Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-04
AT SO MUCH A YEAR.

What L costs to maintain the various
religious denominations in this country
ls the subject of writer quoted in the
Literary Digest, 1t is interesting read
Ing. Ha says;
Last year the running expenses Of
the churches OF the United States were
{-NGoO0QJO. 1t required nearly $1,000
o" '1r New York City alone. For the
four cities Of New York, Philadelphia,
Chicago and Boston over $4,000, 900 was
required and this does not include new
buildings, mission contributions, or
general charities. One hundred years
aV there was not a missionary society
I'm this country, now our missionary
societies collect and dlsburse S25,0O00O0
a year Statistics recently compiled
show that Il costs sll 600, 600 a year to
maintain the Episcopal churches of this
country, while the Presbyterian cost
}203l500O; Baptist Sl2 $4,000, Meth
oda }26,267000, and Roman Catholic
SilS5.000 The Sunday school lesson
PAPERS libraries. etc, cost N,2500OO.
Trinity church. Of New York, Is re-
garded IN the richest church In Amerl-
ca u having large holdings In real es-
late, but st. Bartholomew Episcopal
church New York, has an income OF
about 100000 a year while Trinity, also
Episcopal, receives about Sl6S,0O0 year
There are several Episcopal churches in
No~ York, Philadelphia. and Boston
having incomes OF from $4,000 TO $780,
600 a year. The largest income Of any
presbyterlan church Is that Of the
Brick New York. which Is $4,000 q
year. The next largest is the Second
NJ Indianapolis. with $4,000. Madison
Avenue New York. has the largest in
come II any Methodist church S59OOO
"a wear The wealthicst Baptist church
is Fifth Avenue. New York its income
LAST wear Amounting 60 Sii5 600, The
Rockefellers attend the church. ana us
income last year does not represent a
fixed annual amount Whlle the Bap-
,lst churches have more than six times
as many members as the Episcopaiian
the cost OF maintaining the latter Is
more han 100000 greater The Epls-
copal church, In proportion to numeri-
can strength cost from three TO I'VE
times ne much for maintenance as eth
or the Baptlst. Presbyterian, Methodist
or Catholic
"About $1,000 900 year is spent for
pihlas by the American people, whlle
$500 900 year goes for hymn books and
$50 900 a year for prayer books
II viii be noted that the greatest
par Of these millions go toward the
maintenance Of preachers, buildings,
distribution Of literature, and 50 ON, al
though the gospel is supposed to be Of
fared free and without money II
These aums were spent upon truly
beneficial institutions. such as would
better the conditions Of mankind. there
can be no doubt that the practical re-
suits would be more gratifying than
thew o,e now There Is no objection to
the practice Of gathering means for the
Maintenance of church work Even the
ApasrIa paul canvassed the churches
for money contributions But these
were for the starving Saints Of Judea,
and no rendered a strict account Of the
lrcor, and the expenditures. As for
himself ne subslsted while preaching
10 fine world, on voluntary contribu-
tons ar on the results OF his own labor
Iils WIS not a remuneratiye office, The
pulrl was not means OF subsistence
He dld no, sell religion at so much a
voer christian" churches OF today
should return to frst principles, or give
up heir aspirations at being the In
strlments Of the worlds salvation