|
CHURCHES.
Tlie Diocese of Western New York.1 embraces the remainder of the State, comprising
146 parishes, 178 clergymen, and 10,834 communicants.
The Reformed Methodists originated in 1814, in Vt. Their church government is
Congregational. They report in the State 8 churches and about-500 members.
The Reformed Presbyterians, or Covenantors, is derived from the church of the
same name in Scotland. In 1855 it numbered in the State 15 churches and 2,274 members.
The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the State belongs to the General
Synod of the Ref. Prot. Dutch of N. A. It is subdivided into the particular Synods of New York
and Albany, the former embracing 16 and the latter 14 classes, of which 29 are entirely within the
State and 1 partly in New Jersey. In 1855 it reported 364 churches, 348 ministers, 130,120 per¬
sons attending congregations, and 38,927 communicants. Of these, 260 churches, 259 ministers,
21,027 families, 97,553 total of congregations, and 31,208 communicants, were in this State.
The Roman Catholic Church divides the Union into 7 Provinces, 46 Dioceses, and 3
Vicarates Apostolic. The Province of New York comprises the New England States, New York
and New Jersey, and the dioceses of New York, Portland, Burlington, Boston, Hartford, Brook¬
lyn, Albany, Buffalo, and Newark. Four of these are within this State. There are 3 theological
seminaries, 1 preparatory seminary, 2 colleges, and a large number of benevolent and educational
institutions belonging to this denomination within the State, and 8 periodicals devoted to its
interests.2
The Seventh Day Baptists have in the United States 67 churches, 70 ordained ministers,
and 7,250 members. Of these 36 churches are in New York. In 1835 the denomination was
divided into associations, of which the Eastern, Central, and Western are embraced wholly or in
part in this State. De Ruyter Institute and the Alfred Academy are under the patronage of this
denomination.
Shakers, or the “United Society of Believers,” otherwise called the “Millennial Church,”
numbers in the Union 18 eommunities and about 6,000 members. They live in “families,” and
in New York they are principally located at New Lebanon, Watervliet, and Groveland.
The Unitarians number in the Union 293 clergyman and 250 societies, mostly in Massa-
chusetts. They have within this State 10 societies. Their only periodical within the State is the
“ Christian Inquirer,” a weekly newspaper in New York City, published' under the auspices of
the “Unitarian Association of the State of New York.”3
The Universalists United States Convention is composed of clerical and lay delegates from
each State and Territorial Convention, and meets on the third Tuesday of Sept. annually.4 The
denomination has a Historical Society, composed of all preachers and laymen in good standing
who sign the constitution. It also has a General Reform Association, that meets in Boston on the
|
i Hobart’s training school for the ministry at Geneva; and De
Veaux College, at Suspension Bridge. There are besides several
incorporated and private academies supported by members of
this denomination.—Church Almanac for 1859, pp. 32, 47.
3 The following statistics are upon the authority of the Catholic
Almanacs of 1859. •
General Statistics for 1859.
|
|
CJ s.
11 |
Diocese of
Albany. |
Diocese of
Brooklyn. |
Diocese of
^Buffalo. |
|
|
|
113 |
36 |
29 |
|
Chapels.............................. |
47 |
5 |
|
|
|
Stations............................. |
5 |
50 |
14 |
35 |
|
Clergymen on the Mission... |
99 |
86 |
39 |
13 |
|
otherwise ' em¬ |
|
|
|
|
|
ployed........... |
24 |
• |
|
|
|
Seminaries......................... |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Clerical students................. |
36 |
23 |
21 |
|
|
Colleges............................. |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Academies for Boys............. |
2 |
2 |
... |
1 |
|
Select schools for Boys......... |
1 |
|
|
|
|
« . a a (Jjrig........ |
7 |
1 |
|
|
|
Free schools for Boys.......... |
21 |
|
|
|
|
“ “ Girls.......... |
23 |
|
|
|
|
Hospitals........................... |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Houses of protection............ |
1 |
|
|
|
|
House of the Good Shepherd 1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
Parochial and other schools.. |
|
15 |
|
|
|
Orphan asylums.................. |
4 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
|
Pupils in Free schools, about |
12,000 |
|
|
|
|
The Diocese of New York, formed in 1808, comprises Dehv
ware, Dutchess, New York, Orange, Putnam, Richmond, Rock¬
land, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties. The Diocese
of Brooklyn, formed in 1853, comprises Kings, Queens, and Suf¬
folk counties. The Diocese of Albany, formed ii 1847, comprises
the remainder of the State e. of the west lines of Cayuga,
Tompkins, and Tioga counties. The Diocese of Buffalo, formed
in 1847, comprises the counties w. of the west lines of Ca¬
yuga, Tompkins, and Tioga.
The distinctive schools under the patronage of this denomi¬
nation are the St. John’s College, at Eordham, Westchester co.;
College of St. Francis Xavier, New York City; St. Joseph’s
Theological Seminary, Eordham; Ecclesiastical Seminary, Buf¬
falo ; Franciscan Convent, Allegany; and Preparatory Seminary
of Our Lady of the Angels, Niagara.
The Catholic papers in the State areTheNew YorkFreeman’s
Journal and Catholic Register, The New York Tablet, The Pilot,
(N. Y. and Boston,) Katholische Kirchen Zeitung, weekly, of
N. Y.; The Buffalo Sentinel, weekly; Catholic Institute Maga¬
zine, Newburgh; Brownson’s Quarterly Review, N.Y.; Ameri¬
can Catholic Almanac and Clergy List; and the Six Cent Catho¬
lic Almanac and Laity’s Directory, of N. Y.
3 Year Book of the Unitarian Cong. Churches, 1857.
* The New York State Convention embraces the Central, Nia¬
gara, Cayuga, Buffalo, Mohawk River, Ontario, Genesee, Black
River, St. Lawrence, Otsego, Allegany, Steuben, Chautauqua,
Chenango, Hudson River, and New York Associations, and con¬
tains 220 societies, 194 church edifices, and employs 107 preachers.
It has a State Educational Society, with $40,000 subscribed,
and $25,000 invested for the Theological School in Canton;
and has in charge the Clinton Liberal Institute. The Uni-
versalist Paper and Book Establishment has assets amount¬
ing to $13,796, and unredeemed stock to the amount of $4,169.
The profits of the concern are applied to the purchase of the
shares, which will thus become the property of the State Con¬
vention. It has a relief fund for aged and disabled preachers.
The Young Men’s Christian Union, formed Jan. 1856, and the |
|
