Bullish Figures

That U. S. church membership is increasing faster than the population was the bullish message of the annual statistical report of Christian Herald, published last week. The last to be prepared by Lutheran George Linn Kieffer, who died in his Rosedale, L. I. pulpit this spring, the Herald tables were completed by his wife Maude. According to the Kieffers' denominational sources, there are 63,493,036 church members in the land, 837,404 more than last year. Rate of increase was 1.33%, as compared to .71% for population.

Biggest churches are the Roman Catholic (20,831,139), Baptist (10,332,005), Methodist (9,109,359), Lutheran (4,589,660). Biggest Protestant gains were registered by the Baptists (140,308) and the Reformed Church (81,958). The Church of Christ, Scientist (whose Founder Mary Baker Eddy frowned upon efforts to count her flock), and the Jewish bodies, reported no change. Small churches tend to grow faster than big ones. Denominations with a membership of more than 50,000 gained an average 1.1%, while lesser sects "reached the astonishing figure of 29.49%." Last year 49.43% of the population was "affiliated with some church," as compared to 46.6% in 1926. Over its figures the Herald exulted: "A direct contradiction to pessimists who claim the churches have lost ground."

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