EXPLANATORY NOTE The statistics printed in this part of the YEAR BOOK are incomplete, as all such statistics are, because of the failure of some denominational and other officials to respond to repeated requests for information regarding their bodies. However, they are in every case the most accurate figures available January 1, 1920. Special effort has been made to secure up-to-date statistics. The Statistics of Religious Bodies are, with few exceptions, those furnished by officials of the various denominations. The Home Mission Statistics were provided by the Home Missions Council, the Foreign Mission Statistics by the Foreign Missions Conference of North America, the Statistics of Young Men's Christian Associations by the International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations and those of the Young Women's Christian Associations by the National Board of Young Women's Christian Associations. The membership figures in the Statistics of Religious Bodies are, with the exception of those for Roman Catholics, Jews and possibly one or two small denominations, on the same basis, namely, communicants only. Roman Catholics count as members all who have been baptized, including children not yet confirmed; membership in Jewish congregations in most cases is restricted to heads of families. It is therefore evident that the Protestant population of the United States is far larger, in proportion to the Roman Catholic population, than is suggested by the membership figures. The total membership of Protestant churches is 25,980,456, while on the basis of the figures for membership in the Lutheran churches published in The Lutheran Church Year Book for 1920 (confirmed members 2,451,997, baptized members 3,652,010), it would appear that the total number in Protestant families—that is, those related through some member of the family to a Protestant church-is probably nearer 40,000,000. The whole number of those who would call themselves Protestants is of course much larger. EXPLANATORY NOTE The statistics printed in this part of the YEAR BOOK are incomplete, as all such statistics are, because of the failure of some denominational and other officials to respond to repeated requests for information regarding their bodies. However, they are in every case the most accurate figures available January 1, 1920. Special effort has been made to secure up-to-date statistics. The Statistics of Religious Bodies are, with few exceptions, those furnished by officials of the various denominations. The Home Mission Statistics were provided by the Home Missions Council, the Foreign Mission Statistics by the Foreign Missions Conference of North America, the Statistics of Young Men's Christian Associations by the International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations and those of the Young Women's Christian Associations by the National Board of Young Women's Christian Associations. The membership figures in the Statistics of Religious Bodies are, with the exception of those for Roman Catholics, Jews and possibly one or two small denominations, on the same basis, namely, communicants only. Roman Catholics count as members all who have been baptized, including children not yet confirmed; membership in Jewish congregations in most cases is restricted to heads of families. It is therefore evident that the Protestant population of the United States is far larger, in proportion to the Roman Catholic population, than is suggested by the membership figures. The total membership of Protestant churches is 25,980,456, while on the basis of the figures for membership in the Lutheran churches published in The Lutheran Church Year Book for 1920 (confirmed members 2,451,997, baptized members 3,652,010), it would appear that the total number in Protestant families that is, those related through some member of the family to a Protestant church-is probably nearer 40,000,000. The whole number of those who would call themselves Protestants is of course much larger. NAME STATISTICS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES ALL DENOMINATIONS 233, 834 195, 315 44, 788, 036 199,772 21, 291, 987 $326,287, 951 2,772 1,526 123, 143 3,177 113, 629 $2,505, 786 770 30,597 274, 446 2,115 13 22 Church of God in Christ +Included with Northern Baptist Convention Included with National Baptist Convention §Included with Primitive Baptists (Old School) |