THE NATIONAL PERIOD. The Revolutionary War. although it ushered in an era of complete religions toleration, so far as State and nation were concerned, was not on the whole favorable to the development of the religious life of the newly created States. By the end of the century, when spiritual conditions were at their lowest ebb, the country experienced a second great re vival, which if it lacked some of the fervid mani festations of the first, was much more productive of lasting results. As in the former ease there came about a secession of some of the more radical elements from the existing denomina tions in the Middle States and the South, and the severanct= of the Unitarians and Univer sal ists from the t rad it iona I Congregational school in New England: Yet in the main the first three decades of the nineteenth eentury may be termed the 'era of good feeling' in a religious ac well as a political sense. It was a period of great. catholicity among the various denomina tions, with coiIperation in foreign and home mis sionary work, in educational advancement, and in the work of Bible distribution. This was the period also when the Episcopal and Catholic churches began to develop along American lines and to assume an important position among American denominations; the latter being re cruited most largely from foreign immigration, and the forme• from the other denominations. The great missionary movement toward foreign lands, the home missionary motement along the Western national border, the building of theo logical seminaries, the work among the negroes and Indians, protests against slavery, and the first movements in favor of total abstinence also date from this period. Early ill the nineteenth century the last of the State aids in favor of England Congregationalism was withdrawn.
The next thirty years (1830-1860) were char acterized by a more intense denominational align ment, showing itself in a withdrawal of the separate churches from organizations for united effort, and in the creation of various denomi national boards to carry on this work; in a new zeal for Church history along sectarian lines; in a general Protestant antipathy to the Catholic Church, which even displayed itself in the polit ical world (see KNow-NornING). and in the division of some of the great denominations along sectional lines, especially over the great slavery question. The religious element was especially helpful on both sides during the Civil War, and was much in evidence in the organization of associations for the care of soldiers at the front and also at the North for the education of the freedmen. Only one of the great denominations severed by the slavery issue has as yet been re united, hut there is a feeling of cordiality, and to some extent of eo6peration, between the sep arate parts of these sects.
An important revival, just preceding the Civil War, had stirred deeply the evangelical senti ment of all the churches, and this was quickened by a succeeding revival between IS70 and 1880.
The influence of these movements has been much in favor of a sincere and hearty coIIperation of all denominations in favor of fundamental re ligious work. While there has been no tendency toward a dropping of creeds, ceremonial fo•nms, o• denominational tenets, there has been a distinct advance in essential Christian union. This ten dency has been much strengthened by such or ganizations as the Evangelical Association. the Young Men's Christian Association, and the various young people's organizations that have sprung up during the last two decades. (See CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR; EPNVORTH LEAGUE; WEST MINSTER LEAGUE; YGt•NG MEN'S CHRISTIAN .ASSOCIATION.) An interesting featuR•e of the re ligious development of the last half-century has been the growth of certain non-orthodox sects. See MORMONS; CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
Owing to the fact that Church and State are entirely distinct in the United State, it is diffi cult to obtain accurate information eoneerning religious statistics. The only figures available are those derived from the annuals and year hooks published by the several denominations. The accompanying table is intended to show the status of the leading religions sects of the United States for the years 1890 and 1900, and thus fur nizdi a means of their growth or de cline during this period. The figures supplied by the Roman Catholic Church included as members all persons who had been baptized, irrespective of age, and in order to place this denomination on the same footing as the others, a deduction of 15 per cent. from these returns has been made, with the idea of excluding from the membership all children under ten years of age. It was im possible to get exact figures for the Mormons, Christian Scientists, and Unitarians, and an esti mate based upon the most reliable authorities has been made. In the ease of the Jews. the number of families rather than the individual member ship must he given.
The large increase in the number of Christian Scientists is especially noteworthy. The Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, the Salvation Army, and German Baptists also show an appreciable gain. The strongest denominations numerically are the Roman Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and Lutherans, in the order named. Details and latest statistics regarding the various denominations may be found under their respective headings.
The distribution of the several sects has largely followed the historic lines of immigra tion. The Roman Catholics are numerically the strongest in more than half the States, including New England, the far Northwest, and the Pacific divisions: while the Methodists and Baptists are about equally divided in the States south of Mason and Dixon's line. Massachusetts is the leading State of the Congregationalists, New York of the Episcopalians, Pennsylvania of the Presbyterians. North Carolina of the Methodists, and Georgia of the Baptists. See the articles on the various denominations.