OCR Text |
Show I t Religious Statistics Cimpirison of MimNrsMp and Growth of CrHirchis. . A compilation or religious statistics for 1007 presented In a recent Issue of the Literary Digest contains much Information In-formation of more than passing Interest. Inter-est. The figures are supposed to bo the most reliable obtainable and are designed to show the actual growth or decrease in .the number of ministers, minis-ters, churches and communicants in the United States in the year 1007. ' For Instance, the Latter-day Saints (both branches) arc gfven credit for a total of 1952 ministers, an Increase of 300 over 1900. Tho figures show for this body a total of 1,328 churches and 398,000 communicants, in .Increase In communicants of 1,040 during the year 1907. The Catholic church (nine bodies) has a total of 15,891 ministers, 12,731 churches and 11,645,495 communicants. In 1007 thlsorgantzatlon gained 266,000 members. The Baptists' (fourteen bodies) come nex,t with 33.279 ministers, 55,204 churches, 5,224,205 members, and an Increase of 103,358 members in 1007. The Methodists (seventeen bodies) rank second, there being a total of 0,600,784 communicants, 41,893 ministers minis-ters and 61,518 churches. In 1907 they made asmaller gain than the Baptists, adding but 101,090 communicants over the year lOOtl. - Tho Lutherans(twenty-thrcc bodies) have a total of 2,022,605 adherents, 8,-010 8,-010 ministers and 13,109 churches. Presbyterians number 1,821,504, ministers min-isters 12,723, churches 10,478. They gained 49,027 adherents In 1007. Disciples of Christ number 1,285,123. They lost 480 ministers In the past year but added 197 churches and 20,-305 20,-305 members. Protest Episcopalians (two bodies) number 830,059. There was a decrease of 01 ministers, an Increase of 212 churches, and a decrease of 15,8.13 adherents. ad-herents. Reformed Episcopalians (three bodies) has a total of 430.45S members. mem-bers. The Salvation Army numbers, 28,-000 28,-000 communicants, but lost 500 In the' year. The Christian Scientists now number num-ber 85,096, and gained 4,899 over the gain or 190U These statistics continue on down the list to the" L'r lends of the Temple" who number 4 ministers, 4 churches and 340 communicants. The grand total or ministers la 1007 reaches 161,-731, 161,-731, churcl.ei 210,199, communicants 32,083,156 In communicants there were net gains of 931,740 In 1000. but net gains of only 626,546 In 1907. |