Religious Bodies, 1906: [Excerpts Relating to African American Religious Bodies]:
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United States. Bureau of the Census.
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(title page) Religious Bodies: 1906
Department of Commerce and Labor. Bureau of the Census.
ca. 80 p.
Washington
Government Printing Office
1910
At head of title: Department of Commerce and Labor. Bureau of the Census. E. Dana Durand, Director. Special Reports.
Call number C3.35 1906
(Government Documents Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
The electronic edition is a part of the UNC-CH
digitization project, Documenting the American South.
This electronic edition consists of excerpts relating to African American religious bodies from the original two volume census report Religious Bodies, 1906.
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Library of Congress Subject Headings, 21st edition, 1998
Languages Used:
- English
LC Subject Headings:
- African American churches -- History.
- African American churches -- Statistics.
- African Americans -- Religion.
- Christian sects -- United States.
- Church statistics -- United States.
- Ecclesiastical geography -- United States.
- United States -- Religion.
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
E. DANA DURAND, DIRECTOR
SPECIAL REPORTS
RELIGIOUS BODIES: 1906
PART I
SUMMARY AND GENERAL TABLES
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1910
Page verso
THIS REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN TWO PARTS, AS FOLLOWS:
- PART I--SUMMARY AND GENERAL TABLES.
- PART II--SEPARATE DENOMINATIONS: HISTORY, DESCRIPTION, AND STATISTICS
Volume I.
Page 136
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS OF COLORED ORGANIZATIONS.
This summary includes statistics for all colored organizations reported, whether these organizations were connected with denominations consisting entirely of such organizations, or with denominations in which colored organizations represented only a part of the membership. The term "colored organization," as used in this connection, signifies an organization whose membership is composed wholly of negroes or those of negro descent. Including the National Baptist Convention (a branch of the regular Baptists), 17 bodies are reported which are wholly made up of colored organizations, as against 10 given in the report for 1890. Of those given in the report for 1890 two--the Congregational Methodist Church and the Evangelist Missionary Church--have disappeared, while the following 9 appear for the first time in the report for 1906: Colored Primitive Baptists in America; United American Freewill Baptists; Church of God and Saints of Christ; Churches of the Living God (3 bodies); Voluntary Missionary Society in America; Free Christian Zion Church of Christ; and Reformed Methodist Union Episcopal Church. The denominations composed in part of colored organizations are 26 in number, as against 18 in 1890. For these denominations the general and divisional officers were requested to indicate either the divisions (associations, conferences, etc.) that were made up wholly of colored organizations, or the scattered organizations that were composed wholly of colored members, and this method was supplemented, in the case of several denominations, by special correspondence, through which additional lists of colored organizations were secured. In this way an attempt was made to secure a substantially full report of colored organizations, although it is probable that some distinctively colored churches have been omitted. This effort was restricted, however, to churches comprising colored members only, and no attempt was made to ascertain the number of colored communicants belonging to local white churches.
GENERAL SUMMARY FOR 1906.
The general statistics for all the colored organizations at the close of the year 1906 are given in Tables 11, 12, and 14 (pages 538, 540, and 564). The total number of organizations reported for 1906, as shown by these tables, is 36,770. The total number of communicants or members, as reported by 36,563 organizations, is 3,685,097; of these, as shown by the returns for 34,648 organizations, 37.5 per cent are males and 62.5 per cent females.
According to the statistics, these organizations have 35,160 church edifices; a seating capacity for church edifices of 10,481,738, as reported by 33,091 organizations; church property valued at $56,636,159, against which there appears an indebtedness of $5,005,905; halls, etc., used for worship by 1,261 organizations; and parsonages valued at $3,727,884. The number of Sunday schools, as reported by 33,538 organizations, is 34,681, with 210,148 officers and teachers and 1,740,099 scholars.
Compared with the report for 1890, these figures show increases of 13,308 in the number of colored organizations, 1,011,120 in the number of communicants or members, 11,390 in the number of church edifices, and $30,009,711 in the value of church property.
COMPARISON OF ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS, AND VALUE OF CHURCH PROPERTY, FOR 1906 AND 1890.
The next table shows for 1890 and 1906, by denominations in detail, the number of colored organizations, the number of communicants or members, 1 and the value of church property.
Of the total number of organizations reported for 1906 as shown by this table, 31,393, with 3,207,307 communicants and church property valued at $44,673,049, belonged to the denominations made up wholly of colored organizations, while 5,377, with 477,790 communicants and church property valued at $11,963,110, were connected with denominations made up only in part of colored organizations.
Including denominations made up either wholly or in part of colored organizations in 1906, 6 Baptist bodies reported 19,891 organizations, with 2,354,789 communicants, and church property valued at $26,562,845; and 10 Methodist bodies reported 15,317 organizations, with 1,182,131 communicants and church property valued at $25,771,262. These 2 denominational families reported 35,208 organizations, or 95.8 per cent of the total number of colored organizations
Page 137
reported; 3,536,920 communicants, or 96 per cent of the total number of colored communicants reported; and church property valued at $52,334,107, or 92.4 per cent of the total value of church property reported by colored organizations.
| Denomination. | Number of Colored1 Organizations. | Number of Communicants or Members Reported. | Value of Church Property Reported. | |||
| 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | |
| All denominations consisting in whole or in part of colored1 organizations | 36,770 | 23,462 | 3,685,097 | 2,673,977 | $56,636,159 | $26,626,448 |
| Denominations consisting wholly of colored organizations | 31,393 | 19,158 | 3,207,307 | 2,321,313 | 44,673,049 | 20,525,141 |
| Baptist bodies: | ||||||
| Baptists--National Convention | 18,534 | 12,533 | 2,261,607 | 1,348,989 | 24,437,272 | 9,038,549 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America2 | 797 | 323 | 35,076 | 18,162 | 296,539 | 135,427 |
| United American Freewill Baptists | 251 | . . . . . | 14,489 | . . . . . | 79,278 | . . . . . |
| Church of God and Saints of Christ | 48 | . . . . . | 1,823 | . . . . . | 6,000 | . . . . . |
| Churches of the Living God: | ||||||
| Church of the Living God (Christian Workers for Friendship) | 44 | . . . . . | 2,676 | . . . . . | 231,175 | . . . . . |
| Church of the Living God (Apostolic Church) | 15 | . . . . . | 752 | . . . . . | 25,700 | . . . . . |
| Church of Christ in God | 9 | . . . . . | 848 | . . . . . | 9,700 | . . . . . |
| Evangelistic associations: | ||||||
| Voluntary Missionary Society in America | 3 | . . . . . | 425 | . . . . . | 2,400 | . . . . . |
| Free Christian Zion Church of Christ | 15 | . . . . . | 1,835 | . . . . . | 5,975 | . . . . . |
| Methodist bodies: | ||||||
| Union American Methodist Episcopal Church | 77 | 42 | 4,347 | 2,279 | 170,150 | 187,600 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,647 | 2,481 | 494,777 | 452,725 | 11,303,489 | 6,468,280 |
| African Union Methodist Protestant Church | 69 | 40 | 5,592 | 3,415 | 183,697 | 54,440 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,204 | 1,704 | 184,542 | 349,788 | 4,833,207 | 2,714,128 |
| Congregational Methodist Church | . . . . . | 9 | . . . . . | 319 | . . . . . | 525 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,381 | 1,759 | 172,996 | 129,383 | 3,017,849 | 1,713,366 |
| Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church | 45 | 32 | 3,059 | 2,346 | 37,875 | 15,000 |
| Reformed Methodist Union Episcopal Church | 58 | . . . . . | 4,397 | . . . . . | 36,965 | . . . . . |
| Evangelist Missionary Church | . . . . . | 11 | . . . . . | 951 | . . . . . | 2,000 |
| Presbyterian bodies: | ||||||
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 196 | 224 | 18,066 | 12,956 | 203,778 | 195,826 |
| Denominations consisting in part of colored1 organizations | 5,377 | 4,304 | 477,790 | 352,664 | 11,963,110 | 6,101,307 |
| Adventist bodies: | ||||||
| Advent Christian Church | 2 | . . . . . | 72 | . . . . . | 3,800 | . . . . . |
| Seventh-day Adventist Denomination | 29 | . . . . . | 562 | . . . . . | 6,474 | . . . . . |
| Baptist bodies: | ||||||
| Baptists--Northern Convention | 108 | 406 | 32,639 | 35,221 | 1,561,326 | 1,087,518 |
| Baptists--Southern Convention | . . . . . | 7 | . . . . . | 651 | . . . . . | 3,875 |
| Free Baptists | 197 | 5 | 10,876 | 271 | 186,130 | 13,300 |
| Primitive Baptists3 | 4 | . . . . . | 102 | . . . . . | 2,300 | . . . . . |
| Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists | . . . . . | 15 | . . . . . | 265 | . . . . . | 930 |
| Christians (Christian Connection) | 92 | 63 | 7,545 | 4,989 | 69,505 | 23,500 |
| Churches of God in North America, General Eldership of the | 15 | . . . . . | 329 | . . . . . | 5,500 | . . . . . |
| Congregationalists | 156 | 85 | 11,960 | 6,908 | 459,497 | 246,125 |
| Disciples or Christians: | ||||||
| Disciples of Christ | 129 | 277 | 9,705 | 18,578 | 170,265 | 176,795 |
| Churches of Christ | 41 | . . . . . | 1528 | . . . . . | 14,950 | . . . . . |
| Independent churches | 12 | . . . . . | 490 | . . . . . | 2,750 | . . . . . |
| Lutheran bodies: | ||||||
| United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the South | . . . . . | 5 | . . . . . | 94 | . . . . . | 1,750 |
| General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America | 1 | . . . . . | 15 | . . . . . | 5,000 | . . . . . |
| Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of America | 6 | 5 | 224 | 211 | 10,000 | 13,400 |
| Methodist bodies: | ||||||
| Methodist Episcopal Church | 3,750 | 2,984 | 308,551 | 246,249 | 6,104,379 | 3,630,093 |
| Methodist Protestant Church | 64 | 54 | 2,612 | 3,183 | 62,651 | 35,445 |
| Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America | 22 | . . . . . | 1,258 | . . . . . | 21,000 | . . . . . |
| Independent Methodists | . . . . . | 2 | . . . . . | 222 | . . . . . | 4,675 |
| Moravian bodies: | ||||||
| Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) | 2 | . . . . . | 351 | . . . . . | 8,000 | . . . . . |
| Presbyterian bodies: | ||||||
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America | 417 | 233 | 27,709 | 14,961 | 752,387 | 391,650 |
| Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 1 | . . . . . | 50 | . . . . . | 1,000 | . . . . . |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States | 44 | 45 | 1,183 | 1,568 | 32,850 | 22,200 |
| Associate Reformed Synod of the South | 1 | . . . . . | 18 | . . . . . | 200 | . . . . . |
| Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America | . . . . . | 1 | . . . . . | 76 | . . . . . | 1,500 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church | 198 | 49 | 19,098 | 2,977 | 1,773,279 | 192,750 |
| Reformed bodies: | ||||||
| Reformed Church in America | 2 | . . . . . | 59 | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . |
| Reformed Episcopal Church | 38 | 37 | 2,252 | 1,723 | 28,287 | 18,401 |
| Roman Catholic Church | 36 | 31 | 38,235 | 14,517 | 678,480 | 237,400 |
| United Brethren bodies: | ||||||
| Church of the United Brethren in Christ | 10 | . . . . . | 277 | . . . . . | 3,100 | . . . . . |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent .
2 The organizations shown for this denomination in 1890 were returned at that census as belonging to the Primitive Baptists.
3 The colored organizations returned for this denomination in 1890 are included in the present report as belonging to the Colored Primitive Baptists in America.
Page 138
Of the total increase in the number of organizations, 12,235, or 91.9 per cent, were in denominations consisting wholly of colored organizations; of the total increase in the number of communicants, 885,994, or 87.6 per cent; and of the total increase in the value of church property, $24,147,908, or 80.5 percent. Including the denominations made up either wholly or in part of colored organizations, the Baptist bodies show an increase over 1890 of 6,602 organizations, or 49.7 per cent, and the Methodist bodies of 6,199, or 68 per cent, these 2 families reporting an increase of 12,801 organizations, or 96.2 per cent of the total. The increase in the number of communicants reported by the Baptist bodies is 951,230, or 67.8 per cent, which is 94.1 per cent of the total increase. For the Methodist bodies the figures show a slight decrease in the number of communicants, owing to the decrease in the number reported for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, due, as already explained (see page 26), to the fact that the number given in the report for 1890 was too high. The increase in the value of church property shown by the Baptist bodies is $16,283,246, or 158.4 per cent, and by the Methodist bodies, $10,945,710, or 73.8 per cent, these 2 families showing an increase in the value of church property of $27,228,956, or 90.7 per cent of the total increase.
It is to be noted that the figures for the Baptists--Northern Convention, include only those colored organizations and members connected with white associations, while those organizations and members connected with exclusively colored associations have been transferred to the Baptists - National Convention (Colored). As a result, in the comparison with 1890 there appears a decrease in the figures for the Baptists--Northern Convention, though the total for the two conventions is not affected. It should be stated, also, that the decrease shown for the Disciples or Christians in the number of organizations and of communicants is probably due in part to incomplete returns for 1906.
STATISTICS OF DENOMINATIONS.
The following tables furnish detailed statistics for those denominations, for each of which at least 10,000 members of colored organizations were reported in 1906, the remaining 26 denominations being combined under one head as "all other bodies." Those denominations composed in part only of colored organizations are indicated by the word "part" connected with the title. The selected denominations are given in each table in the order of their rank according to the membership reported for 1906.
| DENOMINATION | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS. | |||||||
| Number. | Percent Distribution. | Increase from 1890 to 1906. | Rank in number. | |||||
| 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | Number. | Percent. | 1906 | 1890 | |
| Total | 36,770 | 23,462 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 13,308 | 56.7 | . . . . . | . . . . . |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 18,534 | 12,533 | 50.4 | 53.4 | 6,001 | 47.9 | 1 | 1 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,647 | 2,481 | 18.1 | 10.6 | 4,166 | 167.9 | 2 | 3 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,750 | 2,984 | 10.2 | 12.7 | 766 | 25.7 | 3 | 2 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,204 | 1,704 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 500 | 29.3 | 5 | 5 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,381 | 1,759 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 622 | 35.4 | 4 | 4 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 36 | 31 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 5 | (2) | 15 | 13 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 801 | 323 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 478 | 148.0 | 6 | 7 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 108 | 406 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 4298 | 473.4 | 14 | 6 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 417 | 233 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 184 | 79.0 | 7 | 9 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 198 | 49 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 149 | (2) | 9 | 12 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 196 | 224 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 428 | 412.5 | 11 | 10 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 251 | . . . . . | 0.7 | . . . . . | 251 | . . . . . | 8 | . . . . . |
| Congregationalists (part) | 156 | 85 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 71 | (2) | 13 | 11 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)5 | 170 | 277 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 4107 | 438.6 | 12 | 8 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 197 | 5 | 0.5 | (6) | 192 | (2) | 10 | 14 |
| All other bodies (26) | 724 | 368 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 356 | 96.7 | . . . . . | . . . . . |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 For 1906 includes 4 organizations reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Decrease.
5 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ.
6 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
The body reporting the greatest number of organizations for 1906 is the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), with 18,534, or 50.4 per cent of the total number of colored organizations in the country, while the African Methodist Episcopal Church is next in order with 6,647, or 18.1 percent of the entire number. The 3 leading colored Methodist bodies taken together, with the addition of the colored organizations belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church, report an aggregate of 14,982 colored Methodist organizations, or 40.7 per cent of the entire number of colored organizations. These 5 bodies, therefore, contain 33,516 colored organizations, or 91.2 per cent of the entire number reported.
The denomination showing the greatest absolute increase in the number of organizations from 1890 to 1906 is the Baptists - National Convention (Colored), with 6,001, the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Page 139
coming next, with 4,166. In the per cent of increase, however, the African Methodist Episcopal Church leads, with 167.9 per cent, while that of the Baptists--National Convention (Colored)--is 47.9 per cent. The decrease shown in the table in the number of colored organizations connected with the Baptists--Northern Convention--and with the Disciples or Christians is due to the reasons already stated. It will be seen from the table that while the rank of the different denominations in 1906 differs considerably from that in 1890, the relative position of the 5 principal bodies is the same for the two years, except that the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), which was second in 1890 in the number of colored organizations, changed places in 1906 with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was third in 1890.
| Denomination. | Colored1 Organizations--Communicants or Members. | |||||||||||
| Organizations reporting communicants or members: 1906. | Number of communicants or members reported. | Per cent distribution. | Increase from 1890 to 1906. | Rank in 1906. | Average per organization reporting. | |||||||
| Number. | Increase. | |||||||||||
| Number. | Percent. | 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | Number. | Per cent. | Number. | Percent. | |||
| Total | 36,563 | 99.4 | 3,685,097 | 2,673,977 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 1,011,120 | 37.8 | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | 101 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 18,492 | 99.8 | 2,261,607 | 1,348,989 | 61.4 | 50.4 | 912,618 | 67.7 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 122 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,608 | 99.4 | 494,777 | 452,725 | 13.4 | 16.9 | 42,052 | 9.3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 75 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,682 | 98.2 | 308,551 | 246,249 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 62,302 | 25.3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 84 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,197 | 99.7 | 184,542 | 349,788 | 5.0 | 13.1 | 2165,246 | 247.2 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 84 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,365 | 99.3 | 172,996 | 129,383 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 43,613 | 33.7 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 73 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 36 | 100.0 | 38,235 | 14,517 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 23,718 | 163.4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1,062 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 791 | 98.8 | 35,178 | 18,162 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 17,016 | 93.7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 44 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 108 | 100.0 | 32,639 | 35,221 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 22,582 | 27.3 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 302 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 417 | 100.0 | 27,799 | 14,961 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 12,838 | 85.8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 67 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 193 | 97.5 | 19,098 | 2,977 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 16,121 | 541.5 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 99 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 196 | 100.0 | 18,066 | 12,956 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 5,110 | 39.4 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 92 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 247 | 98.4 | 14,489 | . . . . . | 0.4 | . . . . . | 14,489 | . . . . . | 12 | 8 | . . . . . | 59 |
| Congregationalists (part) | 156 | 100.0 | 11,960 | 6,908 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 5,052 | 73.1 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 77 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)4 | 170 | 100.0 | 11,233 | 18,578 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 27,345 | 239.5 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 66 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 195 | 99.0 | 10,876 | 271 | 0.3 | (5) | 10,605 | 3,913.3 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 56 |
| All other bodies (26) | 710 | 98.1 | 43,051 | 22,292 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 20,759 | 93.1 | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | 61 |
1 Negroes or persons of negro descent.
2 Decrease.
3 For 1906 includes 4 organizations, having 102 members, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ.
5 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
The body reporting the greatest number of communicants or members for 1906 is the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), with 2,261,607, or 61.4 per cent of the entire membership of colored organizations, while the denominations next in order are the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 494,777, or 13.4 per cent of the total; Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 308,551, or 8.4 per cent; African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 184,542, or 5 per cent; and the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 172,996, or 4.7 per cent. The 3 leading colored Methodist bodies, with the addition of the colored organizations belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church, report a total of 1,160,866 members, or 31.5 per cent of the entire membership of colored organizations; and with the further addition of the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), a total of 3,422,473 members, or 92.9 per cent of the entire membership of colored organizations.
The denomination showing the greatest absolute increase in the number of communicants from 1890 to 1906 is the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), with 912,618; followed by the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), with 62,302, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church with 42,052. In the per cent of increase, however, the Free Baptists (part) lead with 3,913.3 per cent, the report for this body with respect to communicants in colored organizations in 1890 having apparently been incomplete. Next in order are the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), with 541.5 per cent, and the Roman Catholic Church (part), with 163.4 per cent.
In respect to the average number of members per organization, as shown by the table, the Roman Catholic Church (part), leads with 1,062, this being in keeping with the usual large average shown by this body. It is followed by the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), with 302; and the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), with 122.
Page 140
| DENOMINATION. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS: 1906 | ||||||||
| Organizations reporting sex. | Communicants or members. | ||||||||
| Total number. | Reported by sex. | ||||||||
| Number. | Per cent of total. | Total. | Male. | Female. | |||||
| Number. | Percent. | Number. | Percent. | Number. | Percent. | ||||
| Total. | 34,648 | 94.2 | 3,685,097 | 3,527,660 | 95.7 | 1,324,123 | 37.5 | 2,203,537 | 62.5 |
| Baptist--National Convention (Colored). | 18,034 | 97.3 | 2,261,607 | 2,201,549 | 97.3 | 822,162 | 37.3 | 1,379,387 | 62.7 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,486 | 97.6 | 494,777 | 481,997 | 97.4 | 177,837 | 36.9 | 304,160 | 63.1 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,183 | 84.9 | 308,551 | 271,821 | 88.1 | 102,740 | 37.8 | 169,081 | 62.2 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,156 | 97.8 | 184,542 | 180,501 | 97.8 | 67,096 | 37.2 | 113,405 | 62.8 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,309 | 97.0 | 172,996 | 169,252 | 97.8 | 64,988 | 38.4 | 104,264 | 61.6 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 33 | (2) | 38,235 | 35,430 | 92.7 | 16,838 | 47.5 | 18,592 | 52.5 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 329 | 41.1 | 35,178 | 17,881 | 50.8 | 6,386 | 35.7 | 11,495 | 64.3 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 98 | 90.7 | 32,639 | 29,802 | 91.3 | 10,694 | 35.9 | 19,108 | 64.1 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 356 | 85.4 | 27,799 | 23,898 | 86.0 | 8,935 | 37.4 | 14,963 | 62.6 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 151 | 76.3 | 19,098 | 15,487 | 81.1 | 5,446 | 35.2 | 10,041 | 64.8 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 196 | 100.0 | 18,066 | 100.0 | 8,405 | 46.5 | 9,661 | 53.5 | |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 135 | 53.8 | 14,489 | 7,835 | 54.1 | 3,438 | 43.9 | 4,397 | 56.1 |
| Congregationalists (part) | 155 | 99.4 | 11,960 | 11,952 | 99.9 | 4,613 | 38.6 | 7,339 | 61.4 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)4 | 168 | 98.8 | 11,233 | 11,179 | 99.5 | 4,414 | 39.5 | 6,765 | 60.5 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 175 | 88.8 | 10,876 | 8,951 | 82.3 | 3,397 | 38.0 | 5,554 | 62.0 |
| All other bodies (26) | 684 | 94.5 | 43,051 | 42,059 | 97.7 | 16,734 | 39.8 | 25,325 | 60.2 |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 4 organizations having 102 members--45 males and 57 females--reported by the primitive Baptists. 4 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ.
From the foregoing table it appears that 34,648 organizations, or 94.2 per cent of the total number, made report as to the sex of communicants; that the number of communicants thus reported was 3,527,660, or 95.7 per cent of the total, and that of this number, 1,324,123, or 37.5 per cent, were males and 2,203,537, or 62.5 per cent, were females. The denominations showing the largest proportion of males are the Roman Catholic Church (part), 47.5 per cent; the Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 46.5 per cent; and the United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), 43.9 per cent. The denominations showing the smallest proportion of males are the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), 35.2 per cent; the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, 35.7 per cent; and the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), 35.9 per cent.
Comparing the colored bodies with the corresponding white bodies, it appears that in almost every instance the colored bodies show a slightly lower percentage of males. Thus the per cent of males for the Methodist bodies as a whole is 38.5; of the African Methodist bodies, 37.3; of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 37.4; of the colored organizations in that body, 37.8; of the Baptists--Northern Convention, 36.5; of the colored organizations, 35.9; of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 35.5; of the colored organizations, 35.2; of the Roman Catholic Church, 49.3; of the colored organizations, 47.5. In 2 bodies reporting both white and colored organizations, the Congregationalists and Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, the reverse is true, the percentage of males for the Congregationalists being 34.1, for the colored organizations, 38.6; of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 36.5; of the colored organizations, 37.4.
As shown by the next table, places of worship, either church edifices or halls, etc., were reported by all but 2.7 per cent of the total number of colored organizations. Of the 35,160 church edifices reported for 1906, the Baptists--National Convention (Colored) are credited with 17,913, or 50.9 per cent; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, with 18.6 per cent; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), with 10.4 per cent; the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, with 6.6 per cent; and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, with 6.1 per cent, the per cent distribution for the various bodies corresponding very closely to that for 1890. As compared with 1890, the table shows an increase in the number of church edifices of 11,390, or 47.9 per cent. The denominations showing the greatest absolute increase are the Baptists - National Convention (Colored), with 5,926, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, with 2,414. Of the denominations reporting more than 100 church edifices in 1890, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America shows the highest per cent of increase in the number of church edifices for colored organizations, 91.5 per cent. The total number of halls, etc., reported for 1906 was 1,261 as against 1,358 for 1890. Of these the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), are credited with 40.3 per cent, as compared with 48.8 per cent in 1890, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, with 21.3 per cent, as compared with 2.3 per cent in 1890.
Page 141
| DENOMINATION. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--PLACES OF WORSHIP. | ||||||||||||
| Organizations reporting places of worship: 1906. | Organizations reporting church edifices: 1906. | Church edifices reported. | Organizations reporting halls, etc.: 1906. | ||||||||||
| Number. | Per cent distribution. | Increase from 1890 to 1906. | Number. | Per cent distribution. | |||||||||
| Number. | Per cent of total. | 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | Number. | Per cent. | 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | ||
| Total | 35,707 | 97.3 | 34,506 | 35,160 | 23,770 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 11,390 | 47.9 | 1,261 | 1,358 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 18,340 | 99.0 | 17,832 | 17,913 | 11,987 | 50.9 | 50.4 | 5,926 | 49.4 | 508 | 663 | 40.3 | 48.8 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,500 | 98.7 | 6,292 | 6,538 | 4,124 | 18.6 | 17.3 | 2,414 | 58.5 | 268 | 31 | 21.3 | 2.3 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,631 | 96.8 | 3,556 | 3,672 | 2,800 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 872 | 31.1 | 75 | 165 | 5.9 | 12.2 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,157 | 97.9 | 2,079 | 2,131 | 1,587 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 544 | 34.3 | 78 | 114 | 6.2 | 8.4 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,330 | 97.9 | 2,252 | 2,327 | 1,653 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 674 | 40.8 | 78 | 64 | 6.2 | 4.7 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 36 | 100.0 | 34 | 36 | 27 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 9 | (2) | 2 | 3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 545 | 68.0 | 501 | 505 | 291 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 214 | 73.5 | 44 | 33 | 3.5 | 2.4 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 105 | 97.2 | 99 | 106 | 324 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 4218 | 467.3 | 6 | 72 | 0.5 | 5.3 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 380 | 91.1 | 363 | 383 | 200 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 183 | 91.5 | 17 | 21 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 161 | 81.3 | 150 | 171 | 53 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 118 | (2) | 11 | 2 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 196 | 100.0 | 195 | 195 | 183 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 12 | 6.6 | 1 | 34 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 157 | 62.5 | 149 | 152 | . . . . . | 0.4 | . . . . . | 152 | . . . . . | 8 | . . . . . | 0.6 | . . . . . |
| Congregationalists (part) | 147 | 94.2 | 133 | 137 | 69 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 68 | (2) | 14 | 11 | 1.1 | 0.8 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)5 | 161 | 94.7 | 137 | 140 | 183 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 443 | 423.5 | 24 | 75 | 1.9 | 5.5 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 178 | 90.4 | 173 | 173 | 3 | 0.5 | (6) | 170 | (2) | 5 | 2 | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| All other bodies (26) | 683 | 94.3 | 561 | 581 | 286 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 295 | 103.1 | 122 | 68 | 9.7 | 5.0 |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 For 1906 includes 4 organizations, having 4 church edifices, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Decrease.
5 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ.
6 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
The next table shows that 33,091 colored organizations, or 95.9 per cent of the total number reporting church edifices, reported a seating capacity of 10,481,738. Of this number the Baptists--National Convention (Colored) reported 53.5 per cent; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 17.5 per cent; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 8.6 per cent; the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 7.2 per cent; and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 6.6 per cent--these 5 bodies showing 93.4 per cent of the entire seating capacity reported by colored organizations.
| DENOMINATION. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--SEATING CAPACITY OF CHURCH EDIFICES. | ||||||||
| Organizations reporting seating capacity of church edifices: 1906. | Seating capacity of church edifices reported. | ||||||||
| Amount. | Per cent distribution. | Increase from 1890 to 1906. | Average per organization reporting. | ||||||
| Number. | Per cent of total reporting church edifices. | 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | Amount. | Per cent. | ||
| Total | 33,091 | 95.9 | 10,481,738 | 6,800,035 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 3,681,703 | 54.1 | 317 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 17,316 | 97.1 | 5,610,301 | 3,440,970 | 53.5 | 50.6 | 2,169,331 | 63.0 | 324 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,178 | 98.2 | 1,832,600 | 1,160,838 | 17.5 | 17.1 | 671,762 | 57.9 | 297 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,094 | 87.0 | 901,812 | 635,252 | 8.6 | 9.3 | 266,566 | 42.0 | 291 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,048 | 98.5 | 690,951 | 565,577 | 6.6 | 8.3 | 125,374 | 22.2 | 337 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,214 | 98.3 | 758,328 | 541,464 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 216,864 | 40.1 | 343 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 32 | (2) | 12,640 | 8,370 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 4,270 | 51.0 | 395 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 322 | 64.3 | 95,423 | 96,699 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 41,276 | 41.3 | 296 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 94 | (2) | 41,860 | 92,660 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 450,800 | 454.8 | 445 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 360 | 99.2 | 113,701 | 56,280 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 57,421 | 102.0 | 316 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 148 | 98.7 | 42,700 | 11,885 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 30,815 | 259.3 | 289 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 191 | 97.9 | 71,165 | 52,139 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 10,026 | 36.5 | 373 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 137 | 91.9 | 39,825 | . . . . . | 0.4 | . . . . . | 39,825 | . . . . . | 291 |
| Congregationalists | 130 | 97.7 | 39,500 | 19,360 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 20,140 | 104.0 | 304 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)5 | 133 | 97.1 | 34,320 | 41,590 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 47,270 | 417.5 | 258 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 165 | 95.4 | 43,850 | 800 | 0.4 | (6) | 43,050 | 5,381.3 | 266 |
| All other bodies (26) | 529 | 94.3 | 152,762 | 76,151 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 76,611 | 100.6 | 289 |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 For 1906 includes 4 organizations having 4 church edifices with seating capacity of 1,200, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Decrease.
5 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ.
6 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
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The per cent distribution for the several denominations, as shown by the table, does not vary much from that for 1890. The increase in seating capacity from 1890 to 1906, according to the table, was 3,681,703, or 54.1 per cent. The denominations showing the greatest absolute increase are the Baptists--National Convention (Colored), 2,169,331, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 671,762. In per cent of increase, however, the Free Baptists (part), lead with 5,381.3 per cent, this large increase being due apparently, as previously stated, to incomplete returns in 1890. Next comes the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), with 259.3 per cent.
The average seating capacity per organization reporting, as shown by the table, is 317, ranging from 445 for the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), to 258 for the Disciples or Christians (part).
| DENOMINATION. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--VALUE OF CHURCH PROPERTY | ||||||||||
| Organizations reporting value of church property: 1906. | Value of church property reported. | Average per organization reporting. | |||||||||
| Amount. | Per cent distribution. | Increase from 1890 to 1906. | Rank in 1906. | ||||||||
| Number. | Per cent of total. | 1906 | 1890 | 1906 | 1890 | Amount. | Per cent. | Amount. | Rank. | ||
| Total | 34,660 | 94.3 | $56,636,159 | $26,626,448 | 100.0 | 100.0 | $30,009,711 | 112.7 | . . . . . | $1,634 | . . . . . |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 17,890 | 96.5 | 24,437,272 | 9,038,549 | 43.1 | 33.9 | 15,398,723 | 170.4 | 1 | 1,366 | 9 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,299 | 94.8 | 11,303,489 | 6,468,280 | 20.0 | 24.3 | 4,835,209 | 74.8 | 2 | 1,794 | 7 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,585 | 95.6 | 6,104,379 | 3,630,093 | 10.8 | 13.6 | 2,474,286 | 68.2 | 3 | 1,703 | 8 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,104 | 95.5 | 4,833,207 | 2,714,128 | 8.5 | 10.2 | 2,119,079 | 78.1 | 4 | 2,297 | 5 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,264 | 95.1 | 3,017,849 | 1,713,366 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 1,304,483 | 76.1 | 5 | 1,333 | 10 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 32 | (2) | 678,480 | 237,400 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 441,080 | 185.8 | 9 | 21,203 | 1 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 512 | 63.9 | 298,839 | 135,427 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 163,412 | 120.7 | 11 | 584 | 14 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 97 | 89.8 | 1,561,326 | 1,087,518 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 473,808 | 43.6 | 7 | 16,096 | 2 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 365 | 87.5 | 752,387 | 391,650 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 360,737 | 92.1 | 8 | 2,061 | 6 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 159 | 80.3 | 1,773,279 | 192,750 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 1,580,529 | 820.0 | 6 | 11,153 | 3 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 192 | 98.0 | 203,778 | 195,826 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 7,952 | 4.1 | 12 | 1,061 | 13 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 151 | 60.2 | 79,278 | . . . . . | 0.1 | . . . . . | 79,278 | . . . . . | 15 | 525 | 15 |
| Congregationalists | 137 | 87.8 | 459,497 | 246,125 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 213,372 | 86.7 | 10 | 3,354 | 4 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)4 | 141 | 82.9 | 185,215 | 176,795 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 8,420 | 4.8 | 14 | 1,314 | 11 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 173 | 87.8 | 186,130 | 13,300 | 0.3 | (5) | 172,830 | 1,299.5 | 13 | 1,076 | 12 |
| All other bodies (26) | 559 | 77.2 | 761,754 | 385,241 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 376,513 | 97.7 | . . . . . | 1,363 | . . . . . |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 For 1906 includes 4 organizations having 4 church edifices with seating capacity of 1,200, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ.
5 Less than one-tenth of 1 per cent.
Of the total number of colored organizations, 34,660, or 94.3 per cent, reported value of church property in 1906. Of the total value reported, $56,636,159, the Baptists - National Convention (Colored) reported 43.1 per cent; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 20 per cent; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 10.8 per cent; the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 8.5 per cent; and the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 5.3 per cent, these 5 principal bodies holding 87.7 per cent of the entire value of church property reported in 1906 by colored organizations, as compared with 88.4 per cent in 1890. If the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), and the, Protestant Episcopal Church (part), are added to these 5 bodies, the 7 bodies represent 93.6 per cent of the value of Church property reported in 1906 as compared with 93.2 per cent for the same bodies in 1890. The increase in value from 1890 to 1906, as shown by the table, is $30,009,711, or 112.7 per cent. In absolute increase, the Baptists--National Convention (Colored) rank first; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, second; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), third; the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, fourth; the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), fifth; and the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, sixth. In per cent of increase, however, the Free Baptists (part) come first, with the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), second. In the average value of church property per organization reporting, as shown by the table, the Roman Catholic Church ranks first, with $21,203; and is followed by the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), with $16,096; and the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), with $11,153. The denomination showing the lowest average value is the United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), with $525, and the one showing the next lowest average, the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, with $584.
Page 143
| DENOMINATION | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--DEBT IN CHURCH PROPERTY: 1906. | ||||
| Organizations reporting debt on church property. | Debt reported. | ||||
| Number. | Per cent of organizations reporting value of church property. | Amount. | Per cent of value of church property. | Average per organization reporting. | |
| Total | 9,003 | 26.0 | $5,005,905 | 8.8 | $556 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 3,100 | 17.3 | 1,757,190 | 7.2 | 567 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,574 | 40.9 | 1,191,921 | 10.5 | 463 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 1,372 | 38.3 | 611,166 | 10.0 | 445 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 724 | 34.4 | 474,269 | 9.8 | 655 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 692 | 30.6 | 215,111 | 7.1 | 311 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 8 | (2) | 75,650 | 11.1 | 9,456 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 34 | 6.6 | 6,968 | 2.3 | 205 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 55 | (2) | 356,993 | 22.9 | 6,491 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 59 | 16.2 | 39,208 | 5.2 | 665 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 28 | 17.6 | 113,246 | 6.4 | 4,045 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 18 | 9.4 | 10,407 | 5.1 | 578 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 22 | 14.6 | 3,485 | 4.4 | 158 |
| Congregationalists (part) | 32 | 23.4 | 32,106 | 7.0 | 1,003 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)4 | 36 | 25.5 | 18,029 | 9.7 | 501 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 43 | 24.9 | 16,227 | 8.7 | 377 |
| All other bodies (26) | 206 | 36.9 | 83,929 | 11.0 | 407 |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 4 organizations, having no debt on church property, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ
Of the, 34,660 colored organizations reporting value of church property, 9,003, or 26 per cent, reported debt on church property. In the case of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 40.9 per cent of the organizations reporting property also report debt; and of the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 38.3 per cent. In the case of the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), for which, however, only 97 organizations reported the value of church property, practically 4 out of 7 report debt. The denomination showing the lowest percentage is the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, only 6.6 per cent of the organizations which reported value of church property also reporting debt.
The total amount of debt reported, as shown by the table, is $5,005,905, or 8.8 per cent of the value of church property reported. The denominations showing the highest percentage of debt as compared with the value of property are the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), 22.9, and the Roman Catholic Church, 11.1; while the denomination showing the lowest percentage is the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, 2.3 per cent. The average for each organization reporting debt is $556. The denominations showing the highest average per organization are the Roman Catholic Church, $9,456; the Baptists--Northern Convention (part), $6,491; and the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), $4,045. The denominations showing the lowest are the United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), $158, and the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, $205. By comparison with the previous table it will be seen that the 5 bodies named rank the same in respect to average debt as in respect to average value of church property reported.
| DENOMINATION. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--PARSONAGES: 1906. | |||
| Organizations reporting parsonages. | Value of parsonages reported. | |||
| Number. | Per cent of total. | Total. | Average per organization reporting. | |
| Total | 4,779 | 13.0 | $3,727,884 | $780 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 709 | 3.8 | 617,241 | 871 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 1,783 | 26.8 | 1,255,246 | 704 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 1,206 | 32.2 | 777,715 | 645 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 348 | 15.8 | 350,690 | 1,008 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 421 | 17.7 | 237,547 | 504 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 22 | (2) | 109,400 | 4,973 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 21 | 2.6 | 10,095 | 481 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 17 | 15.7 | 35,500 | 2,088 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 75 | 18.0 | 66,430 | 886 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 58 | 29.3 | 164,950 | 2,844 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 8 | 4.1 | 5,825 | 728 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 6 | 2.4 | 1,475 | 246 |
| Congregationalists (part) | 36 | 23.1 | 46,125 | 1,281 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)4 | 4 | 2.4 | 1,950 | 488 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 13 | 6.6 | 13,100 | 1,008 |
| All other bodies (26) | 52 | 7.2 | 34,595 | 665 |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 4 organizations having no parsonages, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ
The table shows that of the 36,770 colored organizations, 4,779, or 13 per cent, reported parsonages. The denomination showing the highest proportion of parsonages
Page 144
as compared with church organizations is the Roman Catholic Church (part). Of the 36 colored organizations reported by this body, 22, or nearly two-thirds, owned parsonages. Of the total number of colored organizations reported by the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 1,206, or 32.2 per cent, reported parsonages. For the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), the percentage is 29.3; for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 26.8; and for the Congregationalists (part), 23.1. The denominations showing the lowest percentages are the United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), and the Disciples or Christians, with 2.4 each. The total value of parsonages reported, as shown by the table, is $3,727,884. Of this amount, the African Methodist Episcopal Church reported $1,255,246, or a little more than one-third, while the next in order are the Methodist Episcopal Church (part); Baptists--National Convention (Colored); African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; and Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, these 5 bodies together reporting $3,238,439, or 86.9 per cent of the total value of parsonages reported. The average value for each organization reporting is $780. The denominations showing the highest average per organization reporting are the Roman Catholic Church (part), $4,973; the Protestant Episcopal Church (part), $2,844; Baptists--Northern Convention (part), $2,088; and Congregationalists (part), $1,281. The denominations showing the lowest are the United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), $246; the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, $481; and the Disciples or Christians (part), $488.
| DENOMINATION. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS-SUNDAY SCHOOLS CONDUCTED BY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS: 1906. | |||||||
| Organizations reporting Sunday schools. | Sunday schools reported. | Sunday school officers and teachers. | Sunday school scholars. | |||||
| Number. | Per cent of total. | Number. | Per cent distribution. | Number. | Per cent distribution. | Number. | Per cent distribution. | |
| Total | 33,538 | 91.2 | 34,681 | 100.0 | 210,148 | 100.0 | 1,740,099 | 100.0 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 17,478 | 94.3 | 17,910 | 51.6 | 100,069 | 47.6 | 924,665 | 53.1 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,056 | 91.1 | 6,285 | 18.1 | 41,941 | 20.0 | 292,689 | 16.8 |
| Methodist Episcopal Church (part) | 3,522 | 93.9 | 3,745 | 10.8 | 26,044 | 12.4 | 204,810 | 11.8 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,060 | 93.5 | 2,092 | 6.0 | 16,245 | 7.7 | 107,692 | 6.2 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,207 | 92.7 | 2,328 | 6.7 | 12,375 | 5.9 | 92,457 | 5.3 |
| Roman Catholic Church (part) | 30 | (2) | 33 | 0.1 | 220 | 0.1 | 3,151 | 0.2 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America3 | 166 | 20.7 | 166 | 0.5 | 911 | 0.4 | 6,224 | 0.4 |
| Baptists--Northern Convention (part) | 102 | 94.4 | 106 | 0.3 | 1,382 | 0.7 | 12,827 | 0.7 |
| Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (part) | 405 | 97.1 | 433 | 1.2 | 2,791 | 1.3 | 24,904 | 1.4 |
| Protestant Episcopal Church (part) | 180 | 90.9 | 188 | 0.5 | 1,189 | 0.6 | 13,779 | 0.8 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 192 | 98.0 | 192 | 0.6 | 933 | 0.4 | 6,952 | 0.4 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 100 | 39.8 | 100 | 0.3 | 382 | 0.2 | 3,307 | 0.2 |
| Congregationalists (part) | 150 | 96.2 | 174 | 0.5 | 1,056 | 0.5 | 10,339 | 0.6 |
| Disciples or Christians (part)4 | 134 | 78.8 | 141 | 0.4 | 712 | 0.3 | 4,916 | 0.3 |
| Free Baptists (part) | 168 | 85.3 | 177 | 0.5 | 868 | 0.4 | 5,732 | 0.3 |
| All other bodies | 588 | 81.2 | 611 | 1.8 | 3,030 | 1.4 | 25,655 | 1.5 |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Percentage not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 4 organizations making no returns for Sunday schools, reported by the Primitive Baptists.
4 Includes Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ
The table shows that of the total colored organizations, 33,538, or 91.2 per cent, reported Sunday schools. The denominations showing the highest percentages of Sunday schools, as compared with the total number of organizations, are the Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church, with 98 per cent, and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, with 97.1 per cent. The denominations showing the lowest percentages, as compared with the total number of organizations, are the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, with 20.7 per cent, and the United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), with 39.8 per cent, the low percentage shown for these 2 bodies probably being due in part to incomplete returns.
The total number of Sunday schools reported is 34,681. Of these, the Baptists--National Convention (Colored) reported 51.6 per cent, a little more than one-half; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 18.1 per cent; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 10.8 per cent; the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 6.7 per cent; and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 6 per cent, these 5 bodies reporting 32,360 Sunday schools, or 93.3 per cent of the total number reported by colored organizations.
The total number of Sunday school officers and teachers reported was 210,148. Of these the Baptists--National Convention (Colored) reported nearly one-half; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 20 per cent; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 12.4 per cent; the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 7.7 per cent; and the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 5.9 per cent, these 5 bodies reporting 196,674 Sunday school officers and teachers, or 93.6 per cent of the entire number reported by colored organizations.
The total number of Sunday school scholars reported by colored organizations is 1,740,099. Of these, the
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Baptists--National Convention (Colored) reported 924,665, or a little more than one-half; the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 16.8 per cent; the Methodist Episcopal Church (part), 11.8 per cent; the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 6.2 per cent; and the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, 5.3 per cent, these 5 bodies reporting 1,622,313 Sunday school scholars, or 93.2 per cent of the entire number reported by colored organizations.
DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS BY STATES AND TERRITORIES.
The statistics of colored organizations for 1906, for all denominations, are given by states and territories in Table 12 (page 540). The following table shows this distribution for communicants or members alone for 1890 and 1906, and the relative position of each state at the two periods:
| STATE OR TERRITORY. | COLORED1 ORGANIZATIONS--COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS. | |||
| 1906 | 1890 | |||
| Number. | Rank. | Number. | Rank. | |
| Total23,685,097 | . . . . . | 2,673,977 | . . . . . | |
| Georgia | 507,005 | 1 | 341,433 | 1 |
| Alabama | 397,178 | 2 | 297,161 | 3 |
| South Carolina | 394,149 | 3 | 317,020 | 2 |
| Mississippi | 358,708 | 4 | 224,404 | 6 |
| Virginia | 307,374 | 5 | 238,617 | 5 |
| North Carolina | 283,707 | 6 | 290,755 | 4 |
| Texas | 227,032 | 7 | 186,038 | 7 |
| Louisiana | 185,918 | 8 | 108,872 | 9 |
| Tennessee | 172,867 | 9 | 131,015 | 8 |
| Arkansas | 146,319 | 10 | 106,445 | 10 |
| Kentucky | 116,918 | 11 | 92,768 | 11 |
| Florida | 105,678 | 12 | 64,337 | 12 |
| Maryland | 71,797 | 13 | 58,566 | 13 |
| Pennsylvania | 60,161 | 14 | 26,753 | 15 |
| Missouri | 50,074 | 15 | 42,452 | 14 |
| District of Columbia | 46,249 | 16 | 22,965 | 16 |
| Ohio | 33,667 | 17 | 19,827 | 17 |
| Illinois | 32,058 | 18 | 15,635 | 19 |
| New York | 30,482 | 19 | 17,216 | 18 |
| Oklahoma3 | 29,115 | 20 | 880 | 33 |
| New Jersey | 28,015 | 21 | 12,720 | 21 |
| Indiana | 23,133 | 22 | 13,404 | 20 |
| Kansas | 17,273 | 23 | 9,750 | 22 |
| West Virginia | 14,949 | 24 | 7,160 | 23 |
| Delaware | 10,583 | 25 | 6,595 | 24 |
| Massachusetts | 9,402 | 26 | 3,638 | 27 |
| California | 4,564 | 27 | 3,720 | 26 |
| Connecticut | 4,492 | 28 | 1,624 | 30 |
| Iowa | 4,108 | 29 | 2,643 | 28 |
| Michigan | 3,235 | 30 | 3,957 | 25 |
| Colorado | 2,507 | 31 | 1,171 | 31 |
| Rhode Island | 2,114 | 32 | 1,999 | 29 |
| Minnesota | 1,453 | 33 | 958 | 32 |
| Nebraska | 1,007 | 34 | 399 | 34 |
| Washington | 614 | 35 | 66 | 39 |
| Wisconsin | 310 | 36 | 268 | 36 |
| New Mexico | 221 | 37 | 62 | 40 |
| Arizona | 208 | 38 | 155 | 37 |
| Oregon | 160 | 39 | 291 | 35 |
| Montana | 135 | 40 | 32 | 42 |
| Wyoming | 45 | 41 | 154 | 38 |
| South Dakota | 38 | 42 | . . . . . | . . . . . |
| Utah | 30 | 43 | 7 | 43 |
| Maine | 25 | 44 | 45 | 41 |
| New Hampshire | 20 | 45 | . . . . . | . . . . . |
1 Negroes or persons of Negro descent.
2 Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, and Vermont had no colored organizations in 1906 or 1890.
3 Oklahoma and Indian Territory combined.
From the number of communicants given in this table, it appears that 1 state reports a membership of over 500,000; 4 report a membership of from 300,000 to 400,000; and 7, a membership of from 100,000 to 300,000. These 12 states report a total colored membership in 1906 of 3,202,853, or 86.9 per cent of the entire membership of colored organizations. The same states reported a membership in 1890 of 2,398,865, or 89.7 per cent of the entire membership of colored organizations at that time. The relative position of the different states varied somewhat at the two censuses. Georgia was the leading state at each census, while 5 others of the 12 states--Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, and Virginia--held the same relative position in 1906 as in 1890. On the other hand, South Carolina, which was second in 1890, changed places in 1906 with Alabama, which was third in 1890, while North Carolina changed places with Mississippi, and Louisiana with Tennessee.
In addition to the 12 states already named, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, in the South Atlantic division, and Oklahoma, in the South Central division, reported a comparatively large colored membership. These 2 geographic divisions, the South Atlantic and South Central (see Table 12), reported in 1906 a total membership for colored organizations of 3,375,546, and in 1890 the same states reported a corresponding membership of 2,495,031, or somewhat more than nine-tenths--91.6 and 93.3 per cent, respectively--of the total colored membership reported for continental United States at each census.
Outside of the South Atlantic and South Central divisions, the states reporting in 1906 the largest membership for colored organizations are, Pennsylvania, 60,161; Missouri, 50,074; Ohio, 33,667; Illinois, 32,058; and New York, 30,482. Ohio held the same relative position in 1906 as in 1890, while Pennsylvania changed places with Missouri, and Illinois with New York. Of all the states and territories, Oklahoma shows the highest percentage of increase in members of colored organizations, namely 3,208.5 per cent. Five states--North Carolina, Michigan, Oregon, Wyoming, and Maine--report a smaller number of members in 1906 than in 1890. The decrease shown for North Carolina is due largely to the decrease in the number of members reported for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, which is especially strong in North Carolina. The states reporting no members of colored organizations either in 1890 or 1906 are Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, and Vermont.
COLORED MINISTERS.
The number of ordained colored ministers connected with denominations made up wholly of colored organizations, as reported for 1890 and 1906, is given in detail by denominations in Table 8 (page 514). The table following shows for each of these denominations the number of ministers and the number of organizations reported in 1906.
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| DENOMINATION. | Colored1 organizations in 1906. | Colored ministers in 1906. |
| Total number | 31,393 | 31, 624 |
| Baptists--National Convention (Colored) | 18,534 | 17,117 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church | 6,647 | 6,200 |
| African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church | 2,204 | 3,082 |
| Colored Methodist Episcopal Church | 2,381 | 2,671 |
| Colored Primitive Baptists in America | 797 | 1,480 |
| Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church | 196 | 375 |
| United American Freewill Baptists (Colored) | 251 | 136 |
| Other bodies: | ||
| Church of God and Saints of Christ (Colored) | 48 | 75 |
| Churches of the Living God (Colored)--3 bodies | 68 | 101 |
| Voluntary Missionary Society in America (Colored) | 3 | 11 |
| Free Christian Zion Church of Christ (Colored) | 15 | 20 |
| Union American Methodist Episcopal Church (Colored) | 77 | 64 |
| African Union Methodist Protestant Church | 69 | 187 |
| Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church (Colored) | 45 | 33 |
| Reformed Methodist Union Episcopal Church (Colored) | 58 | 72 |
1 Negroes or persons of negro descent.
The table shows that for the denominations made up wholly of colored organizations, the total number of ministers reported for 1906 was 31,624, and the total number of organizations 31,393. Of the total number of ministers, 17,117, or 54.1 per cent, were connected with the Baptists--National Convention (Colored); 6,200, or 19.6 per cent, with the African Methodist Episcopal Church; 3,082, or 9.7 per cent, with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; 2,671, or 8.4 per cent, with the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church; and 1,480, or 4.7 per cent, with the Colored Primitive Baptists in America, these 5 bodies having 30,550 ministers, or 96.6 per cent of the entire number of ordained ministers reported for denominations composed wholly of colored organizations. For 3 of these bodies, namely, United American Freewill Baptists (Colored), the Church of God and Saints of Christ (Colored), and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the number of ministers is estimated because complete information was not obtainable. The number of colored ministers connected with denominations partly made up of colored organizations is not known. Estimating it on the basis of the number of ministers per organization for each of these denominations as a whole, the number is approximately 3,600. If this number be added to the number connected with denominations composed wholly of colored organizations, an estimated total is obtained of 35,224 ministers of Colored organizations in continental United States, as compared with 36,770 colored organizations belonging to the denominations in question.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
E. DANA DURAND, DIRECTOR
SPECIAL REPORTS
RELIGIOUS BODIES: 1906
PART II
SEPARATE DENOMINATIONS
HISTORY, DESCRIPTION, AND STATISTICS
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1910
Page verso
THIS REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN TWO PARTS, AS FOLLOWS:
- PART I--SUMMARY AND GENERAL TABLES.
- PART II--SEPARATE DENOMINATIONS: HISTORY, DESCRIPTION, AND STATISTICS
Volume II.
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NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION (COLORED).
HISTORY.
The early history of colored Baptists in the United States is so interwoven with that of the white Baptists that it can scarcely claim any distinctive record. In the days of slavery these people were always under the supervision of their masters, and for the most part attended services in the same churches. The first distinctively colored Baptist church was one formed at Williamsburg, Va., in 1785, which, however, afterwards disbanded and was reorganized. The first to have an unbroken history is the First African Baptist Church of Savannah, Ga., organized on January 20, 1788, at Brampton's Barn, 3 miles west of Savannah, by Abraham Marshall, white, and Jesse Peter, colored. Its first pastor was a slave named George Leile, who was liberated by Mr. Henry Sharp, of Burke county, Ga., and afterwards became pastor of a colored Baptist, church at Kingston, Jamaica.
This First African Baptist Church grew, and in 1802 and 1803, two more churches were organized, the Second Colored Baptist Church with 200 members, and the Ogeechee Colored Baptist Church with 250 members. These are still in existence and are strong and prosperous churches. In 1805 the Joy Street Baptist Church, the first in New England, was organized in Boston, Mass.; in 1808, the Abyssinian Baptist Church, in New York City; and in 1809, the First African Baptist Church, in Philadelphia. These three were the first colored Baptist churches in the North. Meanwhile colored Baptists had multiplied in the South, but, since they had no ecclesiastical organization, any attempt to present a consecutive history is extremely difficult.
The First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., organized in 1802, included in its membership many colored people. In 1833, when the congregation removed to a new edifice, the colored members were encouraged to continue in the old building. In 1839 they organized as the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, and the building passed into their hands. This experience in Washington was repeated in many places in the South, where the colored members worshiped with white organizations until it seemed wise them to have their own churches. Thus, even before the civil war, a large number of colored Baptist churches existed, both in the North and the South, and since then the growth had been remarkable.
DOCTRINE AND POLITY.
In doctrine and polity the colored Baptists are in close accord with the Northern and Southern conventions. They represent the more the more strictly Calvinistic
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type in doctrine, and in polity refer the settlement of any difficulties that may arise to an ecclesiastical council. Their churches unite in associations, generally along state lines, for the discussion of topics relating to church life, the regulation of difficulties, the collection of statistics, and the presentation of annual reports. These meetings are consultative and advisory rather than authoritative. Probably the oldest of these associations is the Wood River Association of Illinois, organized in 1838. The first one organized in the South was in Louisiana in 1865.
In addition to the associations there are conventions, which are held for the consideration of the distinctively missionary side of church life, and not infrequently extend beyond state lines. The first of these was organized in North Carolina in 1866, the second and third in Alabama and Virginia in 1867, the fourth in Arkansas in 1868, and the fifth in Kentucky in 1869.
WORK.
Previous to 1880 there were three general organizations or societies among the colored Baptists for evangelistic and educational work. These were the New England Missionary Convention, the Consolidated American Missionary Convention, and the General Association of Western States and Territories. In 1880 the National Baptist Convention was organized and the Consolidated Convention and the General Association were merged in it. The New England Convention still retained its identify, but now works through the National Convention. The special object of the National Convention, at the time of its organization, was stated to be "to consider the moral, intellectual, and religious growth of the denomination, to deliberate upon the great questions which characterize the Baptist churches, and further, to devise and consider the best methods possible for bringing us more closely together, both as churches, and as a race."
In the same year the Foreign Mission Convention of the United States was organized, and in 1890 the National Baptist Educational Convention. In 1895 both the Foreign Mission Convention and the Educational Convention were merged in the National Baptist Convention, in accordance with the following minute: "Whereas, it is the sense of the colored Baptists of the United States of America, convened in the city of Atlanta, Ga., September 28, 1895, in the several organizations known as the Baptist Foreign Mission Convention of the United States, hitherto engaged in mission work on the west coast of Africa; the National Baptist Convention, which has been engaged in mission work in the United States of America; and the National Baptist Educational Convention, which has sought to look after the educational interest, that the interests of the Kingdom of God require that the several bodies above named should, and do now, unite in one body. The object of this convention shall be to do now, unite in one body. The object of this convention shall be to do mission work in the United States of America, in Africa, and elsewhere abroad, and to foster the cause of education."
Membership in the National Baptist Convention is of two classes: (1) Churches, Sunday schools, or other organizations which pay an annual fee of $5 are entitled to membership through delegates; (2) individuals may become members by a payment of $1 annually, or life members by the payment of $10. At the annual meetings of the convention, the general interests of the churches are considered, and members of the following boards are elected: Foreign Missions, Home Missions, Education, Baptist Young People's Union, Publishing, and National Beneficial Association. The last-mentioned board has for its object ministerial relief.
The Lott-Carey Convention for Foreign Missions was organized in 1897, and conducted its work independently until 1906, when it became a district convention of the National Convention. In 1900 the Colored Women's National Baptist Convention, auxiliary to the older society, was organized, having similar boards, and electing its members in the same way.
The home mission work of the colored Baptists is carried on chiefly through the Home Mission Board, with headquarters at Little Rock, Ark. This board cooperates with the Southern Baptist Convention; supported 66 missionaries in 1906, and collected $17,628. Its principal work is in the Southern states, though it is not confined to them. In close relation with the Home Mission Board is the Sunday School Publishing House at Nashville, Tenn., the largest and best equipped of its kind among the colored people, with property valued at $200,000 and a business amounting, in 1906, to $160,152.
The foreign mission work, under the care of the Foreign Mission Board, located at Louisville, Ky., is carried on in Central Africa, South Africa, West Africa, the West Indies, and northern South America. In 1906 there were reported 8 missionaries and 132 native helpers, occupying 72 stations; 33 churches with 8,074 members; 32 schools with 5,781 pupils; and contributions to the amount of $18,727. The property owned is valued at $29,650.
There are 57 schools among the colored Baptists, 31 of which are supported by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York, while 26, with 5,200 students, are owned and controlled by the National Baptist Educational Board, with headquarters at Nashville, although they receive assistance from other sources. The 31 schools under the American Baptist Home Mission Society include 12 colleges and 19 secondary schools, with property valued at $1,200,000, for
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the support of which, during the year 1906, $201,779 was contributed by the society. The schools controlled by the National Board include 9 colleges and 17 schools for secondary education, with property valued at $600,000, for the support of which the colored Baptists gave, during the year, $80,000. Recently the Colored Women's National Baptist Convention has purchased a school in the District of Columbia, the Woman's Baptist Training School.
The denomination supports 14 philanthropic institutions, having approximately 1,000 inmates and property valued at $100,000.
The young people's work is under the general supervision of the National Baptist Young People's Union, with headquarters at Nashville, Tenn., which reports 8,694 societies and 342,050 members. The contributions made to the Union in 1906 were $10,100, and it has property valued at $6,000. The aim is to have a local union in each church to cooperate with the National Union, develop the spirit of personal Christian activity, and stimulate denominational pride.
The colored Baptists have a number of religious and denominational papers. The National Baptist Union at Nashville is the accredited organ of the denomination, but the Christian Banner of Philadelphia has the largest circulation, and the American Baptist of Louisville is the oldest among the colored Baptist journals. All are doing good service in the development of denominational and church life.
STATISTICS.
The general statistics of the National Baptist Convention at the close of the year 1906, as derived from the returns of the individual church organizations, are given by states and ecclesiastical divisions in the tables which follow. As shown by these tables, the convention has 18,534 organizations, contained, with the exception of 184 unassociated, in 571 associations, located in 33 states, the territory of New Mexico, and the District of Columbia. Of these organizations, more than one-half are in the South Central division. The state having the largest number is Georgia with 2,504; followed by Mississippi with 2,236; Alabama with 1,977; and Texas with 1,763.
The total number of communicants reported is 2,261,607; of these, as shown by the returns for 18,034 organizations, about 37 per cent are males and 63 per cent females. According to the statistics, the convention has 17,913 church edifices; a seating capacity for church edifices of 5,610,301, as reported by 17,316 organizations; church property valued at $24,437,272, against which there appears an indebtedness of $1,757,190; halls, etc., used for worship by 508 organizations; and 709 parsonages valued at $617,241. The Sunday schools, as reported by 17,478 organizations, number 17,910, with 100,069 officers and teachers and 924,665 scholars.
The number of ministers connected with the convention is 17,117, and there are also a large number of licentiates.
As compared with the report for 1890, these figures show an increase of 6,001 organizations, 912,618 communicants, and $15,398,723 in the value of church property.
It should be noted that, as already explained (see page 27, Part 1), the figures here given for the National Baptist Convention include organizations in colored associations in Northern states, while in the report for 1890 the colored associations then existing in the Northern states were reported in connection with the Northern Baptist Convention. For this reason the figures are not entirely comparable with those for 1890.
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ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS, AND PLACES OF WORSHIP, BY STATES AND TERRITORIES: 1906.
| STATE OR TERRITORY. | Total number of organizations. | COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS. | PLACES OF WORSHIP. | ||||||||
| Number of organizations reporting. | Total number reported. | Sex. | Number of organizations reporting-- | Number of church edifices reported. | Seating capacity of church edifices. | ||||||
| Number of organizations reporting. | Male. | Female. | Church edifices. | Halls, etc. | Number of organizations reporting. | Seating capacity reported. | |||||
| Total for denomination. | 18,534 | 18,492 | 2,261,607 | 18,034 | 822,162 | 1,379,387 | 17,832 | 508 | 17,913 | 17,316 | 5,610,301 |
| North Atlantic division. | 230 | 229 | 40,152 | 225 | 13,668 | 25,044 | 194 | 30 | 197 | 191 | 70,749 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 8 | 12 | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . |
| Massachusetts | 26 | 26 | 5,274 | 26 | 1,854 | 3,420 | 21 | 2 | 21 | 21 | 9,575 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 4 | 624 | 4 | 22 | 412 | 4 | . . . . . | 4 | 4 | 2,100 |
| Connecticut | 13 | 13 | 2,218 | 13 | 768 | 1,450 | 13 | . . . . . | 13 | 13 | 4,121 |
| New York | 13 | 13 | 1,763 | 12 | 615 | 1,114 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 3,610 |
| New Jersey | 70 | 69 | 9,884 | 69 | 2,899 | 6,985 | 63 | 5 | 63 | 63 | 20,415 |
| Pennsylvania | 103 | 103 | 20,369 | 100 | 7,312 | 11,651 | 82 | 21 | 85 | 81 | 30,928 |
| South Atlantic division. | 7,291 | 7,266 | 1,077,761 | 7,102 | 394,003 | 652,973 | 7,051 | 174 | 7,092 | 6,859 | 2,439,760 |
| Maryland | 65 | 65 | 17,951 | 53 | 4,480 | 8,382 | 58 | 4 | 58 | 50 | 18,735 |
| District of Columbia | 60 | 60 | 26,203 | 58 | 6,529 | 16,949 | 43 | 17 | 44 | 43 | 27,337 |
| Virginia | 1,374 | 1,368 | 268,206 | 1,312 | 102,392 | 153,459 | 1,343 | 21 | 1,367 | 1,318 | 474,358 |
| West Virginia | 148 | 148 | 10,057 | 143 | 4,703 | 5,192 | 103 | 38 | 103 | 100 | 30,910 |
| North Carolina | 1,163 | 1,155 | 153,189 | 1,140 | 59,158 | 92,525 | 1,130 | 17 | 1,131 | 1,102 | 410,446 |
| South Carolina | 1,317 | 1,317 | 219,841 | 1,296 | 76,071 | 138,702 | 1,304 | 8 | 1,310 | 1,272 | 487,016 |
| Georgia | 2,504 | 2,495 | 333,943 | 2,447 | 122,601 | 207,824 | 2,428 | 56 | 2,436 | 2,364 | 860,448 |
| Florida | 660 | 658 | 48,371 | 653 | 18,069 | 29,940 | 642 | 13 | 643 | 610 | 130,510 |
| North Central division. | 883 | 883 | 82,313 | 851 | 28,719 | 49,525 | 808 | 52 | 813 | 794 | 223,278 |
| Ohio | 163 | 163 | 17,400 | 146 | 6,016 | 9,777 | 145 | 8 | 147 | 141 | 43,316 |
| Indiana | 88 | 88 | 13,526 | 87 | 4,907 | 8,319 | 83 | 5 | 84 | 82 | 26,525 |
| Illinois | 158 | 158 | 16,081 | 155 | 5,848 | 10,158 | 145 | 10 | 145 | 143 | 40,355 |
| Michigan | 14 | 14 | 747 | 14 | 293 | 454 | 13 | . . . . . | 13 | 13 | 3,460 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 2 | 60 | 2 | 18 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100 |
| Iowa | 33 | 33 | 2,352 | 33 | 879 | 1,473 | 27 | 6 | 27 | 26 | 5,970 |
| Missouri | 288 | 288 | 22,136 | 278 | 7,094 | 13,235 | 262 | 18 | 264 | 258 | 70,181 |
| Kansas | 137 | 137 | 10,011 | 136 | 3,664 | 6,067 | 132 | 4 | 132 | 130 | 33,371 |
| South Central division. | 10,0997 | 10,081 | 1,069,053 | 9,829 | 285,335 | 651,116 | 9,751 | 248 | 9,783 | 9,444 | 2,869,169 |
| Kentucky | 531 | 529 | 76,239 | 506 | 29,796 | 44,681 | 505 | 18 | 506 | 499 | 148,041 |
| Tennessee | 759 | 757 | 93,303 | 740 | 32,334 | 59,658 | 729 | 21 | 729 | 707 | 228,223 |
| Alabama | 1,977 | 1,974 | 259,825 | 1,935 | 98,260 | 156,302 | 1,924 | 39 | 1,940 | 1,863 | 640,715 |
| Mississippi | 2,236 | 2,232 | 240,982 | 2,155 | 81,291 | 153,035 | 2,188 | 37 | 2,191 | 2,124 | 626,434 |
| Louisiana | 1,411 | 1,410 | 133,510 | 1,385 | 45,821 | 83,749 | 1,375 | 25 | 1,381 | 1,313 | 401,961 |
| Arkansas | 1,115 | 1,113 | 93,364 | 1,099 | 37,289 | 55,159 | 1,086 | 16 | 1,087 | 1,049 | 303,571 |
| Oklahoma1 | 305 | 305 | 16,952 | 298 | 6,769 | 9,762 | 280 | 17 | 280 | 271 | 62,900 |
| Texas | 1,763 | 1,761 | 144,878 | 1,711 | 53,775 | 88,770 | 1,664 | 75 | 1,669 | 1,618 | 457,324 |
| Western division. | 33 | 33 | 2,328 | 27 | 437 | 729 | 28 | 4 | 28 | 28 | 7,345 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | . . . . . | 1 | 1 | 100 |
| Washington | 5 | 5 | 174 | 5 | 78 | 96 | 5 | . . . . . | 5 | 5 | 1,300 |
| Oregon | 2 | 2 | 60 | 2 | 20 | 40 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 500 |
| California | 25 | 25 | 2,083 | 19 | 335 | 586 | 21 | 3 | 21 | 21 | 5,445 |
1 Oklahoma and Indian Territory combined.
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ORGANIZATIONS, VALUE OF CHURCH PROPERTY, DEBT ON CHURCH PROPERTY, PARSONAGES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES AND TERRITORIES: 1906.
| STATE OR TERRITORY. | Total number of organizations. | VALUE OF CHURCH PROPERTY. | DEBT ON CHURCH PROPERTY. | PARSONAGES. | SUNDAY SCHOOLS CONDUCTED BY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. | ||||||
| Number of organizations reporting. | Value reported. | Number of organizations reporting. | Amount of debt reported. | Number of organizations reporting. | Value of parsonages reported. | Number of organizations reporting. | Number of Sunday schools reported. | Number of officers and teachers. | Number of scholars. | ||
| Total for denomination. | 18,534 | 17,890 | $24,437,272 | 3,100 | $1,757,190 | 709 | $617,241 | 17,478 | 17,910 | 100,069 | 924,665 |
| North Atlantic division. | 230 | 200 | 1,688,606 | 130 | 389,170 | 19 | 48,900 | 224 | 1,932 | 17,489 | |
| New Hampshire | 1 | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | 1 | 1 | 3 | 24 |
| Massachusetts | 26 | 23 | 284,050 | 19 | 94,494 | 1 | 3,000 | 26 | 26 | 283 | 2,520 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 4 | 41,146 | 3 | 13,500 | 1 | 5,000 | 4 | 4 | 46 | 372 |
| Connecticut | 13 | 13 | 106,500 | 7 | 14,650 | 2 | 1,300 | 13 | 13 | 127 | 1,162 |
| New York | 13 | 10 | 79,875 | 4 | 25,988 | . . . . . | . . . . . | 11 | 11 | 90 | 619 |
| New Jersey | 70 | 67 | 325,835 | 49 | 69,525 | 7 | 10,900 | 68 | 68 | 511 | 4,181 |
| Pennsylvania | 103 | 83 | 851,200 | 48 | 171,013 | 8 | 28,700 | 101 | 101 | 872 | 8,611 |
| South Atlantic division. | 7,291 | 7,067 | 9,946,541 | 1,113 | 669,960 | 191 | 174,310 | 6,918 | 7,136 | 41,149 | 410,914 |
| Maryland | 65 | 58 | 313,983 | 30 | 36,642 | 6 | 8,400 | 59 | 62 | 550 | 6,207 |
| District of Columbia | 60 | 43 | 962,900 | 33 | 180,386 | 2 | 1,300 | 57 | 58 | 482 | 5,599 |
| Virginia | 1,374 | 1,341 | 2,641,090 | 254 | 204,659 | 40 | 44,310 | 1,308 | 1,402 | 9,372 | 86,686 |
| West Virginia | 148 | 108 | 199,876 | 31 | 13,775 | 7 | 12,500 | 142 | 145 | 876 | 6,810 |
| North Carolina | 1,163 | 1,136 | 1,216,162 | 146 | 38,526 | 22 | 21,875 | 1,101 | 1,145 | 7,469 | 67,483 |
| South Carolina | 1,317 | 1,309 | 1,404,648 | 202 | 45,816 | 29 | 20,015 | 1,286 | 1,315 | 8,242 | 89,260 |
| Georgia | 2,504 | 2,431 | 2,615,744 | 334 | 95,651 | 34 | 31,835 | 2,351 | 2,388 | 11,058 | 121,962 |
| Florida | 660 | 641 | 592,138 | 83 | 44,505 | 51 | 34,075 | 614 | 621 | 3,100 | 26,907 |
| North Central division. | 883 | 814 | 2,330,811 | 269 | 266,147 | 101 | 110,834 | 836 | 846 | 5,670 | 37,070 |
| Ohio | 163 | 147 | 595,371 | 44 | 59,164 | 19 | 20,100 | 153 | 156 | 1,194 | 8,378 |
| Indiana | 88 | 81 | 246,775 | 38 | 36,503 | 11 | 17,600 | 86 | 89 | 658 | 4,802 |
| Illinois | 158 | 148 | 421,798 | 49 | 54,214 | 19 | 18,450 | 152 | 156 | 1,055 | 7,294 |
| Michigan | 14 | 14 | 31,950 | 5 | 1,625 | 4 | 3,700 | 13 | 13 | 99 | 498 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | 2 | 950 | 2 | 146 | . . . . . | . . . . . | 2 | 2 | 8 | 45 |
| Iowa | 33 | 27 | 53,975 | 10 | 6,031 | 6 | 3,900 | 29 | 29 | 177 | 1,233 |
| Missouri | 288 | 263 | 712,450 | 73 | 95,534 | 21 | 30,850 | 269 | 269 | 1,592 | 9,709 |
| Kansas | 137 | 132 | 267,542 | 48 | 12,930 | 21 | 16,234 | 132 | 132 | 887 | 5,111 |
| South Central division. | 10,097 | 9,780 | 10,274,564 | 1,576 | 406,315 | 391 | 276,197 | 9,470 | 9,673 | 51,137 | 457,849 |
| Kentucky | 531 | 510 | 961,202 | 92 | 41,654 | 29 | 22,550 | 495 | 498 | 3,235 | 25,215 |
| Tennessee | 759 | 736 | 1,208,610 | 91 | 53,639 | 30 | 31,100 | 732 | 740 | 3,917 | 31,828 |
| Alabama | 1,977 | 1,923 | 1,889,648 | 324 | 67,369 | 53 | 45,355 | 1,882 | 1,938 | 10,056 | 99,776 |
| Mississippi | 2,236 | 2,186 | 1,970,237 | 298 | 59,102 | 55 | 41,330 | 2,100 | 2,142 | 10,799 | 104,825 |
| Louisiana | 1,411 | 1,385 | 1,651,607 | 267 | 81,061 | 94 | 57,552 | 1,320 | 1,353 | 6,806 | 62,828 |
| Arkansas | 1,115 | 1,090 | 837,664 | 167 | 29,156 | 52 | 31,735 | 1,049 | 1,066 | 5,863 | 47,216 |
| Oklahoma1 | 305 | 281 | 179,666 | 52 | 8,760 | 3 | 2,500 | 284 | 289 | 1,506 | 10,636 |
| Texas | 1,763 | 1,669 | 1,575,930 | 285 | 65,574 | 75 | 44,05 | 1,608 | 1,647 | 8,955 | 75,525 |
| Western division. | 33 | 29 | 196,750 | 12 | 25,598 | 7 | 7,000 | 30 | 31 | 181 | 1,343 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 1 | 800 | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | . . . . . | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| Washington | 5 | 5 | 19,600 | 3 | 1,475 | . . . . . | . . . . . | 5 | 5 | 25 | 125 |
| Oregon | 2 | 1 | 15,000 | 1 | 1,200 | . . . . . | . . . . . | 1 | 1 | 4 | 30 |
| California | 25 | 22 | 161,350 | 8 | 22,923 | 7 | 7,000 | 23 | 24 | 150 | 1,179 |
1 Oklahoma and Indian Territory combined.
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ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS, AND PLACES OF WORSHIP, BY STATES AND ASSOCIATIONS: 1906.
| STATE AND ASSOCIATION. | Total number of organizations. | COMMUNICANTS OR MEMBERS. | PLACES OF WORSHIP. | ||||||||
| Number of organizations reporting. | Total number reported. | Sex. | Number of organizations reporting-- | Number of church edifices reported. | Seating capacity of church edifices. | ||||||
| Number of organizations reporting. | Male. | Female. | Church edifices. | Halls, etc. | Number of organizations reporting. | Seating capacity reported. | |||||
| Total for denomination | 18,534 | 18,492 | 2,261,607 | 18,034 | 822,162 | 1,379,387 | 17,832 | 508 | 17,913 | 17,316 | 5,610,301 |
| Alabama District | 53 | ||||||||||