DOMINION CHURCHES

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 December 1928, Page 2

DOMINION CHURCHES

WHAT CENSUS REVEALS.

As part of the national census, New Zealanders have to give the Government Statistician particulars of their religious beliefs. They can object, and 62,000 did so on the last occasion. However, that left 93.83 per cent, who are definitely associated with some religious denomination, and the general figures show that four principal denominations share between them nearly 88 per cent of the total. Thirty-three definite religious sects arc down in the list, four of which are non-Christian, while there are also small bodies of people who wish tq be described as “Rationalist,” “Atheist” (these are 117 in number), “Agnostic,” or “Freethinker,” the last numbering nearly 4000. Taking the churches in the order of their numerical importance, the official report shows that the Anglican communion heads the list, as usual. It has 553,993 adherents, comprising 41.2 per cent, of the population. The report states that this denomination showed the largest intercensal increase, but in ratio of increase over a longer period while the Anglican Church has grown at a rate above the general average its numerical gain from 1921 till 1926 was the lowest for twenty-five years.

The Church of England is relatively strongest in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland, and weakest in Southland, Otago, and Westland. Presbyterians, 330,731, are 24.6 per cent, of the population, and the census showed that the gain of this church since the previous count was the second highest in its. history, and the rate higher than the general gain, though less markedly so than usual.

Presbyterians, says the Statistician, find their greatest strength in the provincial districts of Southland and Otago. In Southland, indeed, Presbyterians comprise more than half the total population, and this is the sole instance of any religious body having a, majority of the inhabitants of any district within the ranks of its adherents. Next in strength are the Roman Catholics, numbering 173,364. which equals 12.9 per cent, of New Zealand’s population. This church showed the third largest increase in five years, though in point of both numbers and rate it was the lowest, says the report, experienced by this church for many years. The Roman Catholic Church finds its greatest stronghold (relatively) in Westland, and to a relatively lesser degree in Marlborough. Methodists arc most strongly represented proportionately in Taranaki, and the amalgamation of two branches of this church raised their membership to 121,212, which is 9 per cent, of the population. This church showed the greatest proportional increase of any during the five years. The Baptist strength is in Otago, and this church, which showed a decline in 1916-21, indicated a substantial recovery in 1921-26. The Brethren have 12,924 members in New' Zealand, and another denomination with a. good following is the Salvation Army. The Ratana. Church is shown to possess 12,241 members, with 107 ministers, and there is the Ringatu denomination associated with

the Maoris, and having a membership of 4,540. The Hebrew persuasion numbers 2,591, and the census figures disclose that Wellington is the strongest centre in membership. The census has analysed the relation of the sexes to religion. Starting with the observation that the male sex comprises 51.1 per cent, of the total, it. is shown that the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches are the only ones with a male predominance in membership. The Roman Catholic Church had in 1921 a following 50.1 per cent, male, but in the last enumeration the males were shown a fraction below half-way mark. Female predominance, is well marked among Christian Scientists (males 35.6 of total). Seventh Day Adventists (males 40.4), Brethren, Church of Christ, Baptists, Congregational and Christadelphian, where the male proportion is about 46 per cent. Male predominance occurs, states the Statistician, to a marked degree with Freethinkers, Agnostics, Rationalists, Atheists, Orthodox Catholics (Eastern) and Hindus.