The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-26
MORAL RUIN"
Figures Which Give the Lie to q Base
SANDER.

Figures Which Give the Lie to q Base
SANDER.
After the Peoples party national con-
vention adopted its platform declaring
the nation upon "the verge Of moral, po-
litical and material ruin," Geo. L. Doug
lass wrote to the census office to secure
f possible some comparative statistics
bearing upon the question of 'moral
ruin" There is prevailing idea that
churches and Sunday schools and mis-
sionary agencies have a direct influence
upon.public morals andlDouglass inquired
particularly as to the growth of these in
situations in comparison with the growth
CT population.
Superintendent Porter replied by send
ing vast mass of statistics of the recent
census only. the Office having no COM
pact, comparative statement, such as
was desired. Subsequently, however,
the matter was again brought to the at.
tention of the census Office, and it was
decided to make up such a statement;
and yesterday Mr.. Douglass received the
communication printed below, which
ought to be published by every newspa-
per in this country wherever the calam-
ity outfit dares to show its head. For, if
the enormous growth of religious organ
izations and moral agencies are any in
dex whatever to public and private
morality. it gives the lie to the Peoples
| rt1 c. fat hot 4,
impossible to see how any man with the
slightest regard for truth or decency can
any longer apologize for it. The follow
is the letter:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
CENSUS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, Oct. %. 1892.
Mr.. George l.. Douglass. Wichita. Kan.
| DEAR SRA request has been made
at this office to furnish you with certain
statistics showing the increase of moral
agencies in the last ten or twenty years.
| 1t has tai ken some time to obtain the in
formation, owing to the difficulty of
sitting it out of many year hooks, but
what is given is thoroughly reliable. The
returns for 1880 gathered from the de-
nominational year books or other sources,
are compared with the census returns of
| 1890, as follows:
l. If there were any lack of progress
in the various churches it would be indi
Gated more clearly, perhaps, in the
church finances than in any other church
department., particularly in the contri-
buttons for missions among heather peo-
Piles in Asia, Africa and the South Seas.
AS a matter of fact the contributions of
the various churches for this purpose
have greatly increased in the last
ten years. Those of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church have in
creased from 1922, 600 in 1880, to
$3.50, 900 in 1890; those of the American
board. representing the Congregational
churches, from $613, 500 in 1880 to $751;
700 in 1890; those of the American Bap
fist Missionary union, from 1914, 800 in
1880 to $3.50, 500 in 1890, and those of the
Presbyterian board, from $3.50, 200 in
1880 to $780,, 900 in 1890. These four So
cieties are representative foreign mis-
slonary societies, and the above figures
show that they have increased their ag
gregate annual income from 81 $50, 800
in 1880 to 50, SCI, 300 in 1890, a clear gain
of $730, 900, or 40 per cent. Returns for
contributions to home missions, to
church extension, and to various other
church benevolences, show a correspond
ing increase.
9. There has been in the past ten years
a substantial increase in the number of
church edifices. The Methodist Episco-
pal church had in 1880 1850. and in
1890. 2,S44, an increase of 1888, or 80
per cent, and the valuation rose in the
same period from S64. 131 900 to $780,
723. 900, or so per cent; the Presbyterian
church had 5,4S9 churches in 1880 and
{. 1894 in 1890; the Baptist, 26, 060 in 1880
and "a, 7S0 in 1890, indicating an increase
of SO per cent
g. There has been similar percentage
of gain in respect to communicates. In
the ten years ending In 1890, the Protes-
tant Episcopal church had a net gain of
165, 600 communicates, or As per cent;
the Congregational denomination, of
12S, 900. or SO per cent; the Lutherans,
of 4S7, 900, or 6S per cent; the Presby-
terians, all branches, of $780, 900, or 80
per cent: the Methodist Episcopal
church. of SEQ 200, or 80 per cent; the
Methodist Episcopal church, South. OF
ass, 900, or 81 per cent. These are the
leading denominations. They had an
aggregate in 1880 of ..202, 600 communi-
cauts; in 1890 they reported 10, 216, 900,
net gain of 3.0l4, 900, or nearly AZ per
cent. This is larger rate OF increase
than that of the population. The in
crease of the population. according to
the census. was less than p per cent.
The increase of these leading denonIina-
tons is. therefore, more than II per
cent greater than the increase OF the
population. Taking the figures of the
Roman Catholic church, as given IN
their year books for 1880 and 1890. we
find that there has been net increase III
the ten years of l9io, 900 Catholic popu-
lation, or % per cent.
4. There has been a great gain in the
number of scholars in the Sabbath
schools. In the Congregational sunday
schools the number OF pupils has in
creased from 444,62S TO 6l3. 1i9; in the
Presbyterian, from 639, 9J2 TO SCI. 463;
in the regular Baptist, from 996,9ss to
1880. 663. \ similar rate of increase IS
indicated by the figures for Sunday
schools of other denominations.
| hope this information will lie suffi.
Gent tor your purposes.
Very respectfully,
A. +. CHILDS, Chief Clerk.