OUR RELIGIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1923, Page 4

OUR RELIGIONS.

j SOUK XOTXBI.E CHARACTERISTICS. Xew Zealand is unlike tlit* majority of countries, more. pai ticnlarly the older countries, in the.t there is no State Church in tlie Dominion, nor do the majority of the people profess adherence to any one dominant religious body. However, the vast bulk ol tile population belong to one denomination or another of the Christian religion: and indeed, the four great Churches inelude uilhiit the number of tlu ir adherents some 02.5 per cent, of the tot ] uho .speeifiod their religion; The percentages o! the four C'hiirehes are Church of England, 13.(if!; Presbyterian 25.42; Homan Catholics ]3.011; Methodist 0.53. IXTERCKXSA l move.mext. I The intercensal increase of the people between 1910 and 1021 was 119.-IGI. a percentage ineiease of 1v.87. Xot all this, however, was an increase in its true sense, for a considerable portion represents the return of soldiers from the war. If those Christian Churches whose followers were numerically insignificant be excluded,, the movement in the late intercensal period (1916-1021) may , be set out for the remainder as lolj i(IW;S ; i Seventh Day Adventists, increase i 683, 14.79 per cent: Latter-day Saints (Mormon) 128. -10.01; Salvation Army 1587, 15.80; Presbyterian. 38.870. 14.91; 11 ret broil 1259. 12.85; Church of England 55,584. 12.11; Roman Catholic, 12.527. 8.20; Methodise. 0320. 5.90; Catholic Apostolic, lib 5.20; (Tiitarian I 21. 1.50; Lutheran 794. 22.49; Eastern j Orthodox (Creek Catholic) 55. 22.18: ! Church of Christ 009. 0.58; Baptist : 94ii, 1.53; Congregational, 244. 2-97. While the greater Churches remain mure or less in the same relative position, the smaller Churches are not progressing as rapidly. j INCREASE IX THIRTY YEARS. ! The increase in the last 30 years is as i follows: ■Seventh Day Adventists, 34.07: Unitarians. 31.66: Easter- Orthodox (Greek Catholic), 29.74: Brethren, 22.20 : Catholic Apostolic, 19.03; Latter-day Saint-s (Mormons). 15.79: Presbyterian 13.34: Church of England, 12.73: Roman Catholic. 11.13; Methodist, 10.07; , Church of Christ, 9.31; Society of

Friends, 5 OS: Baptist. 5.24: Salvation Army, 4.02; Christadelphinn 3.41. Congregational, 1.67. The general rate of increase for the last five years of 11 ic ( hristian Churches as a whole, is 10.91 per cent. Tho two largest Churches are growing at a pace somewhat above the normal. During ihe particular period undo]' review (1916-1921) the Presbyterian Church has grown at what is compared with its customary growth, a rather high rate: conversely, the Church of England has progressed rather more slowly than is its wont, and the Roman Catholic and Methodist Churches have in this respect fallen helotw their own standards to a more considerable degree. The fifth largest Church in the Dominion —the li-ipti-t Chureh—lias experiened a reverse in point of numbers. A pleasing feature of the 192.1 returns is the small number quoting their religious profession or belief vaguely, as ‘'Catholic” or “Prob'Si a :it As a w hole the non-Clirist :: , u t ■li - tent of 23.02 per cent, durtng R-d - -1921. This accretion of strength--aI double the rate for ('"irist.ia'.i bo !u is due to the itiHu.x of uno aliens experienced in the last few veins. RELIGIONS AND SEX PROPORTIONS. An examination of the sex proportions of the followers of the various faitiis gives rise to some interesting observations. Taking these Christian Churches whose adherents numbered 5009 or over, it appears that of the nine bodies in us dealt with only three, and those the largest, hint more male 10 1 - lowers than found", al: hough maleoutnumber females in the general population of lU> ro 96. The a teal proportions for £ lie so Churches v-'ere a<

imrfcr: Kxress n!' Males;— Pit s'lyterimi. |:i,rrf iit;i<l' 1 . mahi Loial *>l.ll : C iiurcii oi Kmilaud, ;»1.01 ; Uuiaan Calholii-. SU. 15.

Excess c.r Females. — Hroilireii. | (■(-illmales to Infill. : (.limi” ’i | of ( lirist. •!!!..‘’rj ; Uaptist, lli.tii; Con- j f'repatiomil 111.(if); Salvation Army, ; CM'.W- MeLlio r !ist. JS.lil.

51 ales are attracted most strongly iit her to the three largest ('hr,relies, (i.e.. in New Zealand) of the IhrisLinu religion or to Rationalism. Agnosticism. Erect hough, or Atheism. Females tend to incline rather Inwards Christian Churches as a whole. hut with perhaps less particular relereiicex to the largest bodies. URBAN AND RURAL.

Among the greater Churches, Presbyterianism is unique in finding its I strength from tho country districts and j town in equal degree. On tie l ether j hand, Hebrews are practically all town- ] dwellers. i The average age uf those ground! a , Christians was 28.46 years: adherents j of nun -Christian religi-ui'. 34.iR years: j and those of “t-her beliels.’ 31.2-1 years, j The average age of the whole rommiia- j Pi ior to 1921 ihe genera! tend ok y j was towards a decline in the Minsk r id i adherents per minister. I h ev were ; ihi'ce except it.ns t,> l his vie... Church , of England. Hebrew, and Unitarian faith-:. In 1921 there i- evidence of a : (i.nliimed decline in numbers per min- ; i.-ter —that k to say. of an increase, in , tin- niitiilifr of iniufsiits in propnriion I in their i ongregiitior. . I'-'- 11 ", taro- t again are i In 1 < fmri b m Uncial"!. i Presbyterian. Methodist, and Cnngre-' gaiiona! professions. ,