Evening journal., 1918-05-02
CITuRcHEs AND CHuRCH MEMBERSHIP

they will find much that Of interest in bulletin on
churches and church membership that has been issued
by the Bureau Of the Census In Washington.
1t shows that during the ten-year period ended De-
cember 81, 1916, the total church membership in the
United States increased from 3506s05s to l2O37t by
1919 per cent the Of churches from 2i223O 10
00 by IA per cent; the number Of minister's from
t6iS30 TO i9i722 by i63 per cent; the number OF
Sunday school scholars, from i5337sh 10 20569S3i
by 3i per cent; the number OF Sunday schools from
i92722 to 2O7s9 by rs per cent and the number
Sunday school officers and teachers, from i7i60A 10
20i9293, by ia per These data which
tute few Of the significant facts developed by the
Census Bureaus recent inquiry relating TO religious
bodies, contained in statement issued by Director
Samuel L. Rogers and compiled under the supervision OF
William c. Hunt, chief statistlcian for population The
statistics presented preliminary and subject TO later
revision, but substantially correct
The total number Of denominations covered by the
statistics was POI, increase OF ~ the number
reported for 1906 This increase the net result OF the
consolidation dropping out OF i6 small denominations
and the addition Of 20 small denominations, the latter
comprising some which actually in existence in
1906 but not then brought light and others resulting
from consolidation Of formerly independent churches.
reorganization within existing denominations. etc.
or the l20iisS7i church members reported i57i22s2
or 5A per cent, Roman Catholics; 2503io
tenths Of one cent adhorents OF the Eastern
Orthodox churches lmanly Greek Church and Russian
church,; s69sos or nne-tenths Of one per cent were
members Of Jewish congregation. and the remainer,
2569t7li, Gil per cent, comprised the membership
Of the various Protestant churches together with that
OF a few bodies. such the Latter Day Saints the
Sprituallsts others not usually considered as be-
longing TO any Of the groups named
In comparing the figures Just given, IL should be
horne IN mind that the Roman Catholic and the Eastern
Orthodox churches include their membership an in
fants and the children who been baptized whereas
the Protestant churches do not rule receive young
children as members, and that in the Of some Of
the orthodox Jewish organizations only the malo
incorporators OF the Institutions those who have
bought shares memberships in them are treated as
members The foregoing percentages therefore.
state the relative strength OF the Roman Catholic and
Eastern Orthodox churches and undersate that the
Jews.
The canvass showed nine denominations which had
total membership OF than 100000 each and an a-
esate Of 32i6I32, 72 per cent OF the entire menu
bershp reported for all religious bodies These oreani-
zetions. with their membership were as follows Bap-
tisL Northern iag7fis; Baptist Southern, 27iL59i; /;
Baptist National tcolored), 3Oi8sH; Disciples Of Christ
I2Siioi Methodist Episcopal 3Tis5o6; Methodist Epis-
copa SOUTH 2ioO6i Presbyterian in the United States
America i6iSo56 Protestant Episcopal i09si73; Roman
Catholic i5,7i2262.
The aggregate membership OF the several Baptist de-
nominations North, South colcred and a ohers) was
325665O Of the various Methodist denominations Meth
odist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South Methodist
iiyttedn AFRICAN MeluOulsb Episcopal, African Meth
odist Episcopal Zon Coored Methodist Episcopal and
eleven other Methodist denominations. 1--WE Of which are
white and six colored 7i659s6 Of the PRESBYTERIAN
denominations presbyterian in United States America
Presbyterian in United States United Presbyterian and
seven others 225739 and OF the tventy-one Lutheran
denominations 2i63255
The total number OF ministers reported ia 1872 COM
prsed 202s7 Catholic priests priests Of ths Eastern
Orthodox churches, 79 jewish rabbis and i7Os59 min
listers OF other churches, mainly Of Protestant denom
nations The percentage OF increase in number OF min
siers during the tenyear period i6 somewhat less
than that in membership 1872 The average number Of
church members 10 each minister for all denominations
in 1916 was 2a For the Roman Catholics however. the
corresponding average, 776 was much larger
The canvass showed 90I7s9 Sunday schools with
2Oi9293 officers and teachers and 2O5eas3i scholars
These totals comprise 1926 Sunday schools with
i999is officers and teachers and i995675 scholars CON
Quoted by church organizations and i25i3 nndennnina
tona and union sunday schools. with s93l5 officers an
teachers and 6Si56 scholars The nverage number Of
officers and teachers TO each denonnatonal Sunday
school was thus almost exactly ten and the average
number Of scholars small fraction more than 100;
whereas ia the case Of the undenomnaonal and union
Sunday schools the average number Of officers and
teachers was little more than and the average
humber Of scholars not quite nfty The number Of
scholars in the Roman Catholic Sunday schools s532i5
was equal to 80 cent Of the total for all denomina-
tional Sunday schools This proportion was very much
smaller than the corresponding 8A per cent which
Roman Catholic church membership represented Of the
total This difference is due in large part 70 the fact
that the attendants at Protestant Sunday schools include
many adults, whereas practically an scholars in Roman
Catholic Sunday schools very young children and in
many cases the peroohi school takes The place OF the
sunday school Moreover, already pointed out the
total membership Of The Roman Catholic churches IN
eludes all infants and children who have been baptized
whereas that OF Protestant churches consists almost en-
tirely Of youths and adults
We have received from Riil W. Driscon, song com
poser Of This city. COMPLIMENTARY eony Of biz na..