The seventy-second annual Statistical Report of the denomination shows that the membership of the 7,818 churches now stands at 404,509. This is a gain of 119,216 during the past six years, or 20,358 during 1934. Note first the figures relating to membership. After seventy-eight years of effort, the denomination, in 1921, had reached a membership in all the world of 198,088. In the following thirteen years, to the close of 1934, the net increase in membership—after making up for all losses by death and apostasy—was 206,421, with the total membership then standing at 404,509. The net gain, therefore, in the past thirteen years was greater than during the preceding seventy-eight years, and during these same thirteen years, the increase in the net worth of all the organizations operated by the denomination has been practically $15,000,000—a truly remarkable growth, more than doubling our membership in thirteen years, and practically doubling our net worth.
Let us note a few other changes that have occurred in our work since 1921. We were then working in 108 countries; now in 325 countries and islands; in 1921, we were conducting work in 179 languages; now in 539. In 1921, we had 14,009 evangelistic and institutional laborers in all the world: at the close of 1934, we had 23,753.
Let us bring this comparison closer to recent developments by taking the figures that were available at the last session of the General Conference, and see what has occurred since then. At the time of the last General Conference, our total laborers of all classes were 20,278; today, 23,753. We were then working in 394 languages; now, 539. We were then working in 139 countries; now, 325 countries and islands. We then had a membership of 299,555; today, 404,509, a gain during the past five years of 104,954, which is a greater gain than was ever before made by the denomination in any five-year period in its history.
And here is still another way of grasping these facts: We are now conducting work in 325 countries and islands by 23,753 evangelists and institutional laborers, who are using in their work 539 languages and dialects. The increase in languages since 1926 is 283, or one new language added on an average of every ten days since 1926. The increase in countries and islands in which we began work in 1934 was 30, and in new languages in which work is conducted, 35.
This work is carried on throughout the world by twelve divisions, comprising 70 union conferences, 144 local conferences, 318 missions, a total of 544 evangelistic organizations, and employing 11,642 evangelistic laborers. There are also 443 associate institutions, with which are connected 12,111 persons, making a total of 23,753 laborers, or one laborer actively employed for every seventeen church members.
Denominational literature is now produced in 169 languages, one copy in each form published, costing $2,087.50. This literature is produced by 69 publishing houses, employing 1,090 persons, and distributed by 3,264 colporteurs. The value of denominational literature sold in 1934 was $3,416,345.80; since 1863, $102,799,063.22.
There are 2,130 primary schools; 214 advanced schools, with a total of 5,355 teachers and an enrollment of 97,742, or one student for every 4.14 church members. The value of assets is $8,472,626.24.
There are 69 sanitariums, 62 treatment rooms and dispensaries, a total of 131 institutions where the sick are cared for, employing 5,066 physicians and nurses, and treating during the year 451.549 patients.
Our tithes and offerings for 1934 aggregated $9,893,214.67, which was an increase of $1,250,562.24 over the amount received in 1933, the per cent of increase being 14.47. Of this amount, there was raised in North America $6,342,556.35 (a per capita of $41.28) ; outside North America, $3,650,658.32 (a per capita of $14.41)—an average per capita of $24.46 for the entire world.
The total tithes and offerings contributed to this cause since its organization in 1863, are $218,372,706.06, of which amount $64,157,293.28 was for foreign missions.
The value of the investment in the 6,487 organizations—including all conferences, institutions, churches, church schools and equipment —connected with the denomination at the close of 1934, was $56,045,968.38, an increase during the year of $2,066,824.66.
The graphs in the report indicate 37.38 per cent of members in North America, 37.50 per cent of laborers, 63.10 per cent of total contributions, and 54.85 per cent of resources.
When we see this work reaching so many countries and languages, carried on by so large a number of laborers, we can only think of the words of our Saviour expressed in Matthew 24:14: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
Washington, D. C.
