Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-10
some unlere.tlDg Church s,at,stlcs


Editor Gdsetso d journal: A Clergyman
OF the Episcopal church having recently
Ind occasion to compare some Of the
statistics OF the lending Protestant
churches in Delaware, has kindly per-
mitted the writer to lay the results be-
fore your readers. The members Of the
several denominations are generally more
or less acquainted with the figures OF
their own churches, but II is seldom
that comparative view can BIO obtained,
as in tho following table:
Methodist Churches, 1870; ministers, "a;
members, 13,l2i; value OF property, fS70GOO;
salaries and expenses SA,750; contributions
tor missions, sig,bOi; miscellaneous contribu-
lions, tb,Slg
Presbyterian Churches, ~: ministers, 2i;
members, ABB, salaries mud expenses, S50lTl;
contributions ion missions, y ,36l contributions
for education. fidSi miscellaneous cnntribn-
Episcopal Churches, 9s ministers, i9; ncm-
hers, 1,Ob5 sHlarie5 and exponses, included in
miscellaneous; contributions Tor missions,
si,gol.6a; contributions for education, included
In miscellaneous; miscellaneous contributions,
SAG56.G7,
Taptiat- Churches, 49, minister's, s.: mem
bcrs, ,bS9 value Of prupcrty, sial300 salaries
and CNppfAes Sl3,,13: contributions for mis-
aiohs, Sl.iB5; contributions for edurntion,
i5S2 miscellaneous contributions, f3,iil.
Summing up all the contributiousf
Under the heads "Mission5" and Mis-
cellRneons," we have as follows:
Methotist Missions, sls,GOi; miscellaneous,
i6l,1&
Presbyterian Missions 81 1861; miscellaneous,
S51.nsi,
Blirropal Missions, si,2ogdo miscellaneous,
S5i,hhHgGI.
Baptst Missions si765; miscellaneous,
sl7,hs5.2S.
The contributions per capita are as fol-
Iowa:
Methodist Missions, .g6cents; miscellaneous,
Si,Gi.
Presbyterian Missions, si.isM; missed.
lanOous, 81 l.ll
EplscopalL Missions, s2.ssS; miscellaneous,
$4,000
baptist Missions. si.Oiis; miscellaneous,
flni2
II should be added that the stRtistios
of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Bap-
tist churches are taken from the reports
for 1887, and refer to the State OF Della
wRre alone. The statistics of the Epis-
oopnl church are from the diocesan
journal OF 1887 and cover the preceding
year; "a the special contributions for tho
endowment fund Of the EpisoopRte in
1887 would not be a fair representation
OF ordinary contributions. II should
also be added that the number of Episco.
pal clergy was exceptionally small at that
time, number OF parishes being vacant.
There ara over 30 now actively engaged
in the di1cese, besides half dozen re-
tired ministers taking occasional dntY.
In addition TO the IS, 1877 members re-
ported ABOVE, the Methodist church had
1eo 9,lfG probaticners. II these be
added 10 the llsinners, tho par capita
eqntnnatFus 70 wissions bud 0iscrl.
lsneuus ohteeta win be reduced ~ 80
cents and SO 81 respectively.
ConirRsted with the above fgureB
which give the Episcopal church third
pl.oe in Delaware, il may interest some
q yonr rosdeIs to know the relative
growths If the various religious bodies
in New York oi'y (ontsiie of the Roman
ONsholic chuToh, which is largely de-
pendent on immiErGtion) as recently
given by the EreRiaQ Past For period
Of Eve years, from 1852 to 1887, the in
crease in population in New York city
was Is So per ceut. IN tho Same time
tho membership of the Episcopal church
increased 81 "A per cent, more than
double that 0f the population. Leaving
this church out OF account, the increase
in church membership was only 3.12 per
cent.
This percentages Of inorease of the
other religious bodies were as followR:
Presbyterian (regular) & 90; PTeshy-
erian (sll shaaes) 80; Baptiee, s 0G;
Msihadist, il2; lntah Reformed, 90;
Congregational, 5 rs, tdecreasy), Fnt
perhaps thil growth OF the several
churches can beat be shown by actual
figures covering this period of i've years.
The figures stand for gains; Episeo.
paipns, sl70 manbers; Preshytstinus,
| 1876 members; Baptsts, $50 members;
Reformed, il2 suomhe's; MetheaiB9, 25
mam hers; Congresa,ionsiists, losB. These
last fSaros s.em to justify the oft 70.
peated assertion that the Episcopal
Church ia coming 70 be "the "HUreh Of
the cities" y I.Z