THE RELIGIOUS CENSUS OF 1906.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 273, 11 August 1908, Page 4

THE RELIGIOUS CENSUS OF 1906.

NORTH ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN POPU-. LATION. ' . - ■ - *. .. *V-s 27,000 CHURCHLESS PRESBYTERIANS. THE METHODIST AND PRESBYERIAN,. ■ ' HOME MISSION. POLICY , : • CONTRASTED. (By the Rev. Robert Wood.) The total population (exclusive of Maoris) in New Zealand in 1906 wa-s 888,578. : ' Of this number no fewer than 203,577, aro reported as belonging to'the Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian' Church in the RegistrajGeneral's figures of church attendance occupies the prpmior place, with 52,103. Tho Church^ofEngland's, Vadheronts?- number 366,826, but the church attendanco is only 49,945. These'figures, however, bearing on church attendance-aro. open,to .question, and in one or two denominations aro an under-estiinate. Each denomination knows _ its own -number of worshippers, and when it,, compares. its own record ;of attendance with its census population it out to what extent it-is reaching its own religious kith;and kin.' Tho Registrar-General has furnished information regarding the numbers of the several religious denominations in every borough and county in the land; and when such figures are placed alongside the denomination's records of church attendance information.is furnished that must help to determine "its'policy"of' church extension. A glanco at tbo figures of the census population and the numbers- attending church shows a striking discrepancy in the case :of ..the Anglican ■ and Presbyterian churches, and in regard to..both denominations it is evident that - there ,' is ; yet very much land to be possessed. It is the object of the present writer to'-make clear this discrepancy' in the case , of .the . Presbyterian Church in the North Island, and to give a rough indication of the-rcgions where more ;'aggressive, work should bp done, not .with. ; the view' of. coming in conflict-with other denominations,' but simply with the view of § reaching the members- of- its own religious' family. The data for making this comparison exist in the annual Blue Bpoks.of'the New. Zealand' Presbyterian. Church,'-'and' -in l "the"Results of the Census for'l9o6" bearing on the "Religions of the People." ~

Increase In Presbyterian Population. The Presbyterian population all over New Zealand in 1906 was, .as noted., above, 203,577.,.'' Of this'number 79;459 veto in the North'-'lsland; 82,117_ in OAago,- arid "42;'001" in South Island outside Otago.. , In recent years thcre.has been anenormousjiripreasc/in. the Pr&bvterwn inj;'4h"e ; .;N6rth Island, Awhile' citadel of tion has been to. 1906 there''^as ,, '4tf.':iife^ , the census, in 't^ : T%6J^ftß?MpiMba ; .in: the lower than- in-, Otilg6s|flnd \tfl-yay : tho' North Island Presbyterians-' as numerous as those in Otago. The question,'how-, over, that is raised in this article is:.to what extent; is ' the"''Presbyterian 7Chujrch?' in'"*il{B? North Island profiting: by, inyts! ceiisUs'pt>pnla"ti6n? : ": , befseen from' whalt'follows that there'has been a very serious leakage; the attendance at church has not increased with the'increase in " the Presbyterian population; arid -->'such facts disclose.'ai need < for a vigorous, forward movement jn Honje .Mission, work, rand...the Homo; Mission agents must not be, rajv ;rooruitsj,! burtrain'ed, ministers,' if the" Pre'sbyterian;Church; id'to"live up to its''ideal of an educated ministry. v v ',-c i : . ThoV number of ; the .tribo -lacking '..'.fto the Presbyterian. Church in the North , Island is learned'.by.'comparing "the, Presbyterian; census population frith its "own "■ record of church attendance. ; Of'courso'a considerable number of -the j P-resbyterian -census population. are, physically/mna'bla to »attend church. Children.under ten years and.old people ■ over"' 7tf years;, and "tho. sick form 25 per cent, of the population; arid thus a '25 per cent, deduction must be made from tho census population to, find out tho' - hnmbor really able to attend church (the RegistrarGeneral in a letter to tho writer-says that this is a fair deduction)'. This reduction is. a liberal one for thero are numbers under 10 years and over 70 atttridiuiceuklj services.This -^therefore,Nrathctf minimises the rion-'church going evil in tho Presbyterian Church.- 4Theso ' remarks • will help to make intelligible the following.groups, of figures:— > ' ■■ "

IHE PRESBYTERIAN ; CHURCH-GOERS AND ' NON-CHURCH-GOERS ' IlSf" THE' • PROVINCES OF THE NORTH ISLAND. a ; ..... .'Eg ,v 5 ; - ••-'«§ $ '•'•v-S „ ■ t-,- 1 . v* £ a 35 fl .5'"S3 si ® *' I "I -,g.2S gpi f ' ' ' IS. £ ,sft -® Cl: Si! ■ " OO U O.i' , O.JJ- . h&iS .'.-.0-s!; Auckland 34187 25640 '' 10543' . 15097 Hawke's Bay;-......', 8707 - 6530'' ' 3083 3447 iVellington and ' ' , • Taranaki 36565 ■ 27424' ■ 10327 17097, 79459. 59594 23953 : 35641j Church Attendanoa, In Auckland Province the Presbyterian lensus population in 1906 was 34,187. an increase of 6590 since 1901. In-1906 tho; church attendance in Auckland Province was 10,513, iriadq up of "alFFfio congregations in 7 Auckland Presbytery and the three congre-: gations in Hawke's Bay Presbytery located' in Auckland Province. When wo rediico tho' I'iesbyterian census population by 2o per cent, we find 25,640 were of ago to attend chinch, and yet tho attendance was only 10,5-13. The percentage of attendance 011 this reduced basis was thus 41..' Ih;1901 tho total church attendance was. 9411.',■/■There has thus been an increase, "of- attendance since 1901' of 1135. -Biit' there lias bdeii an incr..,se of Presbyterian popalation'-' during the same.'period of 6jUO, and .ifvwe reduce this by 25 per cent, w'o find the 1 ' increase of those able to attend' church' wal 4913; but the increase of church attendance was only 1132, leaving 3811 unaccounted-for. In Hawke's Bay Province tho" Presbyterian com. GU:'. population in 1906 was 8707 an increase of 1727 sinco 1901. In 1906 : the church at-.' tendance ia. Hawkp's _Bay Province was 3033 (the congregations in Hawke's Bay Presbytery located in Auckland Province are, of course, excluded). When wo reduce the Presbyterian census population by 25 per cent, weyfind ,6530 were pf. age .to attend: church, and yet tho . attehdan& -was •• only ■3033. The percentage of attendance on tliis Induced basis'was' thus "47: In 1901" the, total church attendance 'w'aS '2797. 'There has thus beefii'an increase of attendance since 1901 of' 256. But there has been an iricreaso of Presbyterian^populationduring ( the;;same period 0f'V1727, "aiid if we reduce this ;by 25 per cent. Iwo find the increaso of those able to attend church was 1295, but the increase of church: attendance-was only 286, jleaving 60.1 unaccounted for. : ' ; -y'

Jll tin; .'provinces of Wellington arid- Taraoaki the "Presbyterian census population in 190f) \vas;36,C6s, an increase 0f'8997 sinco 1901. (Theso provinces are taken together because the Presbyteries overlap the provincial boundaries.) Wheri" wo ' reduce "the Presbyterian census "population by 25 per cent., we find 27,42-1- were -of- 'age to'attend church, and yet the , attendance.-was only 10,3'i7. The percentage .of attendance on this reduced basis was thus only 37. In 1901 - the total church attendance was 8378! There has thus been an increase of attendance since. 1901 of 19-19.. But there has been mi increase of Presbyterian during the same period o ( f 8997, ana.ifwe reduco tbis by 25 per'cent, we find the increase of tboso able to attend church: was 6748, but the increase of church attendance was,only 1949, leaving 4699 unaccounted for.. '

Tlio percentage of cliurch attendance in the the'nr.is^as.^follows: — ,i''A'uckland r Prii/ihc?'» ... 41 per cent. ■ Hawke's Bay : Province ... 47 per cent. Wellington : and - Taranaki ; Provinces ... 37 per cent. Wellington and Taranaki have thus the blackest'; spots '.as,,regards non-church-goihg. , : V.: . - 11. THE PRESBYTERIAN POPULATION IN ' THE BOROUGHS IN THE NORTH 1 ISLAND IN 1906; ALSO THE TOTAL •' POPULATION AND THE INCREASE OR DECREASE OP' PRESBYTERIAN POPU- ] LATION SINCE 1901. -r—va—- •* • - d r a fco .2 o 2 6 ;o; ; /.. ; c g g PQ *f g< go £ |o . , .. . . .H ft Pi A H Q Wliangarei 212!) 39G 132 — Birkenhead- • -1266 " 197 48 — DeTonport'' 1..".;.'...' " 51(15 840 200 ' — Grey Lynn ••■•••5882 758 299 — Auckland k 35491 ' . 4520 384 — Parnell .',' 5253 - 793 61 — Newmarket ' ,;2342 296 • 42 — Oneliunga ■■■■ 3753 ' 531 106 — Thames 3751 - 633 9 — Waihi* 5591 . . 1108 . - - Te Aroha -"1109 152 i — Hamilton L-2150. -336 178 — Cambridge ....„..t~;:1244 252 36 — Taiiranga 152. — 5 Gisborne .;• -5687 1111 ', 461 — Napier , ' .'9661 ' 1671- : 127 — Hastings ' • ; i591 892 214, — Dannevirko 3509 794 318 — Wood villa' i'-'IIOG .227- 61 — New Plymouthsl4l 489 50 — Stratford 2127 322 — 26 Haivera 2153 439 7G — InglSwood* 1152 177 — — Waitara 4 - 958 51 — — Eltham* • 1329 233 . — — Patea;"'.: "869 '97 9 - • Waiiganm ......... 8175 3587 216 — Marton 1268,- 236 — 12 Feilding 1 2971" 434 61' — Paliiierston N.'-"... 10239 1434 670 — .Levin* 1265 144 — — Foxton 134-i 125 . 49 - Pahiatua : 1370 ; 263 — 55 Jlasterton' • - 5026 773 207 — .Carterton 1402 19S 51 — Grey'tbwli 1123 156 - 5 Onslow 2098 362 - 158 , — Mirtttfar*' 952 168 — ' — Eastbourne 5 , 358 61 — — Petonb"- ..'.'.'..V.'.!....' 5893 911 298 - Lower Hutt 3407 480 226 . — ."Karori • 2194 242 169 - 1 "' 50230 9699 2809 —

Wellington's Advancc. v An' a'tre'sting featurb ? iu the above figures is ithe incre'ds6'" "ili' ■ Presbyterian population in Wellington City and, suburban boroughs. In Wellington' City arid-in the boroughs of Onslovv, Miramax, aiid : Ka'rori the Presbyterian population.ifri 1 1906 was 10,471, an increase of 2967 since: '1901 v;' -; In 1906 tho total attendance in-the'following congregations ministering in. these boroughs,, vis:., St. John's, ,-Bt.;Andrew St. James, Onslow, Brooklyn,, an'd Island Bay, was .2680. When-we're'duce the'-'census population by 25 per cent, we find there were 7854 ablo to attend, church,, and,yet tile attendance was only 2680. ■' Th'o'pe'rceritago of attendance oii this basis was.-34,r 1902 tho total attendance was 1955,'., has thu,s been' an increase of attendance of 725. Thco increase in Presbyterian population was 2967, and if wo reduce this by ~25), per cent, wo find tho increase of those able : to attend church to bo 2250; but only. 725 arc accounted for, leaving no fewer than'ls2s of the increase unaccounted for. Another boroush in which there has been'a 'remarkable increaso in PresPalmerston North. (•Tie rate of increaso is noarly 50 per cent., 'iand tho' attendance -at church has not increased'in'anything like this proportion. In PalmcMon'North; thtei:c is only one Presby--t'prian"'co«grcgation. r -ministering to the 1434 j Presbyterians in the borough, and to 550 in I ijiib siirrbunHii^'cburity-of, Kairanga—making a( totar.'of;;}9.S4"'. J -..Wheii this total" Presbytprian .is reduced 25 per cent, tnero remains-i<ißß, and of this number only 580 weroi.in.ohnrch! attendance in 1906. The percentage of chur.ch attendance was. thus: 40ill Palmerston North .borough and surrounding count}'.'--In Auckland City' and 'tho suburban .boroughs ibflGrey Lynn, Parriell,' arid Newmarket the increase of population is nearly all,-accounted-for, and the percentage of attendance "is 50.--" '!rho percentage of attendance' in'- the'-fdur-large cities in tho Dominion is as follows ,

i AuohlantiVCity afttl Suburbs so per cent. ii Wellington':'Cjty'.ami, Sub- ■; urbs ... 3« per Bent. Ichristohurch City • and .* 1 Suburbs ..." ■•.•••' ••• -43 per oent. £ i Dunsdin City and Suburbs 41 nor cent. ? [Note.—The" asterisk- at'-the names of bor-ouglis-iahd'cbiuitios jueans' that these came into existence, after tho. census of 1901, and so no ..information* can bo given about the increase or decrease of Presbyterian population.] I.' f .u i ' COUNTIES ~I.N * THE NOIITH ISLAND, SHOWING TOTAL POPULATION, AND ALSO THE PRESBYTERIAN POPULATION IN 1906; ALSO THE INCREASE OR) ': : DEGRte'A*SE ' PRESBYTERIAN POPULATION SINCE 1901. G •••■_ - o . •• - • - rf - • • rt • ■ .% v , . ■ fB 2 8 ~g p.-,.-. "2 g. £ a O a ■ | O. 1,,.! .- v. EH.Pi f- a M O Mangonui, -•.... -2SOI 110 18 — Wharigaroa -SOI 46. 9 — Uokianga . : 2365. . 215 19 — Bav of 1 Islands .... 2696- 226 . 27 — H0b50h'"....V.. , .i..'.—. -5192 542 143 - Whangarei. 734-1 1935 264 — Otaniatea' ' 362 '63 — ICodney 4192 ' 732 "80' - Wail-emata "7962 1434 328 — E(len : '.v....'........'.... 26663 . 3934 12G0 - Manuk'aul34Bo' 3299 ' 372 - Coromandel ■ 2925 497 — 130 Thame5.....'...'....;;....'"4307 690 2 - Ohineniui'i '.... - 5941 910 — 642 Piako. -.3761 661 275 - Waikato • 4532 941 194 - Waipa 4848 932 247' - Raglan... 2282 425 ' 83 - Kawhia: GSB .86 — . 49 Awakin0*......397 '55 — — Waitomo*' 1226 199 — - West 'Taupo 1397 215 153 - East Taupo''so9 65 21 • - Hotorjia ' 2657 .469 222 - T'auranga2oo7 453 95 — Whakatalie "1016 161 63 - Opotiki.. ....v...'....... 1710 400 87 • - Waipu : ' 870 . 116 19 - Cook -r 7173 1652. 272 — Clifton 2339 306 77 - Taranaki 8638 610 • - 42 Egmorit* : 2885 402 . — — StnitforH ' i... .5912 766 209 Hawera* 1766 — 88 Patea 1 '3123 ' 832 S3 — WairoS?'"2ls6 " 596 15 - HawkeV 8ay.,7.700 ISIS 296 - . Waipawa' • 99il 1562 246 — Woodville* v.....;.. 2036 407 • - - Patailgata-. 1813 503 — 138 . Weber* 593 152 - - Waitotara ..: 4207" 860 295 — i Waiinarinot ...'....... ;.-2787-. . 3G7 • .— . — 'Wanganui 4833 1666 769 — Bangitikei 9511. 2402 666 — .Kiwitcit ..'. 3034 ' 785 177 - -Kairaiiga* 3681 , 550 — — ;oroua,' 369S 492 — 418 fPohangina ,1797. 310 52 —. Mariawatu - 4007 588 202 — Horowhenua 5337 , 679 183 " — ;Pahiatua*"3'672' 648 94 — Arikio 1394'- 345 163 — Castlepoint 561 110 26 • — Eketahuna ■ 2738 .368 163 — Mauricevillo -10S9 .106 9 — ;Ma'sterton. .......i.... -.3723- 784 23 — .South;.;,Wairarapa- 2734* 517 —. 608 'Foatherston*"347o • 853 — . — Butt 7259 851 18 — To locate tho places that need oxtra Homo Mission work on of tho abovo figlures is somewhat difficult. ■ In some boroughs 'tho bounds of congregation aro co-terminous, thub easy to tako stock of the number of tho non-clnirchgoing. ■ In counties, it is different.. Several congregations anil, parts of, congregations may bo mi ono county—a Presbytery embraces parts sAmotinJes'-of ; ,twoy Presbyteries. Generally speakings ;Howovor, : :in-.country districts tho percdiitago -.oi'r church: : attendance on the population,.bash..is tjuito as good as in bor- • oughs, and, in some oases, especially . in . OtagO/ very; much better, In 1906, for ex-

ample, there wore 1624 Presbyterians in the, counties of Pahiatua, Akitio, Eketalnm'a, and in inclusive Borough of Pahiatua, and to these there ministered ono minister and two homo missionaries, and the percentage of church attendance was better than in Wellington, and vet distance would make it impossible for a portion of the population to attend services. ■ - .

AS THERE IS LESS THAN FIFTY PER CENT. OF THE PRESBYTERIAN POPULATION IN CHURCH ATTENDANCE, AN AGGRESSIVE HOME MISSION POLICY SHOULD' BE THE FIRST. AND PRESSING DUTY OF THAT CHURCH. As it was set forth above there were 59,954 of age to attend church in tho North Island, anil yet only 23,958 wero in attendance. There were, however, in attendance in Presbyterian Sabbath Schools 10,252 children, and it is estimated that only 25 per cent, of such attend the ordinary services of tho church. When 75 per cent, then of tho Sabbath School children—vis., 76S9 —aro added to the.church attendance above, tho total numbers reached through services and Sabbath Schools were 31,647, leaving 27,947 outside of Church and' Sabbath School. In Wellington City and suburbs tho proportion of non-churchgoers -is specially large, there being only 2650 out of 7854. In viow of such a condition of things, tho cry of overlapping in Christtian work can hardly bo raised in tho Presbyterian Church in this land. Eloquent speeches havo been made from time to time by prominent men in tho Presbyterian Church in favour of union with other denominations, and especially in favour of union with the Methodist Church. It might haro answered a better purposo if . attention had been directed to tho Homo Mission policy of tho Methodist Church, and tho lessons that policy is fitted to teach tho Presbyterian Church. The Methodist' Church of Australasia in 1906, in the North Island, numbered, according to the census, '36,297. When this is reduced 25 per cent, there would be left 27,223 able to attend church, and yet the official minutes of tho Conference for 1906 report a t6t.il attendance at church and Sabbath Schools of 39,903. If these figures aro true, then the Methodists minister to all .their own in tho North Island, 'and"l2,ooo morel

Some Striking Facts. ' - '' In Wellington City and suburbs tho Methodist Church in 1906, according to the cen.sus, numbered 4115, and. when this is reducod 25 per cent., it would leave only 3086 able to attend church., but the olficial minutes report no fewor than 4124 in attendance at church and Sabbath School. In Wellington, again, if these figures are accurate,' the worshipping constituency of the Methodist Church is larger than its census population. No doubt tb# ! discrepancy between ' the' Methodist and Presbyterian attendance at church, on tho census population basis, is accounted for, in part, by the fact that Presbyterianiani to not a few means, that they were of Scotch descent, and religion to them was only a tradition. But this is not the wholo truth. Tho policy of Home Missions in the Methodist Church occupies a front place, and in the Presbyterian Church , a subordinate place. In the Methodist Church in the North Island every circuit is constrained by the Conference to lift its life and sympathy into tho larger life of the Church in tho land. Each circuit is rated for Home Missions, and tho rate is so heavy that economy must bo exercised in working tho circuits in order that generous help flight bo given to the poorer circuits. Tho consequenco is that there is rio colossal. stipend paid to ministers in the Methodist Church, but the minimum- stipend in tho North Island is larger in*tho MAthodist Church than in tho Presbyterian. In 1906 the Methodist contributions to Home and -Maori-: Missions in the North Island (including rent from properties, etc.),(was over £2000'. In tho Presbyterian Church, tho [ amount from tho samp region and for the same objects was only :C9OO. The : principle of Dr. Thomas Chalmers's Sustentation Fund is seen in the generous: lieln given by the stronger circuits. in Methodism, to tho weaker circuits, and this samo generosity is not shown by tho stronger "congregations, .to the -weaker .congregations in the Presbyterian Church in the North Island. That moro money should be spent .in salaries to organists in North Island Presbyterian; congregations than is given to aid stations, sanctioned. charges, and Maori Missions, is a disturbing fact to ■ find recorded in a Presbyterian Blue Book. Such a fact shows tho way in which last things may bo put first in tho policy of a Church. _ . Thero is an opening, bleeding wound in the Presbyterian Church that needs to bo stanched; and that wound can only be healed by Home Mission's becoming the first duty of tho Presbyterian Church. If a Church fails to provide for its own,'is it not in a sense denying tlio faith?