The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-02-18
Religious


Religion, despite the war or because
of the war, made extraordinary prog
ress in this country and through.
out the world in the year 1915. AL
though the churches entered upon the
year much discouraged on account of
the disturbance of material things,
they have been making steady gains.
Some analysts of the situation hold
that the minds of men are turned by
the tragedies Of the trenches and the
battle fronts to consider life from q
more serious point of view. The year
1916 opens with the hopes of religious
lenders fixed on still greater fruition.
for their work.
Statistics now at hand from the prin-
cipal religious bodies in the United
States show an increase Of 100000 in a
total of nine large denominations,
which We're credited With having 3d.,
100000 communicates out of the grand
total of SO, 723 600 reported for last
year. When the complete figures are
compiled in February it is believed
that the same substantial rate Of in.
crease will be shown. The indications
uIC llIil SIldileI OESdll1Lu A1o
making relative progress.
The Presbyterian church has gained
a larger number Of new members than
in any year in its history. The gains
of other churches for 1915 are: Catho-
lies, 242.OO0; Baptists, ID 5000; :Metho-
dists, 100000; Lutherans, 10000; Dis.
ciples. 10000, and ~Episcopalians, &c.
OUO. These figures would indicate that
of the more than 100. 100000 inhabit-
ants of the United States about 49,
100000 have church membership.
Laity tlas Been Most Active.
1t is asserted that one factor in this
growth on the Protestant side is due
to the development of various activi-
ties among the laity, such as the lay
mems missionary movement and yari-
Gus efficiency organizations in which
the members themselves help tho
clergy in surveys and canvassing.
Contributions for missions to the
various denominations have been I'M
usually large. The Protestant Episco-
pal church has raised S2O,OOO,OOO for
it's work and exceeded its missionary
ap~portionment. The Methodists pass.
Su lllc alLlloulll " lllNlI lACS AOpVO W
raise by S1O5,GOO. The Roman Catho-
lies have beer successful in obtaining
abundant funds, and they have re-
Gently started to raise 100000 for a
headquarters of the Knights of Co.
lumbus in New York city.
B~cnevolcnces to the wal sufferers, to
Christian associations, the Salvation
Army and other agencies have been
very large. The Jews have recently
started a movement to raise funds for
those of their race in war stricken
lands.
Roman Catholics have shown growth
in influence and under the new pope
have increased their power in various
European countries, including Eng
land.
Most of the religious faiths are free
from controversy. The Episcopalians
are debating still the question as to
whether or not their board of missions
should have voted to send delegates
to the Panama congress On religious
work. The presbyterians are still
struggling With the perennial problem
of the orthodoxy Of the Union Theo.
logical seminary, New York.
The literary output of the religious
organizations has been unusually large.
The printing of Bibles was the larg.
est in the history of the world. Ameri.
can publishers, in part because of the
war, have even been selling copies Of
the Scriptures in England. The Amer.
lean and British Foreign Bible socie-.
ties in 1915 distributed the largest
number of copies Of Holy Writ in their
existence.
The output of books on general re.
ligious subjects written by both clergy
men and the devout laity has been I'LL.
usually large. There has also been 4
notable increase in the production Of
religious musical works.
nlID hAnc nDhANcC