The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-17

Statistics nowadays are adduced to prove
everything, but church statistics for obvious
reasons, are not quite as reliable rs those
OF Boards Of Trade or bank clearing houses.
The New York Times, howevet, in recent
number, produced series OF statistical
tables in order to throw light on the ques.
tions whether the Christian churches are
gaining steadily in adherents, or whether
infdelity is on the increase. 1t is Ques.
ton, in the first place, whether that won.
derfnl mixture Of races, tongues, religions
and no religions, the Babel OF New York,
affords anything like true test, yet the
figures are nevertheless iull OF interest.
The Time, gives list Of all the denomina-
lions in New York in 1915 and 1852. In
the former year the number OF
churches in that city was oOi, and
the total membership 1O2,859. In 1882
the churches have increased to 5O4, and the
church members number 596,ll7. The
population OF New York in 1915 was .iOO,.
0OO, and in 1882 it is estimated at 500, 600.
In that time the increase OF population has
been 22225 per cent, and these figures show
that the increase OF the Protestant denomi.
nations has been only &c per cent. while
the Catholics show an increase OF 900 per
cent In 1915 the number OF Catholic
churches in New York WINS lG, and the
membership 90, 900, and in 1852 the church
edlilces number 100 and the members 5OO,.
600: But it is suggested that while the
Catholics carry on their rolls every child
that is baptized in the church, though the
connection in after life may be very loose
or be dropped altogether, the Pro;estan,s
count only COMMITMENTS rs church mem.
bers.
Among the Protestant denominations
the Lutherlns have gained the most OH
account Of the German immigration, rising
from churches and 800 members in 1915
to 10 churches and 9,lC0 members in lSS2,
while the Dutch Reformed has remained
almost stationary, with IL churches in 1915
and the same number in 1852, the mem.
bership increasing from AIS TO 1851. The
Quakers, on the other hand, have fallen of
so per cent, from 4 churches and 1000
members to churches and 600 members.
ihs A.piStoPaihus nave lucfeaSeu from III
churches and 5000 members to 70 churhes
and 1920 members, an increase OF 2l5
per cent. The Presbyterians, Methodis,s
and Baptists have gained between 80 and
10 per cent. The Universalis,s have in.
creased from 1 churches and GOO members
to churches and 200 members, and the
unItarlans from churches and 200 mem.
bers to 5 churches and 500 members. In
1915 the number Of Jewish synagogues was
O, and the members 1900; in 1852 the nun.
Der is 10 and the membership o037, about
5 per cent of the total estimated Jewish
population OF 1000, while the statistics OF
the Times show that little less than half the
total population OF New York belong nom.
inally Mt least, 20 the different religious
sects. Alter dedncting the $4,000 church
members claimed by the Catholics and the
three thousand belonging to the Jewish
synasogues there remains little more than
$1,000 church members to the Pro,estants
OF all denominations in population OF
100000. These figures, il anything like
accurate, carry their own comment.