MISCELLANEOUS RELIGIOUS BODIES.
1. Apostolic Christian Church: An organization started about 1850 by a Swiss preacher, S. H. Froelich, who came to the United States and gathered a small company of churches, chiefly among German Swiss immigrants, emphasizing especially the doctrine of entire sanctification. Under the general name of the Apostolic Christian Church, though with no definite ecclesiastical organization, they have grown in numbers until in 1906 there were reported 42 organizations in 11 states, 19 ministers and 69 licentiates, 4,558 members, 44 church edifices with a seating capacity of 11,475, and church property valued at $141,550.
2. Apostolic Faith Movement: A movement originated in the year 1900 by Charles F. Parham and other evangelists, who, after conducting revival services in Topeka, Kan., felt the need of some organization for the securing of the best results and organized the Apostolic Faith Movement. The headquarters are at Los Angeles, Cal., but there are a number of centers from which revival enterprises are started, among them being Houston, Tex., where there is a camp-meeting ground, and at Spo.
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3. The Armenian Church in the United States: Armenian immigration to the United States can scarcely be said to have commenced before the Russo-Turkish war of 1877. With the failure of the European powers to enforce the conditions of the treaty of Berlin, so far at least as the Armenians were concerned, they began to come in larger numbers, and by 1889 there were several small colonies, mostly in Massachusetts (see Armenia, III., § 9). These belonged for the most part to the National or Gregorian Church, as it is often called from the name of Gregory the Illuminator (see Armenia, III., § 2), although some identified themselves with the Congregational or Presbyterian churches. For the benefit of the Gregorian communities the patriarch in Constantinople in 1889 sent Rev. Hovsep Sarajian to Worcester, Mass., and a church was built which became the ecclesiastical headquarters for America. Other priests followed as the communities increased in number and size, and in 1906 the catholicos of Echmiadzin, the ecclesiastical head of the Armenian Church, made the United States a missionary diocese, and Father Sarajian was consecrated bishop. In 1902 a special constitution was granted, the bishop was invested with archiepiscopal authority, and seven pastorates were formed, the nuclei of future dioceses. For some time the question of provision for church services was a most difficult one. The Armenian communities were both small and poor, and unable to build church edifices. In 1906 there were three edifices, in Worcester, Mass., New York City, and Fresno, Cal., and plans were being made for other buildings. In other places services have been held in rented halls or private houses, except when churches of other bodies, particularly of the Protestant Episcopal Church, have been placed at the disposal of the priests.
In doctrine and polity the Armenian Church in the United States is in entire accord with the National Church. It accepts the Nicene Creed, without the "filioque," and the canons of the three .councils of Nice, Constantinople, and Ephesus, and has a longer creed of its own, in which it makes it clear that while not accepting the formulas of the Council of Chalcedon, as to the two natures of Christ, it believes that he was "perfect God" as well as "perfect man." Seven sacraments are accepted, as in the Greek and Roman Catholic churches. Baptism is by immersion, generally soon after birth, and is followed immediately by confirmation and the administering of the communion in both kinds. All baptized persons, including infants, are then registered as communicants. The Virgin and the saints are venerated.
The government of the Armenian Church centers in the catholicos of Echmiadzin, who is elected by the ecclesiastical and lay representatives of all the Armenian dioceses in the world. In America, besides the archbishop and the resident pastors, subordinate to the catholicos, there are missionary priests and deacons, who have no fixed appointments but care for numerous missionary stations. The principal service is the mass, performed on Sundays al;d holy days in the classical Armenian Language, which differs somewhat in construction from the colloquial language, though so similar in its vocabulary as to be readily understood by educated persons. The church year follows the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar.
According to the figures furnished at the close of 1906 there were 73 organizations, 19,889 communicants, 3 church edifices, and' 60 halls or other buildings. The church edifices seat 1,300 persons, and are valued at $38,000, one of them reporting a debt of $4,000. One church has a parsonage valued at $2,500. Four organizations have Sunday-schools, with 9 officers and teachers and 340 scholars.
4. Christian Congregation: An organization formed in 1899, at Kokomo, Ind., by a company of Christian workers representing different bodies, but predominantly Methodists, for the purpose of securing a broader Christian fellowship and a better system of Christian charity. In general type of dootrine and church organization it is in accord with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1906 there were 9 organizations, 395 members, 5 church edifices with a seating capacity of 1,550, church property valued at $7,200, and 7 Sunday-schools with 73 officers and teachers and 332 scholars.
6. Christian Israelite Church: An organization whose principal object is the ingathering of the twelve- tribes of Israel, started by John Wroe, of Bowling, Yorkshire, England, in 1822. He taught that the Hebrews of to-day constitute two tribes, that the other ten are scattered among all races, creeds, and nations, being found among the Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, etc., and that they should all be gathered into one body. A branch was started in New York in 1844. The members believe that the law of Moses should be reestablished, and that by obeying this law men will be made immortal so that their mortal bodies will never see death. All mankind will be saved, but will attain to different degrees of blessedness. They subscribe to the " four books of Moses and the four books of the Gospel," observe the Jewish Sabbath as well as the Christian Sunday, and other Jewish festivals, do not cut either hair or beard, and are opposed to pictures and images. They have preach-
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8. Church of Daniel's Band: An organization which includes 4 churches in Michigan and a few in Canada that lay special emphasis on evangelistic work, fellowship, abstinence from excesses, and liberty in the exercise of faith. Organized at Marine City, St. Clair county, Mich., in 1893, they reported, in 1906, 92 church members, 2 church edifices valued at $2,400, 15 ministers, and i Sunday-school with 3 teachers and 50 scholars.
7. Colored Primitive Baptists in America: With the reorganization manifest in all departments in the South after the Civil War, the colored Primitive Baptist churches were gathered in separate associations, retaining, however, the same general type of doctrine and church life. Toward the close of the last century a revival movement developed, which resulted in gathering these associations into the body named above, and in infusing into the churches a new life. The older opposition to an educated ministry, to Sunday-schools, missionary societies, state conventions, ministerial support, and the like was broken down, and the motto has been "union, peace, and progress." The doctrinal basis is the Philadelphia Confession of the northern Baptists. In polity also they are in accord with the northern Baptista rather than with the Primitive Baptists. The national convention is an administrative body, having special reference to the varied departments of church, educational, benevolent, and other activity. The young people are organized in the Primitive Baptist Young People's Volunteer Band, which conducts a Young People's and Sunday-school Congress. They have two weekly religious journals published at Huntsville, Ala., and Mexia, Tex., and a Sunday-school paper published at Jacksonville, Fla.
They report for 1906, 797 organizations with 35,076 members, of whom about 12,500 were males. Reports on church buildings, etc., were not complete, only 501 church edifices and 44 halls being given, with a value of $296,539, and indebtedness on 34 edifices to the amount of $6,968. There were 166 Sunday-schools with 911 officers and teachers and 6,224 scholars.
8. Duck River Association of Baptists: An organization arising from a division of the Elk River Association, founded in 1808 in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Alabama, and strongly Calvinistic in character. As Methodism and the revival influences which resulted in the organization of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Disciples of Christ spread through the same section, there developed a counter-movement for a stricter discipline and more rigid theology. In this controversy the Elk River Association divided and a minority more in sympathy with milder doctrine organized the Duck River Association. Subsequently other similar associations were formed, each with its own creed, yet so far recognizing their mutual fellowship as to send messengers to the annual meetings. The single churches call themselves Baptist Churches of Christ, and in the report for 1890 a number of these associations were grouped under the head Baptist Church of Christ. As some of them expressed unwillingness to be classed under a definite denominational name, the heading Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists was adopted. The other associations are East Union, Ebenezer, Liberty, Mount Pleasant, Mount Zion, and Union. Attempts have been made to bring about union between these associations and the associations of Separate Baptists.
The total number of organizations reported in 1906 by the 7 associations was 93; of these, 92 reported 6,416 members; there were 86 church edifices besides 2 halls, and the seating capacity was 27,508; the total value of church property reported was $44,321, and 3 organizations showed a total debt of $107; there were 9 Sunday-schools with 37 officers and teachers and 402 scholars.
9. Evangelical Union of Bohemian and Moravian Brethren: A small body of churches, most of them in Texas, representing in the United States the Evangelical Union of Bohemian and Moravian Brethren in Austria, the lineal successor of the church of John Huss and Jerome of Prague (see Bohemian Brethren; Unity of the Brethren; Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig). Only scattered communities held the faith and the name; one of these founded the Unity of the Brethren. After the revolution of 1848 they began to look to America. Some from Bohemia, and western Moravia settled in the northern and western states and identified themselves with other bodies. Those from eastern Moravia settled in Texas and preferred to retain the old name for its historic interest as well as because it helped them to preserve their identity. In 1906 there were 15 organizations, 771 members, under the general care of 3 ordained ministers, worshiping in 6 church edifices and 7 halls, church property valued at $13,750, 2 Sunday-schools with 6 officers and teachers and 97 scholars, and 2 parsonages valued at $700. The churches maintain friendly relations with the German Evangelical Synod (q.v.), especially in the use of the educational privileges of that body.
10. Free Christian Zion Church of Christ: A body organized at Redemption, Ark., in 1905, by a small number of colored ministers, chiefly Methodists, in protest against the attempt to tax church members for the support of an ecclesiastical system. Coordinate with this was the feeling that the church itself should care for its poor and needy. The doctrine and polity accord with those of the Methodist churches, the laity having a large share in the general ecclesiastical system. As reported in 1906, there were 15 organizations, 1,835 members, 20 ministers and 10 licentiates, 14 church edifices and 1 hall, church property valued at 865,975, and 7 Sunday-schools with 63 officers and teachers and 3-10 scholars.
11. Gospel Mission: An association of eight churches in Pennsylvania, organized especially for evangelistic work and the development of Christian fellowship. They have no special system of lootrine or form of church polity. The communities vary in size and are principally evangelistic in their
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services. The number of members as reported in 1906 was 196; there were 4 church edifices valued at $3,100, 10 ministers, and 9 Sunday-schools with 34 officers and teachers and 245 scholars.
12. Heavenly Recruit Church: A body derived from the Heavenly Recruit Association, organized in 1885 as the result of revival work commenced in 1882 and carried on chiefly by members of Methodist churches. The association grew and a number of churches were formed in other states. Subsequently, dissatisfaction arose and there was division, a part of the churches taking the name Holiness Christian Association, while those in Indiana organized as the Heavenly Recruit Church. In doctrine and polity they are in general accord with the Methodist Episcopal Church, emphasizing especially the doctrine of complete sanctification. In 1906 the church reported 27 organizations, 938 members, 8 church edifices and 15 halls for worship, value of church property $8,950, with a debt of $700 on 3 of the churches, 14 Sunday-schools with 116 teachers and 527 scholars.
13. Hephzibah Faith Missionary Association: An organization formed in 1892, at Glenwood, Ia., by a number of independent churches primarily for the purpose of preaching the doctrine of holiness, but also to carry on general missionary and philanthropic work more efficiently than was possible for them acting separately. They are not an ecclesiastical body, and have no creed. Each local church, usually called an assembly, keeps its own records, but acts in matters affecting all the churches through a central committee located at Tabor, Ia. In 1906 they reported 10 organizations with 293 members; 9 church edifices valued at $11,300; 36 ministers and 39 licentiates; and 9 Sunday-schools with 75 teachers and 402 scholars. Their missionary work was carried on in this country by about 60 persons, including ordained and licensed ministers, evangelists, and deaconesses. They have a missionary training-home with 70 students, and an orphanage with 23 inmates. The association is represented in India, China, Japan, and Africa, where 7 stations are occupied by 24 missionaries. The total amount contributed through the association for the home work is not given; that for the foreign work amounts to about $5,200. There are churches or local organizations using the name but not identified with this association.
14. Holiness Churches: In addition to the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene (q.v.) there are various small bodies and individual churches which make prominent the doctrine of entire sanctification. Methodist bodies give this point of belief a place in their doctrinal system, holding not to an absolute and sinless perfection, but " a freedom from sin, from evil desires and evil tempers, and from pride." Some, feeling that this doctrine was not sufficiently emphasized, sought those of their own way of thinking and held separate meetings for the promotion of holiness. Some added other peculiarities and stood for the "Fourfold Gospel" or the "Full Gospel," which has been stated as " regeneration for the sinner; sanctification as a second work of grace for the believer; the healing of the bodies of believers in answer to prayer; and
the premillennial coming of Jesus Christ as King of this earth." Among those proclaiming the fourfold Gospel is the Christian and Missionary Alliance (q.v.). Single churches also adopted the four principles and then either joined forces in such bodies as the International Apostolic Holiness Union (see below), and various evangelistic associations, or remained ecclesiastically independent. The Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene takes a very moderate position on the last two points. Besides these, however, there is a large number of local organizations popularly designated as Holiness Churches, and known by a great variety of names, such as Holiness Church of God, Apostolic Holiness, Sanctified Church, Fire Baptized Holiness, etc. In general doctrine they are Methodistic, and are active in evangelistic, missionary, and charitable work. On account of the varied forms of organization even an estimate as to their number is scarcely possible, though some place it among the thousands, including not merely the Independent Holiness Churches, but several of the smaller denominations, and a large number of churches which, while not severing their ecclesiastical relations with regular denominations, emphasize the "Fourfold Gospel." It is to be noted that the Independent Holiness Churches are chiefly in the southern states.
15. Independent Congregations: Independent or unattached congregations were first reported in the United States by the census of 1890. There were then 156 independent congregations, besides 231 independent Lutheran organizations. When plans were being formed for getting statistics for the census of 1906 there were many indications that the practise, if not the principle, of independency had gained a still stronger foothold. Special efforts were made to secure returns for all such organizations, with the result that 1,079 such churches were registered, besides a considerable number that were loosely organized in evangelistic associations, and such organizations as the Nonsectarian Churches of Bible Faith, which is practically merely the gathering under one head of organizations which have little more in common than similarity of worship and opposition to ecclesiastical rule. Taking these together there were in 1906 not far from 1,500 local churches which refused to recognize ecclesiastical connection with any regular denomination.
While, in general, this is their chief characteristic, it is possible to arrange them in four classes: (1) churches originally established in newly settled or outlying districts as mission or union Sunday-schools, and which have developed a church life, but on account of the heterogenous component elements have declined to enter any one denomination; (2) churches which use a denominational name, Congregational, Lutheran, etc., but refuse to be included in denominational lists; (3) union churches in which representatives of two or more denominations unite, independently of their denominational relations;. (4) churches which are absolutely opposed to any denominational bonds lest the development of their distinctive ideas of church life be hindered. This last is by far the
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largest class and includes most of the so-called Holiness Churches (see above). While the list of independent congregations includes some of very broad doctrinal views, the great majority appear to be distinctly conservative. Their local organization is very simple, as is also generally their form of worship. In a number of cases their members are largely interested in various missionary and philanthropic movements, but as individuals rather than as organizations. The 1,079 churches reported 73,673 members. Of these, 10,029 were in New York state; 9,431 in Illinois, and 7,586 in Pennsylvania. The number of their church edifices was 812, besides 229 halls, and the value of their church property was $3,934,267.
18. International Apostolic Holiness Union: A body founded by Martin W. Knapp, at Cincinnati, 0., in 1897, for the purpose of emphasizing the doetrine of holiness, which, in his view, had gradually dropped out of the Methodist Church. The form of organization includes both regular churches and local bands or unions, and corresponds in general to that of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Very few of the ministers have regular salaries, the greater number being supported by free-will offerings. The body emphasizes missionary work at home (in the mountain regions of West Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky, and in Oklahoma), and abroad (India, Japan, Korea, South Africa, and China, where there were in 1906 twenty-five missionaries). There are two Bible schools, in North Carolina and Kansas, and a school in Ohio. Three rescue homes and an orphanage are also conducted at an annual cost of about $3,600. As reported in 1906, there were 74 organizations, 2,774 church members, 178 ministers, 44 church edifices and 31 halls, church property valued at $80,150, against which a debt is reported by 23 of the organizations of $13,246, and 68 Sunday-schools with 503 officers and teachers and 3,276 scholars.
17. Lumber River Mission: An organization of five churches in North Carolina, which call themselves Holiness Methodist churches, but do not affiliate with other Methodist bodies. The special purpose is to carry on evangelistic work in the lumber section of the state. In 1906 they reported 265 members, 5 ministers and 3 licentiates, 5 church edifices valued at $3,000, and 5 Sunday-schools with 28 teachers and 256 scholars.
18. Metropolitan Church Association: An organization developed from the Metropolitan Methodist church, which was itself the result of revival meetings held in 1894 on a vacant lot in the densely populated district of Chicago. Emphasizing the doctrine of holiness, the workers did not find the most cordial welcome in the churches, and rented halls, theaters, and other buildings; at last a somewhat famous resort at Waukesha, Wis., was purchased and made the headquarters for the movement, which came to be known as the " Burning Bush." The special feature of the association is its revival work, which extends all over the United States and into foreign lands; it also has a number of departments of educational and philanthropic character in the establishment at Waukesha. No salaries are paid to workers in any department,
whether at home or abroad, the entire enterprise being conducted on the "faith" basis. Foreign work is carried on in India, Africa., and Wales; the number of missionaries being reported as 15. During 1906 some $30,000 was expended for the dovelopment of the work. The statistics for 1906 were: 6 organizations, 466 members, 19 ministers, 4 church edifices with a seating capacity of 2,025, church property valued at $118,300; 4 Sunday-schools with 29 officers and teachers and 360 scholars.
19. Missionary Church Association: An organization formed in 1898 by a number of persons resident in Berne, Ind., who desired to emphasize their belief in the "Fourfold Gospel" (i.e., "regeneration for the sinner, sanctification as a second work of grace for the believer, the healing of the bodies of the believers as an answer to prayer, and the premillennial coming of Jesus Christ as king of this earth"), to reach neglected parts of the home field with this gospel, and to carry it to foreign fields. Its general doctrinal status is essentially that of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (q.v.), and it carries on some of its work through that society. It differs from it, however, in having a regular church organization, which the Alliance has not. The headquarters are at Berne, Ind., and the 32 churches reported in 1906 were chiefly in Indiana and adjoining states. The total number of members given was 1,256; there were 19 church edifices and 12 halls, a seating capacity in churches of 4,735, church property $33,135; 34 Sunday-schools with 271 officers and teachers and 1,916 scholars.
20. New Apostolic Church: An organization of essentially the same type, with the same doctrine and in all respects but one the same polity, as the Catholic Apostolic Church (q.v.). The difference between the two lies in the interpretation of the apostleship, the New Apostolic Church holding that there may be any number of apostles (i.e., more than twelve), that there should always be an apostleship among men, and to this end the living apostles may and should select bearers to the title according to their needs. As the apostles of the Catholic Apostolic Church diminished in numbers, a bishop in Germany named Schwarz consulted in regard to their successors, claiming that the spirit of the apostles had often incited new selections. He was excommunicated, but subsequently a priest named Preuss was selected " through the spirit of prophecy " in 1862, and with him the New Apostolic Church commenced. Schwarz was afterward selected as apostle. The first church in the United States was organized in 1897, and in 1906 there were 13 organizations in 8 states, 19 ministers, 2 church edifices valued at $8,500, and 3 Sunday-schools with 10 officers and teachers and 150 scholars.
21. The Servian Orthodox Church. See Servian Orthodox Churches In America.
22. United American Free-will Baptists, Colored: A denomination organized in 1900. Previous to that date the churches were included in the general reports for the Free Baptists or Free-will Baptists, but within recent years there has been a desire for a separate organization. In general they accord with the Free-will Baptists, but in polity are more closely organized, somewhat after the Meth-
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23. Vedanta Society: An organization which is the outcome of a series of lectures on Vedanta philosophy in New York in 1894 by Swami Vivekananda (q.v.). It was first organized in 1898, and gradually became strong enough to have centers in other cities, Pittsburg, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, besides various retreats. Without attempting to form a new sect or creed, the society aims to set forth the end of wisdom, how it is attained, and give to religion a scientific and philosophic basis. It publishes works on religious philosophy and furnishes lectures by various Vedantists.
24. Voluntary Missionary Society in America: A body organized in 1900 by a few colored churches in Alabama, representing different denominations, as a protest against the principle of financial assessments for the support of the ministry, which had been so generally adopted. In doctrine and local church government they differ in no respect from the Methodist or Baptist churches about them, but insist on absolutely free-will offerings for their church work. In 1906 the society reported 3 organizations with 425 members; 3 church edifices, 2 of which were valued at $2,400, while 1 showed a debt of $1,000; 11 ministers .and 18 licentiates; 3 Sunday, schools with 21 teachers and 390 scholars.
E. M. BLISS.
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