Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-05-04
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS

An abstract of the report prepared
under the supervision of Chief Statis-
tician w. c. Hunt, of the population
division of the Census Bureau. has
recently been published, giving statis-
tics of all religious bodies in the
United States in the year 1905. The
bulletin is exceedingly interesting
reading. It is often asserted That
the church is losing ground. This
United States report covers the per-
iod from 1890 to 1906, sixteen years,
and shows that within this period the
communicates of all denominations
rose from 2O,597,OOO to 1896, 900, an
increase of GOA per cent so that in
1909 39.1 per cent of all the people
in the United States were church
members, an increase of ga per cent
in sixteen years. Through all this
period eight new church buildings
were erected every day.
1t is every where: declared and
often believed that the churches are
made up almost exclusively Of women
and that men for the most part have
given up church membership. The
census shows that of all church men,
bers in the United States 49, per cent
are male and $50 per cent are female.
In the Roman Catholic church almost
half the communicates are men, the
precise percentage being 1913 per cent
1t was confidently asserted by the
wisest men of Europe that without
state assistance the church would in.
evitably 60 down. That individuals
would of their own free will contri- |
butte generously to erect church edi'
fees and pay church expenses was
quite increditable. This census shows
that the value of church property in !
this country has reached the colossal
total of 1,257,5750oo, havefhg' in
creased $57s,14s,9oo in the last six.
teen years. It Is often asserted that |
the day for church union has arrived
and that the denominations are de-
creasing in number year by year. The
census shows that within sixteen
years thirteen new denominations
have been added by division, while
only four disappeared through cousoli
dalton, and that sixty-one new de-
nomibations were added, making a
seaa3sof 1856 as. against 146 In 1890. H.
Slit is sometimes assumed that Uni:
tarianism ia making rapid inroads on
Evangelical churches, and that ortho-
doxy is destined to succumb. This
census shows that the total member
ship of Unitarian churches is only
1852, tie increase in sixteen ye'rs
being. ~ per cent, whereas the Metho-
dtsts increased rs per cent, the Pres
byterians over 43 per cent, the Epis-
kopalians nearly 81 per cent, the
Lptherans over II per cent, and the
disciples over Is per cent. The av-
8rage increase Of the protestant de-
Examinations was 44.S per cent One
hears words occasionally which would
indicate that Christian Science has
taken its place among the most in
Auential religious bodies of the land,
and Ia destined in time to surpass
them all. BUT this census shows that
there are only 85,717 Christian Scien.
lists in the whole country, even if
NO account is taken of the duplication
caused by the fact that nearly one
half of the members of the mother
church in Boston are also enrolled as
as members of branch churches. If
10000 are counted twice, then the to-
tai Christian Science membership in
1906 was only 65,717.
The great Protestant denominations
of the country, with the membership
of each, are as follows:
Methodists ............ 5,14S,VOO
Baptists .................. $500. 1000
Lutherans ................ 2,112,00O
Presbyterians ............. 100000
Disciples .................. 1,142,000
Episcopalians ............. ss6.042
Congresationalists %. ..... 7O0,S4O