Statistical Report of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination, for 1903
The accompanying report represents the combined efforts of the denomination at work in the lines indicated, and from its nature it is evident that its preparation requires the co-operation of many persons, the number whose services are thus required being equal to the ultimate source of the information given. To secure all this information, it has been necessary to delay the publication of this report; for it has been impossible to secure anything like immediate returns from all parts of the world regarding every item named. The leading features of our denominational work, so far as it can be reported in figures, are presented in Table No. 1, under four heads; namely, the work of the church, the Sabbath-school, the canvassing work, and the educational work. Under the work of the church are shown the number of churches, their membership, the number and kind of workers employed, and the amount of tithes and offerings paid; relating to Sabbath-school work, the membership and offerings, and the number of schools and their membership; under the canvassing work, the persons engaged, and the amount of book sales reported; under the educational work, the number and kind of schools, the number of teachers employed, and the total enrolment of each class of students. Union Conference Comparisons
For the purpose of making a comparative study of the main features of Table No. 1, Table No. 2 may be helpful. In this table are shown, by union conferences, the population, the number of Sabbath-keepers, the net gain in Sabbath-keepers, the tithe receipts, the tithe per capita, and the per cent of gain in Sabbath-keepers, for 1903. | Conference |
Population |
Sabbath-Keepers |
Gain in 1903 |
Tithe paid in 1903 |
Tithe per Capita |
See (†) below |
|---|
| District of Columbia |
279,000 |
300 |
80 |
$2,962.36 |
$9.87 |
36.36 |
| Atlantic Union |
25,233,358 |
8,401 |
185 |
$83,492.97 |
$9.94 |
2.24 |
| Canadian Union |
4,954,181 |
1,139 |
123 |
$7,405.10 |
$6.50 |
11.98 |
| Southern Union |
14,908,381 |
2,526 |
284 |
$21,550.85 |
$8.53 |
12.67 |
| Lake Union |
15,985,641 |
16,412 |
106 |
$136,387.50 |
$8.31 |
.65 |
| Northern Union |
2,942,314 |
4,579 |
492 |
$42,554.80 |
$9.29 |
12.04 |
| Central Union |
8,737,537 |
13,794 |
308 |
$107,085.33 |
$7.76 |
2.28 |
| Southwestern Union |
5,150,665 |
3,124 |
228 |
$25,240.52 |
$8.07 |
7.87 |
| Pacific Union |
3,736,393 |
10,156 |
279 |
$119,904.82 |
$11.80 |
2.82 |
| Australasian Union |
7,566,622 |
3,097 |
638 |
$34,439.44 |
$11.12 |
25.95 |
| German Union |
255,864,000 |
5,156 |
1,077 |
$35,640.28 |
$6.91 |
26.15 |
| Scandinavian Union |
12,637,277 |
2,271 |
56 |
$12,820.29 |
$5.20 |
2.52 |
| British Union |
41,649,112 |
1,180 |
322 |
$15,000.80 |
$12.71 |
37.52 |
| Latin Union |
106,699,000 |
651 |
80 |
$4,084.31 |
$6.27 |
14.01 |
| Oriental Union |
44,225,000 |
289 |
88 |
$1,107.42 |
$3.83 |
43.78 |
| South African Union |
5,768,886 |
533 |
1182 |
$15,229.80 |
$28.57 |
125.45 |
| South American Union |
31,400,000 |
1,477 |
125 |
$6,316.01 |
$4.28 |
9.24 |
| Miscellaneous |
810,299,530 |
2,469 |
— |
$9,168.11 |
$3.71 |
— |
| Total and Average |
1,398,026,897 |
77,554 |
4,032 |
$684,030.54 |
$8.82 |
5.48 |
From Table No. 2 it will be seen that the greatest population in any union conference is in the German Union; that the largest number of Sabbath-keepers is in the Lake Union; that the greatest net gain in membership for 1903 was made in the German Union, the gain being 1,077, or a gain of 26.15 per cent. The greatest per cent of gain, however, was made in the Oriental Union Mission, whose gain over the standing for 1902 was 43.78 per cent. The largest amount of tithe paid by any union conference was reported by the Lake Union; namely, $136,387.50, or a tithe per capita of $8.31. The largest tithe per capita, however, was paid by the South African Union Conference, which was $28.57. The second best showing in this respect is that for the British Union, which is $12.71. The greatest net gain in tithe is reported by the German Union Conference, with $10,238.73, or an increase of 40.30 per cent over the amount for 1902. The Atlantic Union stands next, with a net gain of $8,589.44, or an increase of 11.46 per cent. Local Conference Comparisons
A brief study of Table No. 1 will also reveal some interesting features regarding the items for local conferences and missions. From that report it will appear that the three fields showing the greatest per cent of gain in Sabbath-keepers during 1903, are, respectively, the Scotland Mission, with a gain of 275 per cent; Wales, with a per cent of 141; and Alabama, with a per cent of 103. The three conferences reporting the greatest net gain are Minnesota, with a gain of 400; Kansas, with a gain of 384; and Nebraska, with a gain of 225. The total number of Sabbath-keepers in the North American union conferences is 60,431; in other union conferences and mission fields, 17,123, making the grand total of Sabbath-keepers for all the world at the end of 1903, 77,554. This is a gain of 5.48 per cent, or a net gain of 4,032, over the number reported for 1902, which was 73,522. Comparative Growth in North America and in Foreign Fields
By comparing the total number of Sabbath-keepers in the North American union conferences in 1903 with the number for 1902, it will be seen that the net gain is 2,159, a gain of 3.71 per cent. A similar comparison of the fields outside of North America, indicates a net increase in total Sabbath-keepers of 1,873, a gain of 12.28 per cent. In other words, the per cent of gain in the foreign conferences and missions is about four times that of the conferences in North America. To carry forward this work there is expended in the conferences in North America a total of $550,154.08 in tithe, and in the fields outside, $133,876.46. Thus it will be seen that in the foreign fields there is expended in tithe less than one fourth the amount expended in the conferences in North America, and yet the per cent of gain is about four times greater than in North America. The number of Sabbath-keepers in the two divisions named are related in about the same manner as the amount of tithes paid; that is, about three fourths in North America, and one fourth outside. A comparison of the population will indicate a still greater disparity. In the North American conferences there are over eighty-one million persons; while in the countries outside, and in which we have conferences organized and missions established, there are about one billion four hundred million people, or about seventeen times more than the number in North America. The expenditure of tithe in North America being four times greater than in fields outside, it is clear that for each person living in North America, there is an expenditure of about seventy times more than for each person living in fields outside. This takes no account whatever of over 200,000,000 persons living in countries where as yet we have not established any missions or done work of any kind. Comparative Growth for Twenty Years
A brief glance at two of the leading features of our denominational statistics—the membership and the funds—covering a period of twenty years, may be of interest, as showing the comparative growth of each. These are exhibited in Table No. 3. Table No. 3—Comparative Growth by Five-year Periods
|
No. of Sabbath-keepers |
Per cent of gain |
Average yearly tithe paid |
Per cent of gain |
|---|
| 1883 |
17,436 |
|
$96,418.62 |
|
| 1888 |
26,112 |
49.75 |
$146,194.42 |
51.62 |
| 1893 |
37,400 |
43.24 |
$292,243.15 |
99.90 |
| 1898 |
59,447 |
58.93 |
$353,642.28 |
21.01 |
| 1903 |
77,554 |
30.46 |
$581,772.32 |
64.51 |
In the matter of tithes, it will be seen by reference to Table No. 1, that the highest tithe per member paid by any local conference was paid by the Natal-Transvaal Conference, which was $29.80; that the highest tithe per capita for a mission field is reported by Hawaii, with $27.92 per member; that the lowest average tithe per member for a conference was reported by Jamaica, which was $1.30 per member; for a mission field, Gwelo, with 24 cents per member. The grand total tithe for 1903 was $684,030.54. The average tithe per member for all the conferences and missions in the world for 1903, was $8.82. The per capita for 1902 was $8.75; the 1903 per capita is, therefore, an increase of seven cents per member over that of 1902. The total amount of tithe paid for seventeen years, beginning with 1887 and closing with the year 1903, was $6,392,599.06, the per capita tithe for that time averaging $7.59. The per capita tithe for 1903 being $8.82, is therefore $1.23 per member greater than the average amount for the seventeen years. The per capita tithe may be taken as the average for all conferences, and10 hence the per capita tithe of conferences either above or below that amount is to that extent above or below the general average. Table No. 1 gives definite amounts of offerings appropriated as follows: To fields outside of conferences, and annual, weekly, miscellaneous, and Sabbath-school offerings to foreign missions. The total amount for all these purposes is $216,342.98. This is the total amount raised in all the world, and much of it is used locally in the fields where it is raised. In addition to this, however, there is a large amount given for other purposes, such as to the Southern field, to orphanages, to homes for the aged, for endowed beds, home mission work, and various special enterprises, the funds for which pass through regular conference channels, but, for lack of space, are not incorporated in the report given above. And there is also a considerable amount sent directly by individuals to various missionary enterprises, which can not be accounted for in any conference report. The aggregate amount of the offerings for all the objects enumerated above, made by the denomination annually, may be safely estimated to be about $225,000. If to this is added the grand total of tithe; namely, $684,030.54, and of Sabbath-school contributions not included above, the total amount of funds raised in tithes and offerings during 1903 is brought to over $930,000, or a per capita of approximately twelve dollars. Sabbath-school Contributions
From Table No. 1 it will appear that the total Sabbath-school contributions for the year 1903 was $55,823.85; of this amount $34,779.85 was donated to missions. The remainder was expended, approximately, as follows: expense of maintaining local schools, $14,374.46; donations to the Haskell Home, $4,669.54; leaving a balance of $2,000 as the amount of tithe and expenses of all the State Sabbath-school Departments. Offerings to Foreign Missions
The offerings to foreign missions from all the conferences and missions throughout the world, from the year 1888 to 1903, are presented in Table No. 4. From the accompanying tables various features of interest may be noted, and comparisons made regarding the progress in different departments of work. For instance, a study of the book sales in the various union conferences will indicate a per capita sale, based on total Sabbath-keepers, as follows:— | NAME OF CONFERENCE |
AMOUNT PER MEMBER |
|---|
| District of Columbia |
$1.15 |
| Atlantic Union |
$4.25 |
| Canadian Union |
$5.19 |
| Southern Union |
$10.66 |
| Lake Union |
$3.33 |
| Northern Union |
$3.83 |
| Central Union |
$4.98 |
| Southwestern Union |
$5.94 |
| Pacific Union |
$3.69 |
| Australasian Union |
$18.32 |
| German Union |
$8.95 |
| Scandinavian Union |
$10.64 |
| British Union |
$27.62 |
| Latin Union |
$9.86 |
| Oriental Union |
$.36 |
| South African Union |
$37.46 |
| South American Union |
$1.67 |
| Miscellaneous |
$4.50 |
| Average |
$6.16 |