RELIGION — INSTRUCTION
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Religion,
Absolute religions liberty is guaranteed by the Constitution. Nearly two- thirds of the population are Protestants, and rather over one-third Roman Catholics. The numbers of the different creeds by provinces at the census of 1895 were as follows : —
Provinces
Protestants
Catholics
Other Cliristians
Jews 14,364
Others and un- known
East Prussia
1,724,374
266,641
1,220
90
West Prussia
715,581
758,168
310
20,238
63
City of Berlin
1,426,591
155,363
7,824
86,152
1,374
Brandenburg
2,681,637
118,265
2,725
18,394
674
Pomerania .
1,530,003
31,739
679
11,661
65
Posen .
561,201
1,227,197
221
40,019
20
Silesia .
1,980,552
2,384,754
2,232
47,593
178
Saxon V
2,498,748
187,559
4,081
7,850
311
Schleswig-Holstein
1,257,454
24,184
517
3,702
559
Hanover
2,094,604
311,457
602
1.5,065
292
AVestphalia .
1,298,852
1,378,676
4,394
19,359
139
Hesse-Nassau
1,224,021
482,752
3,709
45,725
595
Rhine .
1,434,715
3,610,142
11,278
49,018
849
Hohenzollern
Total 1895 .
2,566
62,608
2
576
—
20,430,899
10,999,505
39,794
379,716
5,209
Per cent.
64-14
34-53
0-12
1-19
0-02
Total 1890 .
19,294,180
10,252,807
31,545
372,058
4,691
Per cent.
64-41
34-23
0-10
1-24
0-02
The Evangelical or Protestant Church is the State Church, and since 1817 has consisted of a fusion of the Lutheran and Calvinistic bodies, from which, however, there are still a few dissenters. It is governed by * consistories,' or boards appointed by Government, one for each province. There are also synods in most circles and provinces, and general synods representing the old provinces only. The constitution of the Catholic Church differs in the various provinces. In the Upper Rhenish ecclesiastical province it is fixed by a concordat between the Government and Pope Pius VII. In every part of the Monarchy the Crown has reserved to itself a control over the election of bishops and priests. The higher Catholic clergy are paid by the State, the Prince Bishop of Breslau receiving 34,000 marks a year, and the other bishops about 22,700 marks. The incomes of the parochial clergy mostly arise from endo^^^nents. In the budget of 1896-97 the sum of 3,016,161 marks is set down as direct expenditure in Evangelical Churches, and 2,599,631 marks for the Catholic Church.
Instruction.
Education in Prussia is general and compulsory. Every town, or community in town or country, must maintain a school supported by local rates, supplemented by the State, and administered by the local authorities, who are elected by the citizens, and called aldermen or town councillors. All parents are compelled to bave their children properly taught
