The fifth United States census of religious bodies in this country, completed in 1906, is about to be issued as a Census Bulletin. We have received, however, from the Department of Commerce and Labor, an abstract of the first report, many items of which, we believe, will be of interest to our readers. According to this census there are 186 religious denominations; 212,230 local religious organizations; 32,936,445 church-members. There is invested in church buildings $1,257,575,867. One interesting item regarding church-membership is that the males form but 43.1 per cent of the total church-membership, the females forming 56.9 per cent. This varied greatly in different denominations.
Percentage of the Sexes
In the Protestant bodies the male membership was 39.3 per cent, the female membership 60.7 per cent; while in the Roman Catholic Church the membership was nearly equally divided between the sexes, 49.3 per cent being male, and 50.7 per cent being female. This is also true of the Mormon Church, which reports 48.6 per cent male. The largest percentage of males shown for any denomination was the Greek Orthodox Church, 93.9 per cent, which is due to the fact that practically all the Greek immigrants have been males.
The Lutheran bodies showed 46.1 per cent males; the Methodist and Baptist bodies, 38.5 per cent each; the Presbyterian bodies, 37.9 per cent; Protestant Episcopal Church, 35.5 per cent. The denominations showing the smallest percentage of males were the Christian Scientists, 27.6 per cent, and the Shakers, 21.3.
The Increase
The increase between 1890 and 1906, for all denominations, amounted to 12,367,530, or 60.4 per cent. The Protestant bodies reported an increase of 6,280,555, or 44.8 per cent. The Disciples, or Christians, report an increase of 78.2 per cent. The increase of the Adventist bodies amounted to 53.3. Next come the Baptists, an increase of 52.5 per cent. The Baptist body now numbers 5,662,234 members. In some of the Protestant denominations the increase was very low; as for instance, in the Christian Connection it was but 6.2 per cent; the Friends, 6.1 per cent; and the Unitarians, but 4.1 per cent, and yet probably the Unitarian belief has increased more rapidly than that of any other so-called Protestant denomination. They have multiplied believers in other denominations by the thousands as a result of Higher Criticism.
On account of the way the Jews reported in 1890, it is impossible to tell what their increase has been.
Protestants and Roman Catholics
Of the total number of members reported, 61.6 per cent were returned by the Protestant bodies, 36.7 per cent by the Roman Catholic Church, and 1.7 per cent by all other bodies together. In 1890 the Protestant bodies reported 68 per cent, and the Roman Catholic Church 30.3 per cent, and all other bodies 1.7 per cent.
The rate of increase shown for the Roman Catholic Church was 93.5 per cent, more than twice that for all Protestant bodies taken together,—44.8 per cent. This seems startling on the face of it; yet it is well to remember that much of this Roman Catholic increase has been through immigration.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City
Among the Protestants, the Methodist bodies ranked first in number of members, 17.5 per cent of the total for all religious denominations. The Baptist bodies are a close second with 17.2 per cent. These two families together constitute somewhat more than one third of the entire Protestant membership of the country. If to these are added the Lutheran bodies, the Presbyterian, and the Disciples, the five denominational families combined would include 16,497,480 members, a little more than one half the total membership of the country, and more than four fifths of all the Protestant membership.
The Christian Science percentage of increase is reported to be 8,825. The abstract informs us that the percentage of the Christian Scientists is probably too high, for the reason that many are counted as members of the “mother church” in Boston, who are also members of local churches elsewhere, and therefore would be counted twice. In fact it is said that nearly if not quite one half of the membership, 41,634, is duplicated in the “mother church.” Many scattered believers, too, have been of late years organized.
The average to the local church is highest among Roman Catholics; namely, 969; among the Protestant bodies, 104.
New and Extinct Denominations
During the sixteen years covered by the report, 12 denominations ceased to exist, 4 were consolidated with others, and 4 disappeared through changes in classification, leaving 126 reported both in 1890 and 1906; but there were divisions of denominations which numbered 13, and 48 other new denominations brought the total new ones up to 61, making 186 the grand total of all denominations reported in 1906. Of the 48 new denominations, 11 are the result of immigration, while most of the remainder are the result of the organization of entirely new cults.
Rank of Religious Bodies in Numbers of Churches
In this, Methodists stand first, with 64,701 organizations or local churches or companies; Baptists second, 54,880; Presbyterians follow with 15,506; Lutherans, 12,703; Roman Catholics, 12,482; Disciples, or Christians, 10,942; Protestant Episcopalians, 6,845; Congregationalists, 5,713; United Brethren, 4,304; Evangelical Association, 2,738; Reformed, 2,585; Adventists, 2,551; Jewish, 1,769; Christian Connection, 1,379; German Evangelical Synod, 1,205; Mormons, 1,184; Friends, 1,147; Dunkards, 1,097.
The increase in church buildings was 50,308, an average of 60 new church edifices each week, or 8 each day, for the 16-year period. The total seating capacity of church edifices is reported to be 58,536,830; for the Protestant bodies, 53,282,445; for the Roman Catholic Church, 4,494,377. With the exception of the Roman Catholic Church all the denominations showed an average seating capacity in excess of the average membership, amounting to three times the average membership in the Protestant bodies; while for the Roman Catholic Church the average membership was almost two and one fourth times the average seating capacity. The members of that church are accommodated at the different services; that is, members of families dividing up between different services.
The Roman Catholic Church reports as members all baptized persons, including infants. Therefore 15 per cent has been deducted from the membership, to cover those under nine years of age.
In 29 states the majority of the members belong to the Protestant bodies; in 16 states, to the Roman Catholic Church; and in one state, Utah, to the Latter-day Saints.
Here are the states in which the Roman Catholic membership is reported to be in majority: New Mexico, Rhode Island, Montana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Arizona, New York, New Hampshire, Louisiana, Connecticut, California, Vermont, Maine, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan.
In Georgia 57.9 per cent of the religious population belong to the Baptist bodies; in Mississippi, 56.5; in Alabama, 54.9; in Virginia, 52.4; and in South Carolina, 51.3. Delaware shows a high percentage for Methodists, 45.5.
The Census Bureau recognizes that even this is not a fair showing, because there are many who really regard themselves affiliated with Protestant bodies who are not included in the enumeration, as they have not fulfilled the requirements of membership; whereas the figures for the Roman Catholic Church include practically all adherents above nine years of age. Still the increase in the Roman Catholic Church has been tremendous.
This also ought to be taken into consideration: The Roman Catholic Church is a united body. During the last sixteen years various influences have had a tendency to weaken the Protestant churches; notably Higher Criticism, Unitarianism, New Thought, Christian Science, etc. The Roman Catholic Church stands as a united body; the Protestant churches are tremendously broken.
Church-Membership and Population
The church-membership has increased more rapidly than the population. The population who were church-members in 1906 was larger by 6.4 per cent than in 1890. The relative gain in religious membership as compared with the population of the country is as follows: Protestant bodies, 1.8 per cent; Roman Catholic11Church, 4.4. It can be readily seen how some of these denominations can control politics in these states. For instance, 56.2 per cent of all the people in New Mexico are Roman Catholics, having an actual majority of the population. In Utah 47.9 per cent of the whole population are members of the church of Latter-day Saints; while the Baptists, who have such a preponderating percentage in some of the Southern States as regards the religious population, have at the very highest but 24.4 per cent of the entire population.
Not Numbers but Character
The great lesson, however, for Christians to take to heart, is that it is not numbers which count in the great moral forces of the world. Some of the darkest periods of earth’s history, some of the darkest chapters of Christendom, were written in blood at a time when the majority of the population professed the religion of the Bible. The great and important question is, How much of vital godliness is represented in this increase? That is the only thing which will tell for the uplifting of the cross. The mightiest storehouses of the world might be filled with salt, but if its savor be gone it is worthless for the preservation of anything for which it might be used. God’s church is the salt of the earth. If that salt have lost its savor, the savor of godliness, of true piety, of devotion to their Master, of faithful obedience to His Word, there can be written upon her escutcheon “Ichabod,” the glory is departed. Better was the little company of the 300 which could go whole-hearted with Gideon, than the thousands who were left behind. Thousands of faithless ones but encumber the progress of the church. That church or that religious body only is strong that is strong in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pennsylvania Railroad Plants Trees
More than a million trees have been planted by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company this season, making a total of 3,400,000 trees planted by this corporation in the last three years, to provide for the future demand for timber and cross-ties. Of all the trees planted this year, 983,000 were red oak, and 14,000 pin oak. There were planted 40,000 Scotch pine, 29,000 locust, 14,000 hardy catalpa, 5,000 European larch, 3,000 chestnut, 3,000 yellow poplar, 2,000 black walnut, and 1,000 white pine.
Conditions in the Kongo.
The Kongo News Letter of October tells us, with seemingly clear evidence, that conditions in the Kongo are as bad as ever. The government has turned its attention from the natives for a little while, or rather added to their atrocities by persecuting two American missionaries, Drs. Morrison and Shepherd. The Kasai Company, a Belgian commercial trust, of which the Kongo government holds half the stock, and which is practically the government under an alias, has charged the American missionaries with “calumnious denunciation,” and appointed their trial at Leopoldville, one thousand miles from their mission field at Luebo. The trial was first set for May 25; but on request of Secretary of State Knox, it has been postponed two different times, until now it was to occur on the 24th of September. During all this time these missionaries have been kept at Leopoldville, away from their field. The greed of the company, and their influence at the Belgian Court, seem to be supreme. It is to be hoped, for the natives’ sake, that something may be done to correct the abuses.
The Southern Storm.—
The little note which we made on the fearful storm in the South was entirely inadequate in describing the fearful tempest which swept over the Gulf States. It is considered the worst since the great disaster in 1893, when 1,500 persons were drowned. The storm continued for eighteen hours with a maximum velocity of 92 miles. In Morgan City alone the damage totaled $200,000, and it is estimated that 250 deaths occurred in the bayous and lakes surrounding St. Mary and Terrebonne; 98 died near New Orleans. Property loss will run away up into the millions. Miles of territory were laid waste; orange groves were whipped clean of fruit and foliage alike, while hundreds of trees were uprooted.
The Burden of Harriman’s Power
Mr. Harriman, whose recent death deprived him of all earthly power, was in life master of 65,000 miles of railroad, president of sixteen corporations, the directing genius of twenty-seven more great companies, the controller of more than two billion dollars of other people’s money, the arbiter of properties earning $700,000,000 yearly, and employing 250,000 wage-earners. What wonder that he died? It was too much power for any one man to exercise for the good of humanity; it was too much burden for any one to bear physically. His will was one of the shortest on record. It consisted of but ninety-nine words, bestowing upon Mrs. Harriman all his property, real and personal, of every kind and nature, making her the executrix; but one journal has remarked that each word of the will was worth a million dollars—the estimate of the fortune that he leaves to her, making her the richest woman in the world.
Tradition and the Sabbath
Dr. Emil G. Hirsch, the noted rabbi, is reported as saying that the day for religious observance and rest is not essential; that there is really no such thing as an absolute day. And that opinion grows out of the same principle which has set aside the Sabbath of the Lord in the Christian church; namely, that tradition is above the Word. The Jew has placed tradition above the Word; so has the Roman Catholic. Many Protestants have followed the same path. Some religious questions which are troubling the world, would be settled very quickly if men were content to take God's Word as it is given.
Ten-Hour Law for Women Unconstitutional
Judge Tuthill, of Chicago, has decided that the state law limiting the hours of women in factories to ten is unconstitutional. He said, “This law seeks to prohibit her from working more than ten hours a day if she wishes to, and I think in that respect it deprives her of the right to exercise the right of contract which is given her by the Constitution.”
Riches Do Not Bring Content
September 14 Mr. J. W. Castles, head of the Union Trust Company, committed suicide in New York City. Riches do not bring content. Sometimes the wealthiest men bear the saddest hearts. With vast wealth, and at the head of one of the greatest trust companies in the country, the rich man found his greatest relief in death. Better the riches of God’s grace with little of earthly property, for His grace brings peace.
Minnesota Governor John A. Johnson Dies
Hon. John A. Johnson, governor of Minnesota, died in St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, Minn., September 21, at the age of 48. He was a very popular man. Tho a Democrat in politics, he was three times elected governor of a great Republican state.
Cost of Taft's Los Angeles Feast
President Taft's coming feast at Los Angeles will cost $12,000, $3,000 of which will be expended for perfume and a perfume fountain.
A Latter-Day Prophecy
By W. C. Hankins
Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.” Hag. 1: 5-8.
We find, by reading the book of Haggai, that after God had called His people to come out of Babylon, they settled down in Jerusalem, and built comfortable houses for themselves; but as to the Lord’s house, they said, “The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” Hag. 1: 2. Filled with selfishness and love for the things of this world, they were so busy sowing and reaping, planting vineyards and orchards, and taking care of the fruit thereof, that they thought they could spare neither time nor means to do the Lord’s work or to build the Lord’s house. They built ceiled dwellings for themselves, but so quickly forgot the goodness and mercy that God had manifested toward them in calling them out of Babylon, that they made no effort to rebuild His temple and glorify His name.
But their policy, even from the standpoint of temporal gain, was a failure. The blessing of God was not with them; their crops were poor, their fruit and oil spoiled, and they did not even enjoy that which they had. And as we read God’s warning messages to them, and see how much better it would have been if they had sought to do God’s work more and their own a little less, we can’t help but think that they were a foolish and ungrateful people. How much better off they would have been in every way if their actions had been such as to receive the blessing instead of the curse of God!
Tea Plantation on the Yangtze River, China
But there is another people that God has called out of Babylon. Rev. 18:1-4. And they, too, are the Israel of God. They are camping just on the border of the promised land. There is yet a little work to be done, a few more foes to conquer, a little longer to wait, and then they will have a glorious entrance into the New Jerusalem. I will not stop here to speak about the beauties of that city and the country in which it is situated; you have all read about it in God’s Word. Neither will I try to picture the joy and the blessings of those who gain an entrance to that wonderful place; you have read about that, too. But what I would like to call your attention to is the attitude of those who say they are waiting to enter that heavenly land. See! some are engaged in business, and hardly cast a glance at the promised land. Others are busy piling up money in banks; and when the servants of God tell of the need of funds to finish the preparations to enter the city, these add thousands to their bank-account while grudgingly donating a few cents toward the progress of the work.
Many have their backs turned toward the holy city, and are engrossed in the pleasures of this world. Some seem to be discouraged because of the hardness of the way, and are almost ready to believe that the beautiful city just before them is only a mirage. But some, looking forward with eyes of faith, see that the heavenly Canaan is almost reached; and they are using their strength, their means, and even their lives in their efforts to reach it, and in encouraging others to reach it. They count their means as useless, unless they are being used to hasten the time when the gates of the New Jerusalem shall open to receive the redeemed ones. They count their lives as wasted, unless in some way they have helped others to press on to the promised land.
And it is this latter class that I want to tell of an opportunity to hasten that glad day. Here in the land of China are about one fourth of the inhabitants of the world, most of whom have not heard anything of this “Gospel of the kingdom” that must go to “all the world as a witness unto all nations” before the King of Glory can receive His people into His kingdom.
We can not expect to come into personal contact with such a vast number of people in the short time that is left before the Lord comes, and yet they must be warned. And it seems that the only possible way to reach them is through the printed page. This last message of mercy is already being printed in books and tracts, which are sold by the thousands, and also in a monthly magazine which has quite a large circulation. But our printing-plant is taxed to its utmost capacity to take care of the work in hand, and the work in the whole field bids fair to suffer unless a place is soon provided where a better quality and a larger quantity of work can be done. A printer in America would not think he could do any work at all in such quarters and with such tools as we now have. We need a suitable building and proper machinery. Our present quarters are wholly inadequate.
Millions are dying daily who know nothing of that heavenly Canaan that is just before us, and nothing of the soon coming of our Saviour. We are doing all we can to tell them about these things and to get them to prepare to meet their God; but we need13of such an institution? And can you realize the benefit such an institution would be to our work here?
Please read the second chapter of Haggai and apply its teaching to God’s people today. Now is the time for God’s people to “be strong” “and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Verse 4. Surely this is the time spoken of in verses 6 and 7, and the coming of the “Desire of all nations” is just before us. Then let us yield ourselves and all we have to God’s service. The time is just before us when we will have no need for the wealth of this world, for we shall have entered into our kingdom. Let us hasten that glad day by every means in our power, and we will have God’s rich blessings here as well as a home in His eternal kingdom.
W. C. HANKINS.
Christ-Commissioned
By Revivalist
MEN of God, go, take your stations;
Darkness reigns throughout the earth;
Go, proclaim among the nations
Joyful news of heavenly birth;
Bear the tidings
Of the Saviour’s matchless worth.
What the earth and hell united
Shall oppose our Saviour’s plan?
Plead His cause, nor be affrighted;
Fear ye not the face of man.
Vain their tumult;
Kill His work they never can.
When exposed to fearful dangers,
Jesus will His own defend;
Borne afar midst foes and strangers,
Jesus will appear your friend;
And His presence
Shall be with you to the end.
—Revivalist.
Our Work and Workers
THREE Germans have recently accepted the truth in Baltimore.
W. M. CUBLEY, of Texas, reports eight baptisms at the New Hope Church.
TEN were reported by W. E. Bidwell and F. E. Gibson as accepting the truth at Youngstown, Ohio.
J. R. BAGBY has been called from Oklahoma to Alabama to take the presidency of that conference.
REPORTS from West Philadelphia are to the effect that thirty-four have given themselves to the Lord.
AT the North Missouri conference in Chillicothe, August 5 to 15, A. R. Ogden was reelected president.
FOUR were baptized at Louisa, Ky., recently, uniting with the McKinney Church. They learned the truth through reading.
E. M. OBERG, of the Upper Columbia Conference, has recently gone to Nebraska to take charge of the book work in that state.
I. M. MARTIN writes from Asheville, N. C., that sixteen have yielded themselves to the Lord, coming from some of the best families in that town.
REPORTING the Dixon meeting in East Tennessee, R. M. Kilgore tells us that eight souls were baptized on the last Sunday of the meeting.
THE North Carolina conference held August 12 to 22, elected as conference president G. W. Wells. M. H. Brown, an old associate in this office, was elected secretary and treasurer.
N. C. BERGENSEN, of Norway, reports to The Workers’ Bulletin, of Iowa, “We have held meetings in thirteen places during the year, and 109 were baptized and added to the church.”
AT the recent North Michigan camp-meeting and conference, J. J. Irwin was reelected to the office of president, E. A. Bristol treasurer, Miss Edith McLellan educational secretary, and H. W. Johnson field missionary agent.
AT a recent Arkansas camp-meeting held in Fayetteville, three were ordained to the Gospel ministry: L. Littell, R. H. Devereaux, and J. W. Dancer. Thirteen were baptized. Elder J. W. Norwood was elected president, and C. J. Dart secretary and treasurer.
A COLPORTER in Ohio last winter was told that it was useless to call upon a certain man, as he was an infidel and would abuse him; but the infidel received him courteously and purchased the book. Later a neighbor bought the same book, “Daniel and Revelation,” having concluded that it must be a good book because of the change that it had wrought in the infidel. He said: “It has made a new man of him. He talks about it and the Bible all the time.”
THE Review and Herald of September 23 records the death of three workers in our cause. Elder H. F. Phelps, who has many times contributed to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, fell asleep in Jesus Sept. 7, 1909, at his home in Minneapolis, after years of painful illness from tuberculosis. He was born in Antwerp, N. Y., Dec. 17, 1839; was at the time of his death 69 years, 8 months, and 21 days of age. He was engaged actively in the ministry for about forty years. Aug. 23, 1909, Elder James B. Wilson died in Pueblo, Colo., in the 71st year of his age. He had been engaged in the ministry for nearly twenty-five years. August 24, Elder Hugo John Schnepper fell asleep in College Place, Wash., at the age of 45. He taught in Battle Creek and Walla Walla Colleges, and labored in the Western Oregon and Upper Columbia Conferences. These faithful men rest from their labors, but their works follow.
Wanted for Missionary Work
JOHN SCHUCK, Barberton, Ohio, wishes a large supply of post-paid tracts and periodicals on present truth for missionary work.
LIBERTY
THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF
THE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY BUREAU
An illustrated, 48-page, quarterly magazine, published as an exponent and advocate of true religious liberty; defending Christianity and the rights of conscience; upholding the Bible as the infallible word of God; recognizing the church and state as ordained of Heaven for specific and distinct purposes, but vigorously protesting against the alliance of the church with the state in the attempt to advance religion and to promote the state.
Price 25 cents per year. Liberal terms to agents.
Address, LIBERTY, Takoma Park, D. C.
Life and Health
A PRACTICAL health journal, published with a view of meeting hygienic needs in every home; teaching how to care for the health and how to preserve life; prescribing simple home treatments to assist nature in throwing off diseases rather than adding more poison by using drugs or unnatural stimulants as remedies; teaching how to avoid disease as far as possible, how to manage in the home when sickness does come, and how to combat the disease by simple remedies which nature provides.
Send for sample copy and special rates to agents. Price 10 cents per copy or $1.00 per year.
_Address, LIFE & HEALTH, Takoma Park, D. C._
Home for Sale
Any one desiring a pleasant home in Adventist neighborhood, one block from church and church school, will find it to his advantage to communicate with F. E. Stafford, Mountain View, Cal. Easy terms and special low price if taken at once.
Wanted
A live, wide-awake man to act as manager for our Restaurant Department, the Vegetarian Cafe in Portland, Oregon. A good opportunity for the right man. Could purchase a small interest if satisfactory. Must be Seventh-day Adventist. References required. Address, H. H. Haynes, president, Vegetarian Food Company, Inc., 105 Sixth St., Portland, Ore.
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing.
— An exposition of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. It has 218 pages and six chapters: On the Mountainside, The Beatitudes, The Spirituality of the Law, The True Motive in Service, The Lord’s Prayer, Not Judging but Doing. A new edition just printed on fine enameled paper, new type, and reillustrated with 27 beautiful half-tone engravings specially prepared for the book by eminent New York artists. It will be found full of comfort and blessing by all fortunate enough to obtain and read it. A beautiful gift book. In paper covers, 35 cents. Address this office.
The Federation Age
By Editor
“Men seem to feel, somehow, that the responsibility for corporate transactions is so widely distributed that no one individual carries any definite burden except in the matter of sharing the spoils.”
“What the world needs to-day is not more unions, but more unity; not more brotherhoods, but more brotherhood.”
“Every effort in the way of multiplying federations and unions, without divine uplifting power applied to the heart of each individual, only makes matters worse.”
“The prophet Isaiah long ago struck the key-note of the situation thus: . . . Isa. 8:12, 13.
“The prophet Habakkuk outlines the only possible outcome of Godless federation. He first addresses the money power thus: ‘Who enlargeth his desire . . .
“Of the labor power he adds: ‘Shall not all these take up a parable against him?’ . . . Hab. 2:5-7.”
“Yes, the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. . . . 2 Thess. 1:7, 8.
“To all those whose lives are in complete union with Christ He will come as a deliverer when all the combinations of wealth and power are staggering on to destruction in the last great strenuous struggle.”
¶ These paragraphs taken from a SINGLE ARTICLE in the October number of the SIGNS MONTHLY suggest something of the clear message it is bearing to those who receive it.
¶ Should you not spend some time in placing it in the hands of every thinking person in your community? Already orders which will place this number in 19,418 homes have been filled. Let us have yours for one hundred, fifty, or whatever number you think you can use. You will feel repaid for the effort. Ask for the “Worker.”
Twenty-five copies cost $1.00; they sell for $2.50. 100 cost $4.00. You sell them for $10.00. Order of your Tract Society.
