Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-08-03
The Catholic Formulation.

The Catholic Population.
Nj. Reid started out on the present canvass with
the assertion, among others, that there were four
millions of Catholics in the United States and gave,
as his authority, the Catholic Almanac. We pro-
cured copy of the Catholic Ain anac for 1855, and
called attention to the fact that this statement
not sustained by it. We quoted the pages-2s9, go
where the statistics could be found under the head
of Summary of Catholicity in the United States"
We took the &c Catholic Population - for the several
dioceses as there put down, and upon adding up
found that the total amounted to 1,73S,020 in the
United States and Territories, and not 100000, as
stated by Mr. Reid. We do not pretend to Touch for
the correctness of this Almanac-we not called
upon to do so. 1t is Mr. Reids authority, and the
only authority he gave here for his assertion that
there were over four millions Of Catholics IN the
United States That Almanac now lies on the table
before US as We writewe have examined It careful
IT, and defy any one to show in it, from title page to
conclusion anything looking like the statement that
there are four millions of Catholics in the United
States, nor any other summing up OF the "Ca'hohc
Population " than that to which we have referred
Mr.. Reid now we understand, says that the l,739,-
O2O means Church members, and not "Ca'hohc
Population the authority quoted by himself says
" Catholic Population" and does not say member
shin - or ANYTHING of the kind. Moreover, the AL
manae does give ,739 ,02O, and noarhere gives any
other number. So that if MIR. Reid looks for au-
,boritv 10 sustain his assertion of there being four
millions of Catholics in the United States, he must
look elsewhere for authority, which he will not md
in the United States Census, where we Will lind
them put down at 667 1923. This, we presume
is the estimated Church membership, and would
appear to be about correct taking the number OF
churches and stations put down by the said
Catholic Almanac page 900 ;-l824 churches and
678 stations, which would exhibit an average OF
2S6 church members for each congregation, which,
taking the country over, is very liberal estimate
higher than it appears to US can be at all probable.
The fact is that the more examine the matter
the more fullv are we convinced that the talk about
the inrease of Roman Catholicism in the United
States is mere bug bear. WedO not believe that it
is increasing, with the natural increase OF the
population OF the country. Several protestant de-
nominations are increasing much more rapidly. Lei
alone we think and believe that it is much more like
" to retrograde than advance, but pretend
10 estimate the effect which the present K n onslaught
may produce, as al! history has shown that nothing
so directly tends to build up any religious denomna
ton as any attempt to prescribe prosecute, or put ii
down The course of the Know Othing self styled
American party, we most sincerely and candidly be-
lieve is calculated directly to strengthen Catho
lcism in the United States than all other causes al
present in operation. 1t gives that church the i'm
mense and in religious matters, the incalcuable ad
vantage of being able to place itself in the attitude
prosecuted society. Why, even Mormonism itself
with all its infdelism and gross lewdness, and mmo
raty, has sprung up into formidable strength ant
portentous dimensions, mainly in this way.
| We have no doubt Mr.. Reid has got most of hi
statistics from rabid newspaper articles anonymous
and reckless K N circulars, or the equally reckless
and worthless speeches of men like MIR. K. Rayner
He has evidently never taken the trouble to submit
any of them to the test of examination, which, whel
i applied, sca;ers them 10 the Winds leaving nothn
! but an order OF reckessness and deception behind
warn the people against being taken in by others
the same kind