The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-03-30
RELIGIOUS STATISTICS FOR U. S.
Figures Prepared by DIR. E. o. Wat
son, Former Bamberg Pastor.

Every day during the last five years
an average of 2,173 persons Joined
the various churches of America.
During the same time an average OF
three congregations have,been organ
lied daily and the average number
joining the ministry has been four
and one-half persons per day.
These facts are brought to light
by religious statistics for the United
States compiled by Dr.. E. o. Watson,
Washington secretary of the FEEDER
al Council of the Churches of Christ
in America. The figures show that
the churches are steadily overcoming
their war losses. The total church
membership of the country, according
to the latest available figures, is 49,
997,199. This is an increase of A.
O7O,345 over the 19lo census fig
ures and indicates a gain Of more
than a million members for the pre-
ceding months.
The various religious bodies re-
port 233,104 congregations headed
by 100000 ministers. This is gain
of 5,617 congregations and 1924
clergy over the government figures
of 1916. While there has been much
talk of a shortage of ministers the
increase in clergy has been approx
imately so per cent. more than the
increase in the congregations. The
1904 difference between ministers
and congregations does not indicate
corresponding shortage of pastors,
as many ministers, especially in the
rural districts, have charge OF two
or more churches.
OF 45,997,1s9 persons listed Of
fcially as church members, the Ro-
man Catholics have 17,SS5,646. Ro-
man Catholic figures represent esti-
mated population including all bap-
tized persons. Protestant bodies
count only communicates.
The 80 bodies related to the Fed
eral Council of Churches have 49,
933,115 members. They have a to-
tai of 142,472 congregations manned
by 113,761 clergy. Their gain in
membership over the preceding five
years is 1,245,935. Their total con-
stituency is 55,S12,722, gain of g.
44s,61S over the 1916 census figures.
The total religious constituency of
the country (including all members
and adherents) is placed at $685.
096 persons. Owing to different sta
tisticai methods of the various
churches these figures are estimated
in accordance with studies made by
statisticians. On this comparable
basis the constituency of the various
bodies is as follows.
Protestaats, 74,795,226; Roman
Catholics, 17,Ss5,64e; Jews, 1,120,-
600; Eastern Orthodox (Greek and
Russian), 411,054; Latter Day
Saints (Mormons), 1,546,170.
OF the Jewish figures, 100000 are
estimated. The Jewish bodies have
different methods of reporting, some
counting only heads of families and
others only heads Of families who are
also pew holders. Vol. % of the
American Jewish Year Book esti-
mates the Jewish population of the
United States at 100000.
As the churches report their sta
tistics as whole it is practically i'm
possible to tell in what part OF the
country the great gains have been
made. Indications are that the ad-
vance is all along the line. A special
ly significant growth has been report
ed by the Southern Baptists and the
Southern Methodists.
For the first time the Baptists have
passed the Methodists in total mem
bership, now having. 7,S35,250 mem
bership, against a Methodist member
ship of 7,797,991. The Lutheran
bodies stand third with member
ship of 2,466,e45. persons, and the
Presbyterians are fourth with 1884,
6S3 members.
Practically all of the major reli.
gious faiths have made gain except
the Unitarians, who show a loss OF
30,S8O members as compared with
1916 figures, their total membership
of last year being 51,635; and the
Methodist Protestant church which
shows apparently loss of S,625
members for the five-year period. The
Churches of God in North America,
general eldership, with member
ship Of 25,920 also show decrease
of 2,456 members. The Roman Cath
olics show a membership and adher-
ence gain of 2,163,S31 during the