Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-28
America Religious
AS Appears From
The QUESTIONABLE


New York, Dec. 27-Contrary TO
general opinion, writes Charles
Stelzle, President of the Church
Advertising Department, Americans
have not departed from the religious
position of the "forefathers" who
founded this country, or those who
framed its Constitution. The eX-
preston of religion is today, differ
ent, but even upon a statistical basis,
religion is seen to be making steady
progress.
It isn't possible to secure accurate
data regarding church membership
at the time of the Pilgrim fathers
nor during the period of the Revolu--
ton, but since 1900 there has been
marked increase in church member-
ship in this country. Taking the
number of Protestant communicates
at various periods. we find the fol-
lowing: In 1900 Protestant church
members numbered per cent of the
population: in 1850, Is per cent; in
1870, II per cent; in 1880, 20 per
cent; in 1890, % per cent; in 1900,
"a per cent; in 1910. "a per cent;
in 1925, approximately 26 per cent.
Statistics for the Roman Catholic,
Greek Catholic and Jewish churches
are more difficult to obtain, but
these religious bodies have likewise
made steady progress, until today
the church membership in the United
States numbers about As per cent of
the entire population. But Is per
cent of our population is below the
age of church membership in those
denominations which require a per-
sonal profession of faith, so that
. nf,Jotlry oh al
81 per cent of the available pop
ulation in their memberships.
The QUESTIONABLE ballot on relis-
ion which has just been printed for
ten days by nearly two hundred
newspapers in as many different
cities in forty states has again
demonstrated the religious character
of the American people. 1t has not
ships are not decreasing, but that
large numbers who are not members
of churches are sympathetic towards
religion.
Many newspapers did not report
their final tabulations but the figures
returned from 1913 papers indicate
that over $4,000 persons answered
the QUESTIONABLE. which was pre-
pared by a Commission of One Hun
dred prominent clergymen of various
denominations for the Church
Advertising Department of the
international Advertising Associa-
ton, in order to discover the attitude
of Americans regarding religion, so
that the campaign on religion to be
conducted from Christmas to Easter
might be based upon actual facts.
Following are the percentages of
replies received from all those who
voted:
QUESTION ayes" mo"
1 Do you believe in God?
91ca 90
2 Do YOU believe in i'm
q mortality? $50 1876
3. Do you believe In
prayer as a means
NJ personal rela-
tionship with God? $50 800
4. Do you believe that
Jesus was divine as
no other man was
divine? $50 15ct
). Do you regard the
Bible as inspired in
sense that no
other lit r ture
could be said to be
inspired? $50 15ct
6. Are you an active
m m er of any
church? 77co 800
7. Do you regularly at
tend any religious
services? 1870 s4G
s. Would you be willing
to have your family
grow up in a COM
munity in which
there is no church? 1870 S7ee
g. Do you reularly have
family wor ship
in your home? 42qs $50
10. Were you brought up
In religious
home? s7qs 1870
IL. sDo you send your
chill dren to any
school of religion
instruction? 7aes 2s%
II. Do you think that
Religion in some
form is a necessary
element of life for
the individual and
for the community? S7Ce 1scc
However, the sentiment regarding
these questions differed in various
pdi Us VI TIE United States. In the
Southern States the people were I'M
usually orthodox.
Even though the number of people
who voted was comparatively small
they represented a great horizontal
slice of the population of the United
States. This is evidenced In part by
the figures showing the church mem
bership OF those who answered the
QUESTIONABLE. The ,rcentage Of
church members for the entire coun-
try as shown in the returns was II.
This is higher than the figure already
given for the actual percentage of
eligible church membership for the
entire country, namely 51Gt. But it
should be remembered that in the
rural districts. which include 500 Of
the population of the United States
only 26Go of the people are church
members. This Of itself would in
crease enormously the percentage Of
church members who live in the city.
And the QUESTIONABLE was used only
in the, cities.
1t slould also be kept In mind that