Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1921-08-11
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCES
SHOW MEMBERSHIP GAIN
Records Show Noticeable Progress In
Every Branch of Church and
Sunday School Activity.

Sunday School Activity.
Presbyterians particularly, and 9TH.
er denominations generally, will be
interested in the fact that this state
stands fourth in membership in the
Southern Presbyterian church in the
is states comprising that organiza-
ton and is outranked by North Caro-
lima, Virginia and Texas. Probably no
synod is better organized. This and
other interesting facts are available
in the minutes Of the meeting Of the
general assembly held recently in st.
Louis.
In South Carolina there are 32,911
members, gain of 1858 in ten years;
just about 80 per cent. There were
received into the church on profess
sion of faith last year 1,041 persons
or about five to every 100 members.
The Sunday school enrolment was
I26,555 or 80 to each 100 members, the
largest ever reported.
The receipts for benevolent causes
amounted to $456,7S6 or about $l3.S7
per capita. This is we'll above the
average of the church as whole.
The total gifts to all causes amount
ed to $1,O49,1S3 or $31.S4 per capita,
the largest amount ever contributed,
In 1911 they gave to all causes only
$12.11 per member.
The report shows that the year just
! closed was the best the church ever
had. The membership increased 25,-
Al in the entire Southern Presbyte-
rian church, making the total now
397,05S. There were six persons re-
ceived into the church on profession
of faith for every hundred members
( of the church or at total of 24,369.
The Sunday schools showed an in
crease of 1892. There are now SO
members of the Sabbath school for
every hundred members, while ten
years ago there were SO Sunday school
members per hundred church members
The receipts for the designated
causes such as foreign missions, home
missions, Christian education, orpha-
nages, ministers relief, ETC., were
$4,'oS,55O or $12.43 per member. Last
year the receipts were S3.6J9.760 or
1882 per member This is said to
be the best record of any church in
this country. The total receipts for
the year for all causes amounted to
$12,124,S91 or $3O,53 per member as
against $9,236,S36 or s24,53 per men,
Der last year. Church members state
that they do not expect the receipts
for benevolent cause is be affected
by the financial depression as their
experience has been that the desig-
mated benevolent causes and the sal
aries of the pastors Of the church are
things that the members consider just
as they consider food and clothing or
other necessities.
The report brings /out that the re-
newed activity of the laymen of the
church is giving the ministers great
hope for the church The reports
show an increased attendance at
prayer meetings and less difficulty in
securing men to do much Of the
church work that formerly fell on the
minister.
Another feature of the church re-
port of special interest shows that
there are 13,0S0 persons who practice
tithing; that is pay into the church
one-tenth of their income. This is
the first year this report has been
made and as many of the church did
not give the numbers it Is thought
that there are at least one fourth more
than the figures would indicate.
The report is very interesting not
only to members of the Presbyterian
denomination but to others who like
to study church statistics.