El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-30
RELIGIOUS PROGRESS IN AMERICA
HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL DURING YEAR
Social Service Has Been Prominent and Mission Work
Shows Substantial Growth; Christians Are Getting
Together in the Work; Catholic Church Out
look Is Improved For the New Year.

Catholic and protestant, christianity's
cause in America, is closing a fairly
prosperous year. Social service work
has gained most prominence. both in
the churches themselves and among
the American PUBLIC. Actual member
ship has been, on Tie whole, about two
and one quarter percent for protesants
and a trifle more for Catholic, due to
immigration. This Keeps pace with
growth in population.
Religious Odies growing steadily
include the Baptist, whose growth IS
most normal in the middle west ana
southwest: the disciples Of Christ, con-
fined to the middle west and Pacific
coast; Episcopal, which is general, with
the largest grOwths in the IargeSt
cities of the east Methodist Doth
north and south, and weakest IN the
large cities, where Methodist strength
shows tendency 10. 90 to Presbyterian
and Episcopal churches; and PresDy-
terrain which is aSsimilaEng members
of smaller bodies which it abSOrbs,
and slowly creating one CT the larS-
est of American religious DodleS.
The year has been disastrous to new
fheoIogies. and to some extent to lib
eraI ones. Far fewer schemes are
launched under the name Of religion
than formerly. For example, L or 10
wears. ago New York would hear Of per-
haps a dozen new ventures each IaL'
nut forth chiefly in its down town dis
tricts Central locations are always
affected by these religious promoters
Now the average is hardly more than
four. The bodies that are growing
are those already large, and those that
stick closely to theolOgies long an
nOunced and understood.
Donations Increased
Amounts contributed by the American
EreaQllX
increase. and now amount to SS4O,OVO,-
600 a year This sum includes new
buildings, and all forms OF missions,
money sent to foreign lands among
them. The total is not large. when
COMPARED with sums spent on many
Injuries. Amounts given by various
bodies grow steadily as their NUMBERS
grow. but show wide variation Dy the
from about $3.50 up to $3.50, Metho-
dists and Baptists being low ana Epis-
coDaliaus and Presbyterians high, the
average in part being affected Dy the
counting in the total OF me heSLC
rnernberships in the south The amount
contributed by America to Foreign MS
siOns will reach this year almost 10 the
$4,000. 90 mark, and that TO nome ms
si0ns will be a trifle above S4VsVOU'OuV-
Attendance at public religious WoI-
-1,f1 on SUNDAYS in proportion TO
mem bership, is quite as large as II
ever was in spite OF the popular HoIlO--
that people do not go to church as Ihey
,7se7 70 do That it is so IS shown Dy
.r1,1+s Of such attendance made IN
S7ifferent cities and kept from year TO
wear. In some cities. especially those
IN the middle west, there is distinct
gain. Attendance at services on WEEK
&C. AT noon. and on week nights at
>11-..tsi77 seasons Of the year, shows
marked increase. and is helping to
J1,-,-r- 1lT, the total Christian support 30
far as can be learned from Christian
Fl
1ISIaDd having been consulted within
a month. there is little perceptible
growth in the higher criticism move
ment. The old faiths and creeds do
not seem to lose their hold The So
le1Ia5 slinstit11tfonal church" is no
Ionger. regarded as a necessity for GER
tain parts of large cities, and there
seems to be, as mark of the year now