Church
Church names 5 different subjects across the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. Each is set out below.
Church a denomination which had its origin near the close
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a denomination which had its origin near the close of the 18th century in Virginia and North Carolina, when three bodies withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were first known as Republican Methodists, but in 1795 decided to be known only as The Christian Church. In 1819 the three bodies united to form one denomination. It grew rapidly and perfected organizations for the carrying on of publishing, educational, and missionary work. These interests are now represented by the American Christian Convention, composed of members of local conferences from the United States and Canada, and of the presidents of colleges and State and district organizations. The convention meets every four years. Missionary work is carried on in the United States, Canada, Japan, Porto Rico, and other countries. Educational institutions carried on by the denomination include the Christian Biblical Institute, Defiance, O.; Starkey Seminary, Lakemont, N. Y.; Union Christian College, Merom, Ind.; Elon College, Elon College, N. C.; Palmer College, Albany, Mo.; Defiance College, Defiance, O., and the Franklinton Christian College (colored), Franklinton, N. C. The denomination issues many publications. In 1919 there were 117,853 communicants, 1,274 ministers, and 1,213 churches.
Church a term applied to a body of religious believers
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a term applied to a body of religious believers; also to the buildings in which worship is held. The twelve largest church edifices in the world are as follows: Milan cathedral, with seating or standing capacity for 37,000; St. Peter's, 32,000; St. Paul's, 25,600; San Petronio, Bologna, the Florence cathedral, and the Antwerp cathedral, about 24,000 apiece; St. Sophia, Constantinople, 23,-000; St. John Lateran, Rome, 22,900; Notre Dame , Paris, 21,000; Pisa cathedral, 13,000; the cathedral of the City of Mexico, the cathedral of Notre Dame in Montreal, and St. Stephen, Vienna, 12,400. With the exception of St. Paul's which belongs to the Church of England, and St. Sophia, which belongs to the Greek Church , these edifices are all Roman Catholic churches. See Cathedral ; Basilica ; Temple
Church FREDERICK EDWIN, an American landscape-painter
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
FREDERICK EDWIN, an American landscape-painter; born in Hartford, Conn., May 4, 1826; was a pupil of Thomas Cole. His earliest productions were views of the Catskill Mountains, among which he resided, and a view of East Rock, near New Haven, which attracted very favorable notice. In 1855 he visited South America, and found in the magnificent scenery of that country materials for several of his most admired pictures. After his return he executed his "View of Niagara Falls from the Canadian Shore," regarded by many as the most successful representation of the great cataract. He died in New York City, April 7, 1900.
Church WILLIAM CONANT, an American journalist
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
WILLIAM CONANT, an American journalist; born in Rochester, N. Y., Aug. 11, 1836. He became the publisher of the New York "Sun" in 1860. He fought in the Civil War and, after having been wounded, reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel of volunteers. In conjunction with his brother Francis he established the "Army and Navy Journal" (1863), and the "Galaxy" magazine (1866), was a contributor to the "Centary" and other periodicals, and wrote a notable biography of General Grant. He was a founder and the first president of The National Rifle Association. He died in New York in 1907.
Church FREDERICK STUART, an American artist
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
FREDERICK STUART, an American artist; born in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1842. He studied at the National Academy of Design, and in 1885 became a member thereof. He has achieved note as a painter of figures and animals.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
The denomination Collier's described in 1921, with its 117,853 communicants, no longer exists under that name: the Christian Church merged with the Congregational churches in 1931 and, in 1957, joined the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ. Of its colleges, Elon is now Elon University and Defiance College survives, while Union Christian College and Starkey Seminary are gone. Aiton's 1910 league table of the largest church buildings has also been overtaken — the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace at Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, consecrated in 1990, now outstrips them all, and Hagia Sophia, listed as belonging to "the Greek Church," was a museum from 1934 until it was returned to use as a mosque in 2020. As for the painter, modern scholarship spells him Frederic Edwin Church; his Hudson River house, Olana, opened as a New York state historic site in 1967, and his long-lost "The Icebergs" resurfaced in 1979 to sell for $2.5 million, then a record for an American painting.
Written for this edition, 2026.