The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-08-19

month. 1t Is In the nature of an abb
stract of the comprehensive report,
now in press, giving the results OF
the fifth census of Religious Bodies
in the United States.
II Is stated that United States CEN
sus statistics OF church membership
| by sex were collected for the first
time in 1906. OF the total number
Of members reported by the various
religious bodies and classified by sex,
43.1 per cent were males and SOS
per cent females. Among the Pro-
testants the difference was greater,
only 1913 per cent being males. In
the Roman Catholic churches there
were relatively more males, the num-
Der forming 4s.3 per cent of the
total membership.
Fewer males than females were
found among the Latter-day Saints
the Lutheran Disciples, Methodists,
Baptists, Presbyterians and Protest
ant Episcopalians, the percentages OF
male members decreasing in the or
der shown, and there being but 1875
per cent male among the Episco-
palians. Among the Christian Scien-
lists, only 27.6 per cent were males;
and of the Shakers but 21.3 per
cent; but, in the Greek Orthodox
church, 93.9 per cent were male, as
practically al Greek immigrants
have been males.
OF the total estimated population
of continental United States in 1906,
the church members formed 39.1 per
cent, as against 32.7 per cent for
1890, amounting TO Ga per cent
more in 1906 than in 1890. OF this
ca 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 denomina.
tons.
II is stated in the bulletin that
the total number OF members report
ed by the various religious bodies fol
1906 was S2.S36,445, of which mum
Der the Protestants were credited
with 2O,2S7,742, and the Roman
Catholic with 12,O79.142. or the
Protestant bodies the Methodist
numbered 5,749.s3S; the Baptists
5662,234; the Lutherans. 2.112,494i
the Presbyterians, 1,S3O,555; and
the Disciples or Christians, LAB,
359.
OF the total of 32,9S6,445 church
members, GIG per cent were Pro
testants; S6.7 per cent, Roman
Catholic; and IL per cent, members
of other religious organizations. Tn.
rate of increase shown for the Roman
Catholic church is 93.5 per cent
which is more than twice that foi
all the Protestant bodies combined
The Methodists reported IT'S pc
cent of all Protestant church mem
bers; the Baptists. 17.2 per cent.
The total number of local deli
gious organizations in 1906 is giver
as 212,230, an increase since 1890 o
47!O79, or 2S.5 per cent. The Pro
testants are credited with an increas,
in this particular amounting to ~,
per cent; the Roman Catholi
ichurch, 219 per cent; and the Lat
ter-day Saints, 1873 per cent.
The Methodists reported the larg
est number of local organizations
64,7O1; the Baptists reported ga,
$50; the Presbyterlans. 1896: tn,
Lutherans, 1903; and the Roman
Catholics, 12.4S2.
+ Other interesting features OF tn.
bulletin are those showing that tn.
i. total seating capacity of churchet
was 5S,536,S30, an increase over tn.
1890 United States census figures o
34.4 per cent; that the rate of in
crease was practically the same 70
both Protestants and Roman Cath
olics, and kept pace with the in
crease in population; and that 81
257,575,S67 was invested in churcl
edifices in 1906. The total amour
of debt was $1OS.05O,946, or g.,
per cent of the total value; of thi
total the Protestant bodies owe,
s53,301,254 and the Roman Catho
/ lies. s49,4SS,O55. In 16 states {:
/ majority OF the church member
were Roman Catholic; in 29 states
Protestant; and In one, Utah, Latter
day Saints.
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