The Columbus dispatch., 1922-02-15
CHURCHES OF us.
SHOW BIG GAINS
BAPTISTS FIRST IN IN
CREASE AMONG PRO
TESTANT RELIGIONS
REGAIN WAR LOSS
Approximately Five Times As
Many PrOtestants AS Catholics
In United States Accord
ing To Late Report.

Washington, Feb. 1i.-Of the A.
. 997l99 persons listed officially as
church members, the Roman Catholics
have 178s5,656. Roman Catholic fig
ures represent estimated population
including all baptized persons. Prot
estant bodies count only communi-
cants.
For the first time the Baptists have
passed the Methodists in total mem
bership, now having 7,S35,250 men,
bers, against a Methodist member
ship Of 7,79799l. The Lutheran
bodies stand third with a member
ship of 2,466,645 persons and the
/ Presbyterians are fourth with 2,384,-
6S3 members.
Practically all of the major relig-
ious faiths have made gain except
| the Unitarians, who show a loss of
30,Ss0 members as compared with
1916 figures, their total membership
Of last year being 5l,635, and the
Methodist Protestant Church which
shows apparently loss of 8,625
members for the five-year period. The
churches of God in North America,
general eldership with membership
'of 25,920, also show a decrease Of
2,456 members. The Roman Catholics
show a membership and adherents
gain of 2,l63,831 during the last five
years. They have 16,5S0 churches
manned by q, ,643 priests.
These facts are brought to light by
religious statistics for the United
States statistics by DIR. f. o. Wat
son, Washington secretary Of the
Federal Council Of the Churches Of
Christ in America. The figures show
that the churches arc steadily over
coming their war losses. The total
church membership of the country, ac-
cording to the latest available figures,
is 45,997,199. This is an increase Of
4,070. .345 over the 1916 census figures,
and indicates a gain Of more than a
million members for the preceding II
months.
The various religious bodies report
233, ,104 congregations headed by 200,-
900 ministers. This is a gain of s.
6l7 congregations and 1924 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 cent more than the increase in
the congregations. The 1904 diff
ference between ministers and con-
does not indicate a cor
responding shortage Of pastors, as
many ministers, especially in the rural
districts, have charge Of two or more
churches.
Every day during the last five years
an average Of 2,l73 persons joined the
various churches of America. Dur
ing the same time an average Of three
have been organized
daily and the average number joining
the ministry has been four and one
half persons per day.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
North reports an increase in mem
bcrship Of 22O,S70 over the 1916 fig
ures and g., ,595 members over the last
year, its present membership being
3 ,g3S, $50. Il is the largest single
Protestant communion. The Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, shows a to-
tai of 2,346,O6L
The Protestant Episcopal Church
has recovered It's war loss, and now
shows a gain Of II POS over the 1916
figures. Of which 7I34 were reported
last year. Its total membership is
! ,l04,O29 persons.
The combined Bartis. bodies show
a gain Of 6Si937 persons over the
figures Of 1916. Each Of the major
Baptist denominations shows an in
.rcass for that period. The northern
Baptist convention with a member
ship Of f.253s7s, apparently shows a
gain Of only 2I73. but the cxplana-
ion must b. made that during this
ierod 19fs57 Missouri Baptists.
Crmeriy affiliated with the northern
}aDtists' convention, transferred their
20 the southern Baptist con-
entior which now has 3,199 005 mem-
ers This was the largest gain made
81 any single communion.
The total religious constituency of
be- country Oncluding al members
nd adherertsl Is placed at 95S5S.Oq6
ers5us Owing to different statisti-
al methods of the various churches
-ese figures are estimated in accord
nee with studies made by statis-
.cials. On this comparable basis
be- constituency Of the various great
odies IS AZ follows:
ProtestaHts. 74796.226; Roman
atholics. 17.SS5. $40; Jews. 1I20O00;
'asteru Orthodox fGreek and Rus
.ar). 411054. Later-Day Saints lF0r-
.r.sl- 1.fls1-o.