East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-05-31
Department of Commerce and
Labor Publishes Interesting
information.
SHOWS STRENGTH OF
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS
Comparisons Appearing In Census Bu-
reau's Report on Religious Bodies
I'm United States for 1905 Show How
Strength of Various Churches is Di
vided-Catholic Strongest I'm the
Largest Cities and Weakest I'm Coun-
try

Washington, ID. c., May 31.-The
aggregate number of 32,936,445 COM
municants or members of all religious
denominations in continental United
States was reported for 1906, accord
ing to the U. S. Census of Religious
Bodies for the same year, as detailed
special report on the subject. now in
press. OF this grand total the various
protestant bodies reported 202S7,742
and the Roman Catholic church 49,
679,142.
For purposes of comparison the
census authorities divided the princ-
pal cities into four classes, those hav-
ing in 1900 a population of 100000
and over, constituting the first class;
those Of from o,000 to 100000 form
ing the second; those of from $4,000
to 100000 making the third; and
those of from $4,000 to $4,000 form
ing the fourth class
or the protestant aggregate there
were 1,47s,145 or 73 per cent in the
first class cities; Al per cent in the
second; and IA per cent in the third
v
per cent were outside the principal
cities.
OF the Roman Catholic churchs to-
tai membership there were 1885,
463 or 27.9 per cent in first class cit
les; l,361,l32 or l1.3 per cent in the
second; 1.570,944 or 13 per cent in
the third and fourth classes combin-
ed; with 5,771,613 or AIS per cent
outside the principal cities.
IL is seen, therefore that the num-
Der OF the Roman Catholic church re-
ported in cities of the first class was
considerably more than double the
number reported by all the protestant
bodies, while outside Of the principal
cities the number reported by the
Catholics was only a little over one
third of the number credited to the
Protestants. 1t il pointed out in the
report that the strength of the prot
estant bodies. as compared with the
Roman Catholic church, is greatly
understated.
ONLY two of the protestant bodies
reported a majority of their member
ship in the principal cities. /. e, the
cent. and the Protestant Episcopal
church 512 per cent; while of the
membership of the Jewish congrega'
tons. SS.7 per cent are in the prlnci-
pal cities, and of the eastern orthodox
churches 7O.7 per cent.
OF the total number of commune
cants or members reported for the
principal cities by all denominations,
6,307,529 or 60 per cent belonged to
the Roman Catholic church, and g.
935,341. or 37.4. to protestant bodies.
Comparison with the report for l.
$50 shows that in general there has
been an increase in the proportion of
communicates or members in the prin-
cipal cities as compared with those
outside of these cities. In 1906 the
percentage Of the total number OF
communicates in these cities for all
denominations was 31.9 as compared
with 25.7 in 1890.
or the total number, 10,511,17S, OF
communicates or members in the
principal cities in 1905, there were
7.S43,403 or 800 per cent reported
by the 3s cities Of over 10000 pop
ulation and, of these, 2,432630 or S3.1
per cent belonged to Protestant bodies
and 4,7S6,5S5 or 64.5 per cent to the
Roman Catholic church. The latter
denomination had in these cities about
ISL per cent of its membership In
cities Of over $4,000 inhabitants.
In thirteen OF the cities more than
one-half of the communicates or
members reported belonged to prot
estant bodies while in % the majority