Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/314

 STATISTICS

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STATISTICS

given their attention to the establishment and main- tenance of statistics that we cannot mention even the most noted of them. Readers are referred to the work of Mayr, "Statistik und Gesellschaftslehre" (1895-97).

Among the difficulties that obstruct the advantage- ous and exhaustive collection of statistics by private individuals are modern intercourse and industrial life, the highly speciaUzed development of govern- mental, parliamentary, and municipal administration, and the military organization of most civilized coun- tries. Statistics had first to be put under control of the State, and then to be taken up by the municipal and county authorities. Thus began the statistical bureaux aided by government authority in their inves- tigations. On the other hand their tasks, serving purely practical ends, are exactly laid down for them, without any regard to larger scientific demands. Nevertheless the labours of the official statistical bureaux are satisfactory and valuable. Official eccle- siastical bureaux for the collection of ecclesiastical statistics are almost entirely lacking, although numer- ous suggestions and propositions have been made for such.

A clear distinction must be made between statistics concerning religions and ecclesiastical statistics. The classification of mankind according to religions per- tains to general statistics, i. e. so far as the civiUzed countries of the whole world are concerned (see Sta- tistics OF Religions). Hitherto only a few coun- tries, and these for trivial reasons, have failed to ascertain exactly this important fact. The religious classification being made, then, ecclesiastical statis- tics are the work of those who hold the Christian faith; the first task of these statistics is to make a further classification of Christian denominations. After this each denomination makes such collections of statistics as enable the investigation (so far as possible) of all the diverse relations of the individual, the parish, and the whole body to the denominations, ecclesiastical authorities, institutions, etc. It can, therefore, be said that the statistics of religions separate mankind into groups, and that ecclesiastical statistics in the strict sense classify the great Christian group into subdivisions; that in these subdivisions religious sta- tistics investigate methodically all religious and eccle- siastical events capable of being considered statisti- cally, make clear their characteristic criteria, and lay bare the connexion between cause and effect. In addition to questions strictly religious and eccle- siastical. Church statistics should include all those other domains in which a Christian population and the ecclesiastical authorities should be interested, as: schools, charities, religious associational Ufe, missions, and many other matters. Ecclesiastical geography, topography, and similar topics are naturally excluded from the survey of ecclesiastical statistics, even though they necessarily make much use of statistics.

In ecclesiastical statistics, as in every statistical collection of aggregates, the reliability of the surveys depends upon the excellence of the preparation and execution of the undertaking. The most essential preliminary conditions for a well-managed statistical survey are: determination of the period of time and extent of .space to be covered; .selection of the collec- tors of the statistics and their procedure; the prepara- tion of clear, simple, comprehensive questions for the statistical inquiry-papers. Next come revision, sup- plementary additions, and expert arrangement of the original material. Third, one of the known methods of performing such work must lie .selected, as the sys- tem of small strokes, that of small blanks to be filled, or an electrical count ing-machine, and the respective divisions of the work must be closely scrutinized. The most common way of presenting results is to exhibit the matter in the form of a table, the figures of which can have a qualified or an unconditional value. Par-

ticularly clear results are obtained by the calculation of averages and by relative numbers; their scientific valuation, however, is subject to certain precautions. It is easily understood that the full value of many results can be recognized only when they are placed in suitable relation to other results. Of late, the use of the graphical method has somewhat increased in ecclesiastical statistics, while, so far as I know, the plastic method has not yet been tried. Diagrams "(geometrical figures of all kinds) have been profitably used; ecclesiastical statistics also use what are called cartograms, or coloured representations of geographical surfaces. Occasionally, use has been made of various combinations of these forms of presentation, the read- ing of which is easy to the practised eye. Such presen- tations of statistical results in popular forms were employed in secular statistics on a large scale for the first time by Hickmann of Vienna in his various pocket atlases, of which large editions were printed and sold. While it is evident that Catholics cannot concede to statistical laws the character of unchangeable natural laws, ecclesiastical statistics show that the absolutely free will of man is indeed influenced by passions, cus- toms, environment, education, character, etc., but can never be entirely annulled.

Ecclesiastical statistics have not shared so far in the benefits of international cooperation in the treat- ment of statistical questions. Not even in the larger civilized countries has it been possible to introduce uniform, and universally observed principles. At the general congress of German Catholics held at Osna- briick in 1901, the present wTiter urged the estabhsh- ment of an international bureau of ecclesiastical statistics. The proposition was received enthusiasti- cally, but nothing further has been done. On account of the large demands now made on ecclesiastical life ever^Tvhere, it is imperatively necessary that the question then discussed and afterwards dropped should receive more practical consideration.

If the total of Protestant statistical work and that of the Catholic Church be compared, it may be said that both bodies have accomplished about the same and with the same success. If the work of the two bodies be compared in individual countries or in large sections of a country, the result is some- times favourable to Protestant statistics, sometimes to Catholic. Differences of considerable importance are to be found in the methods of carrying on the work, so that the requirements of comparative statis- tics cannot, very often, be met. This is most percep- tible in the views on which are based the methods of collecting aggregates in missionary statistics, e. g. what constitutes a catechumen, an ordained mission- ary, and similar questions. Since this article does not propose to go more fully into Protestant statistics, those desiring to learn more on that head are re- ferred to the bibliography at the end.

Cathohc Church statistics can be classified in the most varied manner. The following classification is in accordance with the most important principles:—

I. Arranged according to the source of collection: (a) official statistics, when they are classified for offi- cial purposes by the central administration of the Church, or by metropolitans, bishops, or parish priests in their official capacity; (b) associational statistics, when orders, sodalities, associations, or parts of such organizations are accustomed to gather statistics in any manner for their own needs; (c) private statistics, wlien individuals or groups of such collect and digest statistical data for scientific or practical ends.

II. Chussilied according to geographical area: (a) Stat ist ics of the world, for all or any category of church questions that can be statistically considered; (b) national statistics, when the above-mentioned sta- tistics refer to a country or an essential part of it; (c) provincial and diocesan statistics, when the obser- vation of aggregates is confined to a church province