Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-02-15

ar average of 2,173 persons joined the
various churches of America. During
the same time there has been an aver
age Of three congregations organized
cai!y. and the average number join
ing the ministry has been four and
one-half persons a day.
These facts are brought to light by
religious statistics for the Uaited
States compiled by DIR. L. o. Watson.
Washington secretary Of the Federal
Council Of the Churches of Christ in
America. The figures show that the
their war losses. The total church
membership OF the country. according
to the latest available figures, is a.
991.199. This is an increase OF 1910
indicates gain of more than a mil
lion members for the preceding
twelve months.
Congregations and Pastors.
The various religious bodies report
233. 104 congregations headed by 2OO.-
09O ministers. This is a gain of 5,6l1
congregations and S,294 clergy over
the government figures for 1916.
While there has been much talk of a
shortage OF ministers. the increase IN
clergy has been approximately SO per
cen: more than the increase in the
congregations. The 33,014 difference
between ministers and congregations
shortage of pastors, as many minis
tiers. especially in the rural districts.
have charge of two or more churches.
OF the 45,997,1S9 persons listed Of
f1cially 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 thirty bodies related to the
Federal Council of Churches have
1s:sss.l15 members. They have to-,
membership over the preceding five
years is 1,245,935 Their total con-
stituency is 55.S12.722, gain OF
3,44S.61S over the 1916 census figures:
The total religious constituency of
and adherents) is placed at $685.
O96 persons. owing to different sta
tistical methods of the various
churches. these figures are estimated
in accordance with studies made by
statiSticians. =
Summary of Churches.
On this comparable basis the con-
stituency of the various great bodies
is as follows:
Catholics. 17,SS5.646: Jews, 100000;
Eastern Orthodox Greek and Rus
sian), 4I1,054: Latter Day Saints
(Mormons). 1,646,170.
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. Volume % of
the American Jewish Year Book es-
Inmates the Jewish population Of the
United States at 100000.
AS the churches report their sta
tistics as whole it is practically im-
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 speci-
ally significant growth has been re-
ported by the Southern BaptfstS and
Southern Methodists.
For the first time the Baptists have
passed the Methodfsts in total men,
bership. now having 7.s35,250 MEM
bers. against a Methodist membership
of 7.7s7,991. The Lutheran bodies
stand third, with a membership of g.
466,645 persons and the Presbyterians
are fourth. with 2,3s4.6S6 members.
Practically all of the major re-
ligious faiths have made a gain ex-
cept the Unitarians, who show loss
Of 30,SS0 members as compared with
1S1o hS uIC CO. thciI totoA
Of last year being 51.635; and the
Methodist Protestant Church. which
shows apparently loss of $685.
members for the fve-year period.
The Churches of God in North Ameri-
ca, General Eldership. with a men,
bership Of $500, also show a de-
crease of 2:456 members. The Roman
Catholics show membersip of ad-
herents gain of 2.16s.s31 during the
last five years. They have 1850
Methodist Episcopal Gains.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
(North) reports an increase in mem
bership Of 220,S70 over the 1916 fig
ures and 62.595 members over last
year, its present membership being
3,93S,655. 1t is the largest single
Protestant communion. The Method
list Episcopal Church. (South). shows
a great gain of 91,315 members for
the preceding year, with an addition
of 231.5S8 over the 1916 figures, its
total now being 2,346.067.
The Protestant Episcopal Church
has recovered it's war loss and now
shows a gain of 11,20S over the 1916
figures, of which 1874 were reported
last year. Its total membership is l.
1O4,029 persons.
An interesting fact is that the SAL
walton Army, with a reported mem
bership of $500. shows an increase
of only IS persons over five years ago
The combined Baptist bodies show
a gain of 681,937 persons over tn