Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-05-18

being an editorial article in the "Catholic Herald"
OF the 10th December, 1882, which, or a part, as
your own Judgment may dictate to be the better,
l hope you will publish in the Organ.
! In the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Almanac
for 1854 is a table showing the state of their
Church for various years, from 1905 TO 1854 in
elusive.
| The following extract for tho years 1884 and
1854, will show their increase, excepting In popu-
lation, in the last twenty years:
1884. 1854.
Dioceses IL Al
Apostolic vcariates 9
Bishops : IL 80
Priests 3ls l.57a
Churches and other places of
| worship 292 2,46s
Ecclesiastical institutions 8 "a
| Colleges 90
Female academies 90 liz
| The compiler of the Almanac remarks:
| This table shows, that from 1884 to 1914, the
personal and material force of the Church in the
United States increased at the rate of about 100
per cent; the number of dioceses bishops priests
| churches, seminaIics, colleges, and female acade-
| mics, having about doubled during that period.
During the last ten years nearly the same ratio is
! observable, except in the number of churches and
priests in these departments the ratio Of increase
has been about ITO per cent"
At this time the number Of Mary -worshppers
In this country, falls very litte If anything short OF
three millions, and is increasing to the
statement of Senator Adams, of Mississippi oil
| tanned from the State Departmental the rate of
about four hundred thousand (enough for pretty
large State) year; and yet, with these facts
| staring us in the face, Mr.. Wise says they are
feu, so medk there is not the least danger to be
apprchended. How, in the name Of Hcavep, can
any man say this who is not sold to tie PopeP
Yours truly, JF. p.
From the Catholic Herald, Philadelpha, Thu sday.
| ihar
| "The Catholic Item In the Census ReDoyk-A
correspondent calls our attention to the statistics
Of Church accommodation, published in the CEN
sus tables. He says, the number OF churches may
be correct, but the aggregate accommodation Is
not; for the want of means amongst Catholics pre-
cludes large number Of churches yet as we
have many masses in one day. the churches accom-
modate much larger number of worshippers than
is set down in the table
"The fact to which our correspondent alludes
is Well worthy Of notice. And although we re-
member making some remarks on the subject q
few years back, yet IL is well to call up the matter
again in connexion with the census report
"The table to which we allude, processes TO give
the number OF churches belonging to each denomi-
nation, and the aggregate amount Of worshippers.
which they will accommodate. To the Catholics
are assigned Lila churches, and these are said TO
accommodate $40, $50.
The census was taken, we believe, during the
latter part Of 1850. Whether the number Of
Catholic churches at that time was no larger than
the above, we cannot say as we have not the re-
port Of that year at hand. But, only one year
later, that is, at the close Of 1851 the number Of
Catholic churches in the United States was l,411,
just 800 Cess one) more than the number reported
in the census table. As IL Is not likely that the
number increased by 800 in the short space Of
twelve months, we must consider the number set
down in the census report as much below tho
truth. But 1t should be remembered that, in addi.
ton to the places of worship called Churches
we have many chapels and stations in which a
large portion Of our people assemble for worship.
The number Of these amounts to no less than 6sl.
As our correspondent remarks, in many places
Catholics, on account Of their poverty unable
to erect churches, and must, therefore, worship
in such temporary buildings as they find.
Now, If we add the number of stations to the nun.
Der of churches we have 2,092 in all. Deduct
about 200-a liberal allowance-for the increase
accruing since the census was taken and we
have remaining, in round numbers l,900 as the
sum total of churches and stations in 1850, or
nearly 800 more than indicated in the governmt
report A very considerable difference certainly
Many of these places called stations at which
our clergy offciate, are, TO say the least worthy
of the more dignifed epithet Of churches, as
large proportion of the meetinghouses owned by
the Bapdsts, Metbodists, Presbyterians, &C., esp,
cially In the rural districts Of Virginia and Other
are constructed Of logs and few weather-b0arts,
and are no better than an ordinary barn or hut.
" But, let US consider the amount Of accommo-
dation which our churches are said TO afford. The
number is given as ,ll2 and the accommodation
620,95 giving an average of 56S TO each church.
Now, receiving this statement the correct num-
Der Of churches, yet the amount of accommodation
is improperly stated. The estimate to Catholic
churches must not be made as In the case Of Pro-
testant churches; that is IL the resM is to be
sidered any index 10 the Catholic population.
Among Protestants, the number Of members bears
direct proportion to the number Of persons the
church will accommodate at one time. Among
Catholics the case is different. BY having several
| masses services In the course of morning,
church is made 10 accommodate several dist net
congregations. In most OF churches, there
are two or three regular and distinct occasions for
mass or worship on every Sunday morning.
"Thus, IL a stranger viii enter any of our city
| churches, about six orseven some Sunday morning,
he will find it filed in every part with congrega-
tion who win remain about one hour little
Should he remain after this congregation has dis
persed, he will find the church again full at about
8 o'clock. Should he remain after this second
grcgation has retired, he viii find the church filed
for the third time about II o'clock. Now, as very
| few 20 10 more than one of these services in tho
course ofa morning. the same church affords ac-
commodation for three distinct congregations or
| for three times the number which it will actually
hold at one time II may be said that Protestans
also have two or three services in the course OF
Sunday. This is true. But they have but one
service in the first halhof,the dny; the other ser
vices are in the afternoon or evening, and are at
tended, with but little exception, by precisely the
same persons. Catholics also have their afternoon
and evening services, making in oil sometimes five
or six In the Of the day; but il is only
Of the morning services that they are bound to at
/ tend.
ut win thus be seen that tho amount Of accom-
mediation afforded by churches is at least twice
as great what is set down in the census report.
| We do not say three times as great because allow
| ance must be made for conntry churches, in which
there are but two land in only one) masses Of
or services on Sunday. Our churches therefore,
instead Of accommodating only 62o,950 worship
pers, according to the census report, do in reality
accommodate l,24l 300 worshippers. If besides
this we make allowance for the evident deficiency
in the number Of churches reported and also take
into the account the 600 stations at which Catholic
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