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 York World Almanac for 1901 gives some idea of
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
Anglo Catholic—The Historic or Catholic Church exists to-day in three main branches or Communions, viz.: The Eastern or Greek Church, the Roman Church, and the Anglican. The term "Anglo Catholic" is used to describe the Historic Church of the English-speaking people as being Catholic and Apostolic, and as having an unquestioned descent from the Church founded by Christ and His Apostles. (See ANGLICAN CHURCH; ANGLICAN COMMUNION, and also AMERICAN CHURCH).