Evening journal., 1922-07-01
756,9l0A ARE
PRESBYTERIANS
Church Shows Net Gain of
34,557 During Year;
100000 Confessions
1,502,6l6 IN THE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Special to The Evening Journal

Special to The Evening Journal
PHILADELPHIA. July !. - A
A church year without an Easter
Sunday is the anomaly figuring in
the apnual statistics or the Presby-
terian Church in the u. S. A, as
issued today by DR.. Lewis Seymour
Nudge, Stated Clerk of the denom-
nation from the office of General
Assembly in the Witherspoon build
ing. The ProsbyterlaDs close their
books March 81. Easier Sunday
last year came before that date
and this year came after It. There
fore the church years statistics con-
tanned in the annual census lust
announced was without the benefit
of the great annual day OF ingath-
ering. Easter Sunday usually wit
Desses extraordinary accessions to
Nevertheless, without
the INCLUSION OF that date, the
Presbyterians show a considerable
gain.
The total number of communicant
members recorded in the stated
clerks report is 1,756,91S, theI
largest IN the history OF the de-
nomination. The rolls show 93,259l
added on confession of faith, 65,234I
added by certificate from other
churches, and 11,195 restored to
membership. Losses by death were
1919, by dismissal 54,179; and
5000 were placed on the suspended
list. so that the net increase for the |
year was 34,557. The addition of !
nearly 100000 on confession says
DR.. Nudge. noting the absence of !
Easter Sunday from the ecclesiasti- |
'al year, lis most notable, and in !
al probability makes the last &C.
,lesiastical year rank with the best
IF its predecessors in spiritual bless
ng." In the number OF members
placed on the suspended roll DR..
Nudge says. I'VE still find food for
most serious thought"
The Stated Clerk records ne a
notable fact that the Sunday school
membership has passed the Million
Ind-0-half mark for the first time
n history. The total number of
sunday school members that pas,
ear was 1.502,G16. an increase of
learly 10000 over the previous
ear.
The Presbyterian Church in the
J. 5. a. today has AZ synods and 304
'resbyteries with 1906 ordained
minister's and 9.710 individual
hurches Differed by 46,54l elders
md 1882 deacons.
The total contributions of Pres
,yterians TO all causes for the wear
we're $4T341,334. an increase of
'ver 100000 compared with the
preceding year, and the greatest
mount in the church's record. or
his, $32,7S9.714 was for local con-
purposes. The benevo-
ent, missionary and educational
nerings showed a material in
rease.
The chief benefciarles were:
lone missions. $3,s67,1S4; foreign
Mission, S3,746.359; Christian edu-
alton, s1,23O,533; work among
outhern negroes. $347,S92: Sunday
chool work, $442.412; church cree 9
on. $345,621; ministerial relief. Z
1882; temperance and moral {
'elfare, $197019; evangelism, S2O7,-
20; Sabbath observance. $39,919. I
The total of the contributions for !
ne year" says DIR Nudge. rs a
lowing tribute to tho loyalty of tho
membership Of tho churches. The
mount contributed this last ecclesi-
stical year to congregational eN- {
enses IS s1.sOO,O0O moro than the
I'm credited in this column last G
ear, and S7,00O,0O0 more than the $
I'm credited in this column in
92O." c
Noting an apparent decrease OF c
32 in the number OF church as
impaired with last year, the Stated G
Jerk explains that part OF this is d
le to a new form of listing or
assfication. while the remainder
the decrease is to the credit Of
10 church. in that the Presbyteries {
'e everywhere endeavoring to dis r
and churches which are no longer {
rviceable or combine them with n
hers for the sake OF economy and
nciency." &
IND VNrNrrfxr