The denominations especially engaged in this work are the Episcopal, Congregational, and Baptist, although there are a number of Presby terian, Roman Catholic, Unitarian. and Metho dist churches which make use of the same meth ods. Some of the prominent Institutional churches are: Berkeley Temple, Ruggles Street Baptist, and Parker Memorial, of Boston; Fourth Congregational Church. of Hartford; Saint George, Saint I'aul's, Saint Bartholomew, and Judson Memorial, of New York; Tabernacle, or People's Palace, of Jersey City; Grace Church (The Temple) and Bethany Church. of Phila delphia; Pilgrim Church, of Cleveland; Ninth Street Church, of Cincinnati; Plymouth Taber nacle, Institute, and People's College, of Detroit; People's Church, of Saint Paul; the Tabernacle, of Denver; and, one of the oldest of all, Plym outh Church. of Indianapolis.
The Open and Institutional Church League was organized in New York in 1894. The league has given aid and counsel by correspondence; it published for three years a magazine, the Open Church ; and it has held conventions in Boston (1895), in Philadelphia (1s90), in Brooklyn (1897), in Hartford ( 1s9s ), in Worcester (1899), and in New York (1901). At present the League is doing little active work; but its secretary, in connection with the Federation of Churches in New York, has organized the Na tional Federation. of Oh ureh rs and Christian Workers. The principles of the League have taken a strong hold on Church life. and many churches are adopting free pews and institutional methods.
Important results claimed for thee methods are increased church attendance, especially of men; a higher spiritual tone, and the arousing of activity, which is considered by sociologists as an essential moral and industrial stimulant.
In all these churches the business clergyman with executive ability is brought into prominence. The objections made to this movement are: Its expensiveness: the heavy burden placed upon the minister; the tendency to overlook the spiritual; and the secularization of the Church. It may be said that the Church to-day is de pendent entirely upon voluntary association. There are no religious restraints other than those of inherited habits, which are easily modi fied by the environment. If the Church, with its power and organization, does not attempt to offer temporarily a remedy for serious social evils. it will lose its slight hold upon the unfortunate classes. Undoubtedly the success of individual churches is dependent upon the character of the minister or some dominant personality. whose death cripples the work. Specialization in Church work among the clergy may obviate this difficulty. Since the people reached are from the lower middle class, constituting an indifferent element in the community, it is probable that elements of the population are brought within Church influence who would otherwise have re mained outside. The social benefits are important in that they emphasize individual responsibility, and by making outsiders members of special groups impress them with a sense of relationship to the whole community.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Mead, Modern Methods in Bibliography. Mead, Modern Methods in f'hurch Work (New York. 1897) : Strong, Yew Era (New York, 1893) : Timing, The Working Church (New York, 1838) ; Woods, English So cial Movements (New York. 1891).