Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-04-09
tGatohman s. Journal.
WEDNEsDAY. ApRIL o. 1s78
The Census and the Churches.


Tue census presents some statistics 10
respect 10 the growth and movement oil
the various churches in this country that
are well worth moments consideration on
the part Of our readers. We have no ques.
ton but that the bes, development Of moral
and religious life will always be found
where there is the greatest variety Of re.
ligious denominations and the sharpcst ri.
valry between them They provoke each
other TO the best things, and no single
church can afford to fall behind any of the
others in those essential properties and
qualities for which it is necessary to have
a church at all. Wherever one church only
has possession of the ear aud conscience Of a
nation, it will grow proud impcrious, grasp.
lug and corrupt. The higher elements Of
truth and faith are secured in the severe
competition Of different churches. The gen.
eral law which governs commerce, art, liter
ature and life in all its forms prevails ia
the movement Of religion among meo.-
DR.. Holland mourns that the churches
should be 30 strenuous rivals to each other
in the attempt to secure the SURFACES Of
men, yet it is in that rivalry that the purity
of religion, faith and worship is in large
measure secured.
1t appears from the census returns that
the aggregate membership Of the churches
in this country is in exact numbers, u sos.
062. There has been an increase since
1850 Of G43O,l37. The aggregate prop.
erty Of these churches amounts to S354,-
4S8,5Sl The increase in the value Of
Church property, in the last twenty years,
has been over s260,O0O,0OO. While the
membership has advanced City per cent the
value Of Church property has advanced
four hundred per cent. Ii seems also, that
about one-half Of the population belong to
the various churches. Leaving out infants
and young children, more than six,y.seven
per cent. of the people have Church con.
neotion. This proportion is quite large,
larger in fact than we had supposed, and
it indicates that the competitive influence
Of the churches creates quite g successful
and enthusiastic propagaudism
The regular Baptist Church has increas.
ed in twenty years from 3,247 ,069 to
1897 Jig, or a fraction more than ten per
cent. In the meanwhile their church prop
eriy has risen from eleven millions to forty
millions in value The Congregational
Church had membership in 1850 of s07,-
33j 10 1870 it numbered on its rolls
LllT2l2, making a gain in twenty years
of forty per cent Its property has gone
up from eight to twenty-five millions The
Episcopal Church twenty years ago reck-
onei membership of G43,59S 1t now
numbers 99l,O5l. Its property has 10.
creased three hundred PER cent
The Quakers have been steadily dccliu-
ing in numbers, though increasing in the
value Of their church property. They now
number less than quarter of a million
souls The war was too much for them,
and swept too many of them off their feet.
The Methodists in 1850 numbered 1915.
$40; in 1870 their roll had increased to
6,52S ,209. Their church property had ap.
precated from fifteen to seventy millions
The rate Of increase in the Methodist
Church for the past ten years has been but
four per cent. In the preceding ten years
it was fifty per cent. The Presbyterians
have increased their membership in the
same period only $4,000, but a little over
six per cent. Their property, however,
has increased three hundred per cent in
value The Catholic Church have increas-
ed 10 numbers from 6G7 1868 in 1850, to
l,090,5l4 in 1870. Its property has gone
up from nine millions to sixty millions
and the member Of its churches from l,22G
to $500. The Uuitarians numbered 1873,
0G7 in 1850, and now number 1855, Al
The Uuiversalists have lost about q pei
cent. Of thei; membership in the same pc
Rod
1t will be seen from these statistics thai
the Methodist Church is the largest. The
Baptist stands second il number; the
Presbyterian third the Roman Cathoi,
fourth the Copgregatonalsl fifth; tn,
Episcopal sixth the Christian seventh
the Lutheran eighth, and the German Re
formed ninth. The other religious bodies
in the order of their membership, are
Quakers, Dutch Reformed, United Breth
rem, Uniyersalists, Unitarian, Jews, Nor
mons, Second Advent, Shakers and Spirit
ualists. Reckoning the Methodist Church
at 100, the Baptist will be IS, the Presby
terian 45- or if in the Presbyterian Church
all the churches which are Presbyterian il
form should be included, such as the Dutch
the German reformed, &c., it would be 90
the Roman Catholic 80 the Congregations
Is, and the Episcopal Is. These statistics in,
dictate healthy development ofreligious life
among our people. The denominations which
are now making the largest advance are those
which stand lowest in membership, Small
sums draw larger rate Of interest than
large ones. Just now tho Episcopal and
Catholic and Congregational show the larg.
est rate Of increase. And their estates are
also advancing proportionately in value.
But it will be long time before they stand
equal in point of members with either Of
the great oyershadowiug denominations Of
the country, the Methodist, Baptist and
Presbyterian.
In proportion, the Congregationalist,
have the greatest number of colleges and
schools, and control the most influential Of
the educational forces of the country. The
Episcopalians have the most wealth, though
there is but fraction of one per cent. be-
tween them and the Presbyterians. Tn,
Presbyterians have the most staunch ortho