5oG 



CHURCHES. 



According to table (A) it appears that the growth of the churches in 

 South Carolina during the prosperous decade, from 1850 to 18G0, was not 

 so great as elsewhere. In the succeeding decade of war and reconstruc- 

 tion this slow rate of increase continues, and is to be attributed to the 

 destruction of much church property, and even of man}^ of the churches 

 themselves, by the invading army. It is to be observed, however, that 

 even during these periods the proportion of churches and of church ac- 

 commodations to the population is considerably greater in South Carolina 

 than it is in the country at large. It will also be seen that the propor- 

 tion of church buildings to dwellings is greater here, and that even dur- 

 ing the depression of 1870, a larger percentage of the property of the 

 community was devoted to church purposes. 



From the other tables it seems that taking into consideration at one 

 view the number of edifices, the accommodations and the church property, 

 while the preponderance in the country at large was with the Metho- 

 dists, this preponderance in South Carolina was in some regards divided 

 with the Baptists, the Presbyterians, and the Episcopalians. The per- 

 centage of the latter to all denominations was greater in Carolina than 

 in the United States, while that of the Catholics was greater in the United 

 States than in Carolina. No correct ideas of the general status and ten- 

 dency of the various denominations can be formed, however, until the 

 result of the enumerations of 1880 are published. 



As to the distribution of the various ecclesiastical denominations in 

 the different sections of the State, no data later than of 1870 can now be 

 furnished ; it will be sufficient, therefore, merely to mention here the six 

 counties having the largest proportion of each leading denomination in 

 the order in .which they ranked in this regard in 1870. Showing at the 

 same time the order in which they stood as to population. 



POPULATION 



ALL DENOM- 

 INATIONS. 



METHODIST 



PP.ES- 

 BYTERIA> 



CJhaflestoii 



Edgefield 



Barnwell 



Beaufort 



Abbeville 



Darlington 



Edgefield 



Charleston 



Anderson 



Altbeville 



Barnwell 



Spartanburg 



Edgefield 1 Charleston York 

 Greenville lEdgefield Abbeville 



Barnwell i. Abbeville 



Anderson Orangeburg 



Spartanburg Anderson 



I 

 Beaufort ; Union 



Chester 

 Charleston 



EPISCO- 

 PALIAN 



Charleston 

 Beaufort 

 Colleton 

 Anderson 



Clarendon Abbeville 

 Anderson I Kershaw 



Ltr- 



THEKAN 



CATHOLIC 



Edgefield Icharlestou 



I 

 Lexington j Edgefield 



Newberry Barnwell 



Charleston Sumter 



Richland 

 Oconee 



Chester 

 Beaufort 



