CHURCH CENSUS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXIII, Issue 148, 1 July 1911, Page 6

CHURCH CENSUS.

(London paper.) The comparative" statement of Cliuroh membership, so far .as England' and Wales is concerned,.'cannot ba described as altogether encouraging. ; •• Population .has increased, bait th.© numerical strength of the ahurehr es.—more par.t , iou!laii\ly the Free Churches—'decs not keep pace with opportunities. Churches, sittings, and ministers are coi> thvuaflJy beong augmented, butt the ordinary 1 tefiifc of successful' religious work shows .that there has occurred va cliaokenimg of grip by Nomconfor'misrt Churches on the people which 'lias continued in some ca&ea for the j>asit five years. A writer in the Weisrtmilister Gazette points o;ut that, talcing the three years 1907, 1908 .and! 1909, there as stead!y growth in each .diepiaTttmemt of the work of -the Established! Church. Commmi'i canto luave increased by '■ ■ 'Jo, Sunday scholars by 70,688, and teachers by 4915, .as welLl .as substantial! increases in the-Bible classes. The Amgliaan Church is behind the Free Ohurc-hes in Sunday sciliola-rs amid .toa'chers, and. there .are probably three-quartea's of a. mdllllio'ir mor© soho'liars' iinitheir schoolis than in those of< <fch© Established Clmrch. The Anglicans are now, however, on the upgrade, not only in numbers, but .also in .respect to the training given to tllne teachers. In reference! to 'equipment they possess an {advantage overr the Nonconformists, for they .are able to use the day schools, which. have been so much improved since the passing of the last Education Act. One important shrinkage miust unfortunately be noted.' The last, figures of oonifirmations axe 18,466 behind those of the previous year, ao that 1910 is only fifty-one in advance of 1907. Four years' figures show . the up and down movement: 1907, 229,940; 1908, 237,259; 1909, 243,457; and 1910, 229,991.