The Washington herald., 1909-08-19
WOMEN EXCEED MEN
Census Shows They PredOm-
mate i'll Churches.
ROMAN CATHOLICS GAINING
Non n-PrOtestant Organization Shows
Largest Per Cent Increase-There
Members in United States-Efght
New Churches Completed DniIy.

Advance sheets OF the bulletin now IA
course OF preparation by the officials Of
the United States Census Bureau. con-
tanning the information gathered by the
bureau in the fifth census OF religious
bodies Of the United States. reveals that
I'm 1896 there was invested In churches IN
this country more than Sl.2o.0O0oOO
The churches have total membership
OF nearly 100000. of which considerably
more than One-half are women II is
also estimated from the statistics that
eight churches are completed each day.
Out OF the grand total OF church mem
bers 6l.5 per cent are Protestants. and
55.7 per cent are Roman Catholics, but in
spite OF this predominance OF Protestants,
in sixteen States a majority OF the total
church membership Is Roman Catholic.
First Gathered in 1905.
II IS stated that United States census
statistics OF church membership by sex
We're collected for the first time in 1906.
OF the total number Of members reported
by the various religious bodies and clas-
sihed by sex. 43l per cent were males and
569 per cent females. Among the PrOtes-
per cent being males In the Roman
Catholic churches there were relatively
more males, the number forming 4S3 per
cent OF the total membership.
Fewer males than females were found
among the Latter-day Saints, the Luther
ems, Disciples, AIethodists. Bapusts, Pres
byteriaus. and Protestant EpiscOpalians,
the percentages Of male members decreas-
ing in the order shown, and there being
but $50 per cent male among the Epis-
ccpalians. Among the Christian Scien-
lists only Z76 per cent were males, and
OF the Shakers, but 2l.3 per cent; but. IN
tho Greek Orthodox Church. 93.9 per cent
we're male, as practically all Greek immi-
grants have been males.
OF the total estimated population OF
continental United States in 1906 the
church members formed S9l per cent, as
against 32.7 per cent for 1880.
OF this Ga per cent increase, the Roman
Catholic Church is credited with A per
cent and the Protestants with is per
cent; the remainder being divided among.
all other denominations.
PrOtestants Lead,
1t IS stated in the bulletin that the total
number Of members reported by the va
rious religious bodies for 1906 was 80 1885,
AS, Of which number the Protestants were
credited with 20,2S7742, and the Roman
Catholics with 12O79.l42. OF the Protes-
tant bodies the Methodists numbered
5.749,S3S; the Baptists. 5662, II; the Luther
ans, 2,112. .494; the Presbyterians, 1,S3Q, 555;
and the Disciples or Christians, lie. .359
OF the total OF S2,936445 church mem
bers. 616 per cent were Protestants: 267|
per cent Roman Catholic, and II per
cent members OF other religious organi-
cations. The rate Of increase shown for
the Roman Catholic Church is $50 per
cent, which is more than twice that for
all the Protestant bodies combined. The
Methodists reported us per cent Of all
Protestant church members; the Baptists
17.2 per cent.
Other interesting features Of the bulle-
tin are those showing that the total
seating capacity OF churches was $685.
$50. an increase over the 1870 United
States Census figures OF 344 per cent;
that the rate Of increase was practically
the same for both Protestants and Ro-
man Catholics, Sand kept pace with the
increase tn population; and that 81. .257,-
5I5,S67 was invested IN church edifices IN
1906. The total amount OF debt was
SOS. .O50,94 or Sc per cent Of the total
value: OF this to-al tho Protestant bodies
owed S53. .3Ol .254 and the Roman Catholics,
$40, ass, ,055. In sixteen States a majority
of the church members were Roman
Catholic, In twenty-nine States, Protest |
ant; and in one, Utah, Latter-day Saints.