Protestants         Lutherans
Norway .......... 33,344  -    10%  =  30,010
Sweden .......... 56,766  -    10%  =  51,090
Denmark ......... 11,996  -    10%  =  10,797
Finland ......... 10,304  -    10%  =   9,274
Germany .........486,252  -    20%  = 389,002
Austria-Hungary . 27,680  —    80%  =   5,535
Russia* ......... 15,000  -    20%  =  12,000
507,708

Many of the Lutherans who have come to us of late years from Russia, Austro-Hungary and other countries of South Eastern Europe, are the descendants of German Lutherans who in the eighteenth century accepted the invitation of Katharine the Second and Marie Theresia to settle in their dominions.  Others are members of various races from the Baltic Provlnces.

That is, the estimated number of Lutherans of foreign origin, counting only the chief countries from which they emigrate to America, is 507,708.

But we also have Lutherans here who are not of foreign origin.  Lutherans have lived in New York from the beginning of its history.  Its first houses were built by Heinrich Christiansen, who certainly had a Lutheran name.  The Lutherans of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it is true, left no descendants to be enrolled in our church books.  These are to be found in goodly numbers in the Protestant Episcopal and other churches where they occupy the seats of the mighty.  It is too late to get them back.

But in the nineteenth century we collected new congregations.  There are many Lutherans whose grandparents at least were born in New York.  Besides, there has been a large influx from the Hudson and Mohawk valleys, from Pennsylvania, Ohio, the South and the West.  A moderate estimate of these immigrants from the country and of those who under the grandfather clause claim to be unhyphenated Americans, members or non-members of our churches, is 40,000.

Add to these the Lutherans of foreign origin and we have in round numbers a Lutheran population of more than 547,000 souls.

Turning now to the statistical tables in the Appendix we find that the number of souls reported in our churches is 140,957.  Subtract these from the total Lutheran population and we have a deficit of over 400,000 souls, lapsed Lutherans, the subject of the present chapter. Quod erat demonstrandum.  While this is a large number, it is a moderate estimate.  An addition of 20 per cent. would not be excessive.

How shall we account for this deficit?

Of the Americans a large number are the children of our New York churches, the product of our superficial catechetical system.  No study of the subject is complete that does not take account of this serious defect.  No cure will be effective until we have learned to take better care of our children.

Native Americans from the country, members of Lutheran churches in their former homes, have no excuse if they do not find a Lutheran church when they come to New York.  In years gone by English churches were scarce, but now they are to be found in every part of the city.  In part at least, the home pastors are responsible.  When their people remove to New York they ought to be supplied with letters, and the New York pastors should be notified.  In fifty years I have not received twenty-five letters from my country brethren asking me to look after their wandering sheep.