11 APRIL 1941, Page 12

Sla,—Mr. Hugh Ross Williamson's letter raises the question as to

the numerical strength of organised Christianity in our land—" 5 per cent?" In another column, not more than one-sixth is suggested. A well-known writer recently mentioned i per cent, as intelligent serious Christians.

The last denominational returns afford some guidance. Easter com- municants in Anglican Churches in England and Wales, 2,446,000. Members in Free Church communions at least 1,900,000, in addition to unpublished numbers in the Salvation Army and in many hundreds of unattached churches and missions. Roman Catholic adherents equal 5 per cent, of the population—nothing like Protestant strength. If they and the Jews are deducted from the 42,000,000 in England and Wales, together with the children of and below elementary-school age, the potential Protestant Church membership population may be reckoned as approximately 32,000,000, of whom some 4,500,000—or 14 per cent., would appear to be communicants or members. Some of these, no doubt, may be regarded as being merely nominal. On the other hand there must be fully as many more or less regular worshi who have not seen their way to definite Church attachment.

In Great Britain there are about 57,000 places of worship; one f 810 people (including children from birth). Ms. Williamson's 5 cent, would give an average of only 35 members to each. He nil credit that ; but something like 99 per cent, of your readers may not.