Certain items not included in the summary are church expenditures and number of members under 13 years of age, reported for the first time in 1916, and the languages used in church services.

Church expenditures amounting to $13,806, reported by 139 organizations, cover running expenses, outlay for repairs and improvements, benevolences, and such other items as passed through the church treasury.

The number of members under 13 years of age, as reported by 135 organizations in 1916, was 563, constituting 6 per cent of the 9,411 members reported by

these organizations. Based upon the same proportion, the total number of members under 13 years of age for the entire denomination would be 748.1

English was the only language reported in the conduct of church services in this denomination.

The number of ministers on the rolls of the church was 250. Schedules were received from 66, and of these, 14 reported an average annual salary of $138. A considerable number reported themselves as supplementing their salaries by other work.

1 See Introduction, p. 10.

HISTORY.

The Free Methodist Church had its origin in an agitation started about 1850 in the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the state of New York. A number of ministers, prominent among whom was the Rev. Benjamin T. Roberts, felt very strongly that the Methodism of their time had come to be removed in no small degree from its primitive standards of faith, experience, and practice, especially in regard to the following points: "The evangelical conception of doctrine; nonconformity to the world; simplicity, spirituality, and freedom in worship; discrimination against the poor in connection with the system of pew renting; the subject of slavery; the employment of executive power and ecclesiastical machinery in unjust discrimination against, and in inexcusable oppression of, devoted and loyal preachers and members." In addition it was claimed by them that "many ministers of the Genesee Conference were members of secret societies, whose vows and spirit were not in conformity with Christianity, and that some of these members had formed a union for the control of the conference, and for the destruction of the influence of those who stood for old-fashioned Methodism, and that the teachings of this powerful coterie (the 'Regency'), as represented in their organ, the Buffalo Christian Advocate, were liberal to the verge of Unitarianism." The work of revival and reform was of a thoroughly radical character, and soon acquired such proportions and momentum as to arouse most formidable opposition.

In 1857 Mr. Roberts published two articles setting forth the evidences of defection from original Methodism of which the reform party complained. For this he was brought before the conference, declared guilty of unchristian and immoral conduct, and sentenced to be reprimanded by the bishop. Later the same articles were republished by a layman, and Mr. Roberts was charged with the responsibility for their republication and circulation. He protested his innocence, offering the testimony of the layman himself, but was declared guilty and was expelled from the conference and the church on the charge of contumacy. Other prosecutions and expulsions, on what were considered by the reform party unjust grounds, followed in quick succession.

The probationary system and the class meeting are emphasized, being regarded as important parts of the church's economy, so far as it relates to spiritual culture and wholesome discipline.

With respect to disciplinary regulations and usages, this body aims to exemplify Methodism of the primitive type. Its "general rules" are those formulated by John Wesley and still subscribed to by Methodist churches generally, with the addition of one against slavery and one forbidding the production, use, or sale of narcotics. It insists upon a practical observance of the general rules by all its members, including simplicity and plainness of attire, abstinence from worldly amusements, and separateness from all secret societies. It also excludes instrumental music and choir singing from public worship and requires that the seats be free in all its churches.

WORK.

In charge of the general activities of the church are, an executive committee, with certain powers delegated to it by the General Conference; a General Missionary Board, having supervision of all home and foreign missionary work; a Board of Church Extension; a Board of Conference Claimants, having charge of funds for disabled and superannuated preachers; and a Board of Education. It has also a well organized Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. The boards are all elected by the General Conference. The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society is independent, but works in harmony with the boards of the church.

In its home missionary work, 13 agents were employed during 1916 and 125 churches were aided, and the amount contributed by the churches for this work. was $12,000.

The foreign missionary work is in British South Africa; Portuguese East Africa; Central India; Province of Honan, China; Japan; and the Dominican Republic, West Indies. The report of 1916 shows 26 stations, occupied by 85 missionaries and 221 native helpers; 15 organized churches, with 3,000 members; 91 schools, academies, etc., with 2,900 pupils; 3 hospitals, treating during the year about 2,500 patients; and 2 homes, with 100 inmates. The contributions for the foreign work were $67,000, and the value of property on the foreign field was estimated at $196,175.

The educational institutions of the church are 2 colleges and 7 seminaries, with a total of 1,525 students. They have property valued at $475,000, and an endowment of $135,000. The amount contributed during the year for their support was $157,500.

There are 2 philanthropic institutions, with 200 inmates, for which $24,000 was contributed during 1916. The property value of these institutions is $75,000, and there is an endowment of $20,000.

The young people's societies numbered 335, with a membership of 6,335.

The table above shows that during the decade the denomination has made some gain in every particular. The number of organizations reported in 1916 was 1,606 as against 1,553 in 1906, a gain of 3.4 per cent. The membership reported advanced from 32,838 to 35,291, or 7.5 per cent. The number of church edifices increased by 77, and the parsonages by 102. The increase in the number of Sunday schools was considerably greater than the increase in church organizations, and the increase in the number of scholars-41.3 per cent was much greater than the increase in church membership-7.5 per

cent. Debt on church property was $121,979, reported by 171 organizations in 1916, as against $61,124, reported by 112 organizations in 1906. The contributions for missions and benevolences showed a marked increase, from $119,954 to $260,500-a gain of 117.2 per cent and they were apportioned as follows: Domestic work $193,500, foreign work $67,000.

Certain items not included in the summary are church expenditures and number of members under 13 years of age, reported for the first time in 1916, and the languages used in church services.

Church expenditures amounting to $772,038 were reported by 1,426 organizations, and cover general running expenses and any other items that passed through the church treasury.

The number of members under 13 years of age, as reported by 1,083 organizations in 1916, was 1,018, constituting 4 per cent of the 25,426 members reported by these organizations. Assuming that the same proportion would apply to the 9,865 members reported by the organizations from which no answer to this inquiry was received, the total number of members under 13 years of age for the entire denomination would be 1,413.1

Of the 1,606 organizations, 1,600, with 35,022 members, reported the use of English only in church services; 3, with 246 members, German and English; 2, with 13 members, Japanese and English; and 1, with 10 members, Swedish and English. In 1906 there were 4 organizations which reported foreign languages in the conduct of their services.

The number of ministers on the rolls of the denomination was 1,397. Schedules were received from 969 of these, distributed, by states, as follows:

1 See Introduction, p. 10.