Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-11-26

Denominations.
Ccasus Report Shows Large Increase b the
Number Of New Bodies Since 1890.
The Baptsts load the Methodlsts
b Menbershb " More
Than a Mll1oa.

year 1906 has just been issued by the
bureau Of census at Washington. Par
ticulariy interesting are the statistics
pertaining to the several Afro-Ameri-
can denominations, whose develop
ment, both in church membership and
In the value Of church property owned.
indicates vigorous spiritual and ma
terial growth.
The report shows that there are now.
seventeen denominations wholly made
up OF colored organizations as against
ten in the report Of 1890. OF those
given in 1880. two, the Congregational;
Methodist church and the Evangelist
Missionary church. have ceased to ex-
ist, while the following new denomina-
tions appear for the first time: Colored
Primitive Baptists In America. United
American Free Will Baptists. Church
Of God and Saints OF Christ, Churches
Of the Living God three bodies). Vol
untary Missionary Society In America,
Free Christian Zion Church Of Christ
and Reformed Methodist Union Epis-
copal church.
The denominations composed only In
part Of colored organizations are twen-
ty-six In number as against nineteen
in 1890. For these denominations no
attempt was made to ascertain the
number Of colored communicates be-
longing to the connectidnal white
churches. only those churches that
were made up wholly Of colored com
municants being accepted as basis
upon which to determine the number
Of colored organizations. n.
The denominations consisting wholly
OF colored churches reported 1888 or
CARNATIONS. with 3.2O7, ,3O7 members
and church property valued at $44.-.
,673, ,049. while those denominations
made up only III part Of colored
churches reported lt3777 organizations,
with Az, ,790 members and church
property valued at $11 ,963, 4 10.
he total num mber. .pf organizations.
reported Iii 1906 for all denominations
consisting In whole or in part OF col
ored organizations was 3677O as
against %, ,462 in 1890: the number Of
communicates, 3,6S5.O97 as compared
with 2,673,977 In 1890, while the value
OF church property increased from
$26,626.4S8 in 1890 70 $56. csc. .159 in
1906, sum representing per capita
asset Of $15.37 for every Afro-Ameri
can church member. n
The total debt on church property
was $500, ,9O5, or S.S per cent Of the
total value, and represents per capita
Indebtedness Of $1.36 for every com
municant or member.
ganizations in the Baptist and Metho-
dist denominations is quite interest
ing. The national Baptist convention
reported 1854 organizations, with
2,261, GOT communicates or members;
1913 church edif1ces, with seating
Of $3.50. .301, and sos halls
used for church services. The total
value Of church property reported by
1880 organizations was $24, ,437, ,272.
I The African Methodist Episcopal
church reported 6,647 organizations.
with 494,777 communicates or mem-
bers; 653S church edifces, with a
seating capacity Of 1882, 900, and 26S
halls The total value Of church prop
erty reported by $500 organizations
was $11, 1903, ,4s9.
It appears from the report that the
national Baptist convention has IL
sS7 more organizations, ], 766,S3O more
members, 1875 more church edifces,
$40 more halls and church property
to the value OF SIS. .133, ,783 in excess
of the African Methodist Episcopal
church.
The total number of parsonages re-
ported for all colored organizations
was 4,779, valued at $3,727,s 7,sS4. the
state Of Georgia leading with AGA, val
ued at $29O.513, followed BY South
Carolina in the number Of parsonages.
but BY Pennsylvania in the value.
South Carolina reported 1853 parson-
ages. valued at 1927, 1868, as compared
with ninety-eight. valued at $24s, 100,
for the, state Of Pennsylvania.
Sunday, schools numbered 34,6s1,
with 21O, ,14S officers and teachers and
1,74O.O99 scholars.
! TX. q = 4 N Il