The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1909-09-02
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Nearly ss.0oo.o0o Church Members
in the u. s.-s1.6 Per Cent. Pro
testant.
Washington. Special.-That the
church members in the United States
numbered nearly thirty-three millions
IN 1905; that there were a billion and
q quatrer dollars invested in church
edifices; that every day eight new
churches sent their spires skyward /;
that males formed considerably less
than half the total church member
ship; that larger percentage of
Catholic males than Protestant males
were members; that in 16 States the
majority of the total church men,
bership were Roman Catholic; but
that Of the grand total of church
members reported for the United
States 81. 6 per cent were Protes-
tants and 36.7 per cent Roman Cath
olics; these are the salient and con-
spicuous facts appearing in the proof
sheets of United States Census
Bureau bulletin, prepared by Chief
Statistician William c. Hunt of the
VI Ropuidklol, VI Tue
States Census Bureau.
The bulletin will be issued this
month. 1t is in the nature of an alb
stract of the comprehensive report,
now In press, giving the results of
the fifth census of religious bodies in
the United States.
1t Is stated that United States Cen
sss statistics of church membership
by sex were collected for the first
time in 1906. Of the total number of
members reported by the various re-
hgious bodies and classified by sex,
AL per cent were males and $50
per cent females. Among the Pro.
testants the difference was greater,
only 1873 per cent being males. In
the Roman Catholic churches there
were relatively more males, the mum.
Der forming 1873 per cent of the total
membership.
Ut the total estimated population
of continental United States in 1906,
the church members formed 39.1 per
cent as against 1927 per cent for 1890,
amounting to Ga per cent more in
1906 than in 1890. Of this ga per
cent increase, the Roman Catholic
church is credited with A per cent,
and the Protestants with 1.8 per cent.
the remainder being divided among
all other denominations.
1t is stated in the bulletin that the
total number of members reported BY
the various religious bodies for 1900
was 32,936,445, of which number the
Protestants were credited with 90
2S1.74, and the Roman Catholic with
i2.O19,142. Of the Protestant bodies
the Methodist numbered 5,749,S3S;
the Baptists 5,662 ,234; the Lutherans
2,l12,494; the Presbyterians $780,
555; and the Disciples of Christians,
1,142,359.
Of the total of 32.a36.445 church
members, GIG per cent were Protes.
tants; 36.7 per cent Roman Catho-
lie; and II per cent, members of
other religious organizations. The
rate of increase shown for the Roman
Catholic Church is 935 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.
The total number of local religious
organizations in 1906 is given as
2l2,23O, an increase since 1890 of A.
O19, or 2S.5 per cent. The Protestants
are credited with an increase in this
particular amounting to 27.8 per
cent; the Roman Catholic, 21.9 per
cent; the Jewish congregations,
231.9 per cent; and the Latter-day
Saints, 1873 per cent.
The Methodists reported the larg-
est number of local organizations,
4,701; the Baptists reported 54,SSO;
the Presbyterians, 1896; the Lu.ll-
Grams. l2,703; and the Roman Catho-
lies, 12,4s2.
Other interesting features of the
bulletin are those showing that the
total seating capacity Of churches
was 58,536,830, an increase over the
1890 United States Census figures of
34.4 per cent; that the rate of in
crease was practically the same for
both Protestants and Roman Catho-
lies, and kept pace with the increase
IN population; and that $1,257,575,-
S67 was invested in church edifices
In 1906. The total amo-nt of debt
was $10s,050,946, of SO per cent of
the total value; of this total the Pro-
testant bodies owned $53,301 ,254 and
the Roman Catholics, $40, ,4s8,O55. In
16 States a majority of the church
members were Roman Catholic; in
29 States, Protestant; and in l,
Utah, Latter-day Saints.