Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-10
CHURCHES FAILING.

ldHAANh INA'Nt
CHURCHES FAILING.
The New York Herald has taken
pains to gather statistics showing the
percentage Of the so.called Christian
ard non Christian population OF the
city Of New York. The figures are
somewhat startling. even when II Is
known that the influence OF the various
churches Is declining
According 10 an estimated census OF
1896. out Of a total population OF Slol'-
5il, there were 255ei7 Protestant
church members. or about 5 per cent;
Catholics, Jews, ETC.. constituted about
"a per cent. and the remaining s. per
cent Of the population, or 10000 we're
"non.rellglous" people. not connected
with any church.
Toxic is the second largest heather
city OF the world, but its population Is
placed at 100000 as compared TO New
Yorks i.372.OOO non-church goers.
The Herald further points out that
in isl5 the evangelical church member
ship was 1876 per cent Of the people,while
In 1890 this had dwindled TO S.S. And
this condition seems 20 be general. In
san Francisco the Protestant popula-
ton Is estimated at 5.s per cent. In
one ward IN Brooklyn with a popula-
ton Of $1,000, there is no Protestant
church. In South Dakota, the Pro-
testants number TO 1893. in Indian
Territory TO POI; in Alaska TO 3,i6l.
It would OF course. be unjust to con-
clude that all who are not registered In
church record, are agnostics There
probably IS an ever increasing number
who refuse TO subscribe TO any OF the
antiquated creeds and ceremonies, and
yet believe IN and practice some of the
fundamental principles Of Christianity.
Yet. there can be no doubt Of II, inh-
deity Is on the increase. fostered by
the aggressive work Of higher criticism
and its numerous allies no less than by
the ever increasing love for things be-
longing TO this world. coupled with In
difference TO that which is OF eternal
value.
A careful study OF the religious sta
tstics. as gathered by the New York
Independent Of Jan T. shows that
nearly the entire religious force has
suffered a collapse. The average In
crease during the past two years Is
given as one per cent. while the popula-
ton probably increased nearly two per
cent. And. remarkably enough, most OF
the gain has been among the colored
churches Of the South, and with the
small denominations.
The larger denomlnatlons-thc Meth
odlsts, Baptlsts, Presbyterians and Con-
gregationalists, seem to have lost their
vitality. The Methodists show a most
marked spiritual decline. The follow
ing. which is from an article by cler-
gyman IN the Christian Cynosure gives
a fair idea OF the situation:
u quote from the Presbyterian re-
| port The gain for the year ending
April /. 1899, was about 1900. while for
the year ending April !. 1894 II was 90
gO0 Many reasons have been given for
this check In the increase Of mem
bers.
This Ii the report OF the congrega-
tionallsts;
THE latest statistics are for the year
1898. They show that the denomination
Is making little progress temporarily
| and In some respects Is retrograding.
| This Is quite apparent when we see that
| the Increase was but three-tenths OF
one per cent. that the Christian En-
deavorers had fallen of 1900 and their
| benevolent contributions 1852, 40j-about
thirty three per cent"
OF the Baptlsts the writer in the
Cynosure says:
"Of the Baptlsts, the growth Of the
whole Is about equal 90 that OF the pop
ulatlon. but as the colorcd Baptists OF
the South seem 10 have had large in
crease In ministers and churches there
Is reason to think that the white Bap-
lists OF the North have but little more
| than held their own. Like their breth-
rem they have participated IN the gem
eral decline. The United Brethren
QLiberals) report a falling off OF about
seven per cent
We need not speculate upon the
causes Of this decline so noticeable at
the end OF century that has been
marked by numerous religious "revlv-
ais" There are many apparent causes.
The fact Is not TO be hidden, and II Is
difficult not to reflect upon II In con-
nectlon with the great pretense to
Christian" morality set UP by those
who signally fail to attract the people
by their ethical standards. The leaders
Of the Jews were never more clamorous
FOR the maintenance Of their whited
sepulchres than shortly before the
earthquake that ended the old dispen-
sation. Is history merely repeating It.
self? Have we merely heard a noise in
dlcating that the building is falling?