General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

GROWTH OF THE WORK

By a comparison of the statistical report published in the GENERAL CONFERENCE BULLETIN of the session of 1899 with the report that will appear in the minutes of this session, we find there has been a net increase in membership in the two years of 12,504, an amount nearly double the gain of the two preceding years. The present membership of the denomination throughout the whole world is 75,763. Sixty-three ordained ministers and sixty-seven licentiates have been added to the ministerial force. Two hundred and thirty-eight new churches have been organized. Four State or Territorial Conferences have been organized, and await admission to this Conference, namely: Ontario, including the Province of Ontario, Canada, organized June 18, 1899, with 14 churches and 412 members: Queensland Australia, organized Oct. 20, 1899, with 6 churches and 226 members: South Australia, organized Nov. 55, 1899, with 3 churches and 205 members: and Cumberland, comprising the eastern portions of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, organized Aug. 17, 1900, with 6 churches, and a membership of 440. The tithe paid in the two years throughout the entire field for the support of the laborers amounts in the aggregate to $1,000,915.13, being an increase over the former biennial period of $205,341.89. Sixty-eight missionaries have gone out from the United States in the two years, under the auspices of the Foreign Mission Board, to various parts of the world. The Mission Board has received $151,008.45 in the way of donations and offerings to carry forward its work in the regions beyond. This is a gain of $23,240.31 over the amount contributed during the former biennial period. GCB April 3, 1901, page 21.1