The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-09-01
CHURCH STATISTICS.

Her Ministers and Her Commandments
G2ins During the Past YeRr.
We publish this week page OF sta
tistics of the Christian churches of the
United States. 1t is the exhibit which
we gave in May, 1887, revised accord
ing to the returns for the present year.
| 1t is less complete and less accurate
than we could wish; but it is no fault
of ours that some of the denominations
have no official returns and that the
estimates in some instances are open
to the suspicion of being too liberal
Where official statistics are available
we have used them; in other cases we
have procured estimates from the
most competent persons. In not a few
instances the figures given are for
former years. We are glad to say,
| however, that the churches are taking
more trouble to secure correct yearly
returns. The Disciples of Christ, for
example, have begun the publication
of Year Book" so have the Chris
tians and the Church of God. For
some denominations, such as the
branches of Plymouth Brethren, it is
not possible even to get estimates;
they refuse to give information. There
are some thousands of Christians,
therefore, who are not represented in
our tables. We shall hope in time to
be able to include them.
Our summary shows that there are
1873, S85 churches, "a, 457 ministers and
1890, 1928 members in this country.
These totals, which are rather under
than over the exact figures, are big
with meaning One hundred and
thirty nine thousand churches
founded and maintained tor the
worship of God! More than ninety
four thousand ministers set apart for
the declaration and exposition of the
doctrines of Christianity! Almost
twenty millions of souls baptized in
the faith of Christianity! These are
eloquent facts. They are witnesses of
living faith, an earnest spirit, and
consecrated life. For these facts tell
of sacrifice and effort and costly en-
dowment, which are not the symp-
toms of unbelief and godlessness. I'm
| belief has been in the world longer
than Christianity; it came to this
country more than century ago; but
it has no facts like these to speak for
it.
The net gains for the year were
6,434 churches, 4,j05 ministers and
774,S61 communicates. These facts
are eloquent, too. They show that
the long-predicted decline of Christi
anity has not yet set in. Chris
tianity is still increasing her churches,
her ministers and her communicates.
Every year many thousands Of her
communicates and hundreds of her
ministers are swept away by DEATH
but her numbers do not fail. She gath
ers in converts and educates ministers,
and fills all the gaps and has a large
excess. The excess this year is 4,500
ministers and rs, 200 communicates.
This means an addition to the force of
the ministers of about 81, and to the
number of COMMITMENTS of 14,904
every week. More than seventeen new
churches were organized every day Of
the year.
Every day saw II churches, II min
listers and 2,129 communicates added
to the forces of Christianity in the
United States. This is the story which
our statistics tell. Is it not a sublime
story? Who can read it and lose heart
and faith? Who can read it and not be
glad and grateful?
And yet this is not the measure of
the power and opportunity OF the
Church Of Christ in this land Leav-
ing out the Roman Catholics, the net
increase was 574,S SCI communicates.
This is at the rate of 1876 to each
church, 6.6 to each minister and to
every u communicates. An average
of 10 to each church would by no
means be an extravagant expectation.
That would give net increase for tho
Protestant churches of 1920, 900.
This is the number we might have had
this year; it is the number we may
have for the year to come.-M Y. IN
DEPENDENT.
GLOIHE GEL ENTInMc