Willmar tribune., 1909-08-25
LATEST CHURCH STATISTICS.

ing title to the lands.
LATEST CHURCH STATISTICS.
That the church members in the
United States numbered nearly
thirty-three millions in 1906: that
there were a billion and a quarter
dollars invested in church edifces;
that every day eight new churches
sent their spires skyward; that
males formed considerably less than
half the total church membership;
that a larger percentage of Catholic
males than Protestant males were
members; that in 16 states the ma
jority of the total church member
ship were Roman Catholic; but that
OF the grand total Of church men,
bers reported for the United States
GIG per cent were Protestants and
36.7 per cent Roman Catholics;
these are the salient and conspicu-
GUS facts appearing in the proof
sheets of a United States Census
Bureau bulletin. prepared by Chief
Statistician William G. Hunt of
the division of population, of the
United States Census Bureau.
The bulletin will be issued this
month. It is in the nature of an
abstract of the comprehensive re-
port. now in press, giving the re-
suits of the fifth census of Religi-
Gus Bodies in the United States.
1t is stated that United States
Census statistics of church member
ship by sex were collected for the
first time in 1906. Of the total
number of members reported by the
various religious bodies and classl-
fled by sex, 43.1 per cent were
males and 56.9 per cent females.
Among the Protestants the differ
ence was greater. only 1878 per
cent being males. In the Roman
Catholic churches there were rela-
lively more males, the number
forming 1913 per cent of the total
membership.
Fewer males than females were
found among the Latter-day Saints,
the Lutherans, Disciples, Metho-
dists, Baptists. Presbyterians, and
Protestant Episcopalians, the per-
centages of male members decreas-
ing in the order shown, and there
being but 35.5 per cent males
among the Episcopalians. Among
the Christian Scientists, only 27.6
per cent were males; and of the
Shakers but 2l.3 per cent; but, in
the Greek Orthodox Church, 93.9
per cent were male, as practically
all 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 Ga per cent increase, the Ro-
man Catholic Church is credited
with IA per cent, and the Protest.
ants with 1.8 per cent; the remain.
der being divided among all othe,
denominations.
i 1t is stated in the bulletin that
the total number reported by the
various religious bodies for 1906
was 81, 936. .445, of which number
the Protestants were credited with
20, ,287, ,742. and the Roman Catholic.
with l2,079, ,142. Of the Protestant
bodies the Methodists numbered
S, ,749,838; the Baptists, 1862, ,234
the Lutherans, 2,112, ,494; the Pres.
byterians, 1880, ,555; and the Dis
ciples or Christians, 1,142,359.
i Of the total of 32, ,936, AS church
members, GIG per cent were Pro
testants; 36.7 per cent, Roman
Catholic; and IL per cent, member!
of other religious organizations
The rate of increase shown for the
Roman Catholic Church is 93.5 pei
cent, which is more than twice thai
for all the Protestant bodies com
bined. The Methodists reported
17.5 per cent of all Protestant
church members; the Baptists, l7.2;
per cent.
| The total number of local religi
Gus organizations in 1906 is 3lver
as 212, ,230. an increase since 1890 o1
47,079, or 28.5 per cent. Tht
Protestants are credited with an in
crease il. this particular amounting
to 27.8 per cent; the Roman Catho'
lie Church, 2l.9 per cent; the Jew
ish congregations, 23l.9 per cent
and the Latter-day Saints, 1873 pc,
cent.
The Methodists reported the larg.
est number of local organizations
Ga, ,701; the Baptists reported 81 $3.50
the Presbyterians, 1886; the Lu.
therans, 12,7O2; and the Roman
Catholics, 12,482.
! Other Interesting features of the
bulletin are those showing that the
total seating capacity of churches
was 58, ,536, $3.50, an increase ever the
1890 United States Census figures
of a.4 per cent; that the rate OF
increase was practically the same