The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-30
is CHURCH ATTENDANCE DE-
CLINING,
Although Statitics May Be Unsatisfac-
tory, Figures Often Given Wrong
Impression.

The assertion that church atten-
dance has fallen off to an alarming
degree is not merely made, but as
sumed as matter Of fact, without
argument or evidence, says Edward
Tallmadge Root in The Delineator for
November. When figures are given,
a little examination often shows that
they are inconclusive because only
partial in place, time or details,
Nevertheless the decline is assumed
and its causes gravely asked and
enumerated.
1t Is to be admitted, at the start,
that church attendance today is not
satisfactory to those who loyalty be-
lieve in the church and it's mission
There is no need Of multiplying statis-
tics. One illustration may suffice.
According to a census of church 60
ing In the upper section Of Manhat-
tan. New York City, November Is.
1904, with a population of 4SS.1S5,
only 1880 per cent. were at church,
7.2O being Protestant and 1O.4O Cath
Ollie. But even this means that reu-
gion attracts more than any other hu-
man interests. It is not fair to con-
trast it with all other concerns COM
bined, sheer weariness and laziness
included. What other human interest
can move 1900 out of a population
OF 435,o00. to dress. and take at
least two hours of their time, and pay
an average Of twenty-five to fifty
cents, and that not occasionally but
regularly every Sunday? If the
church Is not satisfied, it Is because
Its ideal Is so high-because, accord
ding to its great commission, it can
never rest until it is proclaiming it's
glad tidings to every creature!
But even so, the church should
ask: What ratio Of attendance to
population Is 1t reasonable to expect?
The entire population, as given by the
census, includes infants. invalids and
others incapable of attendance. OF
the remainder, not all are at liberty
or leisure at the same hour or ON the
same day. In our increasingly COM
pick civilization, the number Of oc-
cupations which can not be complete
ly suspended at any hour must in
crease. What percentage ought to be
deducted?
In canvass by the Boston City
Missionary Society. out Of 4,7S5 in
dividuals 1000, or approximately two
fifths, were detained from church for
good reasons. With this agree the
most careful estimates. Not more
than sixty per cent, of the population
could assemble for worship at any one
time
Making all these allowances. how
ever, it is evident that the impression
that church attendance is unsatisrac-
tor-jis justified by statistics available.
Instead Of the possible 60 per cent,
only 17.6 per cent. were found in the
churches of upper Manhattan. Seven
years earlier, DR.. Waldron found on
ly PA per cent. of the Protestant
population Of Boston at worship. The
unchurched population Of New York,
according to the City Federation of
Churches. in 1905, was 1,O71,981,
while members and non-communi-
cant attendants were respectively
S37,2S9 and 4S5,s34, or, in percent
age of the whole population, 26.7
against 20.5 for the two classes Of ad-
herents combined.
But the fact that the hold Of the
churches upon the population today
is unsatisfactory does not necessarily
mean that it has declined. Here is
where the mistake is so often made.
People jump at the conclusion that so
deplorable situation Is a new thing
and a proof Of deterioration. This
does not follow.