The New York herald., 1922-01-15
DR.. E. 0. Watson Points to
Wide Division of Work
Among Clergy.
SYSTEM ALSO DEFECTIVE
Church Membership to Be
Proved as Largest in U. s.
History by Canvass.
Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau
HaahinKf0u. ID. e. Han IA

Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Jan. II.
Church. congregations outnumber
ministers by more than $4,000, it was
disclosed here to-day by last minute
returns in a nationwide census con-
Quoted by the Federal Council of
Churches.
Church organizations or congrega-
tions throughout the United States
number 2S6,5sS, the Federal Council;
announced. The total number of or
dained ministers in the country is
2O1.2s0. a difference Of 35,30S.
These figures include Protestant,
Catholic, Jewish and all non-sectarian
bodies, it was explained, or practically
every known variety OF religious
thought.
The returns show big increase over
the returns to the United States Census
Bureau made by churches in an official
count in 1916. At that time there were
227,4S7 church congregations and 191,-
296 ministers.
DIR. Watson's Comment.
In connection with the returns. the
Rev. DR.. E. o. Watson, secretary of the
Washington branch Of the council and
tho man who conducted the present
count, said:
"A report is being circulated through
out the country to the effect that reli-
gion is Short more than $4,000 ministers
or religious leaders. 1 do not know who
is responsible for the report nor do I
know the motives behind it. Perhaps
the report was put out with a construc-
tive purpose. Perhaps not.
There is little to show, however, that
men are not responding to the call Of
the ministry or that churches cannot OBJ
tain the services Of ministers where they
are needed. Our returns do show that
there are many more church congrega-
tions than ministers. This, believe, has
always been the case. The big question,
however, Is whether this means q short
age Of ministers.
Many congregations in country places
share ministers with other congrega-
tions. In such cases 1t cannot be said
d
some cases one minister has as many as
five church congregations under his
charge. This is usually due to choice by
the congregations concerned.
In many sections Of the country
churches are five or six miles from the
rearest town. But the minister has his
residence in the town where large part
of his congregation lives. These men,
bers want their minister near them, not
out in the country. In such cases the
census figures return the country church
as without a minister.
Case of Friends Cited.
'Tn some denominations like the
Friends tilere are no ministers. All
these special circumstances tend to make
it appear tha. thero is a shortage OF
ministers or not enough to 80 around.
Whether there really is a shortage and
the extent Of it cannot be learned ex-
cspt through special count taken for
that very purpose. So far as / know
no such count has ever been made.
"In the count which the Federal coun-
Gil has Just concluded no effort was
made to determine the number of min
listers who arc retired. We simply know
that there are in the United States 2O1,-
2S0 persons fully ordained and compe-
tent to accept charges.
"Some of the Protestant denomina-
tions have not yet succeeded in devising
q system OF bringing the minister to
the church. In these denominations
there arc churches without ministers
and ministers without churches. This is
due TO a lack of system for making the
connection. In one very large Protes-
tant denomination q system to make the
connection has been worked out so COM
pletely that the claim Ia made that not
a single church is without a minister
This claim i'm effect Is almost 100 per
cent. a fact
DIR. Watson in a few days plans ia
make public report showing the exact
number of persons in the United States
credited with full membership in
churches. The returns for this count
are now being tabulated.
II will show that there are more per-
sons affiliated with religious organiza-
tions thon ever before in history. accord
ing to DR.. Watson. who believes that