THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1911. CENSUS OF CHURCHES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10277, 4 July 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1911. CENSUS OF CHURCHES.

The "Westminster Gazette," in a (recent issue, made an interesting summary of the 'position of the Churches in England and Wales. Remarkable though it may appear, this shows that the Church memlberhip has' not increased in ratio with the population. In view of tlhe attitude; of Britisih public men towards the State Church, it is (somewhat curious .to note that the Established Church ir almost the only one to .show any &übsifcantial development. The figures .show that in the last two. yeans the Church'-of England has added 150,000 to its communicants and 50,000 to its Sunday scholars. Church of England is still behind the Free Churches in Sunday Scholars and teachers, and there are probably three-quant ars of a million more scholars in their schools than in those of the Established Church. The Anglicans are now, however, on the up-grade, not only in numbers, but also in respect to the training of their teachers. When we turn to the Nonooniformist bodies we find tihat three of the largest show de- , creases. With the Oongregaitaonal- I

istsa small decline set in in 1907, in which year they were nearly 5000 more thah they are to-day. Among j the Wesleyam Methodists there has been a decrease for the past fivie years amounting to about 13,000 ( membeii-s and 7000 scholars. For the past four years the Baptist membership has shown a steady decrease. In 1906 its figures Avere over 16,000 higher than to-day; yet dm-ing that period churches have increased by ' 146, and the seating accommodation by 41,000 isittings. Correspondingly a decrease ! of 14,000 Sunday scholars is reported, while the teachers have increased by 1600. Similarly the Primitive Methodists, United Methodists, and Galvinistic Methodists have declined, while the Presbyterians, Moravians, and Society of Friends show slight increases.. It is interesting to note the cause of this falling off. And apparently it has been found iby isome authorities in the Welsh revival of 1906, which brought (in a large accession of members, but was followed by a decline. For example, the Oongregationalists received an addition of 18,000 members in the revival year, 1906, since which time they have lost 5000. It would seem, therefore, that the decline has not yet destroyed the advance made by tlie revival. Another cause which has operated may be found in tlie .moveiment of the population. Nonconformity in the small towns and villages has been affected by the changing conditions of rural life, by emigration, and by a decrease in the prosperous small tradesmen.. Country chapels, which were once a centre of Free Church life for a wide area, and regularly ; supported by fairly affluent men and women, have been almost transformed by the social changes which slowly but surely have manifested themselves. In the proces® the large towns have not received the steady stream of younger Free Churchmen. j and women who once made their way I to the industrial centres, and who' formed at one time the very bone and sinew of their town churches.