361 A book depôt for the sale of healthy and helpful literature is established at No. 18 Church Street, Kingston. It is the property of the Connexion and the Rev. T. M. Geddes is Book Steward. STATISTICS, 1891, FOR THE WESTERN CONFERENCE, JAMAICA. Chapels 133 Attendant on public worship Preaching Places 99 Sabbath Schools 75,000 136 Ministers 45 Sabbath Scholars 14,951 Lay Preachers 133 Members 23,073 Pupils 12,221 Probationers 1,872 Value of Connexional property £200,000 The postal addresses of the Wesleyan Ministers in Jamaica are :— Rev. W. C. Murray, Vice-President, Gover- | Rev. W. H. Bleby, Governor Barbican High nor York Castle High School, York Rev. T. M. Geddes, Book Steward, Kingston. Rev. T. W. Peeling, Bath. Rev. John McIntosh, Montego Bay. Rev. G. Lockett, Mandeville. Rev. A. H. Aguilar, Black River. Rev. J. Duff, Secretary of the Conference Rev. H. T. Page, Port Morant. Rev. G. Swithenbank, Mandeville. Rev. W. Baillee, Manchioneal. Rev. S. L. Lindo, Moneague. Rev. S. T. Brown, Chapel Secretary, Cave Rev. M. Barker, Morant Bay. Rev. George A. Ashley, Glengoffe. School for Girls, Kingston. Rev. W. H. Atkin, Falmouth. Rev. J. James, Samana, St. Domingo. Rev. George S. Lamb, Black River. Rev. C. Wallace, Buff Bay. Rev. C. G. Hardwick, Ulster Spring. Rev. W. J. Maund, Linstead. Rev. II. G. Clerk, Puerto Plata. Rev. C. M. Clarke, Panama. Rev. A. L. Johnson, Montego Bay. The Methodist Connexion in Jamaica has commenced the work of a Foreign Mission, having sent down to the Isthmus of Panama its first Missionary, whose mission is to the Spanish-speaking population as well as to the English-speaking people on the Isthmus. The Rev. A. W. Geddes is the Missionary and his address is Box 205 Panama, U.S.C. An Assistant Missionary, the Rev. C. M. Clarke, was appointed in 1892. THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IN THE WEST INDIES. The organization of the Conferences was completed in 1885, when the first General Conference assembled in Bridgetown, Barbados. The Second Session of the General Conference was opened in Kingston, Jamaica, on the 20th March, 1888, and the Third in Bridgetown, Barbados, on the 16th March, 1891. The gathering of Ministers from all parts of the West Indies attracted much attention and brought to the community the opportunity of hearing several preachers of great ability. The Rev. George Sargeant is President, and the Rev. A. Taylor, Secretary of the General Conference. Y 229 141 2,397 869 23,801 14,469 298 16,076 1,439 239 100 3,608 1,218 20,700 9,959 119 13,447 1,175 1 High School Boys. 1 High SchoolGirls. 1 High SchoolBoys. 3 STATISTICS-GENERAL CONFERENCE, 1891. 1. Western Annual Con. 129 II. Eastern 38 Annual Con. 150 68 98 45 5 237 184 5,252 1,597 22,999 1,221 128 14,577 1,310 High School, 94 1 High School, Girls 41 68 56 5 221 153 3,004 979 24,744 16,695 275 16,233 1,446 (1 High School, UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCHES. THE United Methodist Free Churches were formed in 1857 by the union in England of two previously existing bodies-the Wesleyan Methodist Association, dating from 1835, and the Wesleyan Reformers, dating from 1849-both of which Bodies were secessions from the Wesleyan Methodist Societies, that had originated in what were regarded as high-handed proceedings on the part of Conference, the former in forcing a Ministerial Training Institution on the Connexion before the circumstances were ripe for it; the latter in expelling from the Connexion three Ministers who, without any legal evidence, were convicted by Conference of issuing certain anonymous publications, called the "Fly Sheets," calling attention to certain grave abuses and demanding " Reform." The "people called Methodists" sympathized so largely with the authors of the "Fly Sheets," and with those who, without satisfactory evidence, were punished as the authors of the "Fly Sheets," that the disruption occasioned by these proceedings cost the Wesleyans the loss of nearly 100,000 members, some of whom joined other Churches, and about 30,000 of whom found the Association called "Wesleyan Reformers." They have now a membership of over 76,000, of whom over 10,000 are on the Foreign Mission Stations. The Mission in Jamaica dates from 1836, and at present consists of nine circuits comprising thirty-nine stations under nine Ministers. The membership in the island numbers 3,527 communicants and 371 probationers. The amount raised in 1891 for ministerial support, educational purposes, Chapel and Day School building, &c., was about £2,000. A sum of £1,209 was also contributed by the Home Committee in Higher Education. Western. aid of the foregoing objects. At most of the stations a day school is maintained in a fair state of efficiency. Each Church in the denomination conducts its internal affairs through its local Courts without interference from any central authority. Connexional matters are under the control of a General District Meeting composed of the Ministers and the freely elected Delegates of the Churches. About three-fourths of the members of this meeting are Laymen. The following is a list of Ministers and their Stations for the year 1892 :— "THE Christian Church" or "The Church of the Disciples of Christ," represents in Jamaica a religious movement which was commenced in America in the year 1809. The originator of this movement was Alexander Campbell, who, deploring the division of the Church of Christ into its many sections, earnestly advocated the necessity and possibility of organized "Christian Union by a return to the simple religion of Jesus as He gave it to the world at the beginning-its faith in its purity -its practice without change." In the first manifesto issued in advocacy of this movement its leaders said: "We do sincerely declare that there is nothing we have hitherto received as matter of faith and practice which is not expressly taught and enjoined in the word of God, either in expressed terms or approved precedent, that we would not heartily relinquish that so we might return to the original constitutional unity of the Christian Church and in this happy unity enjoy full communion with all our brethren in peace and charity. * * *Nothing ought to be required as a term of union, communion and co-operation that is not as old as the New Testament." The sentiment thus introduced rapidly spread and Churches were formed, which have continued to increase, till now their membership gives them the fifth place amongst the Religious Bodies in the United States. At the present time they number about 6,000 Congregations, 4,500 Ministers, and 800,000 members. They have 50 Missionaries in the foreign field, and they sustain 42 Colleges. The work in Jamaica was begun in the year 1858 by the Rev. J. O. Beardslee, under the auspices of the American Christian Missionary Society. He established a Church in Kingston and opened several Mission Stations in the mountain districts, but after the departure of Mr. Beardslee from the island the work was suspended for several years. In 1874 the Christian Women Board of Mission was formed in Indianapolis, Indiana, by a few Christian women who felt a desire to take a definite share in the work of spreading the Gospel and the upbuilding of Christian Churches on New Testament principles. Their enquiries brought to their knowledge the work that had been done and abandoned in Jamaica, and they felt called upon to make the resuscitation and extension of this work their first enterprise. Their efforts have since been extended to Montana and other places in the West, also to India, Japan, and other fields. A history of this mission on the island has been given in former editions of this work. At the present time the mission comprehends eighteen Churches, grouped into five Districts, and forming "The Jamaica Christian Missionary Association," the objects of which are "the upbuilding of the Churches of Christ connected with it; the spread of the Gospel in this and other lands; and the promotion of Scriptural union among all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ." The government of each Church is congregational. The affairs of the Association are managed by an Executive Board, consisting of the Ministers in charge of Churches, and two members elected at the Annual Convention. The general control of the mission is with the Christian Women Board of Missions who chiefly support the Agents they employ. Their General Superintendent is C. E. Randall, Kingston. The following are the latest returns of the Jamaica Missionary Association :— President and Treasurer, C. E. Randall. Secretary, J. C. Smith. MORAVIAN CHURCH. THE Protestant Episcopal Church of the Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren (commonly called Moravians), commenced its labors in Jamaica as far back as 1754, in which year the Rev. Zacharias Caries and two others settled on the Bogue Estate in the N. E. corner of St. Elizabeth. Several other stations were begun and nursed with persistent patience; but the existence of slavery and the opposition to their labors arising out of it proved an effectual barrier to the enlargement of their work. In the face of great dfficulties they and their successors held on to their undertaking for 84 years, until the emancipation of the slaves in the year 1838 left them at liberty to extend their borders. At the present time the Brethren have in Jamaica 20 principal stations, besides out-stations. These are at the western end of the island, principally in Manchester, St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland. The number of communicants in Jamaica at the close of 1891 was 6,429, with a total membership of 17,003. The number of Sunday Scholars was 2,445 adults and 3,083 juvenile. There were 77 Day Schools in connection with the Church, attended by 3,710 boys and 3,601 girls taught by 49 males and 27 female teachers. The receipts from all sources were £6,004. The Church maintains two voluntary Training Colleges, one for males at Fairfield, the other for females at Bethlehem. The Fairfield Training College, of which the Rev. P. A. Herman-Smith is Director, Mr. Lewison and Mr. Lawson, respectively first and second Masters, was begun in 1839 under the Rev. Mr. Holland, and has since that time been successfully carried on. At the last Government Examination of the 19 students present 17 passed. The results of the examination held in December, 1891, are not yet in hand. The Female Training College of which the Rev. S. Negus is Director and Miss Klesel and Miss Roberts, respectively first and second Mistress, was begun in 1861, at Bethabara and was for many years the only institution for training female teachers in the island. Owing to various circumstances it was removed to Salem, temporarily, during the year 1888; but has now been transferred to new and commodious buildings at Bethlehem in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The result of the Government Examination of last year's work in this College was satisfactory. The Church in Jamaica is governed by the Conference which meets, as a rule, but once a year. The General Mission Board of the Church has, however, in some matters a final voice. The Church is directed, between Conferences, by its executive, the Western Provincial Conference, the members of which are The Right Rev. G. H. Hanna, Chairman. Rev. H. Walder, Treasurer Rev. F. P. Wilde, Secretary. The official organ of the Church in Jamaica is the "Jamaica Moravian," an eight page magazine, published monthly, of which the Rev. F. P. Wilde is the acting editor. The circulation last year was over 1,000 copies. The following is a list of the Clergy, and the Churches served by them : |