General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

THE STATISTICAL REPORT FOR 1901

H. E. OSBORNE

In this number will be found the statistical report of our conferences and missions in all parts of the world for the year 1901. We have long delayed going to press, hoping to obtain fuller information from distant mission fields. We regret that even now the figures are not complete. GCB January 1, 1902, page 595.1

It is evident that summaries and comparisons based on the figures here presented may not in every instance be just to the respective fields or periods of time involved. Nevertheless, the figures presented are doubtless correct, having been inserted in the report as given to us by the secretaries of the respective conferences. Individual reports can therefore be safely used as the basis of estimates relating to the field. Even though the totals for Union Conferences or the grand total for the field may not correctly represent the work in all its phases because of the incompleteness already mentioned. Extensive changes incident to the general reorganization of our work should be mentioned as an element of difficulty in securing satisfactory returns. In some parts of the field, for example, the tithe has been paid to three or more treasuries during successive periods of the year 1901. It will readily be seen that this has introduced complexity and consequent difficulty in securing prompt and satisfactory information. GCB January 1, 1902, page 595.2

Those who carefully study the report will note that many of the conferences report fewer members than at the close of 1900. In justice to all concerned it should be stated that in nearly all such cases the loss is not an actual one, but is due to the revision of church lists. It is well known that in process of time church records become encumbered with the names of persons who properly cannot be counted as members of the body. Unfortunately, very few churches keep their lists properly corrected. In some conferences a systematic effort has been made to carefully correct the records. This very proper manner of dealing with inflated lists has nominally decreased the membership of some conferences in which the accessions to the faith have been equal to those recorded in former years. GCB January 1, 1902, page 595.3

Another conspicuous and more pleasing fact in this report is the encouraging increase in tithes paid into the conference treasuries. Even drouth-stricken Missouri shows a commendable increase in the tithes of its membership, thus illustrating the fact that God can and does prosper his people and his work even under distressing circumstances. GCB January 1, 1902, page 595.4

[CD-ROM Editor’s Note: Table incomplete - will be completed in future edition of CD-ROM]