Church Economics [pp. 325-338]

THE PRINCE TON RE VIEW.
One other prefatory statement may be pardoned. The
churches of America are not to be supposed to lie under censure
if the fact is made clear that some things that might be, have
not yet been, realized. Considering how young some of them
are, how youthful the country is, how wide the spaces to be
covered with church machinery, and how varied the elements to
be worked upon, the wonder to all candid and educated persons
will be that so much has been effected. The erection of edifices; the establishment of a religious press that is the wonder
of Christendom; the founding of schools, colleges, and seminaries; the shaping of boards, and the maintenance of a high
order of Christian literature-these attest the marvellous activity
which the blessing of God has given to American Protestantism.
Not to call,into existence, therefore, but to encourage and guide
enormous and blessed forces, and certainly not to reflect upon
,the past as if it had been lost, is the object of this article.
In an average American town an active minister is compelled
to expatiate over the greater part of its streets, avenues, and
squares. He must follow his people, see them in their homes,
.visit the sick, look after the poor, and bury the dead. A certain proportion of time, energy, and even cost of locomotion, is
thus demanded, which would be saved if his people were within
a definite district. A certain law of affinities now makes, and
will continue to make, this in a degree necessary. Even in British
cities where the parochial system prevails there has long existed
a free-church system, with churches so described, not because
they are free in the matter of expense,-that applies rather to
parish churches,-but free of the rigid control exercised over the
parish churches, and free in that the seat-holders choose their
own pastor. In many cities the best attended and most popular and influenxtial churches have been of this character, and the
worshippers have come from many and widely different parishes.
But wise and observant men, with a view to minimize the interference with generally useful and fixed arrangements, have been
laboring to assign districts to such churches, as nearly as possible like parishes, so as to give to the clergy a sense of responsiability for the people of the district, and to the people a sense of
right in the clergy and claim to their services.
Something Qf t~.i$ kind might be advantageously done by
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