ANGLICAN COMMUNION, THE

Anglican Communion, The: translation

The term used to designate the churches that are in communion with the Church of England and hold the same Faith, Order and Worship. Under this term are included the Church of England, the Church of Ireland, the Church of Scotland, the Churches in British North America, the West Indies, Australia, South Africa and in all the English colonies throughout the world wherever established. The Episcopal Church in the United States is also included in the Anglican Communion, being identical with the Church of England as is set forth in the Preface to the Prayer Book, in which it is declared, "This Church is far from intending to depart from the Church of England in any essential point of doctrine, discipline and worship; or further than local circumstances require." The Anglican Communion is one of the most powerful forces in our modern religious world.From statistics we learn that it has a larger membership than any other religious body among English-speaking people. The following Table taken from the New YorkWorldAlmanac for 1901 gives some idea of

THE RELIGION OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE.

Episcopalians 29,200,000

Methodists of all descriptions 18,650,000

Roman Catholics 15,500,000

Presbyterians of all descriptions 12,250,000

Baptists of all descriptions 9,230,000

Congregationalists 6,150,000

Free Thinkers 5,250,000

Lutherans, etc 2,800,000

Unitarians 2,600,000

Minor religious sects 5,500,000

Of no particular religion 17,000,000

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English-speaking population 124,130,000