The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1954-04-03

issn Science Monitor, page 2, Thursday March 25)
By Religious News Service

.s.n Science Monitor, page 7, Thursday, March 25)
By Religious News Service
New York
nv sampling the estimates of one seventh of the
liant pastors in the United States the Chris.
Herald arrives at the conclusion that between three
alan and "cIoser to five million" American Catholics
: ;o;ned Protestant churches in the past 10 wears
The said its conclusions were based on re-
y. to questionable sent to $4,000 of the 1871 900
.ssant ministers in the United States.
Projecting the number of reported in the re-
the total of Protestant pastors Christian Her
estimated there had been 4,144, 1866 Roman Catholic
Protestant conversions during the decade.
Allowing for error the magazine said the national
e coud not be less than 5000 000 and probably wa.
..r to {, 00O,O 900.
EXACT FIGURES COUNTED
Christian Herald said many clergymen had renI;ed
M, they knew of many converts from Roman Catholi
m their church but could provide actual figures
univ exact figures counted in tabulatng the survey
ruIts the magazine said.
Mixed marriage was the reason most frequently given
conversion of Roman Catholics to Professionalism Others
ver intellectual differences with Roman Catholic dog
u need for greater freedom of personal belief and in.
rpretation rebellion against the iron discipline of the
Roman Church.; divergence with Rome on both doctrna
md sociological grounds IAN appreciation of the APP
oaeh of love instead of fear and forgiveness by faith in
lead Of words; preference for the simpler and more d.
rect Protestant approach to worship and prayer"
DR.. Daniel A. Polling, the magazine editor, said the
ey had been undertaken get the true facts about con-
vrions.
Wide publicity about conversions to Roman Catholi-
'Am he said, had led many Americans Roman Catholic
Protestant alike, to believe that conversion one
way. street.
OBJECT OF SURVEY
Dr. Polling added the findings prove that the number
Roman Catholics converted to Protestantsm is over
emngy greater than the 1071 1897 converts reported
1.-THE Roman Catholic Church in the l0year period
Christian Heralds conclusions presented in an
ue by writer Will Ourser, of the late Fulton Our
daswelI. known author and editor.
! The study sought to find out how many Roman Cath
had been converted to Professionalism in the last 10
years. whether Protestant pastors provide instruction
PERIOD, for converts, and whether the ministers actively
ppeytze among Roman Catholics.
Quetonnares sent to all parts of the country,
he zine said, including those where the Roman
Catholic Church has reported its greatest gains.
Minister'S reported widely varying numbers of
ranging from the total of 27s reported for years
by 81 minister's in Georgia to 1851 reported by 209 New
York State pastors.
Almost all cergymen the Magazine said, reported
hat the number of Roman Catholics that had converted
was tar than the number of their church members
who had gone to Roman Catholicism.
AGAINST PROSELYTIzATION
In some the ratio close to even the article
SAID but mostly ranged from three and four to
high as ten to one in favor of Proestantism
Protestant ministers said to be opposed to active
rroseytzaton among Roman Catholics by almost 20 to
Christian Herald said this statement by pastor was
typical;
:. Under no circumstances do proselytze Roman
anohc members We not concerned in trying to dis
them in the free exercise of their religious convictions
Out when Roman member approaches us for questions
pertaining to church, pull punches"
tew clergymen said they discouraged potential
@ especially those whose for wanting to change
10 not appear sound
= one pastor quoted saying that if Roman Cath
NC approached him. apparently discontinued, he would
" on the mans priest in attempt to get the wouldbe
0n'ert to return to the Roman Catholic Church.
iwo'thrds of the ministers declared they gave some
Fm OF instruction to would-be converts. The amount
u'ed with the denomination and usually or
'han that given to others preparing for membership in
e church.
Christian Herald said il uncovered evidence of
'mo'y against Roman Catholicism any other religious
dy in the survey.
hn QsLE- Az