METHODISTS. 



473 



exposed to the action of waters of dissimilar 

 salinity, corrosion is likewise increased. Experi- 

 ments made with special reference to that point 

 show that the corrosion of metals is consider- 

 ably affected by stress, varying according 1 to the 

 nature and extent of the strain applied. In 

 " strained " metal, when considered apart from 

 " unstrained," corrosion is reduced. This is be- 

 cause stress of every kind increases the rigidity 

 of iron and steel, rendering the metal harder, 

 and reduces its properties of elongation or duc- 

 tility. But when strained metal is in galvanic 

 circuit or combination with unstrained metal in 

 any solution, an increased total corrosion en- 

 sues from the galvanic action that arises conse- 

 quent on the difference of potential between the 

 two. 



The reduction in the caliber of guns entails a 

 diminution in the size and consequently in the 

 weight of bullets ; for there is a limit beyond 

 which they can not be elongated to compensate 

 for the decrease in their diameter. Hopes are 

 entertained of the practicability of using tung- 

 sten, provided means are found for producing 

 it at a practically cheap price. It is almost as 

 hard as steel, and has a density varying from 17 

 to 19-8. or H time that of lead. By reason of 

 such qualities, balls of tungsten, of equal dimen- 

 sions, possess a power of penetration much 

 greater than that of lead. Thus, a tungsten 

 ball penetrates a steel plate 3 inches in thick- 

 ness at a distance of 650 yards, while a similar 

 one of lead penetrates a 2f-inch plate at 325 

 yards only. 



METHODISTS. I. Methodist Episcopal 

 Church. Statistics. The following is the sum- 

 mary of the statistics of this Church as they are 

 given in the " Methodist Yearbook " for 1895 : 

 Number of annual conferences, mission confer- 

 ences, and missions, 140; of ministers, 1G.652 (of 

 whom 11,713 are classed as effective. 1,936 as on 

 trial, 1,012 as supernumerary, and 1,991 as super- 

 annuated) ; of lay members (2,359,972 in full mem- 

 bership and 32l',667 on probation), 2.681,639 ; of 

 baptisms during the year, 93,107 of infants and 

 145,235 of adults ; of Sunday schools. 29.559. with 

 339,024 officers and teachers and 2,501.917 pupils ; 

 of churches, 24,914, valued at $109.284,066; of 

 parsonages, 9,578, valued at $1 6,848,495. Amount 

 of benevolent contributions : For the Missionary 

 Society (including legacies, etc.), $1,137,808 ; for 

 Church extension, $128,830: for the Sunday- 

 school Union, $24,667; for the Tract Society, 

 $21,295 ; for the Freed man's Aid and Southern 

 Education Society, $108.909 : for education, 

 $185,589 ; for the American Bible Society, $32,- 

 853 ; for the Woman's Foreign Missionary So- 

 ciety (reported from conferences), $256.151 ; for 

 the Woman's Home Missionary Society (reported 

 from conferences), $177,433 ; total contributions. 

 $2,073,535. Other collections: For ministerial 

 support, including bishops and presiding elders, 

 $10,714.161 ; for conference claimants, $256,- 

 015 : for building and improvements of churches, 

 $5,859,192 ; toward payment of church indebted- 

 ness. $1,534,468, leaving present indebtedness, 

 $10.833,891 ; for current expenses, $3,820,373. 



Church Extension. The General Committee 

 of Church Extension met in Philadelphia, Pa., 

 Nov. 1. The treasurer reported that the receipts 

 of the committee on the General fund had been 



$163,532, and on the account of the Loan fund 

 $163.604, making in all $267,136, a decrease of 

 $65,443 from the receipts of the previous year. 

 It had been necessary to draw upon the General 

 fund for $18,700 for payment of certain large 

 donations, and to borrow $50,100 to be applied 

 as loans. Appropriations were made for the en- 

 suing year of $315,800. A new rule was adopted 

 to the effect that the General Committee will 

 not consider applications for aid to churches 

 costing less than $10.000 ; nor will it consider 

 any application for exception from the rule of 

 limitation as to churches costing more than $10,- 

 000. except on the recommendation of the An- 

 nual Conference Board of Church Extension. 



Board of Education. The annual meeting of 

 the Board of Education was held in New York, 

 Dec. 5. Bishop E. G. Andrews presided. The 

 total income of the board for the fiscal year had 

 been $84,340. The amount of loans paid out 

 had been $7,940, or 82 per cent, more than in 

 the previous year. The board had aided during 

 the year 1,539 students, of 24 different nationali- 

 ties, in 138 institutions of learning. Of these 

 students, 1,138 were preparing for the ministry 

 or for missionary work ; 233 were women. The 

 entire number of students aided from the be- 

 ginning, in 1873, to July, 1894, was 5.930, to 

 whom the total amount of $531,071 had been 

 loaned. 



Freedmen's Aid. The General Committee of 

 the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education 

 Society met in New York city, Nov. 5 and 6. 

 The receipts of the society for the year had 

 been $279,604, and the expenditures $278,786. 

 The society maintained 46 institutions of learn- 

 ing in the Southern States, of which 23 were 

 among the colored people and 23 among the 

 whites, employing 348 instructors, and having 

 8,425 pupils and property valued at $1,808,800. 

 In addition to the regular instructors, 126 prac- 

 tice teachers were employed for the normal de- 

 partment, making a total of 474 teachers. Of 

 the students. 264 were in college classes, 7,241 

 in college preparatory, normal, and English de- 

 partments, 256 preparing for the ministry, 266 

 studying medicine, 10 dentistry, 17 pharmacy, 

 20 law, 2,445 music, 56 art, 1.858 in commercial 

 classes, and 2,324 in industrial schools. 



A new building had been completed during 

 the year for George R. Smith College, Sedalia, 

 Mo. Appropriations were made for the ensuing 

 year of $229,170, the estimates having been re- 

 duced in consideration of the financial strin- 

 gency. 



Missionary Societies. The annual meeting of 

 the General Missionary Committee was held in 

 Brooklyn, N. Y., beginning Nov. 7. The re- 

 ceipts of the Missionary Society for the year 

 ending Oct. 31 had been $1,137:808, or $58,801 

 less than in the previous year. The expenditures 

 for all purposes had been $1,313,572, showing an 

 excess of expenditures over receipts of $66.- 

 501. The total indebtedness of the society was 

 $175,764. In addition to the regular receipts, 

 the treasurer had received, as authorized by the 

 General Committee, for conditional appropria- 

 tions $8,196, and special gifts of $38,105. Ap- 

 propriations were made for the maintenance 

 of the missions during the ensuing year, as fol- 

 lows: 



