A HISTORY
OF ALL
RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD,
DOCTRINAL, STATISTICAL, AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
FROM THE
EARLIEST
RECORDS TO THE
PRESENT
TIME.
CONTAINING
ACCOUNTS OF THE RITES, CEREMONIES, OBSERVANCES, CUSTOMS, AND
FORMS OF WORSHIP PRACTISED BY THE SEVERAL NATIONS OF
THE KNOWN WORLD.
I N C L U D I N G A F U L L A C C O U N T O F
ALL THE RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS
IN
THE UNITED STATES.
ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL AND WOOD.
W r i t t e n a n d P r e p a r e d b y
| WILLIAM BURDER, B. A. |
Rev. C. M. BUTLER, D. D.,
Rev. W. H. H. MARSH
Rev. EDWIN H. NEVINS, D. D.,
W. CHANNING NEVIN, Esq.,
Rev. J. L. GRACEY,
Rev. L. M. STURDEVANT, Jr.,
ALBERT L. RAWSON, Esq., |
|
Rev. Father S. P. SHEFFREY,
Rev. ALFRED NEVIN, D. D.,
Rev. JOSEPH OSGOOD,
Rev. Dr. E. G. BROOKS,
Rev. WILLARD H. HINKLEY,
Rev. S. MORIAS,
JOHN GILMARY SHEA, LL. D.
|
GAY BROTHERS & CO., PUBLISHERS,
27 BARCLAY STREET, NEW YORK.
COPYRIGHTED 1883,
BY
GAY BROTHERS & CO.
ELECTROTYPED, PRINTED AND BOUND BY
GAY BROTHERS & CO.,
27 BARCLAY STREET, NEW YORK.
|
DENOMINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.
BAPTISTS--MINOR DENOMINATIONS.
Under this Section we group several divisions of the Baptist family,
of less importance than those we have just noticed.
We begin with that body popularly known as Winebrennarians, but
who call themselves" The Church of God." They agree
with Baptists on the mode and subjects of Baptism;
regarding believers as the only Scriptural subjects, and immersion as
the only Scriptural mode. They dissent from Regular Baptists on Calvinism,
being strongly Arminian in their doctrinal views, approaching
more nearly the Methodists than to Baptists, or to the Presbyterians.
They practice feet-washing generally, but not regarding it as an ordinance
in the same positive sense as Baptism, and the Lord's Supper,
they do not hold it as a Church ordinance, and therefore do not regard
its non-observance as sufficient cause for discipline. Its general observance
is the result of the strength of sentiment in the denomination
in its favor, rather than of any law. Their Church government is
somewhat similar to that of the Methodists, excepting that they have
no Bishops. They have local Elderships, and a General Eldership,
the latter owning and controlling all property, superintending printing,
having charge of the publication of hymn books, and all periodical
literature. From this statement it is evident that on the subject of
Baptism they are Baptists, but on doctrine and Church government
they are Methodists.
They take their popular name from their founder, Rev. John Winebrennar.
This divine became, in 1820, pastor of the German
Reformed Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
His ministry was remarkable for the extensive revivals of religion that
occurred under it. These were not confined to Harrisburg, but, as he
preached and labored in all the region round about, they were shared
by numerous other German Reformed churches. During those revival
scenes the mind of Mr. Winebrennar underwent a radical change on
some important points, and his sentiments were accepted by many who
had been awakened under his preaching. This led to the call for a
convention to consider the duty of a separate organization. This convention
met at Harrisburg in October, 1830, and resulted in the formation
of "The Church of God," agreeing on the great subject of salvation
through Christ, with all evangelical Christians, and holding those
peculiar views we have stated. They are numerous in parts of Pennsylvania,
in Ohio, in Indiana, and are found in Illinois, Michigan,
Iowa, Missouri, and the Territories. They have one eldership in [506]
Texas, They have in all 350 churches, about the same number of
preachers and Sunday schools, and a membership of 35,000. They have
a Board of Publication located at Harrisburg, and issue the "Church
Advocate," circulation 4,000, and "Sunday School Gem," circulation
10,000. They have no churches in the Eastern States, and none in the
British Provinces.*
*
I am Indebted to Rev. C. H. Forney, Harrisburg, Pa., for statistics, &c.
[HRW 506-507]
ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC EDITION
William Burder, et. al. "Winebrennarians" was published in his
A History of All Religions of the World: Doctrinal, Statistical, and
Biographical (New York, NY: Gay Brothers and Company, 1883), pp.
506-507.
The electronic text has been produced from a copy of the book held by
St. Vincent College Library.
Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing
the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the
printed page.
Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and
typography have been retained.
Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.
Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA
Created 20 December 1998.
Updated 9 July 2003.