The last _State Register_ gives a tabular view of religious
denominations, making two hundred and sixteen Christian, and five Jewish
congregations in the state, with two hundred and eighty-nine Christian,
and three Hebrew clergymen. Of the Christian, one hundred and
thirty-three—nearly one-half—are Methodists, and seventy-one—nearly
one-fourth—are Roman Catholics. I hear from different quarters that the
Methodists and Catholics manifest generally far more energy and vitality
than the other churches. The Catholics enjoy certain marked advantages
over all others. Theirs is the church of the old Californians—that is,
of the Spanish-Mexican population without exception—also a part of the
Indians. The Catholic inhabitants are estimated to exceed one hundred
thousand. But the old church is strong in position and wealth, as well
as numbers. Much of the most valuable land in the state was long since
conceded by Spanish or Mexican officials to the Catholic missions; and,
though a good deal of this has been clutched by squatters, a very
valuable property still remains. Santa Clara College, near San José, is
probably the best literary institution in the state, and attracts many
sons of non-Catholic parents, though a Catholic seminary. It has by far
the largest theological library to be found on this coast. Oakland
College, opposite San Francisco, is a young, but thriving seminary,
under Orthodox direction. There is to be a San Francisco University, I
believe, but is not yet. Whatever colleges of a high grade may be
established in the state, for many years will owe their existence to
religion.
As yet, the great majority of the non-Catholic Californians have no
habit of attendance on religious worship—no proclaimed attachment to any
church whatever. Estimating their number, (not including Chinese or
Indians) at three hundred and fifty thousand, I judge that less than
one-tenth of them statedly attend church, or make any religious
profession. I simply state the facts as they appear to me, without
drawing therefrom any deduction beyond this: an unsettled, homeless
population rarely or never build churches, or habitually frequent them.