The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-01
GREAT STRIDES WERE MADE
FOR RELIGION In YEAR rs
WAR CREDITED WITH TURNING
MEMS MINDS TO SERIOUS
THINGS.
Ftnaneia support, L~iterature. ana Music
Keep Pace With Faith
Professions.

NEW YORK. Dec. 21-Religion. de-
spite the war. has made extraordinarv
progress in this country and through
QUIZ the world In the year 1915. Although
ihe churches entered upon the year much
"~lSc'uraEsd on account OF the disturb
hnce OF material things. they have been
making STEADY gains.
some analysis OF the situation hold
that the minds Of men are turned bv the
tragedies OF the nch and the battle
fronts 20 consider life from a more ser
lous point Of view. The year 1915 will
open with the hopes Of religious leaders
liked on still greater fruition for their
work.
statistics now at hand from the prin-
cipal religious bodies I'm the United states
snow an Increase Of 10000 In a total
or nine large denominations which were
credited with having $4,000. 600 commu-
nlcants out OF the grand total OF 3S.7e5.-
600 reported Tor last year. When IN.
complete figures are compiled IN Febru-
airy II is believed that the same Substan-
tial rate OF Increase will he shown. The
indications are that smaller orEaniza-
tons are making relatives progress.
The Presbyterian Church this wear has
gained a larger number Or new mem.
ners than In any year IN its history. The
Gains N other churches FOR 1915 are
Methodtsts. 10000: LutheranS. 81. 900.
Disciples. 10000. and E-pIscopaliana. 26.-
600. These figures would indicate that
or tho more than 100. 900. 600 inhabitants
Or the United States about 10000. 900
have church membership.
II f. asserted that one factor IN this
growth on tho Protestant side IS due 20
tho development or various activities
among the laity. such as tho Iavmen's
Missionary Movement and various eff
cheney Examinations In which tho mem
hers themselves help the clergy In sur
veys and cauvsssiug.
Contributions for missions 70 the Va
rious denominations have been unusually
large. The Protestant Episcopal church
has raised $4,000. 600 for It's work and
has exceeded It's missionary apportion-
ment. The Methodists passed the amount
which they hoped 20 raise by sos. 900.
The Roman Catholics have been success
ful IN obtaining abundant funds and
they have recently started 10 raise $500
900 for a headquarters Of the Knighfg
OF Columbus IN this city.
Benevolences 20 tho war sufferers. 10
Christian associations. tho Salvation
Army and other agencies. have been very
large. The Jews have recently started n
movement 20 raise funds for those Of
their race In war stricken lands.
Tho Catholics have shown a growth IN
Influence. and under the new Pope have
Increased their power In various Euro
peau countries. including England.
Most Of the |rclieious faiths are IRE.
from controversy. The E~uiscopalians are
debating still tho question as TO whether
or not their Board ~ Missions should
have voted % send delegates 20 the Pan
anna Congress on Religious work The
Presbyterian are still struggling with
the perennial problem of the orthodoxy
OF tho Union Theological Seminary.
The literary output OF the religious
organization has been unusually large
The printing Of bibles was the largest
In the history OF the world. American
publishers. I'm part because 81 the war.
have even been selling coTics of the
Scriptures I'm England The American
and British oFreicu Bible societies 'n
1878 have distributed the largest num-
hor - copies Of Holy Writ I'm their ev-
ietenre.
The output % books on general relir-
ious subjects written by both cisrgymcn
and the devout laity. has been unusually
large. There has also been a notable in-
crease in the production Of religious
musical works.