Evening journal., 1921-12-29
FEWER RECTORS;
MORE MEMBERS
Alarming" Condition in
Episcopal Church Reveal
ed by Board of Inquiry
OTHER PROTESTANT
FAITHS SHY PASTORS

A steady decrease in the number
Of recruits for the ministry. so mark
ed as to warrant church leaders in
describing the situation as grave
and alarming" is contained in
report on an investigation made un-
der the direction of a commission
OF the Episcopal Church in the Unit
ed states
This report discloses that in the
Diocese OF New York where, In the
hfties. there was one minister for
svery 491 communicates, today there
Is but one minister for every 1928
communicates. That this proper
ton is maintained through the coun-
try is indicated by the fact that in
the Diocese OF Rhode Island In the
nftles one minister was recruited for
every 526 members, while today only
one minister is recruited for every
1854 members; and that through the
Southwestern States where in 1920
. one minister was produced for every
235 communicates. al present one is
produced for every 5000 communi-
cants.
According to church authorities
these figures in a general way reflect
the situation in all OF the various
denominations. although with spe-
ciac reference TO conditions in the
Episcopal Church, the report says
"the recruiting situation in our
church IS grave-it is more grave
than seems to be the case with other
religious bodies"
The report. which IS made by the
Rev. DR.. George Barthen, Philadel-
phia. Dean Fosbroke. Of the Cen
eral Semipary. New York, and the
Rev. DIR. Harry Nichols. is the re-
suit Of Investigations covering a
period OF many months.
Fewer Ministers; More Members
Striking a general average through
out the Episcopal Church the report
shows that the ratio Of ministerial
recruits TO communicants annually is
to 2251. What this means is in
dicated by the fact that to the aver
age churchman. $50 communicates
Is the ideal congregation. A pecu-
liarity OF the situation is that while
recruits for the ministry arc falling
of steadily from year to year on
the other hand a constant gain in
membership Is noted.
For instance. from 1906 onward
among seven religious bodies. IN,
Episcopal Church ranked second IN
membership gains with a percent
age OF 23.S The Baptists were
first. with a percentage OF 27.7
Presbyterians third. Methodist,
fourth. Lutherans NTH. Congrega
ionalists sixth. and Roman Catholic.
seventh. Yet the astonishing fac
IS noted that while the Episcopa
Church ranked second in percentag,
OF increased membership. its per
'centags OF Increase OF ministers wa
the lowest in the list. with 30: whrl
the Roman Catholic. which ranke,
lowest in increases Of membership
showed the highest percentage o
increase OF ministers. with 33.s. o
almost double that OF any other de
nomination.
Commenting on this phase Of tn
situation the report OF the Eniscopa
Commission says: TT means tina
we are pressing more quickly towarl
the critical moment when there vii
no so rev ministers that our Who'll
growth and work will be menaced.
Just how far the church has pro
gressed toward his point is Indicate
by the fact that there IS TODAY a,
excess OF 1877 stations over the nc
number OF clerg.- available 10 n
them. One other peculiar point Z
which attention is drawn is the fac
that approximately 40 per cent. a
the new ministers ordained in IN
Episcopal Church during the pas
ten years have come from other dc
Observation-Disclosures. Presbvter
ian. or Baptists. and not from IN
Episcopal Church. with regard >,
which the commission SAYS: "Tbi
appears to us the most disquietinl
fact OF all. II our own church fam
lies are producing only a little NOR
tEan one-half Of the seriously mad
equate number Of our recruits, ther