Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, AUG, 6, 1923. RELIGIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16197, 6 August 1923, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, AUG, 6, 1923. RELIGIONS.

Tli-e distribution of the population of New Zealand by religions is very carefully tabulated by the Government Statistician. The particulars are obtained. from the census returns. There is no possible check upon the returns made by individuals. In some few cases it is obviousjthat the answers to, the question as to “personal religion” have been evaded by the insertion' of a coined phrase as expressive of the individual religious belief. One female has chosen to call herself a lunitarian. One male describes himself as watcher. Other names are selected, the intention plainly being to cast ridicule upon religion'. Dealing with this under the head of “minor religions” the Statistician has this to say:—“Reference' to the detailed table will reveal some very dubious nomenclature. It is obvious that some terms have resulted from peculiar notions of humor apparently held by certain individuals who have treated the religious inquiry in a spirit of levity. Since, after all, this is probably as fully descriptive of their religious convictions as the most orthodox nomenclature could be, these terms have been shown in detail with the others.” The enumerator would have done better not to give the publicity to these inventions which the persons making the returns probably looked for. They would have been better classed under the heading of “no religion.” In doing this some responsibility of deciding between what was bona fide and what was not would have been incurred, which the enumerator probably considered he was not called upon to take. A great preponderance of the population claim to be Christians. The percentage of those professing the Christian religion is 98.67. The percentage of the non-Christian religions is 0.50. of other beliefs 0.83. Out of the whole population of 1,218,913, 38,591 object to state their religion, and 1736 ignore the question. The vast bulk of the population belong to one denomination or thel other of the Christian religion. The Church of England, the Presbyterian Church of Now Zealand, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Methodist Church, include within the number of their adherents some 92.5 per cent, of the total 'who specified their religion. The largest of the churches is the Church of England to which some 514,607 professed adherence. Next comes the Presbyterian Church with 299,545. Next the Roman Catholic with 164.133. Next (Tic* Methodists' with 112,344. The percentages are: The Church of England 43.66 of the total people, the Presbyterians 25.42, tihe Roman Catholics 13.93, and the Methodists '9.53. The numbers in the remaining principal denominations in order are:—The Baptists 19,926, the Salvation Army 11,591, the Brethren 11,055, the Church of Christ 8.640. The respective percentages of tihe population respectively are 1.69, 0.98, 0.34, and 0.73. We hear so much about Theosophy that it is curious to note that the adherents are only 832, being an increase of only one since: 1916. The great advance of this belief was when the numbers rose from 499 in 1911 to 831 in 1916. The Mormons show a big increase upon their numbers, having risen from 315 in 1916 to 443 in 1921. The figures for Gisborne are:—Church of England 4906, Presbyterian 2490, Roban Catholic 1655, Methodist 617, Baptist 264, Salvation Army 184, Brethren 159, Church of Christ 104. The Cook County returns are:—Church of England 3550, Presbyterian 1977, Roman Catholic 1053, Methodist) 251, Baptist 62, Salvation Army 60, Church of Christ 61, Brethren 60. The inclusion in a census form of an inquiry as to religion is a common but not a universal practice among civilised nations. The exceptions are England, Scotland, the United States, France and Belgium. In America a census of .religious bodies is taken, but the: data is obtained from the records of the religious organisations and not from individuals. Certainly if the census returns are to be allowed to spmk, it is not fair to say, as some theologians in their wrath do sometimes allow themselves to say, that New Zealand is not a Christian, nation, 92.5 of the total number that specified their religion bo-

long to ona or other of the four greater churches. The intercensal increases in respect to the larger churches »sinee 1916 by percentages are :—Church of England 12.11, Presbyterian 14.91, Roman Catholic 8.26, Methodist 5.96. The Baptists and members of the Church of Christ show decreases of 4.53 and 6.58 respectively. The percentage increases or decreases of the minor religions show violent fluctuations, which are to be expected where! tins numbers are small. The general ratio of increase during the period 1916-1921 for the Christian Churches as a whole is quoted as 10.91 per cent. “As the great, bulk -of tin; population lie? in! this group'its movement is practically that of the total population.” It is remarkable that the four greater churches • representing 92.5 per cent, of the persons specifying their religion,and comprising 1,'162,851 persons oTall ages and being the whole European population of New Zealand, less 66,062,Per50n5, should, according to their own admissions, have so signally failed in.'the* nltem’pt, spasmodically made from time to time to influence legislation in the matter of the education and divorce laws. Wo are not now concerned as to whether the views put forward have been sound or unsound. In truth as to both subjects the controversies are worn somewhat thread hare. This may perhaps bo. said. If the four greater churches sinking' their own differences united to use their great influence in the line of the great principles for ever laid down by their Supreme head, the earth would be sweeter, purer, and more desirable as a place to live in. The differences of the churches are responsible: for many of the difficulties of statesmen and peoples.