Arizona republican., 1921-04-07
PROGRESS OF CHURCH IN STATE SHOWN IN
 COMMITTEE REPORT.

UUIVIIvIlIIl I'LL UllI
 Following is the report submitted to and adopted by the 1921 convoca- ton of the Arizona diocese of the Protestant Episcopal church, which ended it's session last Monday. The report was prepared by the commit tee on the state of the church, and was read to the delegates by the Rev. J. M. Dixon, pastor of Grace church, Tucson, who is chairman of that com- mittee:
 Never has the state of the church in Arizona been so prosperous as 1t is today. Never has the church had so much cause for rejoicing in the pres ent and for hope for the future. This convocation, with the double celeora- tion of the tenth anniversary of the conservation of the bishop and of the completion and consecration of the cathedral, is a unique event in the history of the church in Arizona. It is an event the full significance of which will stand out more clearly in the years to come than it does at the present.
 Comparison of Present With Past In order the better to appreciate | the significance of the tenth ami versary of the elevation of Bishop At wood to the episcopate, it will mate rially help toward that end if we draw a comparison between the state l of the church 10 years ago and that of today. Ten years ago the number of families which owed allegiance to | the Episcopal church, in this mission ary district, was S090; last year 1t was TOP, and this year it Was 1885, an increase of IA per cent. The num- Der of baptized persons reported 1o | years ago was 2471, the number last year 4546, and the present number 1 4S13, an increase of 94 per cent in IL years. The present number of com municants is 2S15; that of last year 1 2736. and that of 1911, 1252, the in l crease being 124 per cent. The num- l Der of baptisms reported in 1911 was | 106; last year the number was 115 and this year 173, an increase of 6; per cent. There are many unbap- tized children and adults in this dis l trict; no better work can be done both by the clergy and the laity thar by seeking these out and bringing | them into the church by baptism. Tht number of confirmations reported il 1911 was 67. Last year the number was 101, and this year 437, an in. crease in 10 years of 552 per cent. N record of marriages is given for 1911 but the number for last year is S7 sliiQ tndl LOT lIliS year 14S, dH lilCTedSi in one year of AS per cent. So o burials; last year there were 12s. an, this year 130, an instance where al increase of numbers is an indication of doubtful progress; therefore, W , rejoice that the increase has been S , small. We have, however, the recor of the number of teachers and off l cers of the Sunday schools for 1911 when it was 47. The number las | xxrrz , year 120, an increase in 10 years o 155 per cent. The number of scholar reported in 1911 was 3S9, that for las year 1255. and that for this year 122s which shows an increase of 216 pc cent in the decade.
 Parochial Offerings
 Let us now consider the offering , for parochial purposes. In 1911 tn sum reported for minister's salarie was $6s23. Last year the amour was $14,260, and this year $14,260, a ,, increase in 10 years of 11S per cen The amount disbursed for curren expenses 10 years ago was s27S3- Las year the report shows $940S, and thi l S10,630, which is an increase owe 1911 or 2S per cent.
 Diocesan Offerings
 As to diocesan offerings, the tots amount disbursed reported in 191 | WAS SlOOi lldI lOl ldSL tdT W . s3201, and for this year $9413, show ing an increase of 504 per cent.
 Extra Diocesan Offerings
 For extra diocesan purposes. u following figures show a remarka b increase in the last 10 years. IT M amount reported by Arizona for ger I eral missions in 1911 was $500. 1919, the year before the nation-w -wit campaign, the amount reported W; So11Q. S2SST n U, amount subscribed and estimated f y 1921 is s447o, which is an increase l. 1898 per cent for the decade.
 n. The total offerings for all purpose -o as reported in 1911, were S1511. IT IT amount reported this year is s51, ,3(
 an increase of 23 per cent. Und r. this head 1t ought to be noted tn " over S60,000, which was raised In Trinity parish toward the building k, the cathedral, has not been counte t. If this had been done the total wou k. have been about $112,000.
 rk In a1911 the total value of chur as property in Arizona was about s5 r. 900. Today 1t is estimated at $50
 900, an increase of 300 per cent. Ten years ago the number of pre-
 byters economically connected with |
 district was 9. There are now Then there were Il lay readers; n, | there are 25. Then there were tn parishes: now there are five; tn 10 organized missions: now 20; tn four unorganized missions, now
 Ten years ago there were, in all A zona, only r places where the SCI ices of the Episcopal church w held. Today there are 5f.
 Though three or four more clers men are needed to man properly vacant places, yet the vacanc
 gradually are being filled. and,
 long, it is hoped that enough n
 may be secured to cover complet
 the work needing to be done. Everywhere the outlook is hope1
 Even in those missions where as
 no minister has been permanen
 stationed there is spirit of opti ism on the part of the people, z
 a readiness to do their part in ke
 ing the missions going until clerl
 men are in the field There is
 reason why lay readers should
 ne utilized in this work, even tt . greater extent than at present,