Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-19

Just at time when religion Is being
considerably injected into presiden-
tlal election, the Bureau of the Census
has practically completed the census OF
religious bodies for the year 1925. One
by one the results of the census OF each
denomination have been made public
with explanatory remarks by the bureau
officials. This census of religious bodies
is taken every 10 years, during the year
ending with the numeral six. The 1926
returns show many marked changes
from those of 1916, and since the brief
announcements issued from time TO
time have not given the whole set OF
facts surrounding the taking OF this
census, many erroneous statements are
heard about the religious makeup OF
The population Of the United States.
To begin with it is worth remember
ing that the religious census is based
on reports by the churches to questions
asked of them by the Bureau of the
Census. Much of the work is handled
by mail. although 1t is generally
checked up by personal investigation so
far as the forces of the bureau can
reach into the thousands of commu-
mites where churches exist.
The bureau seeks to learn a rather
long series of definite facts about
church membership and church prop
erty 1t seeks to ask every individual
church in every community or at every
crossroads lot OF questions. 1t asks
how many members belong to the
church, how many are adults and how
many are children, what property the
church owns. whether 1t has a Sunday
school, what its receipts and expendi-
lures were for 1926, what 1t spent for
fnro1Ov1
missions and other purposes.
TabuIatiOn OF Data.
by the bureau forces to gathering the
data from the churches, checking and
testing them for accuracy. Then began
the tabulation Of these data. The en-
tire process engages many employees
much tabulating machinery and much
time in making sure of reaching all
congregations. Results are carefully
G impaired with the census of 1916, and
C-reful study given to the more intri-
cate problems arising by consultations
between denominations. changes of
church names and changes in church
policy such as altering the ages OF
baptism or confirmation. or other cir
cumstances which influence the exact
meaning of the results as shown in cold
figures.
The Bureau of the Census has not the
slightest interest in religious statistics
aS they may influence politics When
the 1926 census was begun, nobody
knew that the next Republican candi-
date for President would be Quaker
and the next Democratic candidate a
Roman Catholic and the two Vice
Presidential candidates each a Method
list. Before the final results have been
compiled. however. politics is deeply in
yolved with religions, and the work Of
the Bureau IS being scanned by thou
sands OF people to see how many Catho-
lies live in this or that State or city,
how many Baptists in another, and
SO on. The bureau officials are glad
their work was carefully and s"'0''-
tifically done before the present cam
paign began.
Membership or Congregations.
The result having been tabulated,
with the exception of two or three out
of the many hundreds of denomina-
tons and subdenominations. show that
there are about 10000, 900 church men,
bers i'll the United States How many
more people go to church or consider
themselves as affiliated with churches
although not listed anywhere as men,
bers. cannot be estimated. OF the
total, the largest membership Is in the
Roman Catholic Church. which reports
1864 $50 members. The next largest
groups are the Methodists and Bap-
lists. with something over 100000
each Precise figures for the Southern
Baptist Convention are yet incomplete
These returns are likely to show a few
more BaptistS altogether than the
8.069,87o members of the 19 Methodist
bodies. There are also 10 divisions
and subdenominations of the Baptist