New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-14
RELIGION IN AMERICA
Census Shows Wide Range OF
Beliefs in United States.
MANY ARE N-CHRlSTlAN
More than Two Hundred Sects
Founded on the Teachings
of Christ.

Washington. Aug. 13.-Religious freedom
.n the United States shelters under us
tolerant and ample folds thousands oI
representative of the so-caled healheh oe-
nefs in addition to more than TWO huhof Gu
various sects Of Christianity, ACCORDING 10
.-ansus P,,rear statistics dealing with the
religious life of the country Among the
CORNER are Buddhists. Confucianists and
p.h.;e+S who are engaged in an organ
tzed way in the spread OF their doctrines
in this country.
The data forming the basis OF the volume
.n ouestiou were gathered in 1906 1t is now
in proof but there is no assurance as to
when it will be given to the public In
addition 10 statistics of the various de-
nominations, the work will present brief
history of each, also the pertinent facts
regarding its doctrine and polity. The
compilation is the work of DR.. Edwin VI
Bliss.
Up TO the time of the investigation there
had been no effort 10 effect any orsaniza-
ton for the promotion Of ConfucianlsH,
but the text tells of a society of the chi
nese philosophers followers which was Or
gained in New York City in 1897 among
the Monaghan students in Columbia UNI
versity. Contending that Buddhism is only
1nonstrate that Confucianism was real
religion, and so a regular system of SER
vices was established by q well dehned
organization.
Buddhism in America.
The organized followers Of Buddhism are
Chinese and Japanese. Their churehes'
known officially as temples by the IT.
reverent are referred TO as Joss" houses.
There are sixty-two Chinese and twelve
Japanese temples in this country, the for
raer being distributed over twelve, the lat
ter over three states. California shelters
ell but three of the japanese and more
than half Of the Chinese houses About
forty which went down under the San
Francisco catacIysn had remained in ruins
ur 10 the time Of the enumeration.
New York boosted fifteen Of the Chinese
scmples, the remainder being scattered over
ten states, mostly in the West The Chinese
Buddhists have only one priest in this
country and conduct 10 recognized system
OF worship. There is no record Of member
ship; they have no sermon, keep no Sab
bath and have no religious service. The
only use for their temples is IS places at
which individual devotees may consult
their patron saints. Three delIles are rec
ognizec in the American temples-the God
z
dynasty; the Goddess OF Fortune and the
Goddess Of Mercy.
The Americana panese Buddhists are of
the progressive Shin Shiu sect, which is
missionary in character. They discard the
ascetic practices of the more astere Bud
,dhists Of Asia, allow the priests to marry
and have nc ban on meat or other food
The societies are well organized, each hav
ing q priest. General headquarters are in
san Francisco, and they have both jour
mails and schools devoted 10 the propaga-
ton OF the faith. In 1906 their membership
sn this country was 1851. of which rs were
women
There is no Shintoisn, an explanation of
which is found in the fact that this religion
attaches itself too closely to the person of
The japanese Emperor.
Other Foreign Religions.
In way the Hindu religion is repre-
scented by the Nedanta society, with organi-
cations in New York, Pittsburg, San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles. It was organized
by some Hindu teachers who came here
in 1888 70 the worlds fair. Its name, from
an ancient Hindu philosophy, means the
end OF all wisdom" II is non-sectarian
seeking 10 harmonic all religious systems
Oriental PHILOSOPHERS as taught by the
Ih6oSopfnSIS, nave -FOUR bo0leS, Win 2,35b
members in the United States.
While Bahaisrn, strictly speaking, is non
Christian and foreign, its followers are
native and not necessarily un-Christiau.
This is a comparatively new sect, growing
out of the teachings of Persian leader
OF the middle OF the last century, named
Ali AIoharned- He claimed 10 be the fore
runner of him whom God would mani
fest and called himself Bah or the
Gate. Later came BAHIA Ulla, who claimed
10 be the one whose coming had been fore
told, and from him the real name Of the
body is derived. In 1906 he had 1850 fol-
lowers in the United States who
worshipped in twenty-four places through
fourteen states. They teach tolerance, love
charity and regard all religions as divine
Hence, they profess not TO interfere with
the ordinary doctrinal beliefs of their mem
bers
Another church Of Asiatic origin. but still
Christian, is the Armenian, which has sew
enty-three organizations in this country
most Of them IN the Eastern States. tHen-
ty-nine IN Massa chusetts alone. Their com
r1unicants are generally Armenians MANY
Of whom fed TO this country TO escape
persecution.
The Eastern Orthodox Church or Greek
Church, has 1856 communicates This is
the state church of Russia and Greece.
OF the Al churches here. fifty-nine repre-
sent the former nationality. There also
are Servian and Syrian branches The
Greeks have 334 organizations throughout
the country, with New York. Illinois and
Massachusetts leading. The Greek mem