Show churches gain 2173 every day councils statistics show war losses being steadily overcome CHURCH MEMBERS MEMBER S various religious lous bodies report congregations headed by Mini ministers total tota 1 constituency washington D C every day during the last five years on an average of 2173 persons joined the various churches of america an average average of at three congregations have been organized dally daily and the average number joining the ministry has been four and one half persons it a day the figures are furnished by dr E 0 0 watson washington secretory secretary 0 of f the federal council of the churches ot of christ in america the statistics show that the churches are steadily overcoming their war losses total church membership of the country Is placed at an increase of over the 1918 1916 census figures and indicates ol 01 a gain of more than a million members for the preceding twelve months the various religious bodies report 2 congregations headed by ministers in this Is a gain of congregations and clergy over the government figures for 1010 1916 i increase Ine reasa in ministers MInister sP total while there has been much talk of a shortage of ministers the increase in clergy has been approximately 50 per cent more than tile the increase in the congregations gregat ions the difference between ministers and congregations aes not indicate a corresponding correspond in shortage of pastors of the persons persons listed listed officially as church members the roman catholics lave have tile catholic figures represent estimated population including till all baptized persons protestant bodies count only communicants the 30 bodies related to the federal council of churches have to In embers they have a total ot of congregations manned by clergy their gain in membership over the preceding five years Is their total constituency Is a gain of over the 1910 1916 census figures total constituency the total religious constituency ot of the 00 country including all members land adherents Is estimated badoc by doctor watson at persons owing to different statistical methods of the various churches these figures are estimated in accordance with studies made by statisticians on this basis the constituency of various bodies Is protestant Prote staat roman catholic jews latter day taints saints mormons cormons Mor mons the jewish bodies have different methods of reporting volume 22 of the american jewish year book estimates the jewish population of the united states at for the first time the combined baptista have passed the combined methodists in total membership now having members against a methodist membership of the lutheran bodies stand third with a membership of persons and the presbyterians rians are fourth with 2 members largest protestant denomination the methodist Bleth odIst episcopal church north reports tin an increase in membership of over the 1910 1016 figures and b 2 1 members over last year it Is the largest single protestant communion the methodist episcopal south shows a gain of members for the preceding year its total now being the protestant episcopal church shows a gain of 11 1 over the 1910 1016 figures and total membership of the Salvat salvation loa army avith a reported membership of shows nn an increase of only 05 persons over ive five years ago latest available figures regarding membership of principal and gains during the last five years are as follows congregational gain J presbyterians rians U S A north gain presbyterians rians U S south gain united presbyterians rians gain society of orthodox gain disciples of christ 3 gain evangelical synod of north america gain evangelical association gain christian chruch american christian convention gain united lutheran church Moravia ns fra trum gain 1534 reformed episcopal 13 0 22 gain 1972 reformed church in america gain reformed church in the united states GO gain christian reformed church gain united brethren gain united evangelical gain national baptist convention colored gain african methodist episcopal church colored GG gain african methodist episcopal zion gain colored methodist episcopal church of america |