RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19832, 30 December 1927, Page 10

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

RETURNS AT 1926 CENSUS.

LARGE INCREASE IN OBJECTORS.

Statements regarding religious beliefs recorded in the 1926 census papers have been compiled by the Government Statistician. He received 1,344,469 returns and these have been classified under no fewer than 42 headings, including several indefinite ones, among the latter being a group comprising returns of religions or beliefs with fewer than 250 adherents in the Dominion. Maoris are not included in tho compilation. Following is a summary of tho official return, showing the religious professions with more than 400 returned, the second column showing the percentage of the total number of specified beliefs:—

The number returned as adherents ol the Church of England showed an increase of 39.385 over the corresponding return at the 1921 census, this being equivalent to 7.65, per cent. Similar comparisons in other cases are as follows: Presbyterian, 31,053 (10.37 per cent.); Roman Catholic, 9199 (5.60 per cent.); Methodist, 8924 (7.94 per cent,); Baptist, 2033 (10.20 per cent.); Brethren. 1884 (17.04 per cent.). The Church of Christ shows a reduction ot 655 ( 7.58 per cent.) and the Congregational Church a reduction of 696 (8.73 per cent.). Attention is directed to tlio considerable increase in the numbers of those availing themselves of the right to object to state their religious belief. rhe total was 62.567, which was 23,976 or 62 1.5 per cent., greater than at, the 1921 census. The Statistician remarks that this has exercised no little offect upon the movements shown in other parts of the table. Moreover, the total number of returns was greater bv 125,556, or 10.3 per cent., than in 1921.

Kjliii bcr. .. 563,992 P.C. Church of England .. 43.45 Presbyterian .. 330,598 25.93 Roman Catholic .. 173,332 13.GO Methodist .. .. .. 121,208 9.61 Baptist .. 21,959 1,72 Brethren .. 12,339 1.01 Salvation Army .. 12,341 0.97

Church of Christ 7,985 0.(58 Congregational , 7 ,'281 0.57 Seventh Day Adveuiist 2.873 , 0.23 Lutheran 2.483 0.20 Christian Scientist 1.38-2 0. IJ Ckristadelpbian 1,070 0.08 Unitarian 1,024 0.08 Pentecostal 72(1 O.OB Latter Day Saints 599 0.05 Biblo Students 578 O.Oi Society of Friends .. 449 0.04 Evangelical 410 0.03 Hebrew 2.507 0.20 Confucian 1,109 0.09 Theosophist 779 0.00 0.10 0.07 0.0(1 0.04 Spiritualist 1,271 Freethinker Agnostic 818 804 Rationalist .. ■ 557