are fairly well equipped for their work, and are in a pres perous condition. One weakness of the Baptists in Duluth is that they have no one strong church that is able to be a tower of strength to the rest of the denomination in the city. It is a source of strength that all the churches except the First are splendidly equipped with pastors who have been on the field for several years and are held high in the esteem of their. churches and of the community The Religious Conditions of Minnesota and Its Needs. O. A. WILLIAMS, D.D. It is not an easy matter to present a correct analysis of the religious condition of any section of the country. Roman Catholics report the entire population in affiliation with the church in each diocese. The Methodist Episcopal Church includes probationers as well as those who are in full connection, unless otherwise specified. Baptists report only actual membership; those who have been baptized and received on a crediable profession of their faith in Christ. In the studying of religious statistics, the question must always be considered, what do the figures mean; population, adherents, or actual membership. POPULATION. The population of Minnesota in 1900 was 1,751,394. Of these 505,318 were foreign born. The chief elements of the foreign-born population are Scandinavian and German. In 1890, 46.05 per cent. were of the former, and 27.65 per cent. were of the latter. The percentage of these nationalities is probably a little less at the present time. These citizens coming to us from other nations have brought with them to their adopted country the teachings, forms and religious life of the State church in their native land. It is only as they breathe the freer atmosphere of the new The second Baptist Church has adopted home, as they come in contact with other plans of the company power available at on whenever it is desir facturing concerns ar for the use of this pow plants in Duluth. SCHOOLS AND PU] Along with this enter the city's industrial an there have been many the city's life upon as h foundation as possibl system is second to tha country. The high sc building for its purpose the grades are supplie equipments that would land. The State has lo schools at this point, private schools that pr kindergarten to full pr best eastern colleges. ceptionally strong and around effort to adm physical, intellectual a the very large populat whom the city feels a ju munificence of Mr. C equipped building is bei library of forty or fif which has been built u to minister to the intell community. But spac numerous forms, litera that the spiritual life of THE CHU There are many chu languages. Some of th models of architectural while in other cases 1 struggling in their prim to establish themselves spiritual and material 1 permanent work for Lord has brought them in Catholics report six co ing over 5,000 members congregations with 3,500 ists eleven congregation the Episcopalians six co. 1,500 members (650 a the Presbyterians six 1,200 members; the B tions with 908 member alists three congregation while there are other having from 250 mem dozen or twenty. The second Baptist Α conservative estimate would show that about 1,000,000 of the population of the State is brought either directly, or indirectly, under the influence and teaching of the Christian forces of the commonwealth, leaving more than 750,000 not reached by any church of any name. Surely "there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed." A closer examination of the religious conditions will reveal another fact, that the destitution is greater in the rural districts than in the towns or cities; or that the ratio of the population not reached by the churches is greater in the country than in the towns. This is particularly true of the so-called evangelical denominations. Missionary work is peculiarly laborious, and difficult in the newer sections, because of the scattered condition of the settlers. It will be seen from the above figures that more than one-third of the Baptists in Minnesota are in the Scandinavian churches. The churches of the Twin Cities have 7,082, more than one-third of the Baptists of the State. The English speaking churches of the Twin Cities have 5,407 members, between one-third and one-half of the English-speaking membership of the State. The Scandinavian churches of the Twin Cities have 1,657 members, or less than one-quarter of the Scandinavian Baptists of the State. It is a feature of the Scandinavian work that its strength is in the smaller towns and in the country. The Clark's Grove Danish Church, composed wholly of farmers, reports à membership of 333; only two churches in the State outside of the Twin Cities have a larger membership than this. Of the 258 churches, 173 have a membership of less than 100; 78 have less than 50, and 48 have less than 20. Only 85 have more than 100 members. These figures show that the Baptists of Minnesota are confronted with hard missionary problems. To preserve the small struggling organizations from extinction, to develop strong self-supporting churches, and to occupy new fields require wisdom and prayer, labor and sacrifice, money and men. However, the more than 20,000 Baptists of the State are undertaking this work with a courage, a devotion, and a liberality that are commendable. The basis of expenditure for State Convention work this year is $16,500. This will necessitate the raising by the churches and individuals, for missionary work within the State an average of 60 cents per member. REVIEW. A look at the past inspires us with confidence as we turn to the future. Since the settlement of the State the increase of Baptists has kept a proportionate pace with that of the population. It may be a matter of interest to look at the ratio of Baptists to the population at different periods in the development of the State: Year. 1850. 258 1860 20,806 1870. 1880. 1890 1901 The religious condition of the State suggests building is the most difficult and the most imto us the religious needs. AGGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN WORK. How to resuscitate the dying organizations, to strengthen the feeble churches, to occupy new fields, to seize strategic points, and to reach the 750,000 or more of the population, not in touch with any church of any name, are questions that confront the Christian workers of the State, and ought to burn deep into their hearts. Similar conditions exist to-day in the northern half of Minnesota, as existed in the southern half forty years ago. The increase in population in the last decade was more than the entire population of the State in 1870. Nineteen States and Territories report each a smaller population than this increase. The building of new railroads, the projecting of others, and the planting of new towns along these roads, have attracted the settlers to these newer sections of the State. The population of the Seventh Congressional District, situated in the northwestern part of the State, increased the last decade at the rate of 74 per cent., while the population of the whole State increased at the rate of 34 per cent. The needs are great also in the older part of the State. "Minnesota has 479 incorporated cities and villages. In 128 of these, with 40,796 people, there is no English-speaking evangelical church, while there are 111 places with only one each. some of these there is need and possibility of Baptist work." Surely the complaint that is sometimes heard that the West is overchurched cannot apply to a large proportion of the towns in Minnesota. We now need, as a denomination, an understanding of the times, "to know what Israel ought to do." We need a practical appreciation of our opportunities and our obligations. What we now do will determine very largely the strength of the denomination in the future. MEN. In In the prosecution of this work we need men of much tact, sound judgment, earnest purpose, and unswerving loyalty to the truth. It is a great mistake to suppose that men of limited education, of narrow range of vision, of little knowledge of men, and of a defective insight into the future, who are unfit for pastorates in the larger towns and cities, are suited for pioneer work in new sections of the country. Consider the nature and character of the work which they do. It is to lay the foundation, on which the laborers of coming generations are to build the superstructure. Foundation portant. If this is not properly done, sooner or later the superstructure will fall, however imposing and costly. We learn by experience that, under God, success is in a large measure a question of men. If our best men are needed anywhere it is at the front. We need to develop more fully the lay talent of our churches, and to encourage lay preaching. In many of our churches are men of liberal education, of rich Christian experience, whose service could be made of inestimable value to our pastorless churches and out-stations. Many churches unable to support pastors, whose doors are closed, would, through such ministrations, be strengthened, encouraged, revived, and they would again become centers of spiritual influence in the community. We know of one layman, a very busy business man, who after superintending the home Sunday school, goes out every Sunday afternoon to preach at one of the four out-stations that are supported by the church. Suppose that this power could be multipled a hundredfold, that in a hundred localities the gospel was preached every Sunday by consecrated laymen, what effect would be produced on the spiritual life of the churches, and the growth of the denomination! MONEY. To prosecute the work more money is needed, that better salaries may be paid, and more men may be supported. The average salary of the missionary pastor is little more than $500. Surely these worthy men are not attracted to their work by money considerations. Ought there not to be a corresponding sacrifice on the part of the moneyed men and women of our churches? Money has been called the "sinews of war." The spiritual warfare cannot be carried on without it. In many localities the work is crippled for the lack of it. Minnesota ought to have $20,000 a year to carry on the work of the State convention, besides $1,200 or $1,500 a year to aid in chapel building. SPIRITUAL AWAKENING. The supreme need of the hour is a refreshing from on high. The pouring of the Holy Spirit in large measure, the quickening and deepening of the spiritual life, will be followed by a revival of the missionary spirit, by an increase of the spirit of benevolence, and by renewed and consecrated efforts for the salvation of the lost. MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. |