The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-21
CURRENT TOPICS IN
THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.

The precise Value of church statistics de-
| Ponds entirely upon their reliability. The
plan of counting membership differs ma
terialiy in different religious bodies. some
counting only those who have united by let
ter or by profession of faith. others includ-
ing. in addition to this class or member
ship, all adherents, while others still. as in
Catholic circles. include all baptized into
the church. infants as well as adults.
| For this reason. and because of the lax
ness in gathering the statistics, the United
States Government decided not to publish
any estimates of a religious character. This
perhaps is unfortunate, but the churches
have themselves to blame for this decision.
| Were all religious bodies careful and con-
i! scientious in reporting membership. and
| would cooperate, as they certainly should.
In aiding the Government in securing the
needed Information, the decision would
doubtless have been otherwise.
ing on the general untrustworthiness OF
statistics heretofore given and the custom
Of certain religious bodies in gathering
/ same, the Interior says:
The Roman Catholics have. upon their own
| confession. no standard Of membership by which
to gage their returns. some priests counting all
that come to their first communion; some those
that are baptized in infancy. and others all menu
bers OF all families any members of which at
tend service. In the same way the Church OF
| Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. Reorganized."
the nonpolygamous Mor1nons. report tremendous
advances, mostly 'in nubibus,'' as those who
have ever listened to n Mormon elder may well
believe. But perhaps a better illustration OF
these figures. which not only can le'' but do
lie, cannot b. given than to call attention to
the fact that there were only a little more than
\ quarter of a million Jews reported In the last
Federal census $500. while the very next year
the rabb!s Of their congregations reported over a
million and a quarter adherents. The Presbyte-
rians, Metho6asts. Baptists (North). Congrega-
tionalists. Eplscopalians and some Of the Lu-
theran bodies. are as careful in making up their
tables as the State Itself; but as for the other
religious bodies. their figures are for the most
part the result OF q vivid fancy rather than Of a
careful count.
The following statement, prepared by
Doctor Carroll, gives the most reliable re-
port Of the different bodies for 1900. and in
the order of their membership rank: Ro-
man Catholic (estimated). 8.s90.65S: Method
list Episcopal. 2,746. 1873; regular Baptist,
South. 1,630.9S5; regular Baptist, colored, L.
591. 735: Methodist Episcopal. South, Las, $50;
Disciples Of Christ. 1.149.9 S2: regular Bap-
fists. North. 99S. 657: Presbyterian. 9S3, 433:
Protestant Episcopal. 1 O.s5s; African Meth
631, 800; Lutheran Synodical Confer
ence, 5S1 .O29: African Methodist
Episcopal. Zion. 36.271: Lutheran
General Council. 1886. 4O1; Latter-Day Saints.
100000: Reformed German, 242,S31: United
Brethren, 2S9,639; Presbyterian, South. 22S.-
800; Colored Methodist Episcopal. 2c4. 972:
German Evangelical Synod, 2O3. 574; Luther
an General Synod. 1873. $50: Methodist Pro-
testant. 1SS. IA: Cumberland Presbyterian
$50, 1872; United Norwegian Lutheran. 13O. 900;
Primitive Baptist, 126. co., United Presby-
terrain. 11S,991, and Dutch Reformed, 107, 594.
The Northern Baptists will hold their IAN
niversaries' at Springfield. Mass, May 20
to %, and the delegates from Missouri are:
the Reverend Messrs. r. L. Da-
wilson, w. ". Boyd, j. r.
Brown. Z. V. Kyle. NJ. ]. Breaker. J..
T. NJ. Johnston. ]. OBJ. Lowry. S. A. North
rop, c. H. Murray. J. w. Million. ]. p.
Greene. ]. T. Muir. Z. w. Stephens and
s. F. Taylor. The Educational Society will
meet at Boston, Mass. and the delegates to
its meeting are: J. P. Greene. ]. w. Million,
8. F. Taylor. ]. T. Muir. E. W. White, Vic
tor Harlow. E. w. Dow, j. H. Hatton. r.
E. l.. Burks and w. H. Mavfield. The
Southern Baptist Convention will hold its
meeting at New Orleans May 10 to IA, and
a very large delegation has been appointed
from the Missouri Baptist General Conven-
ton.
One of the most significant acts of the
recent Congress of Disciples at Lexington,
KY. was the appointment of a committee
of seven to take charge of a movement
looking to an international confederation Of
religious denominations According to this
scheme. the different religious bodies are to
retain their own creeds. but will be auxil-
larry to an international congress and will
affiliate with all other churches on a COM
mon platform. The ultimate aim is to Gre
ate one International church. The movement
is said to be the first of its kim in America,
and is in line with the widespread ten
dency toward federation and church unity
and with the rapidly growing spirit of in
ternationalism in literature, social reform
and art.
The Afro-American Tract Society, with
headquarters at Columbus. o., has just been
Incorporated, and is receiving much favor
able comment by the press. The purpose Of
the organization, as stated, ia its constitu-
ton. is as follows:
Sec. 3. The purpose for which said corporation
Is formed is to Print. publish and distribute. free
OF cost to the reader. tracts. pamphlets ard lit
~erature. containing complete and authentic IN
lea. and showing the black mans credi.able
achievements in the field OF labor, business. ag-
r%iculturc. religion. law. medicine, dentistry. in
%vention. journalism. music. art. literature. scplp-
ture. politics. architecture. electricity. military
AFFAIR.". home life and skilled trades. and arEu-
mentative tracts pleading for far play at the
hands of the American people. to the end and
purpose that public sentiment In this country
toward the Afro-Ainerican may be nodded and
fashioned along more just and favorable lines.
and to promote broad humanity and true pa
triotism. and to make law and order in America
supreme.
RewRrd Offered for Incendiaries.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
49, ~,@-ooo AZ. A-~sY On Tho Co,-x,,