Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-26
Bewildering Church Statistics
Show Strength and Weakness
Latest Figures, While Often Guesses, Show About
3S,O00O0O Church Members in United States
its distinctive principle in the latter.
No Church Union in Sight
(By The Religious Rambler.)

its distinctive principle in the latter.
No Church Union in Sight
one discouraging fact which
emergeS from this comprehensive sur
VeY of religious conditions in Amer
lea is that there is no project for
church union apparently near consum-
nation. The Southern Presbyterian
and United Brethren denominations
declared for union in their highest
courts, subject to ratification by the
Presbyteries, but this enterprise seems
10 De languishing and died from sheer
lack of interest in it on the part of
the church membership. There is
sun some discussion of the merging
OF the United Brethren and the Metho-
ulst Protestants. OF the prospect of
the union of the Methodism of Amer
lea, or the Presbyterianism of Amer
lea, or the Baptists of America, an OBJ
server cannot make an optimistic re-
port. The bad temper which used to
characterize denominational contro-
Versies has almost wholly ceased and
there is general good will among the
denominations one to another.
Meantime the rule seems to be. ac-
cordlng to these reports, the Scripture
is fulfilled, which says, "To him that
hath shall be given" for it Is the
larger denominations that grow.
Three-quarters of the entire aggregate
OF church membership in the one hun
dred and seventy religious bodies
counted in are included in nine de-
nominations, each of which has a mill
lion or more of members. AS tabu-
lated by DR.. Carroll, these nine bodies,
aggreSating more than twenty-nine
million members, are as follows: "Ro-
man Catholic. 13,794.637; the Metho-
dist Episcopal, 3,603,265; the Southern
Baptist, 2,592,217; the National Bap-
tist (colofed), 2,01S,S63; the Metho-
dist Episcopal. South, 2,005,707; the
Presbyterian, Northern, 1,442,49S; the
Disciples of Christ, 1,363,163; the
North Baptist Convention, 1,23S,32
and the Protestant Episcopal, 1915
23S."
From these great denominations the
roll dwindles down to such bodies as
the "SiN-Principle Baptists," which re-
port nine ministers. 3 churches and
l3l members, and the "Old-Two-
Seed the Spirit it-Predestinarian Bap-
lists, with an estimate of 50 minis
ters, 90 congregations and 7S1 mem
bers.
The Catholic Figures
Considerable difficulty is experienced
in securing anything like exact figures
for the Catholic bodies although the
report which the Federal Council is
sues, says that the Roman Catholic
Church has gained nearly a million
and quarter members since 1910. and
more than five and one-half millions
since 1900. The tables give eleven
Catholic denominations. Most of these
are to be found under the Eastern Or
thodoX Catholic Churches: Armenian
Apostolic, Russian Orthodox, Greek
Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Servian
orthodox, Roumanian orthodox and
Bulgarian Orthodox. OF the Western
Catholic Churches two are given: Ro-
man Catholic and Polish Catholic
The total of the Eastern Catholic is
less than half million and the Polish
but $4,000, while the Roman Catholic
have more than 100000. The fig
ureS for the last named body are
taken from the Official Catholic Di-
rectory." This publication, however,
reports only population, which in
confirmed baptised. DR.. Carroll fol-
lows the rule adopted by the United
States Census, and takes fifteen per
cent. from the Catholic population,
and sets down the remaining eighty
five per cent as communicates. This
is necessary to bring the figures more
in line with those of other church
bodies, which report only communi-
cants.
Similar difficulty is found with the
Jewish figures. No statistics are avail
able, and the 1906 census gives only
heads of families, which is the Jewish
rule. 1t is estimated that there are
more than seven hundred thousand
adults connected with Jewish congre-
cations in the United States.
With this report the Protestant
Episcopal Church has crossed the mill
lion line, having gained S6,46S since
1910, and over 100000 since 1900. The
Methodist Episcopal Church. which
ranks next to the Roman Catholic
Church in size, gained 1S7,4S7 in 1914
and it has gained nearly 100000 since
1900.
According to DR.. CAROLS figuring
the gain IN the number of preachers
during 1914 was double that of the
year before, while the churches grew
previous year.
The grand totals for the church
situation in America as it's report
tabulates it, gives the membership at
3S,70S.149. OF individual congrega-
tons there are 225,613. And of min
listers there are 1890 Many of
these ministers are not pastors, while
those of others are each serving two
or more churches.
Until a system of reporting has
ben adopted by all denominations, and
until all have learned to make reports,
it will be impossible to know definitely
the statistical status of religion in
America. But the present showing is
sufficient to make plain that by no
means the entire population of he
land is in church, and that there is
still room for all Jealous activities of
the associated friends of Christians in
the country.