The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-01-28
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES ABOUT
THE VARIOUS CHURCHES
IN the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PROGRESS OF CATHOLIC CHURCH
DURING THE YEAR 1908.
WONDERFUL INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP
SOME OTHER DENOMINATIONS BARE.
LY HOLD THEIR OWN.

SOME OTHER DENOMINATIONS BARE
LY HOLD THEIR OWN.
The year 1898, Judging it from the re-
ligious statistics which the Independent
gathered and has published, appears to
have been very favorable one for the
majority Of the religious denominations
which are. represented in this country.
or rather the churches-for there are i've
such bodies mentioned in the 1ndepend-
ent's summary, though, Of course, only
one church is entitled to the designation
of Catholic-which made the largest
gains last year in membership, are the
Catholic ones. They show an increase
during 1898 of 219,791 members. Second
in order came the II Methodist bodies.
which report gain of 1926. Third in
rank stand the Baptists, 13 sects, with
131, ,465 as their claim of gain. The IL
Presbyterian churches report an increase
of 52,239. Two denominations of the
Latter Day Saints, to one of which be-
longs that congressman-elect from Utah
who is now being talked about SO much,
holds the fifth place, with 43,269. The
Lutherans are next, their gain being &c.
678; the Disciples of Christ claim an in
crease of 34,536, and are hard pressed Ly
the two Greek churches, with 34,236, and
the only other denomination that claims
10000 gain is the Christian Scientists,
who assert that they increased last year
from 10000 to 10000. Quite number
of the 4S denominations which figure in
this statistical summary claim no in
crease, and one, the Church of the New
Jerusalem, admits loss of 972 mem
bers. The smallest gain is claimed by
the Society for Ethical Culture, which
asserts that it gained 236 converts in
1898, says the Boston Republiv.
If we compare the religious statistics
gathered by our New York contempo-
rary with the figures of 1895, some ad-
thrown upon the religious character of
the past year. According to the reig-
ious figures of 1895, the entire member
ship of all so-called Catholic churches in
the United States then was 8,014,911.
Now, If we subtract these figures from
the membership Of the same churches in
1898, all Catholic bodies added together,
we get Catholic increase foT three years
of ,75S That would be an average
annual gain for these churches of 127,-
253 members. The Independents figures,
however, tell lis that during 1898 the
gain of these so-called Catholic churches
was 219,791. That would leave only
161 ,967 to be gained in 1896 and 1897. in,
other words, these alleged Catholic
churches gained in 1898 alone over $4,000
more members than they did in the two
preceding years together or nearly
three times as many as they did in any
one of these years. Figures, of course.
never lie, but they sometimes make
rather funny showings, and this appears
to be case of that kind. Undoubtedly
1898 was a very good year for the Catho-'
lie church in this country. The Ameri-
can Catholic body is prolific and
healthy one, and conversions are con-
stantly taking place. But despite all
these facts, 1t is rather q tax upon our
believing powers to ask us to accept the
statement that the Catholic church
gained more members in this country
in 1898 than it did in both 1896 and 1897.
Yet that is what our New York neigh
bors figures assert :
Nor are the Catholic churches the
only ones which make such surprising
exhibit when comparison is instituted
between the 1893 figures and the ones Of
1896. Take the Baptists, and the latest
report Of their strength credits them
with having gained 131, ,465 members last
year. Their total strength in 1898 Is
put down as being 4,364,427. In 1895
their entire membership was 4,068, 1853.
That gives a gain for the past three
years Of 295,888. Divide these figures by
three, to get the average annual gain,
and the result is 98,629. Our Baptist
friends, therefore, must have made last
year 1884 more converts than they did
in either Of the preceding two years, and
we think they would find it rather diff
ficult to prove that they did so, with all
their activities.
If We turn to the Presbyterians the
showing is even more surprising. In 1898
the Presbyterian churches reported their
adherents as numbering 1,45s, 1893. The
figures for 1898 credit them with 1,542,-
401. Their gain in the last three years,
consequently, is represented by S3,4O2,
which would make the average yearly
increase 27,so0. But in 1898 the Presby-
terian gain is declared to have been
52,239, or nearly twice the increase Il
was in 1896 or 1897. And this, too; not
withstanding the divisions and losses
which Presbyterianism has suffered
through "heresy'' hunting and conse-