p. 14 | THE STATISTICAL REPORT FOR 1913 by H. E. Rogers

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 10, 1914

THE STATISTICAL REPORT FOR 1913

By H. E. Rogers

H. E. Rogers, Statistical Secretary

The following pages contain the fifty-first annual statistical report of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. This report is arranged under the three divisions comprising this organization, namely, the North American, European, and Asiatic Divisions, and one grouping of miscellaneous union conferences. In these four divisions the percentage of membership stands thus: North America, 58.72 per cent; Europe, 25.96 per cent; Asia, 2.21 per cent; miscellaneous unions, 13.11 per cent. The number of Union Conferences is 25, local conferences 126, and organized mission fields 101.

Laborers

This work is today carried on in 85 different countries, by a force of laborers comprised as follows: 958 ordained ministers, 572 licensed ministers, 1,508 licensed missionaries, 2,060 colporteurs, 1,511 teachers in mission, primary, and advanced schools, 734 laborers in denominational publishing houses, 1,727 physicians, nurses, and other employees in sanitariums and treatment rooms, and 252 other persons not included in above classes, thus making a total force of 9,322 laborers engaged in all lines of work, or an average of one laborer for every thirteen members.

Membership

At the close of 1913 the total number of communicants was 122,386, a gain of 8,180 for the year, the per cent of gain being 7.16. This is the largest gain ever recorded in any year since this work was begun. In North America there were 71,863 members; in Europe, 31,772; in Asia, 2,713; in other countries, 16,038. The total baptisms during the year were 12,794. The difference between the number added by baptism and the net gain is 4,614. Deducting the number of deaths, there is left a relatively small number of apostasies from the faith. It is a cause of great satisfaction to note the large number of baptisms during 1913, the number being the largest ever accounted for in any year. The number of churches at the close of 1913 was 3,589. This is a gain of 715, or 24.87 per cent. The number of new church members added in 1913 was 16,513. This number is greater than the entire membership of the denomination eighteen years after its organization. It may be explained that the number of members which were transferred during 1913 from companies to churches was 8,333. Deducting this number from 16,513, the new church members added during the year, there is left the net gain in communicants (members of churches, companies, and other Sabbath-keepers) noted above, namely, 8,180.

Funds

The total funds for evangelistic work contributed by members of the organization during 1913 were $2,866,727.40, a per capita of $23.42 for each communicant. The net increase over the amount received for the preceding year was $164,528.38, the per cent of increase being 6.10. Of the total amount contributed, $2,079,238.07 (72.53 per cent) was raised in North America; $495,419.70 (17.28 per cent) in Europe; $12,272.70 (.43 per cent) in Asia; and $279,796.93 (9.76 per cent) in all other countries. There was raised in tithes, $1,771,989.60, or 61.81 per cent; in offerings, $640,373.29, or 22.34 per cent; by Sabbath-schools in contributions to foreign missions, $291,711.76, or 10.18 per cent; by church schools for their maintenance, $138,272.55, or 4.82 per cent; by Missionary Volunteer Societies, $24,380.20, or .85 per cent. The per capita for the 71,863 communicants in North America was $28.93; for the 50,523 communicants outside North America, $15.58; an average of $23.42. Since this work was organized fifty-one years ago there has been contributed for evangelistic work alone a total of $28,585,409.96. Of this amount, $19,720,499.66 (68.99 per cent) has been tithe; $2,009,206.65 (7.03 per cent) has been Sabbath-school offerings (of which 80.09 per cent has been contributed for foreign missions); $3,731,154.65 (13.05 per cent) has been foreign mission offerings; and $3,124,549.00 (10.93 per cent) has been home mission offerings. Of the total amount, $22,279,943.29 (77.94 per cent) was contributed in North America, and $6,305,466.67 (22.06 per cent) was raised outside this country. At the close of 1913 the total value of the 1,350 church buildings and of the 166 institutions belonging to the denomination was

$12,812,783.61. This was an increase of $728,345.48 in assets during the year. The general net increase in liabilities was $56,625.01, thus making a net increase in present worth of $671,720.47 during 1913.

A brief summary of the work for the year 1913 may be stated thus: The net increase in communicants was 8,180, making the total number now 122,386; the total contributions for evangelistic work were $2,866,727.40, making the total of such funds since the organization of the denomination in 1863, $28,585,409.96; and the investment and donations made during 1913 increased the present worth of the churches and institutions belonging to the denomination by $671,720.47, making the total investment by the denomination in all its schools, printing houses, sanitariums, and church buildings, $12,812,783.61. A further expenditure of $411,050.47 (tuition and gifts) was made during 1913 in maintaining the 70 advanced schools, and $52,643.18 in charity work in connection with sanitariums, thus making the total contributions, investment, and expenditure for all purposes within the denomination, for the year 1913, $4,002,141.52, an average of $32.70 for each communicant.

Educational Work

The following general classes of schools are conducted by the denomination: Primary schools (grades 1–8), of which there are 510, taught by 592 teachers, and having an enrolment of 10,206; and advanced schools (grades 8–16), of which there are 70, taught by 557 teachers, and having an enrolment of 7,563. In addition to these two general classes, there are certain mission schools conducted in non-Christian and non-Protestant countries (a separate report of work in which is prepared), the present number comprising 206 training-schools, head schools and outschools, with a teaching force of 362, and an enrolment of 9,610. Thus the total number of schools conducted by the denomination is 786, taught by 1,511 teachers, and having a total enrolment of 27,379. The total investment in these schools is $2,338,328.14. A total of 828 students were trained in all these schools sufficiently to enter some line of denominational work at the close of the last school year.

Publishing Work

At the close of 1913 there were 37 publishing houses and branches, having assets amounting to $1,488,388.46, employing 734 persons, and the total denominational literature sales for the year were $1,869,714.48. This literature is issued in the form of approximately 360 bound books, 325 pamphlets, 1,200 tracts, 128 periodicals, in 80 different languages. The total literature sales from the time this work was organized approximate $19,556,590.02. As previously noted, this literature is distributed by 2,060 colporteurs, 805 of whom are in North America, and 1,255 in other countries. Work is being conducted orally in all the 85 countries covered by this cause in 107 languages and dialects.

Sabbath-School Department

The present number of Sabbath-schools is 4,732, consisting of 123,068 members. This membership is greater than the membership of churches. The per capita contributions have reached the highest amount annually ever reported, being $2.37 per member, the total amount being $291,711.76. This is 10.18 per cent of all funds raised by the denomination during 1913. Since the beginning of this line of work, the total contributions have been $2,009,206.65, or 7.03 per cent of all funds raised by the denomination for all lines of work.

Young People's Work

The total number of young people's Missionary Volunteer Societies stands at 964, with a membership of 19,428, an annual increase of 5,400, or 38.50 per cent. The per cent of members belonging to these societies as related to the entire number of communicants is the highest yet attained, being 15.88. The total contributions for the year were $24,380.20, being $1.25 for each member of these societies. Of this amount, $13,432.49 was contributed for foreign missions.