MANY FAITHS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1926, Page 2

MANY FAITHS.

NEW ZEALANDERS’ RELIGIONS. WHAT CENSUS DISCLOSED. WELLINGTON, Jan. 11. In the final clearing up of the 1921 census details, the Government Statistician has reached the interesting phase of the religious beliefs of New Zealanders. They were asked to stats their religious preference, not in general terms as ‘‘Catholic” or “Protesant,” but to indicate tbe denomination to which they adhered. Alhough the recorded figures cannot be regarded as those of actual" church membership, it is clear that less than one per cent t ol the population was unassociated with one or other of the religious bodies. The number who returned “no religion” totalled 2773, and there were 4227 non-Cliristiiuis, including ■ 1237 Jews and 2025 Confueians. 01 the Christian bodies, the census discloses a great variety, though many of the sects constitute only a handful over the whole country. Twenty-three Christian denominations are shown, hut the bulk of the population is enrolled in four. The adherents of churches having a membership of over a thousand, anil the proportion to the whole population is shown thus at a glance:—

It is officially noted that the ixisition of the larger churches in relation to population varies but little from one census to another, though the Church of England, which included more than half the population in 1858, dropped below the 50 per cent level in 1864 and has never regained it. though keeping close to that proportion. The smaller churches, with some exceptions, while not- actually experiencing a decline in number, are not progressing as rapidly as the larger bodies. Among tbe Christian Ixidies apearing for the first time in the last census were only two possessing more than a score of followers. The larger was the Liberal Catholic Church, which has some theosophical connections. The second were the “Cdoneyites,” a body of undenominational Christians, who have adopted this unique nomenclature. The Anglican Church is evenly represented in the northern provinces and in Marlborough has more than half the population in its fold. Presbyterians outnumber Anglicans by two to one in Southland and Otago, and Hie Roman Catholic Church is relatively stronger in Westland and Marlborough. Methodists are strongest in Taranaki and Canterbury, and the Baptists’ stronghold is Auckland.

Church Adherents Proportion. Church, of England 514,607 43.66 Presbyterian 299,545 25.42 Hainan Catholic . 164,133 13.93 -\lehtod,ist 112,344 9.53 Baptist. . Salvation Army 19,926 1.09 11,591 0.98 Brethren . . 11,055 0.94 Church of Christ 8,640 u.73 Congrojiatioiial 7,977 0.68 Lutheran 2,73o 0.23 Seventh Day Adventist 2,224 0.19 Unitarian 1,423 0.12 C.iiristadelphian 1.045 0.0;)