DISQUIETING STATISTICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18676, 4 October 1922, Page 3

DISQUIETING STATISTICS

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERIANISM. DECREASES REPORTED. A somewhat unsatisfactory position in tho affairs of the Presbyterian Church in the Dunedin Presbytery was disclosed in the report on general statistics presented to the Presbytery yesterday morning by the Rev. W. Fairlic Evans. Mr Evans said that on completing the statistics he had found that they wore not so hopeful as they had at first appeared. On the whole tho general statistics gave some cause for anxiety. Some columns showed an increase, but those were columns cf not very great importance. There was a decrease in all the columns that mattered—a decrease in attendance at public worship of 532, a clocreaso in admissions to membership by examination of 80, a decrease in baptism?, and a decrease in total revenue. There was art increaso m tho inrlebtodnoss of tho Church-(Laughter.) The analysis of the figures was not vory encouraging:. _ llipuirh 426 new members had joined, including 8(1 from overseas, yet there was an increase of only five on tho total roll. Ho thought that was a matter for serious consideration. Some columns could well be dispensed with from the schedule but two should ho added showing the number of persons received by certificate and the number of disjunctions. Ho thought the whole position xvas serious. There were only 7713 members in the whole Presbytery, and ho did not think that was at all in proportion to the Presbyterian population. He had analysed tho statistics for the past five years and Inrl come to the conclusion that the Church was not a going concern. There had been a total decrease in the membership of the Church of 85 during the past five years. It was about lime the Presbytery had a conference and made searching inquiry as to what was really the mat er with the reImious life of the people and of the Church. Tho difficulty was cither in the home life, the Church life, or the civic life,, and they might to get right down into it. The Rev J- M. Simpson orow attention to tho effect that the purging of rolls has on statistics, and said that about o 0 names had been taken off by the Port Chalmers session. Tho decrease was perhaps an indication that sessions were becoming more The Rev. D. Cal dor mentioned that about 60 names had been taken off his roll. Tho report was adopted without definite action being decided on. and the statistician heartily commended for his work.