THE CHURCHES

Southland Times, Issue 18964, 11 June 1923, Page 4

THE CHURCHES

WHAT THE CENSUS SHOWS. ADHERENTS INCREASING. (Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, June 9. Are the churches losing ground ? A review of the question, from the tables of the last Census, affords interesting information, especially when New Zealand :is compared with Australia. It proves indubitably that in both countries people are going to church in larger numbers than eror, but more so in Australia than here. For every hundred people in New Zealand that profess some kind of religion, 42 claim Church of England belief, 24 Presbyterian. 13 Roman Catholic and 9 Methodist. In Australia there are 44 Church of England, 22 Catholics, 12 Presbyterians and 12 Methodists. Christian religions represent 95 per cent of the population in New Zealand, and slightly more, 97 per cent, in Australia. The total number of persons in this cate* gory in the Dominion at the last Census was 1,162,741 made up of 587,060 males and 575,681 females, showing on increase of 114,289, or 11 per cent in five years. The record of the chief Christian dennmina* tions is as follows:

Eighteen denominations have lees than a thousand adherents. Objections to state their religion numbered 38,591, while 3919 said they had no religion whatever and 169 did not know to what religion they belonged. It will be noted that the highest relative increase is shown by the Salvation Army. There is a very slight preponderance of females in the principal religions, which is easily understood, having regard to the man* power lost in the war. The chief adherents to the non-Christian religions are Hebrew (2380) and Confucian (2100), the latter showing and increase of nearly 50 per cent. In Australia Hebrews number 21,615. The number who objected to state their religious belief in the Commonwealth has declined from 83,003 to 46,268 in ten years. There are only four Hindu women listed in the returns in New Zealand;

Adherents to non-Christian religions have increased by 25 per cent in New Zealand in five years, while in Australia tliey have declined by three per cent. This fact, associated with the larger number professing religious belief in Australia shows that the Commonwealth is a more Christian country than the Dominion. On the other hand, the persons having no belief have doubled in numbers in Australia, while they have declined six per cent in New Zealand.

In err see Church. 1821 Census or decrease since 1916 Per Cent. Church of England 514,607 12 Presbyterian 299,545 15 Roman Catholic 163,303 9 Methodist 112,344 6 Baptist 19,926 Salvation Army 11,591 16 Brethren 11,055 13 Church of Christ 8,640 —7 Congregational 7,977 Seventh Day Adv. 2,224 45