The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-05-07

[From Frank Leslies.
,@s1 CHURCHES. fflf

'1ss1 --fa (From Frank Lsslies.1 1f9HA iasei7.
'fHsd laaf ,eei CHURCHES. sulif gaa ia aiaal
"The church statistics Of the last census, .
says contemporary, are curious and interest
ing. There are g., $50 church buildings id the
United States, with sittings for II 1895 ,542 peo-
pie. While the total population Of the country
is little over $4,000, 900, only q 900, 900 per-
sons are over ten. years old. Deducting the
very young, the very old, the sick and infrm,
the existing accommodations seem adequate
The total value Of church property is $349 GIG,
78o. The Methodists are the strongest deAom.
ination, having 81 1887 churches The Baptists
are next, having 1882 The Presbyterians
hold the third place, having 7,o71 churches
Fourth are the Catholics with 1896 churches.
The Christians both Disciples and the Chris
tian connection are included under this name
have 1892; the Lutherans 2, ,776; the Congre-
gationalists 2,715; The Episcopalians 2,601;
the German Reformed, 1,445; the Friends 622,
the Universalists COZ; the Unitarians 80; the
Mormons III, and the Jews 1872 In the de-
cade between 1850 and 1860, most of the de-
nominations increased more rapidly than dur
ing the succeeding ten years. The Methodists
gained fifty per cent in the former period. and
only seven per cent. in the latter; the Baptist
increase fell off from twenty seven to fifteen
per cent; the Presbyterians from thirty-two to
ten; the Catholics from one hundred and nine
to forty-nine; the Christians from one hundred
and thirty-six to thirty-six; the Lutherans from
seventy three to thirty; the Congregationalists
from twenty-nine to twenty-five; the Episco.
paians from forty to twenty. one; and the..Ger-
man Reformed from ninety-eight to sixty.nine
per cent The Friends and Universalists each
lost nine per cent. during the last decade.
"The Unitarians gained eight per cent from
1850 to 1860, and seventeen per cent. from 1860
to 1870. During the former period. the Nor
mons increased fifty per cent, and during the
latter, more than quintupled their numbers
The Jews. who gained one hundred and four
teen per cent. from 1850 to 1860, increased by
only ninety seven per cent. from 1860 to 1870
In respect to the aggregate value Of church ed
ifices, the Methodists stand first, the Catholics
second, the Preshyterians third, the Baptists
fourth, the Episcopalians fifth, and the Congre-
churches standing in 1870 was not double that
of 1860. their value was four times as great
Making all possible allowance for the general
advance in nominal values, it is quite apparent
that the newer churches are generally much
more elegant than the older ones The increase
of some Of the denominations is largely de-
pendent upon immigration. Others are re-
cruited from different home sects.
"When the figures above are studied In the
light Of these facts, some important conclusions
are apparent The decrease in the gain Of the
Catholics would seem to indicate either that
emigration from Catholic countries is decreas-
ing. or that the Church does not succeed in
keeping the newcomers within it's pale. The
diminution in the increase of the Methodists is
very large. and almost inexplicable. The gain
of the Unitarians is attributable to the yea:
with which the denomination has conducted it's
operations in the cities of the Northwest, where
emigration from the New England States has
given them nucleus for the formation Of con-
gregations The same cause has given Con-
gregationaliam strong hold in the Northwest,
and has enabled it to make better showing for
the last ten years than the Prcsbyterians fam
lily. It is to be regretted that the total mem.
bership of the various churches is not included
in the return before u.s." '' g"
81 y &fp -. - - - - a,sst1 ~ts3