The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-27
PRESS COMMENT
Church Not Falling Behind.

For some reason not entirely ap-
parent there has gone out the impress
sion, frequently dwelt on by pulpit and
becoming a Goddess nation; that
American civilization is deteriorating
and that there is a general lowering
of the moral tone of the whole people,
It is said that the church has not
only lost its influence, but that it is
losing its membership, and there are
intimations of belief, here and there
that the church will finally become
extinct as a religious organization.
Some people there are who affect to
believe that the moral tone of e coun-
try has been lowered because of the
way in which certain women dress
because certain men use tobacco, be-
cause men and women indulge in GER
tain dances and in card playing. Be-
cause Of sporadic outbreaks of crime.
others take the gloomy view that the
fabric of our government is breaking
down and that there is very general
disregard for honesty, disregard for
the rights of others. disregard for the
law.
Having these views, and without re-
gard to the actual conditions of things
they assume that the church is going
to pieces and that there is nothing
in sight for society but utter destruc-
ton and dissolution.
But the actual figures do not bear
out the oft-repeated assertion that
the church is failing in numbers, ac-
tivity, or power, and to those figures
we appeal for a correct view of the
actual situation.
1t is disclosed that out of a CONT
mental population of los, 900 there
are today nearly 100000 church
members. with a Sunday school popu-
lation of 2o,000.000 more. There are
two million persons who devote their
time, in while or in part, to teaching
in Sunday schools, and besides all that
there are 100000 priests, ministers and
rabis, not TO say others, who are en-
gagged in church work. In other words
more than half the population of this
country is actively and closely asso-
ciated with the church.
The first religious census taken in
this country showed a total church
membership of approximately 21,0O0,-
600, out of a total population of g.
100000. or 80 per cent. That census
was taken in the year 1890. Sixteen
years later the church population had
increased to 35,O0O,0OO or AZ per cent
of the population of 100000. Ac-
tual membership is now 43 per cent
of the national population. Nearly
100000 became members of the va
rious religious bodies during the ten
year period ending in 1916. In the
last fifteen years church membership
has increased 20,00o,000.
Church buildings alone are valued
at 1000, 100000, and the churches have
an endowment of $780, 900, 900.
These figures are the outward and
visible sign of the growth of the
church sentiment and feeling in this
country. They utterly refute the idea
all to generally entertained, that the
church is losing in numbers and in
fluence.
Years ago. Robert Ingerson declared
that within ten years from the time
he made the statement, this country
would be building more theatres than
churches. At the end of that time a
certain bishop of one of the greatest
churches reported that his denomina-
ton alone was building a church
day, and he wired to Ingersoll, Bring
on your theatres"
So the pessimists who believe that
the church is falling behind in the
march of progress, we might challenge.
bring on anything that is building