The Statistical Report for 1915

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 23, 1916

The Statistical Report for 1915

A Report Showing Fifty-three Years of Progress

A SUMMARY of the fifty-third annual statistical report of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is presented in the following pages. This report is for the year ending Dec. 31, 1915, and covers practically all lines of evangelistic work being conducted by the denomination. The figures are grouped under four Division Conferences and one group of miscellaneous Union Conferences, the whole constituting organized work as follows:—

Four Division Conferences, twenty-six Union Conferences, one hundred and thirty local conferences and one hundred and nine organized mission fields. The territory covered by the organizations reporting includes practically the greater portion of the countries throughout the world.

Membership

In the Divisions referred to above, the membership stands as follows:— Name　　　　　　　　　　　　 Membership　 Per Cent North American Division　　　 77,735　　　56.79 European Division　　　　　　 37,617　　　27.49 Asiatic Division　　　　　　　 9,746　　　 7.12 South American Division　　　　 4,903　　　 3.58 Miscellaneous Union Confs.　　 6,878　　　 5.02 Totals　　　　　　　　　　　 136,879　　 100.00

The membership at the close of 1915 indicated a net gain during the year of 11,035. The number of persons baptized during the year was 17,438, this number being one of the largest ever reported for any year in the history of the denomination. The number baptized is 2,439 greater than for the preceding year.

Churches

The number of organized churches now stands at 3,876, an increase of 174 during the year, or 4.69 per cent.

Laborers

The total number of evangelistic laborers in service at the close of 1915 was 5,226. This is a slight decrease over the number for the preceding year, but owing to the unusual conditions caused by the present world war, it is a matter of surprise that the number was not still further reduced. Practically, the loss comes in the number of colporteurs. The number of those thus engaged fluctuates from time to time more than in the case of other classes of workers. Slight gains are shown in the number of those engaged in other lines of work.

In addition to the evangelistic laborers there are certain institutional laborers engaged in service, as follows:— Teachers in mission, primary, and advanced schools　　　　　　　　 1,823 Employed in publishing houses　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 698 In sanitariums and treatment-rooms　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1,729 Total institutional laborers　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　4,250 Evangelistic laborers　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5,226 Total laborers　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　9,476

Financial Summary for 1915—Summary A

TITHE From North America　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 $1,337,810.20　 67.98 From all other countries　　　　　　　　　　　　　　630,358.06　 32.02 Total　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 $1,968,168.26　 57.76

OFFERINGS From North America:— 　Reported by Conferences　　　　　　　　　　　　　 347,092.58 　Reported by Sabbath Schools　　　　　　　　　　　　332,106.20 　Reported by Missionary Volunteer Societies　　　　　 27,094.72 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　706,293.50　 80.94 From all other countries:— 　Reported by Conferences　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 80,268.30 　Reported by Sabbath Schools　　　　　　　　　　　　　80,653.08 　Reported by Missionary Volunteer Societies　　　　　　 5,451.96 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　166,373.34　 19.06 Total　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 872,666.84　 25.61

HOME MISSIONS Contributed for Home Mission work (funds sent outside the church, but not to a foreign field):— In North America:— 　Reported by Conferences　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 94,675.15 　Reported by Missionary Volunteer Societies　　　　　　 6,492.05 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　101,167.20　 75.77 From all other countries:— 　Reported by Conferences　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 30,481.33 　Reported by Missionary Volunteer Societies　　　　　　 1,882.03 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 32,363.36　 24.23 Total　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 133,530.56　 3.92

SPECIAL FUNDS Tithe appropriated by Conferences in North America for evangelistic work in home mission fields　　　　 280,498.17 Tithe thus appropriated from all other countries　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 54,287.54 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　334,785.51 Total tithes appropriated and offerings made for benefit of home and foreign mission fields during 1915　 $1,340,983.11 Per capita for the entire membership of 136,879　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 $9.80

LOCAL CHURCH WORK Contributed for all lines of local church missionary work:— From North America:— 　Reported by Conferences　　　　　　　　　　　　　　201,594.48 　Maintenance of church schools　　　　　　　　　　　 193,438.59 　By Missionary Volunteer Societies　　　　　　　　　　 2,379.02 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　397,412.09　 91.80 From all other countries:— 　Reported by Conferences　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 15,227.00 　Maintenance of church schools　　　　　　　　　　　　19,095.62 　By Missionary Volunteer Societies　　　　　　　　　　 1,197.80 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 35,520.42　 8.20 Total　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 432,932.51　 12.71

GRAND TOTAL Grand total of all funds raised during 1915 for evangelistic work:— From North America　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 $2,542,682.99　 74.63 From all other countries　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 864,615.18　 25.37 Total for 1915　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 $3,407,298.17　 100.00 Total for 1914　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 3,090,484.80　 100.00 Gain for 1915　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 316,813.37 Per cent of Gain　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 10.25% Per capita for the 77,735 members in North America　　　　　　　　 $32.71 Per capita for the 59,144 members outside of North America　　　　　 $14.62 Per capita for the entire membership of 136,879　　　　　　　　　　 $24.89 Another statement as to funds indicates that there was— Raised by churches as tithe　　　　　　　　　　　　 $1,968,168.26　 57.76 Raised by churches as all other funds　　　　　　　　 1,439,129.91　 42.24 Grand Total　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 $3,407,298.17　 100.00