Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Aug 17, 1911

New England and Roman Catholics

In his correspondence to the Washington Star of July 31, Mr. William E. Curtis gives the following facts and figures in regard to Roman Catholics in New England.—

The Roman Catholics have by far the largest number of members in every one of the New England States. In Massachusetts 69.2 per cent of the population confess to that faith, and only 7.6 per cent belong to the Congregational Church, which represents the faith of the Pilgrims; only 5.2 per cent of the people are Baptists, only 4.2 are Methodists, and only 3.2 per cent are Episcopalians.

In Rhode Island 74 per cent of the people belong to the Catholic Church, 7.5 are Baptists, 5.8 are Episcopalians, 3.7 are Congregationalists, and only 3 per cent are Methodists.

In Connecticut 59.6 are Roman Catholics, 13 per cent are Congregationalists, 7.5 per cent are Episcopalians, 6.9 per cent are Methodists, and 5.5 per cent are Baptists.

In Maine 53.3 per cent are Roman Catholics, 15.4 are Baptists, 9.9 are Congregationalists, 9.4 are Methodists, and 2.6 are Episcopalians.

In New Hampshire 56.3 per cent are Catholics, 10 per cent are Congregationalists, 8.4 per cent are Baptists, 6.6 per cent are Methodists, and 2.6 per cent are Episcopalians.

In Vermont 55.9 per cent are Catholics, 15 per cent are Congregationalists, 12 per cent are Methodists, and 6.8 per cent are Episcopalians.

The preponderance of the Roman Catholics is due to a large foreign population, and also to the circumstance that they include every child that has been baptized; whereas the Protestant denominations count only those who have been formally admitted to communion.