The Book of Religions Part 42

1590. Urban VII.

1590. Gregory XIV.

1591. Innocent IX.

1592. Clement VIII.

1605. Leo XI.

1605. Paul V.

1621. Gregory XV.

1623. Urban VIII.

1644. Innocent X.

1655. Alexander VII.

1667. Clement IX.

1670. Clement X.

1676. Innocent XI.

1689. Alexander VIII.

1691. Innocent XII.

1700. Clement XI.

1721. Innocent XIII.

1724. Benedict XIII.

1730. Clement XII.

1740. Benedict XIV.

1758. Clement XIII.

1769. Clement XIV., poisoned.

1775. Pius VI., February 14.

1800. Cardinal Chiaramonte. elected at Venice, as Pius VII., March 13.

1823. Annibal della Genga, Leo XII., Sept. 28.

1831. Cardinal Mauro Capellari, as Gregory XVI., Feb. 2.

The t.i.tle of _pope_ was originally given to all bishops. It was first adopted by Hygenus, A. D. 138; and Pope Boniface III. procured Phocas, emperor of the East, to confine it to the prelates of Rome, 606. By the connivance of Phocas, also, the pope's supremacy over the Christian church was established. The custom of kissing the pope's toe was introduced in 708. The first sovereign act of the popes of Rome was by Adrian I., who caused money to be coined with his name, 780. Servius II. was the first pope who changed his name, on his election, in 844. The first pope who kept an army was Leo IX., 1054. Gregory VII. obliged Henry IV., emperor of Germany, to stand three days, in the depth of winter, barefooted, at his castle gate, to implore his pardon 1077. The pope's authority was firmly fixed in England 1079. Appeals from English tribunals to the pope were introduced 1154. Henry II. of England held the stirrup for Pope Alexander III. to mount his horse, 1161, and also for Becket, 1170. "When Louis, king of France, and Henry II. of England, met Pope Alexander III. at the castle of Torci, on the Loire, they both dismounted to receive him, and, holding each of them one of the reins of his bridle, walked on foot by his side, and conducted him in that submissive manner into the castle." Pope Adrian IV. was the only Englishman that ever obtained the tiara. His arrogance was such, that he obliged Frederick I. to prostrate himself before him, kiss his foot, hold his stirrup, and lead the white palfrey on which he rode. Celestine III. kicked the emperor Henry VI.'s crown off his head while kneeling, to show his prerogative of making and unmaking kings, 1191. The pope collected the tenths of the whole kingdom of England, 1226.

Appeals to Rome from England were abolished 1533. The words "Lord Pope"

were struck out of all English books 1541. The papal authority declined about 1600. Kissing the pope's toe, and other ceremonies, were abolished by Clement XIV., 1773. The pope became dest.i.tute of all political influence in Europe, 1787. Pius VI. was burnt in effigy at Paris, 1791. He made submission to the French republic, 1796, was expelled from Rome, and deposed, February 22, 1798, and died at Valence, August 19, 1799. Pius VII. was elected in exile, March 13, 1800; he crowned Napoleon, December 2, 1804; was dethroned May 13, 1809; remained a prisoner at Fontainebleau till Napoleon's overthrow; and was restored May 24, 1814.

Swedenborgians.

Believers in the doctrines of Swedenborg are found in all the states in the Union. In Maine, New Hamps.h.i.+re, Ma.s.sachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio, are eight ordaining ministers, ten priests and teaching ministers, fifteen licentiates, and between thirty and forty societies. There are between two and three hundred towns or places in the United States where the doctrines of the New Jerusalem church are received by some portion of the people.

The number of Swedenborgians in the United States is about five thousand.

The societies of this cla.s.s of Christians in England are more numerous than in the United States. In Sweden they are quite numerous.

PERIODICALS.-The _New Jerusalem Magazine_ is issued monthly at Boston, Ma.s.s.; the _Precursor_ is issued monthly at Cincinnati, Ohio; the _New Churchman_ is issued quarterly at Philadelphia.

Unitarians.

Of this denomination, there are about three hundred churches and congregations in the United States, and near that number of ministers. In the city of Boston it is one of the most numerous and influential cla.s.ses of Christians, having eighteen societies, most of which are large and flouris.h.i.+ng. In the Middle, Southern, and Western States their congregations are fewer, but gradually multiplying.

PERIODICALS.-The _Christian Examiner_, the _Monthly Miscellany_, and the _Christian Register_, are published in Boston, Ma.s.s.

A favorite project of Christian philanthropy with the Unitarians has been the "ministry to the poor" in large cities and towns. They have established such an inst.i.tution in Boston, New York, Cincinnati, Louisville, Providence, and elsewhere. In Boston, three large and commodious chapels have been erected, and three ministers constantly employed, by the aid of funds obtained from individual donors and annual subscriptions from a.s.sociations in the several churches of the denomination.

Universalists.

There are, in the United States and Territories, one United States Convention, one United States Universalist Historical Society, twelve State Conventions, fifty-nine a.s.sociations, eight hundred and seventy-five societies, five hundred and fifty meeting-houses, and five hundred and forty preachers. Besides these, there are twenty-one periodicals published by the order, and twenty new books have been published within the year, besides reprints. There are also five schools in the patronage of the denomination. There is an Educational a.s.sociation in Maine, a Sunday School a.s.sociation in Ma.s.sachusetts, a Publis.h.i.+ng a.s.sociation in Pennsylvania, a public library of fifteen hundred volumes in Ohio, and two Book a.s.sociations in Indiana and Illinois.

By adding the numbers of societies, etc., in the British Provinces, to those in the United States, there are, at present, the grand total of one General Convention, twelve State Conventions, fifty-five a.s.sociations, eight hundred and ninety-five societies, five hundred and fifty-six meeting-houses, and five hundred and forty-six preachers.

PERIODICALS.-_Gospel Banner and Christian Pilot_, Augusta, Me.; EASTERN ROSE-BUD, Portland, Me.; _Universalist and Family Visitor_, Contoocookville, N. H.; _Universalist Watchman_, Montpelier, Vt.; _Trumpet and Universalist Magazine_, Boston, Ma.s.s.; _Christian Freeman and Family Visitor_, Boston, Ma.s.s.; _Universalist and Ladies Repository_, Boston, Ma.s.s.; _Light of Zion, and Sabbath School Contributor_, Boston, Ma.s.s.; _Star and Palladium_, Lowell, Ma.s.s.; _Gospel Messenger_, Providence, R.

I.; _Universalist_, Middletown, Ct.; _New York Christian Messenger_, New York city; _Universalist Union_, New York city; _Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate_, Utica, N. Y.; _Western Luminary_, Rochester, N. Y.; _The Nazarene_, Philadelphia, Pa.; _Christian Warrior_, Richmond, Va.; _Southern Universalist_, Columbus, Ga.; _Star in the West_, Cincinnati, Ohio; _Christian Teacher_, Lafayette, Ind.; _Better Covenant_, Rockford, Ill.

MISSIONARY STATISTICS.

We have been much a.s.sisted in our missionary statistics by the kindness of the secretaries of the several Missionary Boards, and by permission of the proprietor, Mr. F. Rand, for the use of his valuable Missionary Chart, prepared with great care, in 1840, by the Reverend Messrs. Jefferson Hascall and Daniel Wise.

Those of the Congregationalists, Baptists, Methodists, and Episcopalians, are brought down to 1841, and are quite accurate; but the efforts of some of the other denominations in this great and glorious cause are not fully stated, as some of the items have not been reported.

First Protestant Missions.

The first Protestant mission on record was undertaken in 1559, by Michael, who was sent into Lapland by Gustavus Vasa, king of Sweden.

John Eliot commenced the first mission to the Indians at _Nonantum_, now Newton, Ma.s.sachusetts, in 1646. This mission gave rise to a society in England for the propagation of the gospel in New England, and to the formation of several other missionary stations; so that, in 1696, there were thirty Indian churches in New England.

In 1705, Messrs. Ziegenbalg and Plutcho, under the auspices of Frederick IV., king of Denmark, commenced a mission at Tranquebar, in South Hindoostan, which was very successful. Its fruits continue to the present time.

In 1728, a mission was begun by Schultze, at Madras, under the patronage of the Christian Knowledge Society. In the following thirty-three years, fourteen hundred and seventy converts united with the church.