MINISTERIAL RECORD. CHANGES SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE MINUTES OF 1870. PASTORS ORDAINED AND INSTALLED. 1870. Oct. 16, John W. Lees, at Lee. 1871. April 20, Edward P. Eastman, at North Conway. June 6, B. N. Stone, at Loudon. PASTORS INSTALLED. 1870. Nov. 30, Samuel Bowker, at Raymond. Dec. 14, E. W. Bullard, at Hampstead. Dec. 15, James McLean, at Hampton. Dec. 21, Henry A. Hazen, at Pittsfield. 1871. March 7, H. B. Underwood, at Hillsborough Bridge. March 30, George E. Street, at Exeter, Second Church. April 27, David Bremner, at Derry, First Church. May 2, John L. Merrill, at Marlborough. May 17, Alonzo B. Rich, D. D., at West Lebanon. May 18, Harvey M. Stone, at Rochester. May 25, Erastus M. Kellogg, at Lyme. June 2, Swift Byington, at Exeter, First Church. PASTORS DISMISSED. 1870. Sept. 20, Erastus B. Claggett, from Lyndeborough. Dec. 19, Harvey M. Stone, from Laconia. 1871. Jan. 10, J. H. Edwards, from West Lebanon. 1871. March 30, John W. Chickering, from Exeter, Second Church. April 19, Charles Burnham, from Meredith Village. July 12, Samuel H. Riddel, from Tamworth. July 17, C. C. Watson, from Dover, Belknap Church. MINISTERS DECEASED. 1870. Sept. 9, Nathan Lord, D. D., at Hanover, aged 78. Nov. 26, Benjamin P. Stone, D. D., at Concord, aged 68. 1871. April 9, Humphrey Moore, D. D., at Milford, aged 92. April 9, Amos W. Burnham, D. D., at Keene, aged 79. June 22, Dennis C. Frink, at New-Boston, aged 38. August 16, John M. Putnam, at Elyria, Ohio, aged 77. REMARKS. CHURCHES. The number of churches is 191, the same as last year. Returns have been obtained from all of them. The church in Chatham, which worships in connection with that of Stowe, Me., is, as formerly, reported in the minutes of Maine, though the church edifice, erected during the year, is in the town of Chatham. MINISTERS. The number of pastors is 76, one more than last year. Stated supplies, 63; ministers without charge, 43. Of those without charge, 6 are President and Professors in Dartmouth College and teachers in Academies; 3 are agents of Benevolent Societies; 15 are quite aged, and some others are prevented by ill health from the work of the ministry. The total number of ministers is 9 less than the number of churches. 3 pastors have been ordained and installed during the year. 13 previously ordained ministers have been installed as pastors; 13 pastors have been dismissed, and 6 ministers have. died. 158 ministers are connected with the Ministerial Associations of the State. MEMBERS. The total membership of our churches is reported as 19,185. During the year 678 have been added on profes sion of faith, and 335 by letter. 44 churches report 5 or more additions by profession; 104 report one or more; 87 report none. The additions by profession during the year have been 299 more than the removals by death. The total admissions have exceeded the total removals by 284. Yet the total membership reported is 264 less than last year! Such discrepances, discreditable as they are to the accuracy of church records, are no new thing. Former statistical secretaries have faithfully called attention to them. Whoever compares the statistics of one year with those of the next, will find that these inconsistencies do not occur in the reports of feeble churches alone, but of the stronger ones also. Cheshire Conference reports 13 members less than should be the case if the returns of last year were correct; Coos, 4 more; Grafton, 87 less; Hillsborough, 125 less; Merrimack, 51 less; Rockingham, 105 less; Strafford, 145 less; Sullivan, 50 less. It would be well if the statistical secretaries of the conferences, where there are discrepancies in the reports of churches, would inquire into the causes. There can be no justifiable cause; for however members are removed, a report of it should be given. This is not a trivial matter, but one where laxity is injurious to the spiritual welfare of the churches. We earnestly urge,— though it would seem superfluous, did not facts prove the contrary, that every church have one or more accurate lists of its members, and carefully revise them once a year. As often as once a year, also, the cases of absent members should be considered, and effort made to induce them to transfer their membership to the churches with which they worship. A table is given this year presenting the membership and other statistics of the churches for years past. BAPTISMS. The number of infant baptisms has been 189; of adult, 447. One or more infant baptisms have occurred in 79 churches; none in 120 churches. CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS. The amount reported is $44,314.98, which is $5,154.51 more than in the previous year. Eighty-eight churches report no charitable gifts. Undoubtedly in many of these churches individuals have given to benevolent objects, but it is wrong that there is no system,—and it is be |