Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-04-07
Largest Circulation in the District
Reading Matter on Every Page
WASHINGTON CITY:
April ., 1873.
Development and q rowth OF the Re.
Iigious Denominations Of the COun.


try.
Ia the New York World we find an elaborate
table, drawn from the ninth census, showing
the development and growth of the various re-
Iigious denominations of the country for twenty
wears. From this il appears that while the
number of churches has not doubled from 1880
20 1s.0, and the membership has only increased
about so per cent, the church property has
more than quadruPled in the same period. To
hold its own with the growth Of population a
denomination must have added &c per cent to
is membership between 1sJO ana 1870. and %
PER cent. between 1sGO and 1870 Tried by this
standard, the regular Baptists have fallen
short about 81 per cent, but the irregular
BaPtsts, lizard shells, Complexities, New
lights, &e.,) have sextuPled in the Pc
Rod. The COngTegationa!ists have trebled
their property, but have only in
creased their membership s. pei cent,
showing a decline OF nearly 20 per cent
The Protestant EpiscOpalians have also trebled
their property and added 20 per cent to their
membership. The spirit has evidently ceased
10 move the Friends, who, financially thrifty,
have increased their dollars from Sl,7i3,5s1 TO
-, go go. bat have reduced the number of
their churches 10y sixty and their membership
by over GO,OOO.. The Jewish churches have in
creased their membership from 1881 to
1888. but this is largely BIS immi grafton. The
growth of the LutheTans, about 80 or 90 per
cent. in two decades, IL also to be attributed
principally to the immi grafton of North Ger
mans The MethOdists have raised their estate
from Sli,OO0,C0O TO near 10000 900, and their
membership has increased about 80 per cent
The horavians have gone down to almost
nothing, but the United Brethren, reforming
schism atiSts from the MOravian fold, hold their
own much better than most denominations.
The MOrmOns have grown from 10. 500 to 81 ,s3s,
and the Swedenborgians have more than trebled
their membership, while their property has in
creased seyen-fold. The Presbyterians, old and
new schools combined, have only increased their
Membership about 20 per cent, but their prop
eTty has augmented so per cent. The Dutch
and German Reformed have grown largely,
but chiefly BY immigration. Immigration has
contributed largely to the growth of the
Catholic Church, the membership of which
Il thTee-ford as great as it was in 1850,
while its property has increased six-fold.
The Second Adventists have increased nearly
seyen-iold in membership and nearly thirty
fold IN this worlds gear. The Shakers have
added % per cent. TO their membership, but
this growth was principally during the war.
when good many men of pacific disposition
would naturally become Shakers in view of the
frequent drafts, and the more readily tn at this
sect was practically exempt from military duty.
The Spiritualists are reported as having In
creased their churches from IL TO Is and their
membership from G, Z55 TO 6, $40 since 1850. The
CBitaTians are virtually at standstill in MEM
beTship, though much richer in money, and the
tnlyeISalists have declined largely IN members
although their estate has trebled in value