Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-05-18
A RELIGIOUS CENSUS. =,
The Dimculties That such On UadeS-
taking Would Encounter

The great number Of letters on the
subject which have lately reached the
director Of the census at Washington
offer conclusive evidence that there Is
not In the country at large very clear
idea of the prospective religious Gen.
sus which 1t had been proposed to COM
nile In connection with the general
enumeration Of the people Of the Unit
ed States recently made under gov
ernmental auspices. AS a matter or
fact. it has not yet been definitely de-
termined to make presentation of the
relative strength of the various reli-
gious bodies in the country, and even
in the event Of a favorable decision
upon the proposition 1t will be imprac'
ticable TO undertake active work prior
to July 1, 1902.
In the regular house to house census
enumeration made In the summer OF
1900 the officials did not concern them
selves directly or indirectly with the
religious opinions Of the people. Not
only was the stand taken that any In
curry as to hereditary or personal con-
victions regarding matters Of faith or
ecclesiastical relations would be vigor-
ously resented by many of those to
whom such questions might be pro-
pounded, but 1t was held that figures
thus obtained would in all probability
be so incomplete and Inaccurate as to
be possessed Of but slight value.
The prevalent impression that the
census office was gathering informa'
ton relative to the strength of the va
rious religious denominations may
doubtless be attributed to the publica'
ton. In connection with the census OF
1890. of a volume of statistics OF
churches. These statistics were seour'
ed from schedules placed In the hands
of competent persons In each OF the
minor ecclesiastical subdivisions OF the
various churches.
The schedules which were sent out
Mt that time and which 1t is possible
will be duplicated year hence con-
tained line for each organization re-
ported, including churches without pas
tors, missions or stations, chapels
meetings and societies. There were
also propounded questions relative to
the character Of the edifices occupied
their seating capacity, their value and
the number Of communicates or church
members. In the instructions sent out
to guide persons in filling out SEIZED
ules It was stated that the word com
municant" was to be interpreted al
| embracing "all, without distinction OF
sex, who are privileged to participate
| In the ordinance Of communion In de
nominations which observe 1t and al
members Of other denominations
Some Of the faults Of such system
were obvious at the time 1t was adopt
ed, but no better plan presented itself.
Census Director Merriam states
frankly that he has not yet been able
to determine whether or not to under
take a religious investigation or. II h'
does, how extensive the research shall
be. Some strong objections have beer
made to any consideration OF the ques
| ton whatever For one thing. IT II
! claimed that the conditions OF mem
bership in the various bodies calling
themselves Christians vary so lndeh
nitely that comparisons Of denomina
tional strength based upon nOmina
membership In the several churches
are almost certain to be misleading.
| For instance, there are religious de
nominations in which children born Of
I parents connected with those organiza
tons are birthright members. withou
| baptism, confirmation or any persona
| profession of religious faith. Then
again, admission to other churches
may be by baptism and confirmation
| by baptism without confirmation. b.
confirmation after baptism or by pro
fession of personal belief In the doc
| trines contained In q particular cree(
and a promise of obedience to the au
| thority vested In the ecclesiastical or
ganization. All these make cOmpari
sons Of computations on a common
basis practically impossible.
| DR.. Frederick II. Wines. the assist
ant director of the census, Is confiden
that If the religious statistics are gath
cred they will show that there hal
been no diminution of religious interes
| In the United States during the pas
ten years and that they will demon
strate that there has been heavy IN
crease in the number of churches
membership. aggregate wealth ant
| average attendance. He declared II
| the course Of recent conversation
that the people Of the United States
are, contrary to certain contentious
going to church more regularly ant
supporting the gospel more LIBERAL!
than they did decade or two ago.
Walden Fawcett in Christian Herald.
| Worlds Longest Stairway.
The Philadelphia city hall contains
the highest continuous stairway In TIL
world, and tourists who have boosted
of their muscular ability in climbing
! the stone steps of the Bunker Hi
monument at Charlestown. the Wash
| ington monument or the monument Il
| General Brock near Queenstown, On
tario, will tell their friends Of thei